Month: February 2023

After all these years, The Rolling Stones are still kicking it, and it seems like there might be some exciting material on the horizon. Sources have told Variety that the two surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, may collaborate on the new album by the “Sympathy For The Devil” band.

According to the publication, multiple sources said McCartney recorded bass parts for a Rolling Stones project produced by Andrew Watt, and that Starr will work on it as well. Variety continued: “Recording sessions took place in Los Angeles in recent weeks and, while it’s unclear which tracks will make the final cut — or whether McCartney and Starr would end up on the same song — the album’s production is nearing the mixing phase.”

Since last year, The Rolling Stones have teased a new record. Last month, guitarist Keith Richards confirmed on Instagram that there’s “new music on its way.” Plus, Mick Jagger said there were “a lot of tracks done.”

Of course, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have long had some tension. Just in 2021, for example, McCartney said, “I’m not sure I should say it, but they’re a blues cover band, that’s sort of what the Stones are. I think our net was cast a bit wider than theirs.”

2 Chainz got a special gift for his son, Halo, after Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant gifted the rapper his jersey. He had been in Salt Lake City over the past weekend for the NBA All-Star Game.

“I told Ja that Halo asked me to get his jersey after all star game and he was wit it,” 2 Chainz shared in an Instagram post, where he posed with Morant’s signed #12 orange jersey.

He also offered his thanks to Morant through an additional Instagram Story. “Preciate it Ja,” 2 Chainz wrote. “That boy Halo asked me to get this jersey for him, no cap. He said, ‘Dad, get Ja’s jersey.’ The boy looked out, I appreciate it, fam.”

This latest jersey is just another addition that 2 Chainz got for Halo’s growing collection. Previously, he picked his son up some memorabilia courtesy of New York Knicks guard R.J. Barrett and Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic.

2 Chainz had brought Halo out to the Mavs game last May, where Doncic signed it in person. He posted a sweet video of his son watching the replay of the moment on TV at their house.

Fans have also taken notice of all of Halo’s gifts from his father. “I’m super jealous and happy for the baby at the same time!!,” one person wrote in the post’s comments.

“Cause Halo a cool cat. Cooler than you lol,” another wrote, taking a more sarcastic approach.

Blended whiskey is a wonderous, wide, wooly category. It’s where all those whiskey barrels that don’t fit “single malt” or “straight” whiskey designations go to create a new expression that has its own vibe. It’s easy to find amazing blended whiskeys from all over the world that include everything from different bourbons and ryes to different single malts and grain whiskies to expressions that mix whiskies sourced from all over the world into one bottle. Since this genre of whiskey is so massive, I thought it was high time to blindly taste some blended whiskeys and rank them.

Before we dive in, a little context. It wasn’t that long ago that so-called “whisk(e)y experts” scoffed at the idea of drinking blended whiskeys. The erroneous idea was that a “blended” product was a mix of all the stuff that wasn’t good enough to be “straight bourbon” or “single malt” or “single pot still” whiskeys. That just wasn’t and still isn’t based in any sort of reality, since all of those whiskeys are blends too.

All whiskey has always been about balancing flavor notes from barrels that match whatever expression the whiskey-making team is going for. In most cases, a “blended whiskey” is something that’s built from different styles of whiskey. When a “straight bourbon” or “single malt” is made, it’s a blend of the same style of whiskey barrels, without any other types of whiskey in the mix. But even then, those whiskey barrels could be decades apart in age and have vastly different mash bills, making them different whiskeys at the end of the day. So everything — unless it says “single barrel” or “single cask” on it — is a blend of whiskeys.

These days, whiskeys call themselves “blended” even when they’re made with varying, say for example, bourbons. “Blended straight bourbon” has become a huge thing and generally refers to expressions where bourbons from different regions come together to create something delicious for all of us to drink. All of this is to say that the idea of “blended” whiskey — in any form — being somehow inferior was as wrongheaded 20, 50, or 100 years ago as it is in 2023. So I grabbed a dozen blended whiskeys from all over the world off of my shelf and blindly taste them a find a truly great one for you to try too.

Our lineup today includes the following bottles:

• Compass Box The Spice Tree Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (UK)
• Keeper’s Heart Whiskey Irish+American 110 Proof (US)
• Nikka Days Smooth & Delicate Blended Whisky (JP)
• Suntory World Whisky AO A Blend Of Five Major Whiskies (JP)
• Bluebird Days Whiskey Straight American Whiskey (US)
• The Deacon Scotland Blended Scotch Whisky (UK)
• Dewar’s Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 19 Years (UK)
• McConnell’s Irish Whisky Aged 5 Years (IE)
• Barrell Bourbon Cask Strength Batch# 034 A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys (US)
• The Beverly High Rye Fine American Whiskey (US)
• Jameson Black Barrel Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey (IE)
• High West Campfire Batch No: 22F30 (US)

Let’s jump in a rank some whiskey!

