Month: May 2023

First popularized in the 1930s and 40s when the likes of Donn Beach (owner of Don the Beachcomber) and “Trader” Vic Bergeron (owner of Trader Vic’s) opened Polynesian-style bars, Tiki drinks, while not nearly as popular as they once were, have never really gone away. There are conflicting stories but it’s believed by many that the mai tai (created in 1944) was the first Tiki-style cocktail. Like the mai tai, other Tiki-style drinks are known for their sweet, fruity, tropical flavor profiles that usually feature rum as the main ingredient. Pineapples, coconut, and other tropical fruits are also common.

In recent years, the romanticization of cocktails with over-the-top ingredients, decorations, and Tiki-style, elaborately decorated drinking vessels has come into question (and with good reason). But this hasn’t stopped Tiki bars from continuing to flourish. Fans of the style will point out that it’s a love letter to a tropical paradise and sort of its own fantasyland, rather than a representation of actual Polynesian culture. If that tracks for you, well, they are some good drinks — and can potentially be enjoyed without the colonial hangover aspect.

All that aside, you can’t talk about Tiki drinks without rum. White rum, dark rum, and even spiced rum — the sugarcane-based spirit is at the center of this style. To find some of the best options for Tiki-style cocktails, we turned to the professionals who bide their time behind the bar for some help. We asked a handful of bartenders to tell us the best rums to mix into Tiki drinks. Keep scrolling to see them all.

Smith & Cross Rum

Tom Muscolino, director of beverage innovation at Landmark Hospitality in Plainfield, New Jersey

ABV: 57%

Average Price: $32

The Rum:

Smith & Cross. It is a funky Jamaican pot still rum, coming in at 114 proof. Created in collaboration with cocktail historian David Wondrich, it’s a great base for your favorite rum cocktails, Tiki or otherwise. It’s the kind of rum you’ll always want on hand.

Tasting Notes:

It has notes of overripe banana, dark chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, and spice. It’s much more flavorful than you’d expect from such a high-proof rum.

Bumbu Rum

Sawyer Platt, bar lead at Publico Street Bistro & Garden in South Boston

ABV: 35%

Average Price: $38

The Rum:

I’ve been experimenting with Bumbu Rum a lot this season and it’s shown to be a great addition to Tiki, coffee-centered, and twists on sour-like cocktails. The first sips of it reminded me of Basil Hayden’s infamous Caribbean Reserve Rye. A versatile rum, it would pair wonderfully in a Tiki drink or even in a Manhattan with Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth and chocolate bitters.

Tasting Notes:

Its flavor profile is dominated by bold notes of chocolate, molasses, and banana, with an oaky, whiskey-resembling finish.

Blackwell Fine Jamaican Rum

Jared Bailey, bar manager at Soho Cigar Bar in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $26

The Rum:

I prefer a darker rum like Blackwell Fine Jamaican Rum, both for its cost-effectiveness, as well as the rum’s ability to mix very well and provide that signature rum flavor, but not add too much sweetness to the drink.

Tasting Notes:

Sweet and nutty, this Jamaican-produced rum is known for its nutty, vanilla, caramel, candied orange, dried fruits, and sugar cookie flavors.

Hamilton Demerara 86 Rum

Brandon Ristaino, co-founder and beverage director at Good Lion Hospitality in Santa Barbara, California

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $25

The Rum:

Tiki-style drinks are unique in that a lot of classics call for a ‘layering’ of rums. These rum blends can add complexity and depth to a cocktail while drawing out the best of each individual expression of rum. While there is a myriad of options for every component of these layered rum blends, we feel as though Hamilton Demerara 86 rum is a perfect ‘base’ for most tiki-style cocktails.

Tasting Notes:

This Guyanese rum is rich, slightly smoky, and has tasting notes of tobacco, oak, nuts, and tropical fruit that converge to anchor most fruit juice-laden cocktails. We like to layer a funky Jamaican pot still rum on top of the Hamilton, but that’s a discussion for another day.

