Month: June 2023

Four Roses is one of the most iconic Kentucky bourbons on the shelf. It’s massively respected and hugely sought-after — especially their single barrel releases (more on those later). But it wasn’t always that way. Barely two decades ago, it was a dismissed brand of whiskey that nearly shuttered for good. The public’s view of Four Roses was that it was swill, rotgut — the stuff your grandpappy hid in the garage.

Through diligence and commitment to craft, Four Roses has made an incredible comeback. Now, the whiskey is so good and nearly ubiquitous that I knew it was time to rehash and rank every single available expression. Available is italicized because Four Rose is truly unique in the bourbon whiskey world — using 10 different mash bills (recipes) to make its bourbon. Most distilleries (even the huge ones) will use one or two (maybe three if they’re doing something wheated).

10 mash bills is a true outlier in bourbon, so it makes sense to break them down a little. Four Roses’ 10 mash bills are created from two distinct grain recipes with five different yeast strains. The grain recipes are a very high-rye bourbon mash bill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. This is called mash bill “B” — remember that for a little later. The other mash bill is a lower rye but still on the high end with 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley. That’s mash bill “E,” you’ll need to remember that one too.

How do these two mash bills become 10 bourbon recipes? Yeast. Four Roses deploys five distinct yeast strains that it propagates in-house. Each yeast has its own structure that focuses certain flavor notes to be more present in the resulting beer and, later, the whiskey that eventually ends up in your glass. These strains are also given a letter name and are as follows:

• “V” — Delicate Fruit
• “K” — Slight Spice
• “O” — Rich Fruit
• “Q” — Floral Essence
• “F” — Herbal Notes

Why are the letters important, you ask? Well, they allow you to decode what is either in the blended bourbon or single barrel bourbon bottle you have. Four Roses uses a four-letter code to tell the drinker what they’re drinking. They look like this: “OBSK” or “OESO” or “OBSF”.

You can decode it easily. “O” is for “Old Prentice Distillery” which is the old name for the Four Roses Distillery (which just celebrated 135 years of operations). The “E” or “B” is always the second letter and denotes the mash bill. The “S” tells you that the whiskey is a “Straight” bourbon. And finally, the last letter tells you which yeast strain was used.

So “OESO” is a Four Roses straight bourbon made with Mash Bill E and “Rich Fruit” yeast. Savvy?

That leads us to the “why?” of it all. Four Roses does this so that it can create a fantastic line of whiskey expressions, plain and simple. I’ll get into what’s in what bottle below. But trust me, it can be shocking how different a whiskey can taste based on yeast alone. Moreover, this also gives Four Roses the unique chance to release single barrel releases that highlight one of the recipes. That, in turn, makes the hunt for every recipe single barrel voracious. Seriously, when word gets out about a new single barrel release at Four Roses, the line to buy one can be miles long.

There’s a workaround for that now. Four Roses just announced that it’s releasing a 10-bottle tasting kit of each one of its recipes represented. Now, you too can try each of the ten recipes without waiting in a line for a day or spending well over MSRP!

To that end, I’m ranking every Four Roses expression that you can get on the shelf. I’m not including vintage single barrel releases because… there are a gazillion of them. But I am ranking every single barrel recipe alongside the standard stuff and their prized Limited Edition annual release (again, I’m not ranking every Limited Edition Four Roses release because those go all the way back to 2008). This is about what you can get now, capiche? Let’s dive in!

• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys From Kentucky, Ranked
• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2022, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• Our Head Drinks Critic Reveals The Expensive Bourbons He *Won’t* Pay Above Retail For
• The Absolute Best Bourbons Between $50-$60, Ranked

Part 1 — The Standard Four Roses Bottles Ranking

14. Four Roses Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $21

The Whiskey:

This introductory juice from Four Roses is a blend of all 10 of their mash bills. The barrels are a minimum of five years old when they’re plucked from the warehouses, blended, brought down to proof, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose also brings along dried flowers, plenty of honey, and orchard fruits, with a hint of dark spice.

Palate: The palate adds vanilla to the honey and apple foundations with a light sense of tinniness that feels kind of cheap.

Finish: The end is short but full of orchard fruit, caramel sweetness, dark spice, and green oak with a nice vanilla underbelly.

Bottom Line:

This is a rail whiskey. It’s meant for mixing with Coke, Sprite, or ginger ale. Use it accordingly.

13. Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a blend of four whiskeys. The blend is split evenly between the high and low-rye bourbons with a focus on “slight spice” and “rich fruit” yeasts — that means OBSK, OESK, OBSO, and OESO are in the mix. After six to seven years of aging, the whiskey is blended, cut with soft Kentucky water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft and sweet apple and cherry woods greet with a good dose of sour red berries dusted with brown winter spices, especially clove and nutmeg.

