Year: 2022

Rum has yet to captivate the mainstream in the way whiskey has. Okay, fine, it’s not even close. Even the dark, aged expressions don’t have anything approaching bourbon-level devotion among fans here in the US. And white rums are often relegated to being mixers — the base for drinks like the mojito and daiquiri or even more sugary tiki concoctions.

That’s a shame because there some very tasty white rums on the market. Sure you have your old standards, Bacardi being foremost among them, but there are also smaller brands emerging that exhibit a deep commitment to craft. You can even have aged white rums — which spend a few months or years in the barrel only to have the caramel color removed using charcoal filtration techniques.

All of this nuance means there’s plenty of variation between expressions to warrant a blind taste test. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Our lineup today includes:

• Captain Morgan White Rum
• Havana Club Anejo Blanco
• Wray & Nephew White Rum
• The Real McCoy 3-Year-Old Rum
• Bacardi Superior White Rum
• Banks 5 Island Rum
• Don Q Cristal Rum
• Cruzan Aged Light Rum

Let the white rum sampling commence!

Part 1: The Taste

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

A lot is going on with this rum’s nose. There are notes of coconut, tropical fruits, and citrus peels. It’s slightly oaky and full of vanilla. The palate is highlighted by sweet sugar cane, more tropical fruit flavors, slight spice, and a gentle, dry, warming finish that left me craving more.

Overall, it’s a decent rum that I would try again.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

While not overly abundant with aromas, the nose did have hints of ripe pineapple, toasted vanilla beans, toffee, and rich, oaky wood. Drinking it brought forth flavors like coconut chocolate, more vanilla, sugarcane, gentle wintry spices, and more light fruity flavors throughout. The finish was dry, sweet, and warming.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, this rum is surprisingly dull with slight aromas of sugary vanilla and maybe just a tickle of cracked black pepper. But that’s really pushing it. The palate was slightly more flavorful with light pineapple, cane sugar, and some vanilla.

All in all, it’s a pretty bland and unexciting rum, to say the least.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

In the absence of color, this rum’s nose let me in on the flavors I was in for. Aromas are fruity, sweet cinnamon, molasses, and full of vanilla beans. The palate continues this trend of surprising my senses with notes of ripe pineapple, coconut meat, sugar cane, vanilla beans, and gentle, oaky spices that tie everything together nicely.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

This rum smells like a dark rum. There are notable aromas of butterscotch, treacle, vanilla beans, and a slight fruitiness. The palate continues this trend with notes of dried fruits, vanilla cream, brown sugar, caramelized pineapple, and gentle baking spices. Overall, it’s a very flavorful white rum.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

There isn’t much smell to this rum besides a sweet, saccharine sugar smell. It’s like someone made a simple syrup and then told you it was rum. There might be faint vanilla in there too, but it might also be my imagination. The palate followed suit with more teeth-aching sweetness with a slight treacle flavor.

Honestly, this rum tasted like pure sugar with a hint of alcohol heat.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

This is a surprisingly fruity rum on first nosing. Ripe pineapple, sweet banana, and dried fruits met my nostrils. On top of that, there were scents of vanilla beans and gentle wintry spices. Sipping it revealed more vanilla cream, buttery caramel, raisins, more ripe fruit flavors, berries, and just a hint of cracked black paper to add a little spice into the mix.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

This rum had a bit of a funky smell, and I could tell it was very high proof. I also noticed the aromas of molasses, vanilla beans, and maybe some cinnamon but not much else. The aromas were definitely overshadowed by the alcohol heat. Sipping it almost knocked me completely out of my chair.

Once I got past the overwhelming alcohol taste, there were notes of vanilla, caramel, molasses, and a slight fruity flavor. Overall, the alcohol was a bit too much to handle though.

Part 2: The Ranking

8) Captain Morgan White Rum — Taste 6

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30 for a liter

The Rum:

There are few more well-known rums than Captain Morgan, but name recognition doesn’t necessarily equal value. This rum was created to be a mixer. This sugarcane-based rum was distilled five times in an effort to remove any harsh qualities and create a smooth, mixable rum and not much else.