El Dorado 3-Year Rum

Alicia Perry, beverage director at Consortium Holdings in San Diego

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $20

The Rum:

El Dorado 3-Year-Old Rum is a great choice for Tiki drinks. Matured for at least three years in charred oak casks, this crystal clear, flavorful rum is filtered through charcoal. The result is a complex, versatile rum well-suited for mixing.

Tasting Notes:

El Dorado 3-Year-Old Rum Offers tropical notes. Rich yet complex flavor profile. El Dorado 3 Year is crisp, with notes of cacao, cane sugar, and grassy.

Plantation Barbados 5 Year

Bijan Ghiai, beverage manager at Urban Hill in Salt Lake City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $25

The Rum:

The Plantation Barbados 5-year Dark Rum. I feel that it has the strongest personality, but it isn’t going to overwhelm the cocktail either. My favorite tiki-style cocktail is either a mai tai — I think I am drawn to it by its simplicity– or a classic pina colada, but you have to use real coconut cream for that one.

Tasting Notes:

It has a deep layer of molasses, some baking spices, star anise, vanilla, and some citrus peel. It’s a great choice for Tiki drinks.

Paranubes Oaxacan Rum

Michael J. Neff, bartender at Bar Loretta in San Antonio, Texas

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $45 for a 1-liter bottle

The Rum:

Paranubes Oaxacan Rum is a fantastic choice for Tiki-style drinks. I like a hurricane with Paranubes Oaxacan Rum, especially if it’s spring and I can get Cocktail & Sons Fassionola.

Tasting Notes:

A few words on the rum: Funky pot still rums are great in tiki cocktails—their inherent earthiness plays well with all the different sugar most tiki specs call for.

Malibu Rum

Lee Moore, bartender at The Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina

ABV: 21%

Average Price: $20

The Rum:

Malibu Rum. This might not seem like the most popular choice. But if you’re looking for a sweet, coconut-filled rum liqueur to use in a Tiki-style drink, you have to consider Malibu. Maybe it won’t be the main rum used, but it definitely fits as a complimentary rum.

Tasting Notes:

The light mellow flavors of pineapple or coconut are the perfect tropical flavors for Tiki-style drinks.

The Real McCoy 12

Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $54

The Rum:

I’m a purist, so I tend to use these spirits in completely different fashions; however, the Real McCoy 12-Year Aged is one rum that I’ve used in a variety of traditionally stirred Tiki-style cocktails.

Tasting Notes:

Its earthiness and oak lend themselves well. There’s also a ton of caramel, vanilla, orange peel, and light spices. All of these work well in Tiki-style drinks.

Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum

Erica Dimmig, lead mixologist at Bar Pendry in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30

The Rum:

The world of Tiki is vast and full of many big opinions. I’m sure some will disagree that a flavored rum should be left out of classic Tiki drinks, but Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple is absolutely crushable in so many Tiki cocktails.

Tasting Notes:

The sweet, spiced, and overripe fruit notes are killer in a pina colada but hold up just as well in a mai tai, or one of my favorites: the painkiller.

Ed Sheeran has currently been in court over a lawsuit from the family of Marvin Gaye’s songwriting collaborator, Ed Townsend, claiming that Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” song copied Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”

Now, as the latest development from the trial this week, Sheeran reportedly told people in the room that he’ll be quitting music if he’s found guilty, according to the Daily Mail. He’s also continued to deny that he copied the song.

“If that happens, I’m done, I’m stopping,” he said. “I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it.”

Another reported past development included them claiming that Sheeran was aware of Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” influence as he performed a mashup of the two during a concert. Sheeran has denied the impact.

“I mash up songs at lots of gigs. Many songs have similar chords. You can go from ‘Let It Be’ to ‘No Woman No Cry’ and switch back,” Sheeran stated. “If I’d done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be an idiot to stand on stage in front of 20,000 people and do that.”