Palate: The palate leans into soft and salted caramel with a hint of those berries underneath while the spices get woodier and a thin line of green sweetgrass sneaks in.

Finish: The finish is silky and boils down to blackberry jam with a good dose of winter spice, old wood, and a hint of vanilla tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is lightyears ahead of the standard Bourbon above. It’s a soft bourbon that can work as an easy everyday sipper over some rocks or make a killer cocktail base.

12. Four Roses Small Batch Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 52%

Average Price: $57

The Whiskey:

This expression uses six of Four Rose’s ten whiskeys. The blend employs OBSV, OBSK, OBSF, OESV, OESK, and OESF all aged six to seven years before batching, much lighter proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This nose is enticing with a mix of dark berries and cloves with a yeasty doughnut filled with dark fruit and covered in powdered sugar next to a thin line of berry brambles — stems, thorns, dirt, leaves, everything.

Palate: The palate is lush with a balance of dark berry pie filling next to winter spices, mincemeat pies, nutshells, and brandy butter vanilla sauce.

Finish: The finish arrives with a rush of fresh mint next to wet cedar, blackberry Hostess Pies, and nutmeg-heavy eggnog all leading to a final note of that dark berry bramble black dirt.

Bottom Line:

This is just excellent whiskey. It’s a great sipper neat or on the rocks. It also makes a whiskey-forward cocktail that will slap. You cannot go wrong with this bottle.

Part 2 — The Single Barrel Four Roses Ranking

I didn’t need to make this division in the ranking but it does a great job of illustrating that all of Four Roses’ best stuff is their single barrel stuff.

11. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESF

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “herbal note” yeast, or “OESF.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose takes you on a walk through a mint garden after the rain while layers of classic orchard fruits, honey, and vanilla mingle beneath the fresh herbs.

Palate: The palate takes a turn toward sage and thyme with a hint of green tea cut with cinnamon and honey over caramel chews and a hint of rhubarb.

Finish: That rhubarb, mint, and sage combine on the end with a rush of sharp winter spice barks and soft vanilla.

Bottom Line:

This is probably the funkiest of the single barrel, single recipe bourbons for me. I like it a lot but I really need to be in the mood to reach for it.

10. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSK

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 60/35/5 high-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “slight spice” yeast, or “OBSK.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The spice is present on the nose as cinnamon sticks, clove buds, star anise, and a hint of black licorice that leads to creamy root beer with a touch of vanilla and cherry and maybe a whisper of boot leather.

Palate: The palate starts off with smooth vanilla that leads to a rich and nutty winter spice cake brimming with black tea, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg next to light leathery tobacco.

Finish: There’s a sense of stewed apples with plenty of wintry spices that amps all the way up to red chili pepper with a woody and leathery finish.

Bottom Line:

This does lean into spice but only really hits 100 by the finish. Until then, this is a balanced whiskey that presents as very classic.

9. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSV

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $43

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “delicate fruit” yeast, or “OBSV.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Woody maple syrup and cinnamon sticks lead to a hint of pear candy with a vanilla underbelly on the nose.

Palate: The palate lets the pear shine as the spices lean into woody barks and tart berries next to leathery dates and plums with a butteriness tying everything together.

Finish: A spicy tobacco chewiness leads the mid-palate toward a soft fruitiness and a hint of plum pudding at the end with a slight nuttiness and green herbal vibe.

Bottom Line:

This feels like classic Four Roses and not that far off the Small Batch Select above. Because of that, I like this one in cocktails quite a bit, especially Manhattans.

8. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESV

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “delicate fruit” yeast, or OESV.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A mild sense of waffles in maple syrup work toward blueberries and currants with a hint of apple cider and maybe some vanilla cookies.

Palate: There’s a light softness that’s kind of like pear cake covered in caramel syrup with a hint of date and maybe almond at play.

Finish: The soft berries come back at the end with a fleeting sense of mint tied to old tobacco and mixed berries pie with a dollop or malted vanilla ice cream.

Bottom Line:

This is getting into the interesting stuff. It’s just so different and so tasty. The berry pie filling, hint of mint, dark fruits, orchard fruits, and slight tobacco spice all create a really deep experience. This is a good sipper, folks.

7. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESK

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “slight spice” yeast, “OESK.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a subtle sense of old gingerbread that you’d build houses out of with a hint of powdered sugar next to apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks and clove buds floating in a mulled wine.

Palate: Those muted cinnamon sticks and clove buds lead to allspice and nutmeg-heavy eggnog with a counter of ginger candy and orange peels next to soft leathery notes of tobacco.

Finish: The sip dries out with the spice attaching to mincemeat pies and nut bread on the warming end.

Bottom Line:

This is another one that I like a lot. Admittedly, it does feel more like a holiday bourbon. So I’d generally save this one for those months.

6. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSQ

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 60/35/5 high-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “floral essence” yeast, or “OBSQ.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a sense of nasturtiums floating in a honey pot next to orange blossoms and rose-water-kissed marzipan.

Palate: The palate takes us on a walk through a summer wildflower bed before veering toward the woods with mild spice, old barks, and a hint of dried white mushrooms.

Finish: The end really leans toward the earthiness with a mild dry sweetgrass braided with cedar bark and wild sage and then left in a fully in-bloom cherry orchard.

Bottom Line:

I don’t like floral whiskeys all that much but I like this. There’s something about the floral notes and how they’re tied together that just works wonders for the depth of the palate. Overall, this is a great one to reach for when you really want something unique in your bourbon glass.

5. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSF

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 60/35/5 high-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “herbal note” yeast, or “OBSF.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with rye bread crusts just touched by caraway and sourdough before veering toward sweetgrass and wild sage with a hint of saddle leather.

Palate: The palate leans into vanilla cakes and mint before hitting on a medley of sage and cardamom next to soft notes of saffron-stewed pears served with a hint of dried mint.

Finish: That saffron helps dry out the finish with plenty of smudging sage and old tobacco leather.

Bottom Line:

This is another one that’s funky and fresh. It’s so different, again, but still has this comforting sense of familiarity. It’s a nice balance.

4. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESQ

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “floral essence” yeast, or “OESQ.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with a subtle nose that blooms toward cherry blossom and rose water with a deep marzipan and vanilla base before leaning into fluttering moments of chili spice.

Palate: The palate leans toward orange water and oolong tea leaves with a sense of cedar bark and a very mild hint of dry lavender dipped in fresh honey pots.

Finish: That honey/lavender vibe carries through the finish and gets a touch creamy as soft chewing tobacco and old oak staves mingle with a light flourish of nasturtium and orchard blooms.

Bottom Line:

This is getting into the single barrels that are just so wildly good that it’s hard to rank. I like the floral here a lot but I’m on the record as not being a huge “floral in my whiskey” guy. Still, this is good enough that it converts me, especially over some ice. It gets creamy kind of like a marzipan-lavender cake with a sprinkle of spice. It’s so nice.

3. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSO

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 60/35/5 high-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “rich fruit” yeast, or “OBSO.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a classic sense of old-school bourbon — rich salted caramel, black cherry, oily vanilla pods, and sourdough pancakes with maple syrup.

Palate: The pancakes take on blueberries and pecans as the caramel moves toward toffee butteriness with a touch of roasted almond and dark chocolate next to very earthy dark fruits and berries.

Finish: That earthiness drives the finish toward spiced barks and orange rinds floating in mulled wine with a touch of sticky toffee pudding rounding out the long end.

Bottom Line:

This is starting to hit on everything good about bourbon — in general. It’s classic and deep while still feeling approachable. It’s also just straight-up delicious.

2. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESO

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “rich fruit” yeast, or “OESO.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with this mix of mincemeat pies, sticky toffee pudding, and vanilla sauce kissed with orange oils that give way to a deep sense of spiced barks and berries next to old oak and boot leather and this fleeting sense of dry mint tobacco.

Palate: The palate leans into the creaminess with a rich black-tea-soaked date sticky toffee pudding with freshly ground nutmeg and cinnamon over buttery rum-washed toffee and gently flakes of orange rind leading to plum and apricot.

Finish: The end leans into Christmas spices and woody vibes before veering back toward leathery prunes and dates with a hint of figs dashed with olive oil and mint.

Bottom Line:

This has everything. It’s funky, fresh, and fabulously tasty while still feeling quintessentially Kentucky bourbon. This is the single barrel I’d line up for.

Part 3 — The Best Bottle Of Four Roses Bourbon

Okay, another fake division. I did it because… this deserves its own section. Also, it’s not a single barrel release so I was sort of handcuffed by the previous section heading.

1. Four Roses 2022 Limited Edtion Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 54.5%

Average Price: $499

The Whiskey:

2022’s LE Small Batch is made from a blend of 20-year-old Bourbon from the OBSV recipe (high rye, delicate fruit yeast), a 15-year-old OESK (lower rye, slight spice yeast), a 14-year-old OESF (lower rye, herbal notes years), and a 14-year-old OESV (lower rye, delicate fruit yeast). The blend is non-chill filtered and bottled at 109 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is soft and feels aged yet fresh with mild notes of old cellar beams that lead to a sour cherry next to sourdough pancakes smothered in butter and maple syrup with a thin line of spiced cherry jam next to a bit of crumpled-up old leather gloves.

Palate: The palate opens creamy with a vanilla underbelly that’s countered by a whisper of barnyard funk and old barn floorboards before a chewy spiced cherry tobacco leaf kicks in with layers of nutmeg, clove, and allspice with a creamy eggnog vibe and a hint of Kentucky hug warmth.