• The Affordable Vs Expensive Blind Bourbon Bottle Battle
• The 20 Most Popular Hot Sauces In America, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• We Blind Tested Our Favorite Fast Food Double Cheeseburgers & Crowned A New Champ
• Blind Soda Taste Test: Can Any Cherry Soda Beat Cherry Coke?
• The 30 Best Bourbon Whiskeys For Fall, Blind Tasted & Ranked

Part 1: The Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose dances between dark orchard fruits, dried ginger coins, creamy nutmeg over a frothy latte, clove-stuffed oranges, and a fleeting sense of winter-spiced vanilla cake.

Palate: The taste is luxurious with deep and dark dried fruitiness next to soft and honeyed malts, cinnamon bark, whole nutmeg, and a whisper of salted black licorice next to soft tobacco spice.

Finish: That soft tobacco drives the finish back toward those honey malts with a subtle layer of nutty creaminess on the back end, adding to the lushness.

Initial Thoughts:

Damn, this is good whisky. I wanted to pour more of this immediately after tasting it. That’s a good sign.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Oatcakes and vanilla wafers mingle with raisins, bushels of apples, and gingerbread with a hint of honey and I want to say mango skins.

Palate: The palate leans into the soft and powdered winter spices with a soft orange citrus note that leads to apple nut oatmeal with plenty of fresh honey and raisin next to spicy apple cider and ginger snaps.

Finish: The end has a maltiness that’s followed by sweet winter spices, honey, and nuttiness.

Initial Thoughts:

This was pretty damn good too. That oatcake vibe 100% felt very Irish whiskey forward and the orchard fruit confirmed it. Still, this was a little extra and I dig it.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is very thin on the nose with a hint of malt and butterscotch that leads to straight-up tap water.

Palate: There’s a hint of floral malts on the taste that lead back to that creamy butterscotch with a hint of soft spice.

Finish: The finish is watery.

Initial Thoughts:

This is clearly something you mix highballs with when you want to tie one on.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a nice mix of maltiness and spiced creaminess with a touch of tropical fruit and old oak staves on the nose.

Palate: That spice leans toward cinnamon bark and allspice with oakiness to it next to a hint of smoldering apple wood and maybe some rock candy.

Finish: There’s a whisper of sweet smoke next to seared peaches and dry tobacco leaves with a whisper of vanilla.

Initial Thoughts:

This was very “fine” but a little indistinct. It felt more like a mixing whisky that you build with than a slow sipper.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with old oak and leather with a hint of winter spice and a can of corn — just a plain ol’ can o’ corn.

Palate: The old leather drives the palate with a soft vanilla base and a sweet but singed marshmallow sweetness next to more of that mild winter spice.

Finish: The end really leans into the sweetness of it all with a creamy butterscotch and vanilla sheet cake with white frosting that’s cut with cinnamon and clove tobacco.

Initial Thoughts:

This started off a little weak but ended pretty strongly. It feels like a smack-dab middle-of-the-road whiskey.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is a sweet peaty with clear notes of burnt orange and honey-dipped malt cookies with a hint of spice and smoke.

Palate: That spice attaches to the malt on the palate with a sense of smoked citrus fruits and a touch of oakiness.

Finish: The smoked oranges and spices peak on the finish with a hint of caramel sweetness.

Initial Thoughts:

This is a Johnnie Walker Black clone.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose runs deep with stewed apples spiced with cinnamon bark, nutmeg, and clove next to marmalade and dried apricot with a faint touch of honeyed malt.

Palate: A can of spiced peaches drives the palate toward coconut macaroons dipped in dark chocolate and just touched with salt next to lemon meringue pie.

Finish: Rich toffee leads the way on the finish with deep dark malted creaminess and a touch of those stewed stone fruits.

Initial Thoughts:

This is pretty goddamn tasty. It’s definitely the best pour since the first one.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Irish oatcakes with vanilla wafers, orange rinds, and light peppery spice lead the way on the nose.

Palate: Orchard fruits confirm the Irishness of it all on the palate as butterscotch and vanilla pudding mingle with white pepper and a fleeting sense of old oak.

Finish: The orchard fruits peek on the finish with a honey oatmeal cookie vibe.

Initial Thoughts:

This is very standard Irish whiskey. Nothing wrong with that but not really that exciting either.

Taste 9

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a dry apple cider vibe that leans into orange marmalade, dried apricot, and moist almond cake dipped in luxurious eggnog on the nose.

