In just two days, Lil Tjay will launch the Beat The Odds Tour — his first since 2021, when he toured his second album, Destined 2 Win. Since then, he’s recovered after being shot seven times during a failed robbery attempt in New Jersey last June, and released his third studio album, 222, this July.

Tjay will be joined on this tour by a slew of artists, including frequent collaborator Fivio Foreign, Dej Loaf, and rising stars Skilla Baby, Joony, Dina Ayada, Killy, Lithe, and Karri. See below for more info about the Beat The Odds Tour openers.

Fivio Foreign

Brooklyn rapper Fivio Foreign is best known for his collaborations with late drill rap vanguard Pop Smoke, as well as high-profile collabs with the likes of Drake, Kanye West, Lil Baby, and Quavo. After being featured in the 2020 XXL Freshman Class, he released his debut album, B.I.B.L.E. in 2022, debuting at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Dej Loaf

Blog era fave Dej Loaf first came to national prominence in 2014 with the release of her second mixtape, Sell Sole, and its single “Try Me.” She was signed to Columbia Records, but after years of delays, split from the label to independently release Sell Sole II in 2020. Since then, the Detroit native has made regular appearances as a coveted features artist for artists like Doe Boy and Tyla Yaweh.

Skilla Baby

Another Detroit rapper, Skill Baby is protege of Sada Baby, whose work ethic is every bit as uncompromising as his contemporaries like Babyface Ray and 42 Dugg. After releasing two projects in 2022, he followed up this year with the Controversy mixtape alongside fellow Motor City rapper Tee Grizzley.

Joony

Hailing from Maryland, Joony sing-raps over soulful and occasionally haunting beats, venting about life and relationships. He’s quite prolific; his latest album, Sh*tumss, dropped in May, just a year after his last, Pretty In Black. You can catch him on Tjay’s London, Birmingham, and Glasgow dates.

Dina Ayada

Dina Ayada is a rapper and singer from Morocco who has built an impressive following on moody songs like “Miles Away” and “Games.” There isn’t a whole lot of info about her yet, but she’s got an intriguing sound and a cool look that could lead to more growth in the future. She’s billed on the UK dates of the tour.

Killy

A Canadian rapper of mixed Bajan and Filipino heritage, he’s already gotten Drake’s attention, and released an impressive collection of projects in just the six short years since his debut in 2017. His latest, K3 is less than a week old as of this writing. He’ll be joining Tjay on his Canadian dates.

Lithe

When the tour swings around to Australia, local singer Lithe will join, performing popular tracks like “Lot Of Love,” “Pessimist,” and “Hold Out.”

Karri

The tour’s West Coast swing will see rising San Francisco R&B singer Karri tag along. His latest release is the four-song EP, Only U.

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

As a whiskey critic, spirits judge, and industry insider, I’m always asked what my favorite whisk(e)y is. It’s a tough question because it often depends on what season it is, where I am in the world, and my mood that particular day. I’m traveling through this world and tasting new whiskeys like everyone else and that means that my opinions change, re-change, and un-change all the time.

To underscore the idea that “best whiskey” is a permutable and ever-changing phrase — at best! — a small bottler in Kentucky (literally a father and son team), which has been releasing some amazing bourbons and ryes over the past couple of years, just made big news. The brand, 15 Stars, has been atop my best-of lists for a while now and they were just crowned with the “best whiskey” of 2023 by the esteemed New York World Spirits Competition. I was very excited to see that result as I often cite their whiskeys among my favorites (again, depending on the day, mood, etc.) when asked for something new and bespoke.

Okay, so the 15 Stars American rye narrowly beat out the stiff competition and won the coveted “Best Whiskey” this year in New York… what does that mean exactly?

Since I was a head judge, let me break it down. The pour had to survive four double-blind tastings to achieve that crown. That’s four panels of judges ranging from whiskey experts to the world’s leading bartenders to industry insiders who make the world go round behind the scenes. I can also attest that this rye whiskey from a tiny bottler in Kentucky beat out an amazing and huge array of top-shelf, household-name whisk(e)ys this year. No easy feat.

So how does it taste? Let’s dive into the best whiskey of the year from the 2023 New York World Spirits Competition!