Finish: The mid-palate gets a little warmed before diving back toward the spicy cherry tobacco and a finish that’s full of creamy brown sugar butter and hazelnut shells.

The Bottom Line:

While I adore a lot of the whiskey above, especially the Small Batch Select the OESO, this is truly the mountaintop of Four Roses. It’s just so good. It’s got that Four Roses vibe of funky and fruit that sets it apart while still being something 100% relatable. It’s a wonderful pour.

Adele is continuing her residency in Las Vegas, but sometimes, the show doesn’t go as planned. During a recent concert, even the superstar forgot part of the words to her newer song, “I Drink Wine,” from her album, 30.

“I forgot the f*cking lyrics,” Adele told the crowd. “Bloody hell, 50 dollars that cost me last night.”

She then asks the audience to remind her of the lyric, pointing the microphone to someone who knew it. After Adele attempted to continue the part she forgot, she then laughed it off with the crowd and hoped to start the song again from scratch — until she apparently had earbud issues.

“My ears aren’t working,” Adele said. “What’s going on? Oh sh*t, I’ve got to tell a joke.”

“What’s a joke I’ve got?” she continued. “That one’s a bit sh*t. No, I can’t tell that one. That’s too filthy.”

Despite the crowd encouraging Adele to tell the dirty joke, she pointed out that she thought she “told it before” and “got in trouble” for doing so. Still, she eventually caved and told it anyway — leaving both the crowd and internet users loving her energy.

Check out Adele’s “I Drink Wine” mishap and part of her stand-up routine above.

Forget Yellowstone, Kevin Costner’s real-life divorce drama is the stuff great TV drama is made of.

The actor is currently in the middle of a messy split with his wife of 18 years, model Christine Baumgartner, who filed for divorce last month. The two have since been in a heated battle over ownership of Costner’s sprawling Santa Barbara estate — a $145 million beachfront property with its own baseball field and horseback riding trails that Costner designed as his dream home. Baumgartner refuses to vacate the compound despite a prenup agreement and the pair are now in a kind of legal standoff over the 10-acre residence.

But the house reportedly caused even more drama between the couple before their breakup.

New details into their strained marriage reveal that, at one point, Costner got into a heated altercation with a tech entrepreneur who rented the family’s guesthouse for nearly a year. Daniel Starr is a multi-millionaire and real estate investment guru who made his fortune off video game streaming services. He signed a yearlong lease in June 2022 to stay in the couple’s beachfront guesthouse for $60,000 a month. “Daniel was really happy living in the house. It’s right on the beach, and he has a 4-year-old son who he wanted to feel settled,” a source with inside knowledge of the situation, told the Sun.

Unfortunately, relations grew sour once Costner jetted off to film his hit TV show. Baumgartner and Starr allegedly developed a close friendship with reports claiming the model would visit the guesthouse “almost daily.”

“After he moved in, he became close friends with Chris and Kevin. They’d hang out together with their kids. But Kevin was always away filming, so Chris must have been lonely,” the source said. But a few months after Starr moved in, he and Baumgartner had some kind of falling out. “Kevin got wind of it,” the insider claimed. “There was a row between him and Daniel, and things escalated from there.”

The only reasons the source gave for the broken friendship were that Starr was a “respectful guy,” and Baumgartner “didn’t like [his] attitude towards their friendship.” When he tried to resolve the matter legally, first by getting his lawyers involved, then by refusing to vacate the premises before his lease was up, Costner lost it. “Daniel thought really highly of Kevin and thought he was an excellent father to his kids. But Kevin hit the roof and sided with his wife,” the insider claimed.

Starr moved out three months before his lease was up and Baumgartner filed for divorce not long after.

(Via The Sun)

Just a couple of weeks ago, there were tweets asking about ITZY’s whereabouts. While they may have been active — shooting vlogs, birthday song covers, video podcasts, finishing up their first world tour and performing at countless music and college festivals — what fans, especially their MIDZY, wanted to know was where the new music was.

“Now?” Chaeryeong shyly said on Good Day New York earlier today (6/21). “We are planning our next album.”

In other words, an ITZY summer comeback is expected.

But before warmer and hot days provided by the five members approach, they casually sat in the private back room of Junior’s Cheesecake in the heart of Times Square, catching up with me for a light dinner. Surrounded by plates of disco fries, wings, and a few slices of the restaurant’s signature cheesecake, this highly-anticipated meet marked the last stop of their press day before going back to Seoul.

The previous weekend, the group headlined Day 1 of 88rising’s first-ever Head In The Clouds music festival in New York. Faced with torrential downpours throughout the whole day, the rain stopped right before Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna took the stage. It was a miracle but also ironic, given that it metaphorically symbolized ITZY’s coming, whether it was foreshadowing them owning the stage and making the festival their own concert, or the fact a comeback filled with new music and content is on its way.