Palate: There’s a woody huckleberry jam vibe on the front of the palate that leads to old-fashioned cinnamon apple fritter, pecan waffles, more orange marmalade, and nutty almond cookies dusted in powdered sugar and nutmeg.

Finish: There’s a hint of dry sweetgrass and dried pear chips with a hint of sasparilla root, sea salt flakes, and this fleeting sense of cold slate on a rainy day balanced by rich yet dry chili spice and dark and burnt orange and espresso beans.

Initial Thoughts:

Goddamn, this is a killer whiskey. It’s clearly a bourbon blend but goes so far beyond anything remotely average. This is good stuff.

Taste 10

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is soft and full of rye bread crusts, a touch of pound cake, and a hint of marzipan with a mild “woodiness” below everything.

Palate: The palate feels very Irish Whiskey with a spiced maltiness — cinnamon and nutmeg mostly — next to wet brown sugar, floral honey, and a hint of lemon pepper.

Finish: The end really leans into the maltiness with a hint of nutshell woodiness and toffee sweetness next to mild raisin notes.

Initial Thoughts:

This is pretty nice overall. It has a nice depth that I dig but it is a little short on the finish.

Taste 11

Tasting Notes:

Nose: That oated sweet grainy nose of a good Irish whiskey mingles with dark chocolate cut with creamy vanilla sits next to a rich buttery toffee with a note of orange on the nose.

Palate: The palate amps up that vanilla with a dusting of Christmas spices and fatty nuts that lead to a minced meat pie feel with a dark orange/chocolate underbelly.

Finish: The end has a hint of tannic oak with a creamy vanilla lushness that’s spiked with dark wintry woody spices.

Initial Thoughts:

This is pretty good too. It’s not a “wow” pour of whiskey but it is a solid one.

Taste 12

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this one is immediately peated with a sweet edge of toffee, buttered cinnamon toast, and plenty of dark red berries next to green tea, soft leather, and a hint of pine tobacco.

Palate: The palate has a general “peatiness” that remains sweet with plenty of vanilla and fresh honey next to more of those red berries and a good dose of matcha tea dusted with nutmeg and cinnamon.

Finish: The end leans into the rye and bourbon with a hint of orange zest, salted caramel, and spiced tobacco next to that sweet smokiness.

Initial Thoughts:

This is pretty close to “wow” from nose to finish. There’s a delicate balance of sweet peatiness and dark, spicy, and sweet American whiskey vibes that just work.

Part 2: The Ranking

12. Nikka Days Smooth & Delicate Blended Whisky (JP) — Taste 3

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $66

The Whisky:

This whisky from the legendary Nikka Distillery blends grain and peated malt whiskies. The mix is fine-tuned as a mixing whisky, primarily for highballs.

Bottom Line:

This was so thin that I couldn’t imagine it anything but a whisky highball with fizzy and sharp sparking water and a big garnish of something bold (maybe grapefruit or rosemary) to help it pop.

11. The Deacon Scotland Blended Scotch Whisky (UK) — Taste 6

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $39

The Whisky:

This new blend from a bottler mixes smoky peated whiskies from Speyside and Islay. Those whiskies are dialed to create a mixing whisky blend.

Bottom Line:

This was fine if you’re looking for a highball whisky. It tastes exactly like Johnnie Walker Black Label, which costs about the same price and is probably on every shelf at every liquor store within a 20-mile radius of your door from coast to coast.

10. Suntory World Whisky AO A Blend Of Five Major Whiskies (JP) — Taste 4

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $149

The Whisky:

This whisky from Suntory blends five whiskeys from the five big whisk(e)y regions on the planet. The blend is Irish whiskey from Cooley Distillery, Scotch whisky from Ardmore Distillery and Glen Garioch Distillery, American whiskey from Jim Beam’s Clermont Distillery, Canadian whisky from Alberta Distillery, and Japanese whisky from Yamazaki Distillery and Hakushu Distillery.

Bottom Line:

This was very much “fine.” It was a little indistinct. That said, if you’re looking for a highball or cocktail base, this might work but seems like a waste at this price point. This whisky isn’t bad, it’s just a little too expensive, and that hangs it low on this ranking.

9. McConnell’s Irish Whisky Aged 5 Years (IE) — Taste 8

ABV: 42%

Average Price: $32

The Whisky:

This Irish whiskey is batched from sweet bourbon barrels. The blend is a mix of malt and grain Irish whiskeys that spent at least five years resting in old bourbon casks before blending, proofing, and bottling.

Bottom Line:

This is another one that’s perfectly fine. It’s clearly rendered for mixing and will shine in a highball with ginger ale and a twist of lime. So if you’re looking for something that’s a single notch above standard Jameson or about five notches above Proper No. 12, get this.