Bottom Line:

I didn’t enjoy sipping this rum at all and really wasn’t surprised when I learned that it was Captain Morgan. It’s definitely not for sipping.

7) Bacardi Superior White Rum — Taste 3

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $18 for a liter

The Rum:

Like Captain Morgan, Bacardi is a massive name in the rum game. Its iconic white rum was created in 1862 by Don Facundo Bacardí Massó. It took him ten years to perfect the recipe. Designed to be mixed with, but not lost in the shuffle, it’s still one of the most popular white rums today.

Bottom Line:

Once again, I wasn’t surprised to see Bacardi land so low on the list. It’s cheap, available everywhere, and is an acceptable mixer. That’s all though.

6) Wray & Nephew White Rum — Taste 8

ABV: 63%

Average Price: $26

The Rum:

This is a bold punch to the gut rum with 63 percent alcohol. You’re really not supposed to drink this neat. This award-winning, classic white rum has been made the same way in Nassau Valley in Jamaica since the 1800s in small batches.

Bottom Line:

Wray & Nephew doesn’t mess around. This high-proof Jamaican rum has a ton of flavor. It’s just that it’s masked by having so much alcohol content. That’s great for the mixer that it is. But, come on, never drink this straight.

5) Don Q Cristal Rum — Taste 1

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $15

The Rum:

If you’ve never tried Don Q, now is the time. Its popular cristal rum is distilled multiple times to soften and mellow it before it’s aged for between one and five years in American oak barrels. Then the amber color is removed while keeping the bold flavor.

Bottom Line:

I wasn’t very familiar with Don Q before this blind taste test, so I didn’t really know what to expect. While the flavor didn’t knock my socks off, it’s definitely a decent mixer or sipper (if you enjoy sipping white rum neat).

4) Cruzan Aged Light Rum — Taste 2

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $12

The Rum:

This St. Croix-produced rum is made with a blend of various rums aged between one and four years in barrels that formerly held bourbon. It’s then filtered to remove color and mellow out the taste. It’s cheap, always available, and definitely a bargain mixer to add to your bar cart.

Bottom Line:

This is by far the least expensive rum on this list and ranked among the best. That’s fairly telling. Price doesn’t always dictate quality. This is a decent mixer and I’d even sip it in a pinch.

3) Banks 5 Island Rum — Taste 4

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $35

The Rum:

This is a really complicated rum. It’s a blend of twenty or more different rums from (you guessed it) five different “islands”: Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana (although technically a landlocked country), and Java. It’s aged between three and five years and then the color is removed through charcoal filtering.

Bottom Line:

I definitely expected Banks 5 Island Rum to place high on these rankings. It’s complex and flavorful due to the different rums present. It’s like taking a journey throughout the Caribbean and parts of South America in a glass.

2) Havana Club Añejo Blanco — Taste 5

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $21

The Rum:

When I hear terms like “añejo,” I usually just assume the bottle in question is tequila. In this case, it’s a way to differentiate between an aged and unaged rum. While not actually made in Cuba, this Puerto Rican rum is made using the original recipe from the Cuban Arechebala family. It’s aged for one year in oak barrels, blended, and then aged for another two months.

Bottom Line:

I’ve never had to privilege of trying the original Havana Club rum, but this Puerto Rican version definitely surprised me in overall flavor. It’s complex and mixable, but a rum I’d definitely sip neat as well.

1) The Real McCoy 3-Year-Old Rum — Taste 7

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $23

The Rum:

Named for prohibition-era rum runner Bill McCoy, The Real McCoy 3-Year-Old Rum is produced at the well-known Foursquare Distillery on the island of Barbados. This blended rum is aged for a minimum of three years in ex-bourbon barrels before having its caramel color removed using charcoal filtering.

Bottom Line:

With a name like The Real McCoy, I should have known that this rum wasn’t messing around. It’s by far the most flavorful and complex of the rums on this list. I will definitely crack this one open for another taste.

It’s been about a year and a half since Phoebe Bridgers officially introduced her very own record label, Saddest Factory Records. The endeavor seems to have gone well so far, as the label is home to artists people really like, including Claud and Muna. Now, the Saddest Factory empire is expanding: Bridgers is launching Saddest Factory Radio, a monthly show on SiriusXM.