“Weather fairies,” the group’s leader Yeji joked at the table. Speaking in English, her tone shifted slightly to reflect how she admired concertgoers who waited for them all day in the rain. “There were so many people at Head In The Clouds, and at the same time the weather was very tough. I’m really touched by our MIDZY because of the bad weather.”

Though the group has performed in the States in the past through showcase tours, their own world tour, or convention-concerts like KCON, the 88rising music festival was their first outdoor festival in the US.

“We were all really hyped from our tour,” Lia, the power vocalist, said. “So we were really very happy to hear the news about the festival ‘cause the excitement from our tour was still with us.”

In a span of 45 minutes, ITZY, along with an army of backup dancers, took over the main stage and performed 10 songs Saturday evening. The set included special dance breaks and extended performances to some of the hit singles like “Not Shy” and “LOCO” as well as fan favorite b-sides like “SHOOT” and “Nobody Like You.” (“We remixed the songs to have the rock vibe, knowing everyone loves that in the festival [setting], so we had to do the band [instrumentals],” Ryujin said.) To say the least, the set was a concert as the group invited a sea of attendees in raincoats, hoodies, and ponchos to jump, chant, and sing their hearts in the night’s breeze.

Yet, calling themselves “weather fairies” is a new title that suits them, along with the many others they’ve accumulated since their debut in 2019. ITZY is one of the pioneering acts that introduced the fourth generation of K-pop artists, or rather the emergence of the new era; to which some may argue is the 3.5 generation. As a representative of one of South Korea’s best-performing acts, the five-member ensemble are well-decorated in awards, records, and achievements. They’re the queens of confidence, often praised for their charismatic, jaw-dropping performances and stage presence, as well as their various ways of instilling self-love in their music.

However, within the last year, fourth-generation K-pop has seen the rise of girl groups with songs going viral, topping charts, and being highly in demand. Many can even agree that 2022 was the renaissance of girl groups. The demand was only met with more debuts of female acts whether solo, groups, or sub-units. Rather than seeing it as a competition, it’s a moment for ITZY to be grateful.

“For me, it’s an honor to be a part of it,” Ryujin explained. “There are so many things that we could learn from other groups. So, we’re really glad that we have many friends [in the industry] around us. I think it’s [having] the comradery with other groups, so we can see each other and learn from each other. And we can run [towards our own goals] with each other.”

In a side conversation relating to the topic, the five members openly shared their inspirations and current likings of fellow K-pop acts, both senior and junior to them — Girls’ Generation, Chung Ha, NewJeans, f(x), and many more. But since the year began, with many groups releasing new music, fans and netizens were quick to notice ITZY’s whereabouts.

“We are working on the new album,” Ryujin casually said while nodding at her plate, picking up a wing with her fork. “I think that’s the thing that we can tell you. It’s a very typical thing to say but—”

“Only that!” Lia interjected with a laugh.

“We are preparing the next album!” Chaeryeong said while smiling.

Pretty much mirroring what was said on GDNY, fans already knew a comeback was on the way just by the sudden change in Lia’s hair color. Being the only member who hasn’t bleached her hair since debut, the vocalist went blonde just last month. “I was actually worried before dying it,” Lia said, leaning a bit over the table to emphasize what she was saying. “It’s not like I wanted to do it, but it was a suggestion because I never tried dying my hair after debut. It was always dark so somehow I thought ‘Okay. I guess it’s my turn.’”

Around the same time before Lia’s Barbie blonde transformation, a video of the group exiting a boxing gym surfaced on MIDZY Twitter. So it was an obvious ask on my end to pop the question. Gasping at my discovery, the members were impressed at the detective work done but refused to budge and reveal anything further. (“That’s another level of deep dive,” Ryujin said, while Chaeryeong sat there with an expression reading “Wow.”) “That is top secret!” Yuna said as she turned to me and gestured to be quiet about it. Perhaps, boxing is a part of it after all.

“Ooh! You really do look at everything,” Lia said, as she smoothly shifts the conversation about picking up the sport as a hobby. “But these days I box at home with gloves when I get stressed out.”

Prepping for an album behind the scenes and trying to cover it up — all while fulfilling public appearances — can certainly stress out artists like ITZY who are constantly on the go and in demand. However, they tend to overcome it by accepting it all and making sure to treat themselves tenfold whenever they can, like what they’re doing right now sharing a gigantic slice of cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries. (Ryujin, who admits to not being a planner, tends to go with the flow, while Yuna leans towards eating spicy dishes like spicy rice cakes or spicy dry pot, while the others may get a massage and do a self-care day.)

Despite a long tiring day, the conversations and laughs shared at the table became a good recharge, or “healing time,” session for them. By the end of it all, the meeting was another metaphor for realizing where they’re mentally at: they’re just getting ready for the next chapter in their music careers.