If found guilty, Townsend’s family is seeking $100 million in the lawsuit after citing “striking similarities” between the two songs.

Read a full breakdown of Ed Sheeran’s lawsuit here.

Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

We all know how fond recording artists are of their costume changes. Over the course of a single concert, someone like Taylor Swift can wear upwards of eight different outfits onstage, with the current record held by Reba McIntyre with 15. But apparently, this isn’t confined just to their performances, as Cardi B proved at last night’s Met Gala.

Cardi, who is one of the event’s standout attendees on a yearly basis at this point, went all-out this year, paying tribute to designer Karl Lagerfeld with not one, not two, but three different outfits throughout the evening. These looks included a pink-and-black skirt suit with an oversized houndstooth print and a platinum wig (an updated, mid-century housewife kind of look), a crepe mermaid gown with a Vegas showgirl flourish, and her carpet look, a midnight black ball gown with massive vinyl roses and Lagerfeld’s signature crisp white collars.

Other artists whose ensembles grabbed fans’ attention included Rihanna, who received a special dispensation from Anna Wintour to show up late, Lil Nas X, who was nearly naked and bedazzled to the gawds, and Doja Cat, who went as an actual cat, finally achieving her final form. Diddy, Lizzo, and the UK’s West African Brotherhood of Burna Boy, Skepta, and Stormzy also turned heads.

You can check out all of the highlights of the night here.

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

“I think the true test of a pop song, for me, and I’ve talked to a lot of other writers about this, is you take your demo, you pop it in your car and you drive down Sunset Blvd. to Santa Monica, and that’s the Hollywood car test,” producer and musician Ryan Tedder once said about the genre. This week, it seems the artists took this advice between glittery pop or rock-inspired anthems.

Continue scrolling for Uproxx’s Best New Pop roundup.

Bebe Rexha — “Blue Moon”

Dropping her anticipated album, Bebe, this week, Rexha has delivered on a ton of shimmery songs, including collaborations with Dolly Parton, Snoop Dogg, and David Guetta. “Blue Moon” is no different, other than being a solo take, as it builds off of space-age metaphors and disco influences through the modern pop trend.

Jessie Ware — “Hello Love”

Keeping with the dancefloor-ready trend in music this week, none other than Jessie Ware dropped a full album of songs in that wheelhouse with That! Feels Good!. Three turns into the record, Ware used “Hello Love” to give listeners a “breather” if playing in order, while still being a soaring pop track. “It feels quintessentially me, but with me having grown with experience in writing,” she said in an Apple Music interview.

Niall Horan — “Meltdown”

“Meltdown” is Niall Horan‘s latest single from his forthcoming album, The Show, and despite the title, it serves as a warm hug to listeners who might be struggling. “I really love how the tempo of the song and the groove intensifies that feeling of spiraling out of control, and adds even more urgency to the panic and irrational thinking,” Horan previously shared on Instagram. “In the chorus there is a major shift in the the mood as there is some calm brought to the chaos.”

Kesha — “Eat The Acid”

Kesha is also back this week with two new songs: “Fine Line” and “Eat The Acid,” from her recently-announced next album, Gag Order. Specifically, the latter track is intended to warn listeners about everything that comes with fame, over an addictive Rick Rubin-co-produced instrumental.

The Blssm — “Merry Go Round”

The Blssm described the new track, “Merry Go Round,” as one that “is a theme song for a ‘chaotic good’ type character – someone who falls too hard, feels too much, and is destructive along the way but also cares so deeply,” later adding, “This song is for when you’re feeling melodramatic and emotional at the club.”

Taeyang — “Shoong!” (feat. Lisa)

Already two powerhouses on their own, Bigbang’s Taeyang and Blackpink’s Lisa have made some serious waves by deciding to collab for “Shoong!.” By the time her verse hits, it proves just how fitting of a choice it was, as she matches the badass energy and nails the choreography in the video.