The program is set to feature Bridgers talking with artists, including her label signees, and introducing listeners to some of her favorite music. The show is set to premiere on March 3 (tomorrow) at 6 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET on SiriusXMU (Channel 35), with further new episodes arriving on the first Thursday of each month.

Bridgers tells Rolling Stone:

“My favorite way to consume music is incidentally — something playing in the grocery store, an opening band I’ve never heard, a college radio station while trying to find signal on a road trip. I hope I can offer something like that to people who tune in. In my personal life, I have always had a radio show. Punishing my friends on road trips with hours of dirges and ambient music, I can’t wait to do it professionally.”

We don’t yet know exactly who Bridgers is set to have on the show, but listeners would be fortunate if she pulls from her pool of musical collaborators, as that list includes Taylor Swift, Conor Oberst, Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, Matt Berninger, Lord Huron, Maggie Rogers, Kid Cudi, Paul McCartney, The Killers, and Lorde.

Kanye West allegedly may not want to divorce Kim Kardashian but it looks like he doesn’t mind enjoying himself while the two are going through their separation. After spending much of the early part of the year publicly dating actress Julia Fox, it looks like he’s found — well, not a replacement for Kim, but certainly a companion who fits a type. Kanye’s recently been seen out with a model named Chaney Jones, who some have described as a Kim Kardashian lookalike, and judging from a new social media post, it looks like they are more than friends.

After Kanye reposted a Shade Room photo of himself and Jones walking through a shopping center in Miami, Jones appeared in the comments to call Kanye “my love.” According to Complex, Jones also previously shared a selfie of the two together on her Instagram Story, adding fuel to the rumors that the two have been growing closer.

Prior to being linked with Jones, Kanye’s whirlwind fling with Julia Fox generated some truly bonkers headlines, including ones about their extravagant dates, and over the top gifts for her and her friends. When rumors began to circulate about the short-lived couples’ possible breakup, she confirmed them on no more auspicious an occasion than Valentine’s Day. It looks like some of Kanye’s theatricality may have rubbed off on her. Meanwhile, Kanye and Jones have yet to confirm that they’re dating, but if their social media activity is to believed, it looks like Kanye has met his match — at least for now.

I think Yasper did it. Let’s get that out of the way first, if we’re going to discuss The Afterparty with the finale, and presumably the big reveal to the whodunnit, coming this week. I think that for a bunch of reasons. He had motive (jealousy over Xavier’s success after their high school ska band, Skarpe Diem, broke up), he had opportunity (his whereabouts have always been a little murky), and he always seems a little too interested in helping Aniq — the prime suspect so far, who is perilously close to being railroaded into an arrest — snoop around the investigation in ways that could get him in trouble if he got caught (the earbud thing to listen in on interrogations, the lingering in rooms a beat too long, all of it a little weird unless there’s another reason). Plus, I just think the show would want the killer to be a recognizable face that has appeared in most of the episodes for a significant chunk of time, and Ben Schwartz checks both of those boxes. So there’s that.

But also, like, who cares?

I should clarify that. I don’t mean it dismissively, like that I’m not invested in the mystery at the core of the show, or in the show itself as a whole. Very much the opposite, actually. The Afterparty has been a ton of fun. I’ve been looking forward to the new episodes each week and clearing my schedule so I can watch them without interruption, and just generally basking in the relentless silliness of it all. It’s still early in the year and things can go sideways in any number of ways between now and December but, if I were a betting man, I’d put a fiver on this making my own personal Best of 2022 list. The point I’m making is that it’s all been so fun — the journey of it all — that focusing too much on the resolution seems like missing the point.

Think about what we’ve had here. We’ve had a series loaded with your favorite stars from your favorite comedies. We’ve had a cool premise executed well, with each episode focusing on a different character and presented in a different format, from rom-com to action movie to animation to a borderline police procedure. We’ve had a slew of perfectly stupid throwaway gags, from Channing Tatum showing up in a scene from a fake Hall & Oates biopic to posters lining the house for movies with titles like Legal Beagle. We had both a urination-based showdown…

… and one of my beloved “not so different” scenes, albeit slightly modified.

