Year: 2022

Icelene Jones, the widow of the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard, sued the rapper’s band, Wu-Tang Clan, on Tuesday, citing a decade’s worth of unpaid royalties, according to Variety. Jones is asking for at least $1 million, alleging that Wu-Tang Clan Productions paid no royalties to ODB’s estate from 2011 to July 2021. When royalties were paid out, it was only in the paltry sum (relatively speaking) of $130,000.

The basis for the suit is a 1992 recording agreement between ODB and Wu-Tang Clan Productions, which is owned and operated by Wu-Tang founder RZA, that promised 50% of net earnings on the publishing of his copyrighted songs as well as 50% of net earnings from the sound recordings — two very similar but slightly different subsets of income generated by artists’ music. Think of the first as all the money from the use of the songs in movies, TV shows, film trailers, and during sporting events, while the latter would be the actual sales of the songs via online and physical purchases, streaming, and radio play (not to mention, the auctioned, ultra-rare album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin). The suit says that royalties from merchandise have been withheld, as well.

Although the estate has received some payments from Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. in 2019 and 2020, the suit alleges that this is well short of the royalties actually owned. The estate has requested accounting from the time period in question but says it has not received it in all this time.

Even though Kanye West has spent the past week (it’s only Wednesday, people) acting out against his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, the volatile producer/fashion mogul apparently still wants to reconcile with her — even if he also seems to realize that to do so would take an act of God. Kanye posted to Instagram yet again today, this time crafting a grid of photos from Kim’s new Vogue cover story, writing in the caption: “GOD PLEASE BRING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER.”

Kanye certainly hasn’t been helping the supreme deity on that count. Early this week, he lashed out at Kim over managing a TikTok account for their daughter North against his wishes, and after she rightfully called him out for repeatedly making their private problems public, he doubled down, posting even more accusations that claimed she tried to bar him from spending time with their kids, forced him to take a drug test, and even put out a hit on him as if the Kardashians were a mob family rather than reality TV stars.

Meanwhile, in the Vogue cover story, Kardashian herself cast even more doubt over the potential for reconciliation, saying, “For so long, I did what made other people happy. And I think in the last two years I decided, I’m going to make myself happy. And that feels really good. And even if that created changes and caused my divorce, I think it’s important to be honest with yourself about what really makes you happy. I’ve chosen myself. I think it’s okay to choose you.”

She also not-so-subtly calls out Kanye’s passive-aggressive behavior. “You could be so hurt or angry at your ex, but I think in front of the kids, it always has to be ‘Your dad’s the best,’” she said. “Make sure you are your co-parent’s biggest cheerleader, no matter what you’re personally going through.”

Dominic Fike is at an important point of his career, as he’s in the midst of his first major acting role as a cast member of hit HBO series Euphoria. He’s doing well in music, too, of course, and he’s rubbed shoulders with some major figures in the industry, including Halsey; Fike featured on “Dominic’s Interlude” from Manic. Now, Halsey has used a clip from Euphoria to share a story about the first time they met.

Halsey tweeted a clip from the show, in which Zendaya’s character hits Fike’s character in the head and says, “He’s a liar and a f*cking snake. F*ck you!” Halsey wrote alongside that, “me and dominic fike when we first met and he told me he thought i was 35 even though im only one year older than him.”

Indeed, Halsey is 27 years old and was born on September 29, 1994, while Fike is 26 and was born just over a year later on December 30, 1995.

Halsey added in another tweet, “ive been doin this so damn long every one is tryna put me in the grave today. y’all better be careful! im 27 the universe might be listening [skull emoji].” Some of their followers apparently weren’t too keen on Halsey’s reference to the infamous “27 Club,” which features a group of famous celebrities who died at 27 years old, as they followed up, “too early in the day for dark humor i see. im sorry im kidding ily!!!”

Hours later, she added, “‘why would u share this’ because it’s funny as hell. i have a kid and i’ve been making music for 10 years i don’t blame anyone who is surprised by my age [crying emoji] y’all suck the fun outta everything.”

Jessie Buckley is now Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley, as she should be.