Though openly admitting to still being nervous here and there, the group is positive fans will like the new songs. “We’re still a little bit nervous because we had lots of songs before,” Yuna said. “When we release the new music, I think our fans will love these new songs on the album but that thinking makes me nervous.”

Ryujin leaned a bit closer to the phone recording the conversation, as if she was speaking directly to MIDZY. “We’ll do our best to show you guys a great show, stage, anything. So, please look forward to it,” she said.

The upcoming EP, titled KILL MY DOUBT, is a culmination of the hard work and hustle the group has gone through the past couple of months. It’s a step toward their goal of being an unforgettable group to the masses. And with headlines already surrounding the news, ITZY’s impact on this K-pop generation is just getting started. It’s just the beginning of bigger things ahead.

“Coming soon!” Yeji smirked, confidently confirming new ITZY is indeed on the way; already shutting down any doubts. As expected from the leader, it’s very ITZY of her to say.

Rap beef fans, gather ’round. We’ve got a tasty one in the offing — but it doesn’t look like one of the participants is taking it as seriously as the other. After Jim Jones expressed his surprise at Pusha T’s placement on a recent greatest rappers list, Pusha seemingly clapped back in a song that premiered during Pharrell’s first Louis Vuitton fashion show. And while it looks like Push is all the way war-ready, Jim seemingly isn’t sweating the Virginia rapper’s opening shots. In a video on his social media (reshared by Elliott Wilson), Jim can be seen cracking up laughing — and the timing makes it clear just what (and who) he’s laughing at.

Push seemed to take umbrage at Jones’ comments on Spotify’s RapCaviar podcast during a discussion about Billboard‘s 50 Greatest Rappers Of All Time list. Disagreeing with Pusha’s placement at number 29, Jones wondered, “What has he done that puts him in the greatest rappers of all time besides talk about coke that he probably didn’t get himself? He’s nice as sh*t. He could rap his ass off, but what has he done? Nobody wants to be like Pusha T… I don’t know too many n****s in this game that was leaning towards being like Pusha T.”

Later, Jim reiterated his comments on The Breakfast Club, saying, “Could you name five Pusha T records? No. Could you rap to five Pusha T records? I never wanted to be like Pusha, I never had a Pusha moment in my life. Where I’m from, n****s wanted to be like you if you was really that dude as a rapper.”

Pusha, whose profile raised exponentially with his 2018 feud with Drake (with which he claims he’s gotten bored), always seems to be itching for his next fight, but until Jim Jones responds, it doesn’t look like he’s gonna get one here.

WARNING: Spoilers for the Marvel’s Secret Invasion premiere below.

After disappearing into space following the devastating events of Avengers: Endgame, Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury returns to Earth in the premiere of Marvel’s new series Secret Invasion. However, by the time the episode is over, the seasoned spymaster is going is to find himself in a whole new world of hurt, and even worse, it’s largely his fault.

Following their introduction in Captain Marvel, the Skrulls have grown tired of waiting 30 years for Fury to find them a new home. In the shadows, a well-organized splinter group of the shape-shifting aliens have begun influencing world events by infiltrating global spy agencies, including S.H.I.E.L.D. In the first few minutes of the show, Martin Freeman’s Agent Ross is revealed to be a Skrull, raising serious questions of how long has he been replaced and where the original Ross is.

Not helping matters is Fury’s current state. He’s tired, weary, and visibly broken from failing to stop Thanos. The once-resourceful spy is off his game, and his years of seclusion are about to cost him dearly. After falling for a Skull trap, Fury, Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) get lured to the scene of terrorist bombing that they fail to prevent, causing massive casualties.

In the chaos, the leader of the Skrull resistance, Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) disguises himself as Fury and shoots Hill in the final moments of the episode. She dies in the real Fury’s arms as the episode fades to black, which sent Marvel fans reeling on social media. Smulders’ character has been kicking around the MCU since the very first Avengers movie, and Secret Invasion showed fans that the series will not shy away from dropping bodies.

You can see some of the reactions below:

New episodes of Marvel’s Secret Invasion stream Wednesday on Disney+.

The United States women’s national team is headed to Australia and New Zealand this summer with the hopes of becoming the first team to ever win the FIFA Women’s World Cup three times in a row. After lifting the World Cup in Canada in 2015 and France in 2019, the Americans have their sights set on history — not only would going back-to-back-to-back be unprecedented, but winning this time around with mark the fifth time they’ve won the tournament.

Wednesday was a big day for the team, as U.S. Soccer announced the 23 players who will make up the squad this time around. Beyond the release that includes the full list of players, the USWNT had some fun by lining up some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment, and politics to help with the announcement — in a video posted to the official USWNT Twitter account, Joe and Jill Biden, Issa Rae, Mariska Hargitay, Taylor Swift, Shaquille O’Neal, Megan Thee Stallion, Tina Fey, Rainn Wilson, Blake Lively, Lamorne Morris, Mikaela Shiffrin, Amy Rodriguez, Gabrielle Union, Matt Turner, Sophia Bush, Kelly Slater, Breanna Stewart, Tim Howard, Quinta Brunson, Mia Hamm, John Cena, Jalen Hurts, Brooke Baldwin, and Lil Wayne all read off the names of members of the roster.