And again, it’s just been a lot of fun, every week. There’s a fair amount of hand-wringing among television critics and viewers — most of it justified — about what the deluge of content over the last few years has done to the medium. There are ten-episode shows that should have been eight-episode shows and eight-episode shows that should have probably been movies, if we’re being honest. There is a bottomless pit to fill with all the various streaming services and cable channels and it can really just get to be a lot. But it also creates opportunity. There’s room to do cool stuff. Cool stuff, for example, like this.

Try to remember that this week, if you can, as you smash play on the finale. The journey here has been such a refreshing ride. It almost makes the destination secondary, which is a weird thing to say about a show that opens with a murder that it promises to pay off by the end. I still think Yasper did it, but I have a decent amount of confidence that the show could hang a hard left 15 minutes into the finale and still pull it off.

Brett did it? Sure, why not?

Walt did it? I never trusted him.

One or both of the Jennifers did it? They seem like the type.

A stiff breeze or passing seagull brushed Xavier off the balcony and he fell to his death as a result of some sort of nature/karma combination initiated by a higher power who we meet in person when Xavier ascends or descends to the afterlife? I would laugh.

The thing to remember is that it’s a good show. And it’s cool it’s existed. And that we should say those things a lot out loud so the people who greenlight and finance these things go ahead and greenlight and finance more fun offbeat stuff like this going forward. Let’s get weird and stay weird. And cast Sam Richardson in more things. I still think someone should let or make him star in a modern-day reboot of Columbo, maybe one where Jake Johnson from New Girl plays a billionaire tech CEO who murders his co-founder and tries to cover it up with… oh, let’s say “holograms.”That would be fun. And that’s the kind of thing that could exist if we keep pushing boundaries with cool stuff like The Afterparty. There’s a multi-step process here and, as a wise man once said, it’s always good to trust the process.

Daniel Radcliffe’s low-key the best at his post-blockbuster career moves. He simply does the projects that he wants to do (including shaking his butt on Miracle Workers), and that’s his whole M.O., which has led him to sign on for Roku’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Radcliffe’s already been revealed as “Weird Al” Yankovic in a first-look photo in bewigged glory for the “depraved” biopic. Filming is currently ongoing in Los Angeles, and that’s where the rest of the cast is coming together.

Speaking of which, expect some 1980s Madonna in this movie, and here’s a first look at Evan Rachel Wood in full Material Girl regalia:

Man, that brings back memories of my grandma being none-too-pleased about what my siblings were watching on MTV. Evan is crushing the tulle-and-costume-jewelry-clad Madge look (with teased-up hair and just an edge of sacrilegious accessorizing thus far), and it’s surely a nice, lighter turn of events after baring her soul in the Phoenix Rising documentary (largely about her Marilyn Manson allegations) coming soon on HBO.

In addition, Roku announced that the Funny Or Die-produced movie will also co-star Julianne Nicholson (also definitely needing something lighter after Mare of Easttown and The Outsider) as Weird Al’s mom, Mary Yankovic. Toby Huss steps in as Al’s dad, Nick Yankovic, and Rainn Wilson will portray radio broadcaster Dr. Demento. There’s no word yet on a release date for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, but it’s not soon enough.

At just the age of 23 years old, Nija Charles is undoubtedly one of the music industry’s most sought-after songwriters. Her list of collaborators is a dream cast of names that any songwriter, or any artist at that, would love to have at her age. Cardi B, Meek Mill, The Carters, 21 Savage, Beyonce, Chris Brown, Drake, and Summer Walker are all people she’s worked to great success. Between chart-topping albums and top-20 Billboard Hot 100 songs, Nija’s resume shines on its one.

In 2020, Nija hit the jackpot — twice. She scored two No. 1s, the first being Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me” and the second being Grande’s “Positions.” Her elevated success as a songwriter earned her recognition on various platforms. In 2020, she appeared on Rolling Stone’s Future 25, BET’s Future 40, and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 lists. Two years after she topped the charts as a songwriter, Nija is aiming for that same success as a singer.