Whether it’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Fargo, Wild Rose, or The Lost Daughter, the actress frequently gives the best performance in any project she’s in. In her next film, A24’s Men from writer and director Alex Garland, she plays… well, I’m not sure who she plays. I’m not sure of anything about the film because there’s no plot description, but based on the cryptic trailer above, it apparently involves a creepy tunnel, the woods, a rock with a face on it, apples falling from a tree, screaming, and men being bad.

Buckley is joined by Rory Kinnear and Paapa Essiedu (who played Kwame on I May Destroy You), while the film’s cinematography was handled by Rob Hardy, who previously worked with Garland on Ex Machina, Annihilation, and the FX series Devs. A24 also released a poster for Men. The tagline: “What Haunts You Will Find You.”

Men comes out on May 20.

Buckley and co-star Olivia Colman were nominated for playing the same character in The Lost Daughter, one of only a few times that’s happened in Oscar history. Other instances include Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart as Rose in Titanic, and Winslet again and Judi Dench as novelist Iris Murdoch in Iris. None of them won, but maybe Buckley will. We’ll find out on Sunday, March 27.

Where will Reno 911! land? No one knows. The sky is the limit for Lieutenant Dangle! I’m only kidding there, and hopefully, Roku will be the show’s final (and ongoing) stop. As fans will recall, Comedy Central show got revived by Quibi, which burned bright for about 10 seconds before swiftly going down like a flaming asteroid. Roku stepped up to rescue the beloved cult series with new episodes and specials, including the “Hunt For QAnon” special that brought up Jeffrey Epstein and a whole host of right-wing shenanigans. Now, it’s time to tackle police reform in the Reno 911! way. Hold onto your goofin’ new boots.

In this special, guest stars including Jamie Lee Curtis and Weird Al Yankovic and George Lopez will help Reno’s finest tackle a world where cops aren’t terribly fondly regarded, but they still want to have a good time. And they wanna focus on the important things like whether Amazon delivered the Highlights magazine or not. Occasionally lightening up (and enjoying some harmless mayhem) is good for the soul, man:

It’s 2022. Crime is on the rise, but one city is never short on heroes. Reno’s finest are back and this time they’re facing their biggest challenge yet –they’ve been defunded! No budget. No back-up. No problem for your favorite top cops as they return along with a squad room full of guest stars for a season low on resources and high on chaos.

‘Reno 911!’ officially arrives on Roku with the ‘Defunded’ special on Feb. 25.

Ordering a bourbon cocktail at a bar generally goes one of two ways. Either you’ll order a standard drink and it’ll be made with the house bourbon and that’ll be that. Or, you’ll order off the cocktail menu and find a special, high-end, or top-shelf bourbon that the bar chef has decided works perfectly in that particular cocktail. Even then, it’s not always as simple as “Eagle Rare works for everything” either (no matter how much the good people at Buffalo Trace want that to be true).

We think there’s a good middle ground here. The key to getting the drink you want is knowing which top-shelf bourbons to put in your standard cocktails. A lot of this comes down to what you know you like. But you have to get there first and that’s where we come in to offer a guiding light.

To find out which “top shelf” bourbons are being used in cocktails, we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders to tell us the slightly more expensive (and a lot more expensive) bourbons they’re using. Hopefully, this will help you make a more informed decision the next time you’re in a bar and faced with a wall of bourbon bottles.

Eagle Rare 10

Kevin Smith, food and beverage manager at The Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg, Florida

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $48

Why This Bourbon?

Eagle Rare is my go-to bourbon for top-shelf cocktails. It’s a complex bourbon with an herbal aroma and a velvety smooth bold taste. Plus, it has hints of vanilla, caramel, and almond that add a sweet lingering finish to a classic bourbon cocktail.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Eric Cohen, lead bartender The Kimpton Sawyer in Sacramento, California

ABV: 45.2%

Average Price: $68

Why This Bourbon?

One of my favorites is Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon. Like regular Woodford Reserve, it is very smooth and super flavorful but has just a bit more. Flavors of vanilla, oak, and cinnamon make it one of my favorite top-shelf bourbons.