Nessa Barrett — “American Jesus”

The second single from Nessa Barrett’s next EP, “American Jesus” finds her relying on love like a form of religion, with the music video using small-town country aesthetics. “It’s about the fantasy of someone who is your savior, your cowboy in a crown,” Barrett said in a statement. “Everyone dreams about a love that’s heavenly, and I know everyone will be able to relate to this.”

Seventeen — “Super”

Seventeen‘s music video for their new song, “Super,” uses choreography to convey the high energy present in the beat drops and overall instrumental. “We’ll never rest, everyday, make it make it / Don’t break until we make it,” they note, hinting at the intensity that fuels them.

Illenium — “Eyes Wide Shut”

Illenium’s new song, “Eyes Wide Shut,” is a collab with Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker that blends electronic and the pop-rock era — especially on the rocking first chorus with Barker’s drum line prominently introduced. It is also prominently featured on the DJ’s recently-released fifth studio album, which dropped over the weekend.

“To me, a self-titled album is the core sound of who I am,” he shared in a statement. “I get to explore my original musical inspirations and blend something that truly feels fresh.”

Kenzie — “Sickly Sweet”

Being inspired by musicians like Billie Eilish, Kenzie decided to turn the tables for her latest song, “Sickly Sweet.” Taking a different perspective to detailing a toxic relationship, she notes that it “takes two to tango,” as she pushes right back.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Emma Watson hasn’t appeared in a movie since 2019’s Little Women. There are two reasons for this. The first: she earned gobs (goblets?) of money from playing Hermione in the Harry Potter series, enough to buy a little town full of little people. The other explanation is that Watson “wasn’t very happy” with the profession, as she revealed in an interview with the Financial Times.

“I wasn’t very happy, if I’m being honest,” she said. “I think I felt a bit caged. The thing I found really hard was that I had to go out and sell something that I really didn’t have very much control over. To stand in front of a film and have every journalist be able to say, ‘How does this align with your viewpoint?’ It was very difficult to have to be the face and the spokesperson for things where I didn’t get to be involved in the process.” Watson continued:

“I was held accountable in a way that I began to find really frustrating, because I didn’t have a voice… And I started to realize that I only wanted to stand in front of things where if someone was going to give me flak about it, I could say, in a way that didn’t make me hate myself, ‘Yes, I screwed up, it was my decision, I should have done better.’”

When asked if she would return to acting, Watson replied, “Yes, absolutely. But I’m happy to sit and wait for the next right thing. I love what I do. It’s finding a way to do it where I don’t have to fracture myself into different faces and people. And I just don’t want to switch into robot mode anymore.”

She probably won’t break her hiatus with the Harry Potter show (for many reasons).

(Via the Financial Times)

Ten years ago, Chance The Rapper — fka Tony Jizzle — released his breakout mixtape Acid Rap, changing the trajectory of his then-burgeoning career — and of Midwestern hip-hop, if you subscribe to his view of things. To commemorate the occasion, The Rapper announced a 10th-anniversary concert in his hometown Chicago, which sold out in moments.

The demand for his performance — he hasn’t toured since canceling his tour for debut album The Big Day in 2019 — was so high that he’s responded by adding two new shows to his schedule, one in Los Angeles and one in New York. The New York show will take place on August 26 at the Barclays Center, while the LA show is on September 21 at the Forum. Tickets for the new shows go on sale this Friday, May 5 at 10 am local time. You can find more information at LiveNation.com.

In addition to the new shows, Chance was also finally able to add the breakout single “Juice” back to the streaming versions of the mixtape, which was reissued in 2019 without it due to sample clearance issues. Despite missing one of its fan-favorite tracks, Acid Rap was able to break onto the Billboard charts for the first time, becoming his highest-charting release yet at No. 5.