Fresh off the release of her debut project, Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You, we caught up with Nija to discuss her success as a songwriter, her goals for her own artistry, and how she’s able to do it all.

As a songwriter, 2020 proved to be your biggest year after you landed No. 1s with Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande. Ahead of your next chapter as an overall artist, how do you look at those moments when you reflect on them now?

Yeah, back in 2020, I didn’t realize how hard I was working and I’m just appreciative of my drive during that time. Getting two No. 1s, especially in pop, is not something you see every day, so it just proves to me that I could do anything. Working hard comes naturally to mean and I was able to put that into my artistry, that type of drive. Working during the pandemic, I got to be able to go back to how I usually work before I really got into writing professionally. I was in my room and just doing what felt good to me. That was really dope that I got to go back to my old self and I feel like that played a big part in my success during that year.

Even though you had success as a songwriter, were you concerned that these No. 1s would box you in as a writer and make it harder for you to be your own artist?

No, I never had a fear because I’m the type of person where it’s like if I want something, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure it happens. I know the music I make is good because I just love listening to music and making music for myself. So as long as I like it, that’s really all that matters to me. I’m glad that everyone else likes it. But no, there was never really a fear because I do it for my own enjoyment.

What’s one of two things that factor heavily into your success as a songwriter, as in, without them, you wouldn’t be as consistent as you are at the moment?

Humbleness and being grounded for sure. I would say that because I feel like a lot of people chase hits and success, but for me from the beginning, I make music because I want to make what I want to hear on the radio. I’m a fan of music so that’s how I always approach every song. I make it so that I can listen to it in the car and listen to my friends. I’m not chasing success and I feel like that plays out in the results. Two, I would say drive and just being a go-getter. I’m always on call, I’m always gonna finish something, [and] I never half-ass things. I feel like that’s definitely played a part in my consistency and it’s also why a lot of people trust me and call on me because they know that I’ll get the job done and I’m going to see things through.

Since these pair of No. 1 singles, how have you grown in your art and what’s contributed to this growth?

Yeah, I’ve grown a lot because one, I feel like I’ve actually been able to experience life more. When I stepped foot in the industry, I was still a teenager and just entering my 20s. So now, I’m learning life like before I really had anything to go off of, I was just writing about what I saw or things that I just heard about, but now I have my own life experiences to draw from through talking with friends and just maturing, that definitely played a big part. Creatively, music progresses and I’m inspired by other artists that I’m listening to and just broadening my music library and just taking inspiration from all types of genres. So yeah, maturing and expanding.

I remember a post you shared in early 2021 where you celebrated your signing to Capitol Music Group. What made that the perfect time and the perfect place to lock in a deal?

It was the perfect time because the three years prior, I just kept leveling up and I’ve worked with about 99% of the people that I looked up to. My first year, I worked with Beyonce and Jay-Z, my second year, I was a big Chris Brown fan growing up and I was able to score one of the biggest cultural records with him. Then, the year after that, I got the biggest pop songs, so it was just like, where do I go from here? I definitely wanted to try something new, and having so much success so early and so quickly, I just felt like that was the right next step. Also, the year before that, Beyonce featured me on “My Power.” So it was really the best timing for me. The reason why I chose Capitol was I was signed by Jeff Vaugh (Chairman/CEO of CMG). Me and Jeff, we’ve known each other over the years because he used to work at Artist Partner Group, so we’ve worked a lot especially at the beginning of my career because he was Kehlani’s A&R and I’ve worked a lot with her — my first hit was “Ring” with Cardi and her. My main thing was I wanted to go somewhere where they were passionate about me, and you know, he was the chairman. He really, really saw my vision as well as Amber Grimes (former SVP and Global Creative of CMG), so that was the perfect place for me.

Now that you’re forging your path as an artist, how has it been balancing creating work for yourself and other artists?