8. Bluebird Days Whiskey Straight American Whiskey (US) — Taste 5

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $49

The Whiskey:

Country Artist Jordan Davis partnered with Bluebird Distilling in Pennsylvania to create this American blend. The blend is a mix of Bluebird’s oldest barrels of wheat whiskey and bourbon that’s proofed down before bottling.

Bottom Line:

This is the last of the “fine” pours. There’s nothing wrong with this whiskey. It’s standard and goes down easily. It’s definitely more of a mixer than a sipper though.

7. Jameson Black Barrel Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey (IE) — Taste 11

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

This masterfully crafted whiskey leans more towards the single pot still whiskeys than grain whiskey. Those whiskeys are aged in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon for anywhere from eight to 16 years. Then, the whiskey is finished in an extra-charred ex-bourbon barrel, bringing about the “Black Barrel” moniker, before blending and proofing.

Bottom Line:

This was very good. I can see sipping this or mixing up a mean cocktail with it. Brasstacks, if you’re a fan of Jameson, this is the bottle you graduate to. This is a huge step up from the standard bottle of Jameson.

6. The Beverly High Rye Fine American Whiskey (US) — Taste 10

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This new whiskey is rendered from a marriage of Iowa’s famed Cedar Ridge and Indiana’s MGP whiskeys. The blend balances bourbon with a majority of rye in the mix to create a “high rye” American whiskey.

Bottom Line:

This is another one that’s just good whiskey. No notes! Overall, if you’re looking for something new and fresh that still feels like coming home to a warm embrace, then this is the whiskey for you. If you do pull a bottle for your bar cart, make sure to try it in a Manhattan or Sazerac.

5. Keeper’s Heart Whiskey Irish+American 110 Proof (US) — Taste 2

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

The latest release from Irish-American whiskey brand Keeper’s Heart blends Irish grain and pot still whiskeys with American rye whiskey (all aged over four years). Unlike the previous releases from the brand, this expression ramps up the rye whiskey and ABVs with a higher proof and only a touch of water in the final blend.

Bottom Line:

This is another winner. Irish American whiskey is about to blow up as a style and Keeper’s Heart is the spearhead. The beauty of this bottle is that blend of funky rye with soft Irish whiskey, which creates a really solid whiskey for sipping over some rocks or mixing into your favorite cocktail.

4. Dewar’s Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 19 Years (UK) — Taste 7

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $81

The Whisky:

This is a commemorative expression from Dewar’s that celebrates the brand’s long history as a sponsor of the U.S. Open. The whisky in the bottle is a one-of-a-kind 19-year-old blend of Dewar’s classic whiskies that are all aged in ex-bourbon casks.

Bottom Line:

Goddamn, this is a tasty Dewar’s expression. Not to be too on the nose, but this is a great bottle to bring out on the back nine on a sunny day. It also works as a perfect gift for the golfer in your life. Golf aside, this is good enough to buy for any fan of Scotch whisky.

3. High West Campfire Batch No: 22F30 (US) — Taste 12

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

This blend from Utah’s beloved High West is a big mix. The majority is a blend of MGP’s famed 95% rye (with 5% malted barley) mixed with High West’s own 80% rye/20% malted rye and an MGP bourbon with 75% corn, 21% rye, and only 4% malted barley. Finally, a dash of blended pure malt Scotch whisky is added to the mix from an undisclosed distillery somewhere in Scotland. All of that is then proofed down and bottled.

Bottom Line:

This perfectly balances soft and sweet peated malt with American whiskeys. It’s great for the peat curious but also slaps if you’re looking for a whiskey to bridge Scotch and American whiskey. It’s really the best of both worlds situation.

2. Barrell Bourbon Cask Strength Batch# 034 A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys (US) — Taste 9

ABV: 57.31%

Average Price: $84

The Whiskey:

The latest Batch from Barrell Bourbon is a blend of bourbons from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. The barrels in the mix are between six and 15 years old. Those barrels are masterfully blended and bottled 100% as-is.

Bottom Line:

This is a stellar blended bourbon whiskey. There are zero faults. It takes you on a journey. Buy this fast, it won’t be around much longer. Hell, buy a case and make it your 2023 house bourbon pour.

1. Compass Box The Spice Tree Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (UK) — Taste 1

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $64

The Whisky:

This blended whisky from British powerhouse blended Compass Box is a highwater mark for the brand. The mix in the bottle has a super unique aging process that includes barrels of heavily toasted French oak with lumber sourced from nearly 200-year-old trees in France’s Vosges forests that are built into casks made specifically for this whisky.

That’s just … cool.