• The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• Every Single Buffalo Trace Whiskey & Spirits Brand, Ranked
• 100 Best American Rye Whiskeys, Ranked
• The Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This May
• Every Whiskey Brand From Jim Beam, Ranked

15 STARS Fine Aged Rye First West A Select Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys

ABV: 52.5%

Average Price: $89

The Whiskey:

This new release from 15 STARS is a blend of six, seven, and eight-year-old ryes from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. That blend informs the name “First West” as those states were considered the “West” during the early days of the United States in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a deep winter spice — clove, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg — next to Earl Grey tea, dried cranberry, dried cherry, and a dash of sour plum next to faint notes of dry grassy fall leaves and orchard barks with a whisper of roasting herbs.

Palate: Apricot jam over buttermilk scones dusted with cinnamon leads to dry oolong tea leaves, sweet smudging sage, creamed honey, and a touch of ginger tobacco just kissed with dark chocolate sauce cut with cardamon and clove.

Finish: That sharp gingery tobacco drives the finish with a bitter chocolate underbelly toward lush cherrywood and sour plum sauce with a hint more of those opening winter spices, dry fall leaves, and old cellar floors.

Bottom Line:

This is just a solid all-around sipping whiskey with great depth. Add a little ice or drop of water to really open up the earthiness toward creamy eggnog spice and mulled cider and wines with a soft fruit cake vibe.

Where To Buy:

Currently, this bottle is available on Seelbachs.com. Don’t expect that to last. You have maybe hours to actually snag a bottle. After that, you’ll need to look out for the next batch to drop.

Rihanna and ASAP Rocky posed for a sweet new photoshoot with their two children: RZA Athelston Mayers and their new baby boy, Riot Rose Mayers. This is the first photo of Riot.

In the pics, Rihanna is holding her newborn, wrapped in a comfortable blanket. Rocky is carrying RZA, who is just as fashionable as the parents, who dressed him up in a leather jacket.

In another photo, Rocky puts RZA up on his shoulders as the baby smiles. Eventually, Rocky and Rihanna swap the children to try a different pose — while still absolutely being the coolest and cutest.

Rihanna has previously shared about wanting to have a larger family.

“My wish would be I would like to have more kids but whatever God wants for me, I’m here,” Rihanna told British Vogue back in February. She had revealed her pregnancy during her Super Bowl performance.

“We’re best friends with a baby,” she added about how she parents with Rocky. “We have to be on the same page, but we’ve always kind of had that in our relationship. Everything changes when you have a baby, but I wouldn’t say it’s done anything but made us closer.”

Check out Rihanna and Rocky’s adorable shoot with their two sons here.

“Tesla” rapper Lil Yachty’s The Field Trip Tour is nearly here. Beginning on Thursday, September 21, he will embark on a 39-date excursion across the globe. With two massive legs, including a North American and European run, fans are curious about who is opening for the tour? Well, when The Field Trip Tour was initially announced in May, that was a mystery.

But, thanks to the updated promotional graphic shared on Lil Yachty’s official Instagram page, we now know that Nick Hakim, Jean Dawson, and Nala Sinephro will do the honors. Learn more about the supporting acts below.

Nick Hakim

The North American wing of The Field Trip Tour will solely feature “Happen” musician Nick Hakim as the opening act. Born to a Chilean mother and Peruvian father, Hakim uses his rich cultural references and the robust sounds of his hometown, Washington, DC, to operate outside the genre bounds. Since his move to Brooklyn, New York, Hakim has become a frontrunner in the region’s push for sonic fluidity. Last year, Hakim released his latest album, COMETA, a product of that creative exploration.

Jean Dawson

Recording artist Jean Dawson will pick up the supporting act mantle when The Field Trip Tour makes its way to Europe in November. Following in alignment with Lil Yachty’s journey into the musical fringes, Dawson joining him on the road makes sense. The musician’s past projects — Chaos Now*, Pixel Bath, Bath Sports — and his forthcoming collaboration with singer SZA are blends of his sonic interests. Dawson’s artistry is a journey similar to his move from his hometown of Tijuana, Mexico, Dawson to San Diego, California. As a biracial (Black and Mexican) act, Dawson aims to pay homage to each culture.

Nala Sinephro

Although Nala Sinephro will only join The Field Trip Tour for its stop in London, England, where she is currently based, her music is worth a listen. Most of the featured acts on the tour emphasize alternative elements in their work, but for Sinephro, it’s all about jazz. The Caribbean-Belgian multi-instrumentalist pushes the bounds of the genre. On her debut album, Space 1.8, which was shared in 2021, she fully displayed her technical abilities with the pedal harp, modular synthesizer, keyboards, and piano.

Click here to view Lil Yachty’s The Field Trip Tour schedule.