I feel like I’ve had to be more focused add more structure to my schedule. I ended up carving two or three days for me and/or two to three days writing for other people. So it’d be one and off three and two and separate them for each, so that was a big thing. I had to take like a month and a half off just to solely focus on me. I wasn’t doing writing sessions, which was different for me because that’s my everyday life, going to sessions and working with other artists, but I was locked in with myself. Creatively, I had to approach songs differently than I would when working with another artist because I had no boundaries. I was able to use my whole range, I was able to experiment with different melodies and flows, and not be scared or have to limit myself for it to work for multiple people. So it was definitely a lot of change.

The title of your debut project, Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You, and the music within it presents a double entendre to listeners which is your arrival and impact in the music industry and the energy and qualities you bring to the table in a relationship. Was this intentional, if so, how did you fit them together?

Yeah, it was definitely intention because there are two sides to me, right? Everyone knows that I’m a songwriter and it’s hard to break out of that stigma of songwriters making it out and transferring into an artist and into the spotlight. But, I would never box myself in and I would never let anybody box me into one thing. It’s me telling the music industry and just telling the world, don’t say I didn’t warn you about how I’m coming and in the music that I’m creating, and I’m gonna beat the odds. Then, the story that I’m telling is about my past relationships. It was toxic, it was up and down, and you know, it was me saying “don’t say I didn’t want you” to him. So definitely, it was very intentional with the double entendre.

What were some of the sources of inspiration for this project?

The sources of inspiration were definitely Pop Smoke because I wanted to experiment with the New York drill scene. One of my main things was definitely combining R&B and drill. I’d been saying for months that I wanted to hear an actual singing song on top of a drill beat, so that was one of the inspirations. Also, I was listening to a lot of rap, a lot of pop, and a lot of R&B, and I just really wanted to combine all of those while using freeform melodies, flows, and structures on the records. Content-wise, where I drew inspiration from was just the past three years of my life being in my past relationship and the ups and downs of what we were going through and the feelings after a breakup. Also, me going through my 20s, maturing, becoming an adult, and just being young and successful and dealing with all of that. Achieving so many of those things while also learning how to be an adult at the same time. It definitely gave me a lot to talk about.

Another notable thing about this project is that you’re always in control on these songs, like “You Don’t Love Her” for example. What was your thought process with this direction?

For me, I always want to come from a position of power. I feel like a lot of the R&B that we listened to today is very — I don’t want to say, in the victim realm — but it’s always like, “Oh, you hurt me. Oh it’s me, I’m so sad.” We’ve seen a change within the female rap genre and they’re always in a position of power. I love listening to female rap and the power that they stand for and just always having such confidence. I want to hear that in R&B music. That’s the energy that I carry in general. I always want to make sure that I never feel like the victim or like I’m taking the L. I always want to come out on top because pride is a big thing as well. I never want to feel like I’m losing or just being a victim.

Was there more pressure for you behind writing and create creating content for this specific project as opposed to writing creative content for other people?

Definitely, I feel in the beginning there wasn’t a lot of pressure. I was just doing my own thing and really taking time for ourselves. But when it came down to the wire and it was like, okay, we have 75% of this and we see where this going and see how good this could be, that’s when the pressure was on. I just had to make sure that my mind music matched up to what people know me for. I have a lot of hits under my belt and there’s oftentimes where people feel like the songwriter gave their best songs away. I never want it to feel like that about me, especially because I feel like this is some of the best work that I’ve done. These are my stories, these are my sounds, I feel like I can’t hear other artists singing these records. That’s what’s most important to me. So the pressure was definitely on towards the end of it.

For those who are hearing you in front of the mic for the first time, what do you want them to keep in mind as they listen to your debut project?

One thing I one thing to keep in mind is that I am not the other records that you’ve heard me pen on, they were meant for other people. I want everyone to listen to this with an open mind and a clean slate and not compare this album, or this project, to my past work, that’s one thing. Two, I want everyone listening to this with expecting to heal, especially if they’re going through a toxic relationship. I feel like this is one of those projects where it’ll help you overcome those feelings. It’s definitely not something I’d be down in the dumps with. So those are definitely two things that I want them to keep in mind.

Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You is out now via Capitol Music Group. You can stream it here.

Since opening the season 30-9, the Golden State Warriors have gone 13-10, with all 23 of those games taking place without Draymond Green. Most recently, they’ve lost four of their last five games and find themselves just half a game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 2 seed out West.