Bottom Line:

This was the most nuanced and transcendent whisky on the panel today. It was deeply hewn but also fun and fresh. You wanted to spend more time with this whisky and plumb its murky depths. Moreover, it’s a great bottle to buy for whiskey fans in general who are looking for something without fault that takes them somewhere new and fun.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

This is one of those tastings where the top half is far superior to the bottom half (give or take). 12 through eight are all passable, which means you can easily pass on them at the liquor store. There’s nothing that special there that you can’t either get for a better price in another brand or just skip altogether.

Seven through one are all worth your time, with the top three picks really being the winners. That said, any of the top three will serve as great pours on your bar cart. They each offer something a little unique, so re-read those tasting notes and then click those price links to see if you can get them in your neck of the woods. Good luck!

Nearly 18 months after the on-set incident which claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Alec Baldwin’s western Rust is looking to resume production, and this news arrives after Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charges were lowered.

The movie will re-start production this spring, this time on the Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana (not that one). The new ranch has been used to as a one-stop shop for various Montana productions, like the high-budget B movie Murder at Yellowstone City, and the western-themed Rolls-Royce commercial (!?).

Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have been previously charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The first hearing for Baldwin is set for this Friday, and he could face up to a maximum of 18 months in prison. As of now, the actor is still signed on to the film, which he also co-wrote himself.

Meanwhile, Baldwin has been fighting at least five suits related to the incident, including one by Hutchins’ family. As for now, it seems like Baldwin will try to take his case to a jury instead of agreeing to a plea deal, according to The Hollywood Reporter. But Baldwin has maintained his innocence throughout the whole ordeal and claims that the crew members were negligent and did not provide property safety training, though reports have been piling up against him on that front.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

Megyn Kelly is not thrilled with CNN keeping Don Lemon around after his remarks about Nikki Haley. During the Tuesday episode of her show, Kelly blasted CNN CEO Chris Licht for letting Lemon return as long as he agrees to “formal training.” The anchor was kept off the air after commenting that Haley “isn’t in her prime,” which sparked a huge controversy as staffers and viewers reportedly balked at the remarks.

“Do women matter? Do we matter?” Kelly said in a question aimed at Licht. “Because it shouldn’t have to be that you were raped by a man or 21 women come forward alleging that they’d been sexually harassed by a man or they’d been inappropriately touched by a man for their offense to matter.”

Although, it didn’t take long for Kelly to tip her hand at what she’s really mad at. Why did she get fired from NBC for defending blackface while Lemon is still on the air at CNN? Via Mediaite:

“We have seen person after person get fired because they caused offense. Mere offense. When it comes to race, when it comes to sexual orientation, when it comes to gender identity. Does women’s offense matter?”

The SiriusXM host argued that this stemmed far beyond a left and right issue and centered on plain decency.

“Does our offense matter to CNN or does someone have to grab a boob for us to count, Chris Licht?” Kelly said.

While it will probably be cold comfort to Kelly, Lemon is reportedly on “final warning” at CNN. One more spat of negative headlines, and the anchor will reportedly be done at the news network. But even if that does happen, Kelly will still be the former cable news anchor who thought defending blackface was a good idea. There’s no changing that.

(Via Mediaite)

While rap fans are no strangers to their favorite artists’ lyrics finding their way onto various newscasts — hello, Ari Melber — a new contender has appeared to quote a rap fave during the news.

Adam Krueger, the chief meteorologist at CW39 Houston, snuck an Eminem bar or two into one of his recent reports after being challenged to do so by fans on TikTok. “One last dry day, but guess who’s back, back again? Rain is back, tell a friend,” he said in one, referencing the Detroit rap star’s 2002 hit “Without Me.” He also threw in a line from “The Real Slim Shady,” saying, “You’re probably thinking, ‘Oh wait, no wait – you’re kidding. He didn’t just say what I think he did, did he?’”

Krueger’s TikTok is pretty much dedicated to him sneaking in lyrics from artists in all kinds of genres after being prompted by fan comments, including Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and Cardi B, as well as movie quotes and even Wordle clues.

Meanwhile, Eminem has popped up in all kinds of random places lately, although he’s still as reclusive as ever. David Guetta used AI to add an “Eminem” verse to a song, while Jonah Hill name-dropped the rapper among his top five in a deleted scene from You People.

Story via HipHopDX.

Over the past few years, it seems like each summer brings us a new it-girl in rap. Coi Leray, Flo Milli, GloRilla, Ice Spice, and Latto have all seen their fortunes rise precipitously with what seems like just one song. Often, it seems like they appear from nowhere overnight and the next day, they are everywhere. This is, in my humble opinion, a good thing. It’s good for them, it’s good for rap, and it’s good for the health of the music business as a whole.