And here is the full roster, via U.S. Soccer:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Aubrey Kingsbury* (Washington Spirit; 1), Casey Murphy* (North Carolina Courage; 14), Alyssa Naeher*** (Chicago Red Stars; 90)

DEFENDERS (7): Alana Cook* (OL Reign; 24/1), Crystal Dunn** (Portland Thorns FC; 131/24), Emily Fox* (North Carolina Courage; 28/1), Naomi Girma* (San Diego Wave FC; 15/0), Sofia Huerta* (OL Reign; 29/0), Kelley O’Hara**** (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 157/3), Emily Sonnett** (OL Reign; 74/1)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Savannah DeMelo* (Racing Louisville FC; 0/0), Julie Ertz*** (Angel City FC; 118/20), Lindsey Horan** (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 128/27), Rose Lavelle** (OL Reign; 88/24), Kristie Mewis* (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 51/7), Ashley Sanchez* (Washington Spirit; 24/3), Andi Sullivan* (Washington Spirit; 44/3)

FORWARDS (6): Alex Morgan**** (San Diego Wave FC; 206/121), Megan Rapinoe**** (OL Reign; 199/63), Trinity Rodman* (Washington Spirit; 17/2), Sophia Smith* (Portland Thorns FC; 29/12), Alyssa Thompson* (Angel City FC; 3/0), Lynn Williams* (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 52/15)

*: First Women’s World Cup
**: Second Women’s World Cup
***: Third Women’s World Cup
****: Fourth Women’s World Cup

The USWNT will begin group play on July 23 against Vietnam. From there, the squad will play The Netherlands — which it beat in the 2019 Final — on July 27 before wrapping up group play on August 1 against Portugal.

That’s Maya Hawke lying to her famous father, that’s Maya Hawke not going to therapy, losing her virginity.

On Tuesday’s episode of Watch What Happens Live, the Stranger Things star revealed that she told her dad, Ethan Hawke, that she was attending a therapy session when really she was off to have sex for the first time.

“I lied. I said I was going to therapy and I really went to lose my virginity,” she shared in front of fellow guest, Bryan Cranston. “I can’t believe I just said that. My father was very upset.” Ethan gave Maya a “really hard time” and demanded to know where she went. She replied, “How am I supposed to have secrets if I can’t tell lies?” That’s not a Morrissey lyric, but it could be.

[Host Andy] Cohen was impressed by the comment from the teenage Maya, saying, “I would think, knowing your father, that he actually respected that.”

“He did!” Maya confirmed. “He was like, ‘F*ck this kid!’ He was like, ‘Oh, that’s good.’”

If you’re Ethan Hawke and you have a child with Uma Thurman, don’t be surprised if they turn out to be whip smart. And a good actress. Speaking of: when asked by Yahoo! Entertainment about Robin’s crush on Vickie in Stranger Things, and whether they should end up together, Hawke replied, “I don’t know. I feel mixed about it. I feel like there’s that’s both a great thing, and I also love characters where their love life is not the center of their existence.”

Stranger Things season 5 is expected to premiere in 2024 or 2025.

(Via ET Online)

Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis is on tour these days, running through the country and sweating through shirts in Oklahoma humidity. That’s quite something when one considers that he’s used to Florida humidity, but hey, it was a hot day in Tulsa, and it distracted people from his silly jihad on Disney and the Ol’ Puddin’ fingers thing.

For his next act, DeSantis pulled a Marjorie Taylor Greene and headed to a major American city, where he proceeded to complain about all of the filthiness and drugs that he witnessed, supposedly at the hands of “Leftist policies.” He chose a particularly graffiti-filled background to do so.

In addition to complaining about “so many businesses boarded up and I’ve seen so much riff-raff just running around,” he places the blame squarely upon Democrats:

“We’re here in the once great city of San Francisco. We came in here and we saw people defecating on the street, we saw people using heroin, we saw people smoking crack cocaine. The city is not vibrant anymore. It’s really collapsed because of Leftist policies and these policies have caused people to flee this area. They don’t prosecute criminals like they do in most parts of the country.”

DeSantis appeared to be firing shots at London Breed, who is the first Black female mayor of San Francisco. She took office in 2018 and almost immediately installed what was dubbed as a “Poop Patrol,” which was a crew of people who do pick up after those who defecated in public. So it’s not as though she isn’t aware of the issues facing San Francisco, and in fact, she launched an all-out effort to solve the many maladies plaguing the Tenderloin neighborhood, and Assistant Police Chief David Lazar was quoted by CBS news as declaring, “The 300 block of Hyde has been one of our biggest challenges… Right now, it hasn’t looked this good in a long time.” Yes, there’s lots of work left to do, but the difficulties didn’t start yesterday.