Weller 12

Alejandro Mendoza, restaurant and bar manager at Hotel SLO in San Luis Obispo, California

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $230

Why This Bourbon?

I don’t mix drinks with my top shelf unless the guest calls for it. But I love my Weller Line up. Weller 12 Year has a soft creamy start with a nice hint of oak and sweet spices, then finishes off with a long bite that keeps me wanting more.

Laws Cognac Finished Four Grain

Matty Carroll, beverage director at The Kitchen Restaurant Group in Boulder, Colorado

ABV: 47.5%

Average Price: $60

Why This Bourbon?

If a guest wants to go beyond the basics for their bourbon cocktail, I’ll usually recommend something local. Law’s Cognac Finished Bourbon is excellent. Distilled in Denver, it’s spicy and powerful but softened with rich dried fruits, toasted oak, vanilla, and burnt citrus. Put it in an old fashioned and you’ll be sitting pretty.

Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch

Josh Curtis, bar director at Malibu Beach Inn in Malibu, California

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $120

Why This Bourbon?

Colonel E.H. Taylor is one of the smoothest bourbons around without being too sweet and heads toward subtle spices. Obviously, you’d choose to drink this whiskey neat or on the rocks, but it can stand up well in any cocktail.

Basil Hayden

Christopher Devern, lead bartender of Red Owl Tavern in Philadelphia

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

Why This Bourbon?

This is a bourbon that you can mix into a Manhattan or old fashioned and enjoy without feeling like you “ruined” a well-produced bourbon.

Woodford Reserve

Emily Lawson, bartender and founder of Pink House Alchemy in Fayetteville, Arkansas

ABV: 43.2%

Average Price: $40

Why This Bourbon?

Woodford Reserve is known for its special craft of 72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, and ten percent malted barley to create a flavorful bourbon. It’s impeccably smooth while still showcasing the earthy, smoky oak barrel flavor elements. We love using it to create a smoky Manhattan made with Pink House Alchemy’s smoldered bitters.

Angel’s Envy

Heather Buelna, lead bartender at Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay in San Diego

ABV: 43.3%

Average Price: $55

Why This Bourbon?

Bourbon, like Scotch whisky, has such a range of flavors and textures, and introducing people to different profiles is one of my favorite things to do. Depending on the person and the cocktail request, I love sending people to brands like Angel’s Envy as higher-tier options. It represents a slightly more sophisticated profile of vanilla, spice, and sweetness that can really make a cocktail sing, especially Angel’s Envy with its sweetness thanks to its port cask maturation.

With all eyes on Brooklyn and Philadelphia as the NBA trade deadline approaches, the most common rumblings include a potential trade featuring Ben Simmons to Brooklyn and James Harden to Philadelphia. For months, this has been a popular rumor but, in recent days, things have escalated according to reports. Both players are under contract for very large sums, making it easier to match salary in a deal. However, another angle is also in play in that Harden can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, creating flexibility to force his way to a preferred destination.

At present, the 76ers have more than $130 million in guaranteed salaries on the books for the 2022-23 season, seemingly taking Philadelphia off the table to sign Harden outright. Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice brings an intriguing report, though, and he shines the light on a potential move to trade Tobias Harris, who is due $37.6 million next season, to make the math work.

The Sixers are sending a clear message: they view signing Harden outright as a real possibility. If the Sixers eventually need to move Tobias Harris in order to clear the cap space necessary to sign Harden in the summer, sources familiar with the situation say they have two potential suitors with cap space lined up who they could move Harris to if they need to clear the decks. The pick-collecting Thunder are an obvious team to watch. Whether you believe that’s a central part of their plan or a threat meant to bring down the Nets’ current ask, that’s the word that keeps slipping out.

Harris is a quality starter for the 76ers, though his contract is generally viewed as a negative value because of the $37.6 million for 2022-23 and a whopping $39.2 million for the 2023-24 season, all for a non-superstar player. There are teams, headlined by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who might take Harris for the right price, and Neubeck notes “two potential suitors,” bringing a mystery team into the mix.