Unfortunately, you can’t turn on a light without casting a shadow. And nasty things breed in the darkness. In the case of rap’s new it-girls, the rancid flip side has been a lot of men — and it’s nearly all men — who suddenly have a lot of opinions on what women should be rapping about. And, considering the audience that these women have found in their peers, what kind of rap women should be listening to. I’m sure you’ve seen the posts on social media or outlets that cover hip-hop.

In December, Hitmaka whined about the prevalence of “p*ssy rap”; in 2019, it was Jermaine Dupri comparing breakthrough female rappers to strippers. On Twitter, seemingly every third post about Coi Leray or Ice Spice or Megan Thee Stallion is the same corny, tired, and thoroughly overused “joke” about how much better their music sounds on mute. It’s exhausting for me and I’m just a guy who writes about rap for work; I can only imagine how tiresome it is for these women and for their fans.

As has been rightfully pointed out time and time again, there is a double standard in hip-hop. Men brag about their “magic sticks,” boast that they shouldn’t have to “f*ck for free,” and demand, near constantly, for women to bend it over, touch their toes, and/or bust it open for a real n****. Which… is fine, I guess. To be honest, I’m a little over it. It’s kind of boring at this point. If the goal in rap is to be the best rapper, to be the most creative artist, you would think they’d all try a little harder than just repeating the same cliches for the past 20 years.

Mind you, in those 20 years, there were only a handful of women flourishing in rap and only about two or three regularly charting on the Hot 100. That all changed in 2018 when Cardi B showed up to kick the gates off their hinges with “Bodak Yellow.” Suddenly, labels could see value in supporting female rap artists again. Fans realized that there were more voices in the conversation waiting to be sought out. And more young women realized that there might be a future in those notebooks they were filling with rhymes.

The difference for Cardi, aside from access to streaming and the recently-revamped Billboard chart counting procedure, was that Cardi wasn’t rapping to impress rap dudes. Women have been trying that for decades and only getting as far as forum love and regional tours. As it turns out, men are great at saying they want one thing, but not actually seeking out or supporting it. Instead, Cardi rapped about the stuff she wanted to, from the perspective of a “regular degular chick from The Bronx.”

That was the formula that cracked the code, and soon, it seemed there were dozens of women in rap applying it to their own regional takes. City Girls brought Miami flavor, Saweetie represented for the Bay Area, and Megan held it down for the Houston hotties. Their successes became beacons for the legions of unknown, aspiring rappers who took the baton and ran with it. And while, yes, the formula calcified a bit and became too… well… formulaic, we still got standouts each year all approaching rap their own way, and most importantly, having fun with it.

So why is that such a problem for so many men?

Well, for one thing, rap is nearly 50 years old, and for nearly all of that time, was widely considered “a guy thing.” Men were centered; many of the performers were men, true, but as pointed out in Clover Hope’s excellent history The Motherlode, many female performers were left out of the history books, overlooked, and forgotten about — especially when their performances didn’t center men. Many of the women who flourished appealed to men in some way; MC Lyte “rapped like a dude,” Salt-N-Pepa brought sex appeal, and Queen Latifah was one of two women in the Native Tongues crew, a position that would come to be the standard during the “first lady of the label” era exemplified by Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, Eve, Rah Digga, Shawnna, and Amil (Nicki Minaj lands on the tail end of that movement as the sole female rapper on Young Money).

However, starting with Cardi, women’s concerns — mainly turning up at the club, but also dealing with f*ckboys, hustling sugar daddies, and flipping transactional relationships to their advantage — are at the forefront of women’s raps. Rather than writing punchlines and boasts as men would write them, women boast “how can I lose when I’m already chose?” to men’s chagrin. Rap always offered ostensibly masculine fantasies to indulge fans’ interests but now the fantasies place women in positions of power and leave rap’s core audience — which has always been average, slightly dork dudes — out of the conversation entirely. (Or so they believe; it seems many men can picture themselves as drug kingpins with trophy girlfriends, but never considered those paramours’ perspectives.)

The carefree Black boy archetype is a thing that has risen in prominence in the past few years. Well, I would argue that today’s female rappers represent the flip side of that coin: the carefree Black girls. But in releasing themselves from the concerns that historically plagued Black women, they’ve highlighted some truths that make men very uncomfortable. While we have labored for the last 100 or so years under expectations of stoicism, criminality, and hypermasculinity, women have often borne the brunt of the negative effects carrying or living down to those expectations have caused us.

What rap’s it-girls — the carefree Black girls — are doing is rejecting the twin roles of matron and mule for Black men’s anger, spite, and frustration at being sidelined in America’s racist system. They’re carving out their own chuck of joy and respite, be it material — handbags and shoes, trips to exotic locales — or spiritual — dismissing noncommital men, demanding the world from their partners. A generation raised on pimp perspectives is only going to see affront in hearing about women taking control of their own destinies.