Still, DeSantis has had it with the “riff-raff,” and that word is a standout.

Also, Florida does have its own reputation, and it’s not about Rocky Horror Picture Show at all. That’s a shame.

We’ve all experienced it at some point, haven’t we? That unexpected cloud of secondhand vape smoke engulfs you while you mind your own business, walk down the street, or sit in a park. Whether you’re the culprit behind the cloud or the unwilling participant breathing it in, the concerns about the potential health risks and societal implications of secondhand vape smoke are far too real. Even as vaping has been lauded as a safer alternative to traditional smoking, the impact on bystanders can be just as intrusive and potentially harmful.

Enter PHILTER, a company that has made it its mission to put an end to this all-too-familiar scenario. With a laser-focused dedication to bettering the lives of cannabis and nicotine users, PHILTER champions a future where vaping and a clean environment aren’t mutually exclusive. Built on the foundation of innovation, this tech-savvy company has designed ground-breaking personal filters that eliminate secondhand smoke and enhance the overall vaping experience.

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PHILTER’s Revolutionary Technology

Meet the PHREND and the POCKET, PHILTER’s game-changing products that aim to transform the vaping experience for both smokers and bystanders. They aren’t just personal filters but a statement, a commitment to change. And they’re not your typical devices either. The PHREND and the POCKET come equipped with a wide range of innovative features, with everything from plant-based biodegradable filters to medical-grade silicone mouthpieces. And yes, they are designed to work seamlessly with your favorite smoking accessories.

But what sets the PHREND and the POCKET apart from the crowd are their unique abilities to provide a discreet, odorless, and stress-free vaping experience. Gone are the days of uncomfortable stares from bystanders as you exhale a cloud of smoke. With these revolutionary personal filters, your exhalations are practically invisible, leaving no trace of smell or visible smoke. Imagine taking a vape break at your office, home, or even public places without worrying about a lingering scent or offending others. That’s not just smart smoking; that’s considerate smoking. And with PHILTER, it’s the new norm.

The PHREND

Let’s take a closer look at the PHREND, the perfect companion for the professional smoker. This isn’t your ordinary filter. It boasts an innovative, plant-based polymer filter that doesn’t just vanish into thin air but decomposes in less than three years. That’s a massive leap from the nearly one thousand years it takes for regular plastic to break down! Plus, with a newly designed mouthpiece for efficient exhales and a capacity of up to 500 exhales per filter, it’s safe to say that the PHREND isn’t just environmentally friendly; it’s also a beast at handling those hefty vaping sessions.

But the PHREND’s charm doesn’t stop at its high-capacity, biodegradable filter. Its packaging is a marvel in its own right, too. Each PHREND product includes a sleeve made of biodegradable seed paper that, when planted, grows into a beautiful array of wildflowers. Not only does this innovative packaging reduce waste, but it also supports declining bee populations by providing them with a new pollen source. So with every PHREND you purchase, you’re improving your vaping experience and contributing to a greener planet by supporting our buzzing friends. Now, that’s what we call smoking responsibly.

The POCKET

Let’s shift our spotlight to PHILTER’s reigning champ, the crowd-pleasing POCKET. As PHILTER’s bestseller, the POCKET is a compact powerhouse designed to revolutionize your vaping routine. But what makes it such a fan favorite? Apart from its sleek design and user-friendly interface, the POCKET includes an antimicrobial filtration phase. This little marvel captures and destroys bacteria and viruses with every exhale. That’s not just smart – it’s practically heroic, shielding those around you from a multitude of microorganisms that normally inhabit our mouths.

But that’s not all. The POCKET’s biodegradable filter cartridge and 100% compostable packaging take its eco-friendliness to a whole new level. Made from plant-based polymers, the filter cartridge decomposes in less than three years, just like its PHREND counterpart. Add to that fully compostable packaging, and you’ve got a product that takes ‘green’ seriously. In a world where plastic is slowly choking our planet, the POCKET offers a breath of fresh air. Its commitment to reducing environmental impact while providing a top-tier vaping experience is commendable.

Get Yours Today

Eliminating secondhand smoke is crucial for the well-being of everyone around us. With PHILTER’s revolutionary PHREND and POCKET filters, we now have the power to make this dream a reality. Their innovation doesn’t stop at odorless, stress-free vaping experience; they’re committed to greening the vaping industry, one biodegradable filter at a time. Now it’s your turn to be part of this trailblazing movement. Visit philterlabs.com, grab a PHREND or a POCKET, and let’s vape responsibly for a cleaner, healthier future. Your lungs (and the planet) will thank you!