This week, YG, Tyga, and Saweetie launch their Str8 To The Club Tour in Sacramento, before heading north to San Francisco then taking over arenas in Las Vegas, Tucson, Tacoma, Vancouver, and more. The trio will be joined by three openers: Kamaiyah, Wallie The Sensei, and DJ Vision. The tour will likely offer fans a preview of Tyga and YG’s upcoming joint album, as well as Saweetie’s long-delayed debut, along with a look at some of California’s hottest up-and-coming artists. So…

Who Is Opening YG, Tyga, And Saweetie’s Str8 To The Club Tour?

DJ Vision

DJ Vision is a Los Angeles-based DJ who has mainly supported OhGeesy as his tour DJ, accompanying him on his 2022 Geezyworld Tour, as well as touring with YG on The Red Cup Tour with OhGeesy, and YG’s 4Hunnid artists Day Sulan, and D3SZN. The earliest tour on his social media is YG’s F*ck Donald Trump Tour in 2016, which featured Kamaiyah, RJ (aka RJMrLA), and Sad Boy.

Kamaiyah

Kamaiyah is an interesting addition to the lineup because of the history between her and YG. After garnering a strong reception for her 2016 mixtape A Good Night In The Ghetto, she signed with 4Hunnid Records as one of YG’s first artists with distribution through Interscope. However, after her debut album was delayed multiple times, she left both labels in a rather contentious split. It appears the two are back on better terms now that Yaya is back independent. She has continued to release new music, dropping her most recent full-length album, Oakland Nights, in 2020, and an EP, Diving Timing, last year. She has released a steady stream of new singles in 2023, including “Shot Callin’,” “All Night,” and “Heat Warning.”

Wallie The Sensei

Wallie The Sensei is a newer artist from — where else? — Compton, who dropped his debut album, Golden Child, in 2021, following up in 2022 with Here 2 Stay. He approaches rap with the contemporary melodic flow popular with fellow Hub City natives like Roddy Ricch and Kalan.FrFr, crooning about the heartbreak of growing up knee-deep in hood politics. According to an early bio on local rap blog Rosecrans Ave. (what up, Vic!), his goal is to provide a positive outlook and guidance for those stuck in similar situations — hence the “sensei” in his stage name. On Instagram, he’s tagged himself a “Hope Dealer,” and his music certainly seems to offer a sliver of silver lining amid the emotional catharsis.

Pregnant.

There it was, clear as day, two blue lines staring back at me from the small pregnancy test I had just purchased.

I double-checked…

One line = not pregnant.

Two lines = pregnant.

Photo via iStock.

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Yup, I was definitely pregnant.

My heart was pounding.

My head was spinning.

My stomach was churning.

I was nervous, excited, scared, and ecstatic all at the same time.

This was actually happening! After years of dreaming, preparing for, and anticipating this day, it was finally here. I was going to be a mother.

Little did I know that in nine short months, I would begin the most exhausting, life-changing, heart-wrenching, but indescribably rewarding journey of my life.

In nine months, I would learn the price of motherhood firsthand. I would know exactly what it takes to be a mother. I would gain a whole new understanding of and gratitude for the beautiful woman I call Mom.

I would learn about things mothers experience that their children often know very little about.

Here are 10 things your mom never told you.

1. You made her cry … a lot.

She cried when she found out she was pregnant. She cried as she gave birth to you. She cried when she first held you. She cried with happiness. She cried with fear. She cried with worry. She cried because she feels so deeply for you. She felt your pain and your happiness and she shared it with you, whether you realized it or not.

2. She wanted that last piece of pie.

But when she saw you look at it with those big eyes and lick your mouth with that tiny tongue, she couldn’t eat it. She knew it would make her much happier to see your little tummy be filled than hers.

3. It hurt.

When you pulled her hair, it hurt; when you grabbed her with those sharp fingernails that were impossible to cut, it hurt; when you bit her while drinking milk, that hurt, too. You bruised her ribs when you kicked her from her belly; you stretched her stomach out for nine months; you made her body contract in agonizing pain as you entered this world.

4. She was always afraid.

From the moment you were conceived, she did all in her power to protect you. She became your mama bear. She was that lady who wanted to say no when the little girl next door asked to hold you and who cringed when she did because in her mind no one could keep you as safe as she herself could. Her heart skipped two beats with your first steps. She stayed up late to make sure you got home safe and woke up early to see you off to school. With every stubbed toe and little stumble, she was close by; she was ready to snatch you up with every bad dream or late-night fever. She was there to make sure you were OK.