But maybe we shouldn’t; after all, in their liberation, there’s freedom for us too. Why are we relating to pimps and criminals? And why would we rebuke women embracing sexual freedoms that we would ultimately only benefit from? It seems to me that the narrative that truly needs rejecting is the restrictive one in which we are all constrained to minimizing, flattening roles of men as gangsters or hypermasculine fantasy tough guys and women as demure coquettes solely catering to men’s desires.

It’s been said that rappers shouldn’t be role models — but that was the rappers of old, the ones who demeaned women and destroyed their own communities (at least, lyrically. We all know we shouldn’t take these rhymes at face value). But these carefree Black girls who dance when they want, say what they’re thinking, pursue their goals with a vengeance, and won’t settle for less than they feel they are owed are the perfect role models for a generation that has been learning to grow beyond what has been to what could be.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Kevin Love would sign with the Miami Heat after he and the Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a buyout during the final season of his four-year, $120 million. The South Beach partnership makes sense for a few reasons.

Miami could certainly benefit from some frontcourt shooting and legitimate size at the 4 spot. The likes of 6’5 Cody Martin, 6’4 Haywood Highsmith, and 6’7 Jimmy Butler have often held down power forward this season. The Heat also welcome versatile floor-spacing in the frontcourt. Martin has a bit of on-the-move gusto, while Butler rarely hoists threes and Highsmith is a stationary release valve who doesn’t always elicit defensive concern. Last year, P.J. Tucker was a static corner specialist.

Duncan Robinson’s decline has hindered the schematic possibilities at times — this year, Robinson has appeared in 29 games, all off of the bench, is playing 18.1 minutes a night, and is connecting on 32.9 percent of his attempts from behind the three-point line. A malleable shooter with size like Love is a legitimate boon to the rotation. While Love isn’t a Robinson-esque nomad, he provides a sizable range of options as a shooter. He’s comfortable working off of ghost screens, which the Heat love to deploy with Robinson, Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Gabe Vincent, and Martin. His pump-fake-into-a-sidestep three remains formidable. He has a bit of chops firing on the move. He’s a heady relocation artist.

Miami values versatile shooters a good deal in its offense, particularly for those enjoying secondary roles. Love meets the criteria. Given two of its focal points, Butler and Bam Adebayo, are paint-oriented scorers, the more spacing, the better. The lack of downhill juice cramps its 25th-ranked offense substantially, but the decline in long-range shooting from last season is another prevalent factor. The Heat led the NBA in three-point percentage at 38.6 percent a year ago and are down to 28th at 33.7 percent this year.

Love doesn’t alleviate the driving shortcomings directly, but he should help with the latter issue. He could ease the tension of a compact court as well because defenses grant him notable respect beyond the arc as a big man. That’s not the case for Highsmith, Butler, or Tucker. Even Martin isn’t a “stop at all costs” marksman. Love, meanwhile, legitimately draws the attention of the opposition.

I don’t know how often Miami will feature it, but Love’s passing remains quite useful. He’s a steady decision-maker and should see a fairly seamless transition into the Heat’s dribble handoff system. He discerns proper reads, can capitalize when doubled on post-ups, and is a timely processor when openings arise. His outlet passing pairs aptly with Butler’s proclivity to leak out for seals and early offense chances as well.

Whether it’s organic or intentional, I certainly expect the veteran’s playmaking to bolster the offense. If Love and Adebayo share the floor for long stretches, Horns and Delay sets where either is a choice to facilitate the offense for off-ball scorers/shooters should be part of the playbook. Giving Adebayo’s interior exploits, a viable outside presence who brings his own playmaking credentials in the frontcourt is a worthwhile addition.

Part of the question for Love’s holistic offensive signature is whether he can rediscover the levels he was at from deep prior to this season. He’s only shooting 35.4 percent beyond the arc after netting 38.4 percent of his looks between 2017 and 2022. The possession-by-possession impact will lord over opponents, but he needs to convert the actual opportunities he receives. He’s not been the mismatch scorer of yesteryear, shooting just 46.7 percent on twos and typically failing to find much success when he dares to venture inside the arc these days.

Cleveland relied on him for long stretches last season as a bench hub in which he blended outside shooting and interior scoring against undersized defenders. His success there fueled his genuine Sixth Man of the Year candidacy that lasted roughly two-thirds of the year. Can he do that in a pinch with the Heat? Or, is he destined to be a long-range specialist whose value is tied to volume and versatility rather than volume, versatility, and efficiency, which complements his low-block work?

Love’s viability as a rotation cog for a team with playoff aspirations hinges mightily on the scope of his offensive contributions. The defense is quite limited, and I worry how he fares in a system like Miami’s that prioritizes movement skills and multifaceted responsibilities. Love isn’t mobile. In the Heat’s switch-heavy, no-middle scheme, that could spell trouble. Ground coverage is paramount, especially with digs and stunt-and-recovers. Those may be tasks Love can’t complete regularly.