It must be noted that it would be much easier, at least in some respects, for the Sixers to trade for Harden, rather than jumping through the hoops to create max cap space. A Simmons-Harden swap would likely include additional assets heading to Brooklyn from Philadelphia, but those assets might be less valuable than the capital needed to clear the decks by July. Still, the Nets have to agree to any deal if it happens before Thursday, and Brooklyn isn’t likely jumping up and down to help Philadelphia in the process.

Last fall, the entertainment world received the first preview of Jeen-Yuhs, the upcoming Netflix documentary that looks back on Kanye West’s near-20 year music career. It was a brief video of him and Mos Def rapping to their 2004 collaboration, “Two Words,” from the former’s debut album College Dropout. Since then, we’ve received two trailers from Jeen-Yuhs, which was made a reality thanks to directors Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah (aka Coodie And Chike). The film is comprised of three parts and the first one will be available to watch on Netflix next week on February 16.

Why Is Kanye West’s Documentary Called ‘Jeen-Yuhs?’

Jeen-Yuhs is the phonetic spelling of the word “genius,” and that’s an adjective that’s often been used to describe Kanye West. Whether it be his vision in music through production, crafting full bodies of work, or spotting the next great talent, he’s earned that title in the realm. However, he’s also earned it in the fashion world through the work in his Yeezy brand whether it was during its time with Nike or now as a partner with Adidas. All in all, Jeen-Yuhs examines Kanye’s career from past to present and highlights the many ways he was ahead of his time, thus making him a genius — or a Jeen-Yuhs — that took people some time to realize.

You can watch the latest trailer for Jeen-Yuhs below and stay tuned for its release on Netflix on February 16.

After releasing God’s Favorite Customer in 2018, Father John Misty has spent the years since then mostly out of the spotlight. At the top of 2022, though, he confirmed he is returning with a new album, Chloë And The Next 20th Century, on April 8. He also shared “Funny Girl” at the time, and today, he dropped “Q4.”

The song tells a story about a film adaptation of a book, and in that same vein, the video is presented as a end credits sequence for a movie, featuring an artistically presented list of names and roles of people involved in the making of a fictional film. As the video goes on, though, some of the roles get silly, as credits include things like Typewriter Advisor; Post Pre-Production Optical Coordinator (Uncredited); Occultist To Ms. Fischer; Personal Supervising Color Technician To Transportation Department; and Supervising Apprentice, Sensual Sound Designer, and ADR Re-Mix.

As for what the next Chloë And The Next 20th Century singles will be, Sub Pop has actually already revealed that: Their online store page for the album notes that “Goodbye Mr. Blue” and “Kiss Me (I Loved You)” will be released as singles.

Watch the “Q4” video above.

Chloë And The Next 20th Century is out 4/8 via Sub Pop. Pre-order it here.

Ever since Verzuz started back in March 2020 with Swizz Beatz and Timbaland doing a hit-for-hit battle over video to do something for fans with everyone locked down at the start of the pandemic, there have been ideas for spinoffs and how the battle format might work outside of the world of music — where Verzuz is now doing full-on battle concerts.

On Friday, Feb. 18 at All-Star Weekend, the brand will try out its first basketball highlight battle between two legends of the NBA, as Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson will go highlight for highlight from Cleveland after the Friday night festivities wrap up. The event will be shown on the Bleacher Report app, Verzuz Instagram page, and on the Triller app, starting at 11 p.m. ET. Taylor Rooks will serve as the host for the event, with Fat Joe as the “analyst,” and Shaq will be the “commissioner,” in which he’ll set the matchup for each event and offer his thoughts on who won each round.

It’ll be interesting to see how the format works in the world of sports and whether it can stay engaging throughout the battle or if the novelty fades at all as it goes on, but it should be fun to see the two Hall of Famers try to one-up each other with their highlights and getting their thoughts and insight on how it all went down. We’ll see if there are times the other simply concedes with a bit of a throwaway — like, what will T-Mac throw up against the Ty Lue stepover from Iverson — and it’ll provide some great nostalgia for those who grew up during their heydays in the late 90s and early 2000s.