The 2023 Met Gala was flooded with notable fashion moments from famous musicians. Rihanna arrived fashionable late, but as the singer is currently with child, all was forgiven. Cardi B effortlessly blended both the feminine and masculine elements of the evening’s theme. Doja Cat and Lil Nas X deliver their unique takes on a fierce feline. While Diddy’s clothing company Sean John formally debuted at the event.

However, one unforeseen trio caused a flood of thirsty responses on social media. International musicians, Stormzy, Burna Boy, and Skepta, now referred to on social media s the West African Brotherhood, sported color-coordinated Burberry looks at the Met Gala had fans in love. Although the theme of the evening was centered around the late designer Karl Lagerfeld, the musicians found a way to mix elements from both fashion houses. This marks Burna Boy and Skepta’s first appearance at the Met Gala. Stormzy has previously attended the revered event.

When asked about the inspiration behind his look, Skepta told GQ, “Karl Lagerfeld was a master of suit making, and so for me, it seemed appropriate to stick to that vibe. It’s a pretty clean outfit, I’ve got some studded creeper shoes, but apart from that, it’s really slick.”

Check out some of the fans’ reactions to their looks below.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music from Indigo De Souza, Beach House, The National, Beach Fossils, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Home Is Where — “Yes! Yes! A Thousand Times Yes!”

Home Is Where made quite an impression on the emo scene with the memorable 2021 EP I Became Birds, which exploded with the off-kilter folky vibe of Neutral Milk Hotel but was singular and emotional enough to stand on its own. “Yes! Yes! A Thousand Times Yes!” leans into its midwest roots (despite the fact that the band is from Florida), bursting with cathartic instrumentation and expressive vocals.

The Gaslight Anthem — “Positive Charge”

The Gaslight Anthem’s first song in nine years is here. “Positive Charge” doesn’t waste any time; it kicks off with immediate exhilaration. A rush of intense guitars lead the listener into the track, and Brian Fallon’s introspective lyrics search for light: “I need a spark / I need a positive charge / Plug it into my veins and make me love this life again.”

Buggin — “Not Yours”

Chicago’s Buggin are one of the most in-your-face hardcore bands right now. Their new ripper “Not Yours” catapults straight into fiery territory, all metallic guitars and angry shouts that culminate into a seismic breakdown that’s sure to go crazy in a live setting.

Draag — Dark Fire Heresy

Philadelphia’s Draag declare themselves “not a shoegaze band” on their Twitter, but the opening track to their new album Dark Fire Heresy reverberates with the quintessential soaring, dreamlike sound kin to Slowdive or Ride. However, as the record goes on, it takes unexpected twists and turns, picking up the pace on the whirling “Demonbird” and buzzing exuberantly on the hallucinatory “Midnight Paradise.” It’s fair for Draag to not want to be pigeonholed in a genre that often doesn’t take risks; Dark Fire Heresy speaks for itself.

Beach Fossils — “Run To The Moon”

“Dare Me” was a strong lead single from Beach Fossils’ new album Run To The Moon. “Run To The Moon” is another breezy preview that captivates with laid-back guitars and soft vocals as Dustin Payseur reminisces on tumultuous times: “Staying out all night / We’re all taking drugs / Acting stupid, having fun / Till the sun is coming up.”

Indigo De Souza — All Of This Will End

Singles for Indigo De Souza’s new album All Of This Will End, like “You Can Be Mean” and “Smog,” already proved that the record would be phenomenal. Still, it exceeded expectations with an abundance of unforgettable tracks, from the vibrant opener “Time Back” (It feels like I’m losing my best friend / But we’re going to love again / On the other side”) to the pained “Parking Lot” which recounts a moment of dissociation. No matter what the experience is she’s dealing with, she doesn’t deem it as good or bad — she sees all sides of things, because after all: “Who gives a f*ck? / All of this will end,” she declares on the title track.