They endure Herro’s struggles because of his perimeter creation. As Robinson’s jumper has waned, his defensive flaws haven’t generally been worth weathering from their perspective. Love’s might not be, either, if his offensive production looks similar to his time in Cleveland this season.

He also isn’t a credible backup 5 because of his deficiencies laterally and vertically, incapable of offering effective coverage in drop, at the level, hedging, or switching. He’s not a secondary rim protector, either. His rebounding remains quite practical (99th percentile in defensive rebounding rate), but Miami is already fourth as a team there, although fortifying a strength is certainly a positive.

For as enticing and natural as the fit is offensively, I really worry about Love defensively with the Heat. The Cavs are the league’s third-ranked defense anchored by two domineering rim protectors. They’re starved for frontcourt shooting and excised Love from the rotation a month ago. They presumably decided these defensive imperfections were too much to overlook.

Miami is a similarly excellent defense like Cleveland. The paths to that mark are starkly different, though. Ranking third in opposing rim frequency, Miami aims to keep teams away from the rim altogether with rangy perimeter options, aggressive help rotations, and Adebayo’s instincts and swarming limbs. Ranking 21st in opposing rim field goal percentage, the lack of interior size is an issue when teams get there, but teams mostly fail to get there.

Cleveland is 19th and second in those respective categories. With narrower point-of-attack selections, it funnels offenses to the hoop and erases them once they’ve arrived. It’s the inverse of Miami. Conceivably, Love can survive defensively in the Cavaliers’ approach because of backline reinforcements. I’m not so sure he can with the Heat’s style, though it’s possible the superior surrounding perimeter context is better suited to cover for him than in Cleveland.

A change of scenery could absolutely rectify some of the hurdles facing Love. I don’t want to downplay that possibility. Miami has a history of fashioning preferable roles for those who maybe didn’t have one elsewhere. Love’s offensive arsenal matches head coach Erik Spoelstra’s inclinations and could fill clear gaps in the current rotation; Spoelstra’s schematic creativity may also unearth ways to paper over Love’s blemishes.

The defense, however, continues to gnaw at me when I envision how this experiment plays out. Ultimately, it all leaves me a bit more worried than optimistic.

SZA has been named Billboard‘s Woman Of The Year for 2023. In celebration, she did an interview with the publication on the heels of her sophomore SOS album dropping in December.

Not only did SZA reveal that there’s a deluxe version on the way, but she also opened up about exactly how she feels about her mega hit, “Kill Bill.” The song reached No. 2 on the charts, making it her biggest song to date.

“I knew it would be something that pissed me off,” she said. “It’s always a song that I don’t give a f*ck about that’s just super easy, not the sh*t that I put so much heart and energy into. ‘Kill Bill’ was super easy — one take, one night.”

The vengeful-but-fun video drew a significant amount of attention, too, as it pulled inspiration from the Tarantino flick and had a cameo from Vivica A. Fox.

Still, SZA also noted that she did want to change things up from any expectations that fans might have had after her 2017 debut, Ctrl, saying, “I know people wanted ‘Broken Clocks,’ ‘Love Galore,’ and all that other sh*t again, but I departed from that by choice. Not because I couldn’t do that again; it was just because I wanted to grow. I wanted to do something completely different.”

It’s clear that the pivot has worked out in her favor immensely.

As the YSL RICO trial continues, one of Young Thug’s co-defendants has requested that it be declared a mistrial, according to Law&Crime Network producer Cathy Russon via HipHopDX.

Jayden Myrick, aka SetTrip, filed a motion for mistrial on Tuesday (February 21) through his lawyer Gina Bernard, who argued that Myrick’s Sixth Amendment right to a fair and impartial jury has been violated by discovery material being shared with the public.

A previously signed court order prevents discovery material from being shared on social media or to official news sources but what appears to be a video of cooperating witness’ testimony to police has been circulating on social media for the past week.

Therefore, says Bernard, “While said evidence may not directly implicate my client, it along with all of the publicity and courtroom incidents since the start of this trial that have not been the result of any conduct of my client, Jayden Myrick, make it impossible for him to receive a fair trial, as well as a jury that is honestly and truly fair and impartial.”

Among those courtroom incidents were scenes in which fellow co-defendant Yak Gotti’s mother was arrested for trying to sneak him contraband, another co-defendant was tased by court deputies after handing Thug a pill, and multiple members of YSL accepted plea deals to avoid longer sentences.

The trial is expected to continue for at least six months — and potentially as much as nine months.

Young Thug is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.