She stayed up late to make sure you got home safe and woke up early to see you off to school.

5. She knows she’s not perfect.

She is her own worst critic. She knows all her flaws and sometimes hates herself for them. She is hardest on herself when it comes to you, though. She wanted to be the perfect mom, to do nothing wrong — but because she is human, she made mistakes. She is probably still trying to forgive herself for them. She wishes with her whole heart that she could go back in time and do things differently, but she can’t, so be kind to her and know she did the best she knew how to do.

6. She watched you as you slept.

There were nights when she was up ’til 3 a.m. praying that you would finally fall asleep. She could hardly keep her eyes open as she sang to you, and she would beg you to “please, please fall asleep.” Then, when you finally fell asleep, she would lay you down, and all her tiredness would disappear for a short second as she sat by your bedside looking down at your perfect cherub face, experiencing more love than she knew was possible, despite her worn-out arms and aching eyes.

7. She carried you a lot longer than nine months.

You needed her to. So she did. She would learn to hold you while she cleaned; she would learn to hold you while she ate; she would even hold you while she slept because it was the only way she could sometimes. Her arms would get tired, her back would hurt, but she held you still because you wanted to be close to her. She snuggled you, loved you, kissed you, and played with you. You felt safe in her arms; you were happy in her arms; you knew you were loved in her arms, so she held you, as often and as long as you needed.

Her arms would get tired, her back would hurt, but she held you still because you wanted to be close to her.

8. It broke her heart every time you cried.

There was no sound as sad as your cries or sight as horrible as the tears streaming down your perfect face. She did all in her power to stop you from crying, and when she couldn’t stop your tears, her heart would shatter into a million little pieces.

9. She put you first.

She went without food, without showers, and without sleep. She always put your needs before her own. She would spend all day meeting your needs, and by the end of the day, she would have no energy left for herself. But the next day, she would wake up and do it all over again because you meant that much to her.

10. She would do it all again.

Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs anyone can do, and it will take you to your very limits sometimes. You cry, you hurt, you try, you fail, you work, and you learn. But, you also experience more joy than you thought was possible and feel more love than your heart can contain. Despite all the pain, grief, late nights, and early mornings you put your mom through, she would do it all again for you because you are worth it to her.

So, next time you see her, tell your mom thank you; let her know that you love her. She can never hear it too many times.

This article originally appeared on 05.27.16

There’s an old saying that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.

There’s no better example of that than a 2016 discovery at the University of California, Irvine, by doctoral student Mya Le Thai. After playing around in the lab, she made a discovery that could lead to a rechargeable battery that could last up to 400 years. That means longer-lasting laptops and smartphones and fewer lithium ion batteries piling up in landfills.

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A team of researchers at UCI had been experimenting with nanowires for potential use in batteries, but found that over time the thin, fragile wires would break down and crack after too many charging cycles. A charge cycle is when a battery goes from completely full to completely empty and back to full again.

But one day, on a whim, Thai coated a set of gold nanowires in manganese dioxide and a Plexiglas-like electrolyte gel.

“She started to cycle these gel capacitors, and that’s when we got the surprise,” said Reginald Penner, chair of the university’s chemistry department. “She said, ‘this thing has been cycling 10,000 cycles and it’s still going.’ She came back a few days later and said ‘it’s been cycling for 30,000 cycles.’ That kept going on for a month.”

This discovery is mind-blowing because the average laptop battery lasts 300 to 500 charge cycles. The nanobattery developed at UCI made it though 200,000 cycles in three months. That would extend the life of the average laptop battery by about 400 years. The rest of the device would have probably gone kaput decades before the battery, but the implications for a battery that that lasts hundreds of years are pretty startling.

“The big picture is that there may be a very simple way to stabilize nanowires of the type that we studied,” Penner said. “If this turns out to be generally true, it would be a great advance for the community.” Not bad for just fooling around in the laboratory.

This article originally appeared 12.22.22

It doesn’t sound like peace will be forthcoming between Kevin Costner and Yellowstone creator and writer Taylor Sheridan, but the man who portrayed John Dutton has at least reached compromise elsewhere. TMZ is now reporting that Costner and estranged wife Christine Baumgartner have settled their monetary differences, four months after she filed for divorce from the actor and director.