After their latest defeat, a 129-114 rout at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, head coach Steve Kerr voiced some frustration with the team’s energy and togetherness.

“This was the first time I sensed there was a breakdown in our connection, and that has to be an exception rather than a rule,” he said. “So, that’s the most important thing for me looking ahead.”

The Warriors, who lead the NBA in defensive rating, allowed a season-high 129 points to Minnesota, which prompted Kerr to be critical of their “collective spirit.”

“It’s not just a tangible thing as much as it is just a feeling and an energy — a collective spirit,” he said. “I didn’t like the energy or the spirit tonight.”

On Tuesday, both Green and Klay Thompson sat out. This latest 1-4 stretch has seen Thompson miss their last two losses, and Stephen Curry pinpointed the lack of cohesive rotations as part of their slide.

“We’ve had a lot of shuffling,” Curry said. “It’s not an excuse for how we’re playing, but we are built as a full team.”

These days, it’s hard to know if certain travel destinations are as beautiful in real life as they appear on your Instagram feed. Is it the editing and perfectly posed angles that inspire your wanderlust or is the destination actually as exciting as it looks? According to Kara Del Toro, a model and social media sensation with more than 4.1 million followers, Tulum is one place that’s truly worth the hype.

“Tulum is very addicting,” she says. “You can’t go just once, you’re going to want to go at least a few times — I’ve met some of the nicest people there and always have the best times.”

Del Toro’s career has brought her to some of the world’s most sought-after destinations — Borneo, Morocco, Thailand, Turks and Caicos, Positano, Colombia… it’s a hell of a list — but Tulum continues to reign as her number one travel destination recommendation. Naturally, when we heard that we wanted to know why. From exploring the Mayan jungle to snacking on açaí bowls between beach trips to swimming through underground caves, we asked Del Toro to break down her favorite Tulum hotspots and must-do excursions below.

WHY TULUM?

Tulum holds a special place in my heart and I’ve been many times. It has this super cool organic, eco vibe that I haven’t seen anywhere else (a lot of the hotels are actually entirely self-sufficient and very eco-conscious). It’s a very magnetic place. The beaches, food, music, the people, and the history there are a few of the reasons I love Tulum so much.

You won’t find big resorts or skyscrapers, most of the hotels are boutique-style, and that makes it all the more appealing.

What’s one thing that every first-time visitor should see or do in Tulum?

I’ve only done it once, but I think every first-timer should take a trip to visit the Mayan Ruins. There’s so much ancient history and beautiful architecture there. They are located on a cliff overlooking the ocean with access to an amazing beach. It’s something everyone should see at least once.

Where to get the absolute best food?

Let me start by saying, I am convinced you can’t go wrong with the food in Tulum. Everything I’ve tried there has been delicious — the tacos, pizza, and smoothies have all been amazing. I always stop at the little hole-in-the-wall places and you really can’t go wrong, but some of my favorite places to eat are Gitano, which has a great vibe and outdoor area, modern Mexican cuisine, and a wide range of fruity drinks, and Matcha Mama.

This is not a traditional Mexican restaurant by any means, but I go every time I’m in Tulum. It’s this adorable little smoothie shop where you can grab a fresh, delicious acai bowl served out of a coconut shell bowl…yum. It’s perfect after a long hot day at the beach.

The most fun party spot in Tulum?

Papaya Playa Project always has a big party on Saturday nights. The vibes are immaculate and the music is 10/10.

NOTE: Papaya Playa Project is a hotel that merges local culture, sustainability, and hospitality. There, you can expect to find a slew of weekly events that feature prominent guest DJs and musicians. View the Payaya Playa Project’s event calendar here.

Best outdoor excursion or adventure activity in Tulum?

Visiting a cenote is a must while you’re in Tulum! A cenote is basically an underground cave filled with water that you can swim, dive, or snorkel in. They’re typically very beautiful, with open-air and crystal blue water. Make sure to pack an underwater camera or a GoPro because you’re going to want to take pictures!

Where to get the best view?