Horse Jumper Of Love — “Heartbreak Rules”

Last year, Horse Jumper Of Love shared their new album Natural Part. They’re already back with a mini-LP called Heartbreak Rules, and the title track is out now. “When you pour a drink from one cup to another sometimes you spill a bunch on the table and you have less in the new cup. I was thinking about the heart being like that in transitional times of life,” vocalist and guitarist Dimitri Giannopoulos said about the song in a statement. At a little over two minutes, the ballad is thoughtful and melancholy: “Through the transfer / There’s always something lost forever,” he sings.

Thundercat, Tame Impala — “No More Lies”

A collaboration we never knew we needed: Thundercat and Tame Impala, for this new song “No More Lies.” It’s as dreamy as you’d expect, and their vocals enmeshed together make a gorgeous harmony as they navigate a complicated relationship. “You and I both know it’s harder than it seems / Love is a two-way street / I’m letting go because the both of us don’t need to drive / Baby, it’s one at a time,” Thundercat sings.

Beach House — Become

New music from Beach House is always a treat. Last year’s Once Twice Melody was a sprawling, hypnotic album and “Superstar” was maybe one of their best songs to date. Become is their new EP containing songs that were recorded during the session for that record, so inevitably it’s a glimmering, ruminative extension to Once Twice Melody, the five songs all mesmeric.

The National — First Two Pages Of Frankenstein

An album with features from Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, and Sufjan Stevens is obviously going to be an emotional experience — but especially when it’s an album by The National. First Two Pages Of Frankenstein is a vulnerable, poignant whirlwind that addresses mental health with candid honesty like on “Your Mind Is Not Your Friend” and vividly describes the end of a relationship in “Eucalyptus.”

Chance The Rapper is currently promoting his mini-tour celebrating the 10th anniversary of his breakthrough mixtape, Acid Rap, and last night, he stopped by Late Night With Seth Myers. Sporting a Canadian tuxedo and his signature baseball cap, Chance recounted the success of Acid Rap, his early career doing shows at the library, and even his first rap name — which wasn’t quite as good as his current one.

“‘Chance The Rapper’ is a great rap name because it’s very on the nose,” Myers commented. “But I have to imagine you had some other options early on.”

“Oh yeah,” Chance remembered. “When I was in 8th grade, I went by Tony Jizzle… I’m glad that that part of my life is over with.” Cue the loud guffaws from the crowd.

The Rapper — lol — also had some fun reminiscing on that hilarious night a few years ago when the New York Knicks redundantly described him as “Chance The Rapper: Rapper” on their Jumbotron, leading to both a cheeky response from Chance and one of my favorite things I’ve written. Myers pulled out a screenshot from a much more recent Chicago Bulls game in which the Jumbotron at his hometown arena took his suggestion to the Knicks in describing him instead as “Chance The Rapper: Father/Zaddy.”

You can watch the full interview above.

Bad Bunny was a strong contender for best dressed at last night’s 2023 Met Gala. As he stepped onto the red carpet, his backless custom white suit had a creative spin as he was joined by a 26-foot train of florals designed by Simon Porte Jacquemus — who chose Benito as his guest.

The event’s theme, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty, crossed over into Bad Bunny’s outfit, as flowers were a significant part of Lagerfeld’s designs. The backless choice also pulled inspiration from a Chanel No. 5 ad from 2005 that starred Nicole Kidman.

“Bad Bunny is my favorite artist, it’s a dream to dress him for my first Met Gala,” Jacquemus told Vogue. “I was so inspired by him, he is the ultimate Jacquemus muse.”

He continued, speaking about the backless nod to the ad, “I was obsessed with it and asked my best friend to record it for me, to watch it in my bedroom over and over. I was just a kid and this dress and long train stayed in my mind forever.”

By the time photos of Bad Bunny’s suit and train surfaced online, social media users were loving that it wasn’t just a simple black suit — which has become a common joke about male attendees doing the bare minimum.

“A man with a train!!!!! OBSESSED,” one user wrote.

View pictures of Bad Bunny’s brilliant Jacquemus backless and floral-themed suit above. Continue scrolling for some additional reactions to it.