Exact details on the settlement remain under wraps for now, but TMZ is suggesting that “Christine’s $850,000 fee request is off the table.” So, she won’t receive those massive attorney fees that she wanted, and TMZ also reveals that the prenup has mostly prevailed even though Baumgarner reportedly received more than the document stipulated “for the sake of settlement.” Costner had insisted upon a prenup after his first divorce (valued by People at $80 million), and here’s a hint of what happened this past weekend to spur on settlement:

The judge also made it pretty clear … the prenup would be enforced, and if Christine challenged it she would have to repay Kevin more than $1 million and pay his attorney’s fees for the prenup fight. Apparently, Christine saw the handwriting on the wall and agreed over the weekend to the terms of a 3-page settlement letter.

Previously, PEOPLE had revealed that this divorce battle had grown into an overwhelmingly complicated set of proceedings with “nearly 9,000 pages of forensic accounting documents” in the mix. Baumgartner did walk away with a hefty amount of child support (although not as much as she asked for) for their three children, and he accused her of using some of that cashfor plastic surgery. Whew, it sounds like they both must be relieved to have this battle behind them.

(Via TMZ)

Damian Lillard has, for the most part, kept quiet this offseason in terms of speaking publicly about his ongoing trade request from the Portland Trail Blazers. The star guard has not wanted to answer questions directly about his impending departure from Portland, likely in part due to the league making it clear that they will issue fines for players trying to direct themselves to a specific team in a trade.

However, everyone knows the reality of the situation and behind the scenes, Lillard and his agent have made clear that his desire is to end up in Miami alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. With training camp two weeks away, trade talks have restarted in Portland, as they look to find the best possible trade for their rebuild. As that stalemate continues, Lillard made an appearance on the It Is What It Is podcast with Cam’ron and Ma$e for his most forthcoming interview of the summer. They discussed whether he wanted to be in Portland, with Lillard tiptoeing around it by noting “in a perfect world” he would, before the conversation shifted to why his hometown team, the Warriors, wasn’t ever in consideration.

Lillard, as an Oakland native, has natural ties to Golden State, but has made clear he doesn’t have any interest in going there in his pursuit of a ring. He explained to Cam (52:00 mark above) that the reason is, even with the out of “going home” he couldn’t go to the Warriors and believe he was the one lifting them to a title because they already have a guy who has won four rings playing his same position in Steph Curry.

“As far as Golden State, I respect what they’ve been doing the last 8, 9 years or whatever and I’m from there – obviously that’s home – but I can’t go be a part of that,” Lillard says. “They done won 4 championships, what I look like going to try and do that saying “oh I’m joining my home team.” No, that’s somebody that played my position that’s behind LeBron as the best player of this era. To me, that don’t even make sense. I’d never do nothin like that. I’d lose every year before I go [to Golden State].”

He then got asked about Kevin Durant joining the Warriors and said what he’s said before that, if he was in that position personally, he wouldn’t have made the move KD did. It is interesting that Lillard’s top choice is a Miami team that’s made two Finals in the past four years, but there is a difference in feeling like you’re a player that can get a team that’s close over the hump rather than joining a team that’s already hoisted the Larry O’Brien. We’ll find out if Lillard gets his wish in the next few weeks or if there’s a surprise team that swoops in to land him, putting to the test the rumblings he might not report to camp if he’s not in Miami.

R.E.M. will be honoring the 25th anniversary of their 1998 album, Up, with a special reissue. The new version will include a live recording of the band’s 1999 performance from Los Angeles’ Palace Theatre. According to Pitchfork, they were intended to film an appearance on Party Of Five, but were actually doing a set.

As a preview to fans, they have dropped the live version of “Daysleeper,” which you can check out above. The release will be available on both CD and vinyl formats.

Continue scrolling for the complete tracklist for R.E.M.’s Up reissue.

1. “Airportman”
2. “Lotus”
3. “Suspicion”
4. “Hope”
5. “At My Most Beautiful”
6. “The Apologist”
7. “Sad Professor”
8. “You’re In The Air”
9. “Walk Unafraid”
10. “Why Not Smile”
11. “Daysleeper (Remastered 2023)”
12. “Diminished”
13. “Parakeet”
14. “Falls To Climb”

1. “Introduction” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
2. “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
3. “Lotus” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
4. “Daysleeper” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
5. “Country Feedback” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
6. “Walk Unafraid” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
7. “Losing My Religion” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
8. “Parakeet” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
9. “The Apologist” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
10. “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
11. “I’m Not Over You” (Live at the Palace / 1999)
12. “Man On The Moon” (Live at the Palace / 1999)

Up (25th Anniversary Edition) is out 11/10. Find more information here.