I like to go to Kin Toh, the restaurant at hotel Azulik for the views. Obviously, Tulum has beautiful beaches everywhere, but Kin Toh is unique. The restaurant is built on stilts and has “nests” and hammocks that seemingly float over the Mayan Jungle with views you won’t see anywhere else. It’s really incredible and of course, great for pictures!

Coolest hotel or place to stay?

I really like to stay at Papaya Playa Project or Be Tulum. I’d say it’s a tie between the two. Both of them have great restaurants and the beaches are large and beautiful. I also like that most of the rooms come with your own private pool you can relax in as the sun goes down.

Best time of year to visit?

I think Tulum is great all year long, but December through April is the most ideal time to go. The main thing you want to check for when going to Tulum is the seaweed. When there is too much seaweed in the ocean the water doesn’t look as clear and you can’t swim in it. This happens randomly so ask around or call the hotel before you book your trip.

The Inside the NBA crew has been more or less the same for a little more than a decade. Ever since Shaquille O’Neal joined the crew in 2011, the show’s primary personalities have been Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaq with Ernie Johnson running the show. There have been a number of other folks who have spent time behind the desk, but those four have been the show’s pillars.

It seems a foregone conclusion that Draymond Green will slide into a role on the desk once his NBA career ends — he’s a regular contributor and has already signed a deal with Turner to do other things, including contributing to Inside — but as it turns out, there was a plan in place to get another gigantic name on the show. Barkley appeared on Green’s podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” and dropped a bombshell that “probably only 10 people in the world know.”

“We actually hired Kobe Bryant,” Barkley said.

“At Turner?” Green asked.

“At Turner,” Barkley confirmed. “But he didn’t wanna do all the other bullsh*t.”

As Barkley explained, Bryant did not want to have to do all the other stuff that was asked of him beyond appearing on Inside the NBA, saying that things like contractually-obligated radio appearances and other TV cameos to “promote the show” did not interest him.

“He had signed with us — David Levy, my old boss, had signed him to a deal — and we were excited, we were really excited,” Barkley said. “And then he called me back, like, a week to 10 days later, somewhere in that timeframe, like, ‘Yeah, Kobe’s not gonna come.’ We’re like, why? ‘Cause he don’t wanna do all the PR stuff, he don’t wanna go on radio shows and talk about basketball.’ And I’m like, well, that’s part of the gig.”

Bryant, of course, went on to do some pretty great things prior to his passing in early 2020 in the media world, as he was behind ESPN’s Detail series and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018 for his film, Dear Basketball. Still, it’s not hard to imagine how much fun it would have been if he got the chance to riff with the Inside crew every Thursday night.

Known for pushing the envelope with each of his projects, Channel Tres has just dropped a new instrumental album with no prior promotion. On Refresh, Tres showcases his prowess for producing tracks.

Known for songs like “Controller” and “Fuego,” Tres has become known for rapping and singing over groovy, kinetic dance beats. Refresh contains these kinds of tracks, reminiscent of Detroit techno and Chicago house, with Tres hoping fans will feel creative as they listen to the seven songs.

In an Instagram post, Tres wrote, “here’s a beat tape to start 2022….made a bunch of beats while on tour with cat and in my room also drew this cover art. hope ya create something while listening.”

In a 2019 interview with Uproxx, Tres said he finds more inspiration in the “spirit” of the music than the actual sound. “I think a lot of people right now are artists that fit into a category of what you think how they should be,” he said. “But if you push the conventions, it frees up other kids that are coming after us seeing certain images. It’s hard a lot of times for Black kids to find an image, because we get told what we should be. I just know if I let somebody put me in a box, someone else might not get the freedom to be who they’re supposed to be.”

Tres was supposed to perform at Coachella in 2020, however, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic halted those plans. While in isolation, Tres produced and wrote an EP called I Can’t Go Outside. Last year, Channel Tres made appearances on tracks by Tokimonsta and Emotional Oranges, and also toured across the U.S. with singer and instrumentalist Thundercat.

Tres is set to perform at Ceremonia 2022 in Mexico City this April, as well as Governors Ball in June.

Refresh is out now via Art For Their Own Good. Get it here.