When it comes to The Takeover — the two-day event series produced by Just Blaze, PaulSellsTX, and Uproxx and hosted on March 13-14 in Austin — you can expect one thing: surprise. Last year’s event brought legends to the stage as Just Blaze was joined by State Property, Jadakiss, Talib Kweli, Bun B, Redman, and a young upstart comedian by the name of Dave Chappelle, all vibing with the crowd, caught in the moment, and toasting the good life.
The next night, Anderson .Paak took the stage as DJ Pee .Wee. What other party can consistently pull off these kinds of feats? Seriously?
For 2024’s Takeover, Just Blaze, PaulSellsTX, and Uproxx are taking over the Summit Rooftop and Lounge for a two-day party (night one is dubbed “Open House” and night two is “Soul in the Horn”). The two nights (plus daytime programming on the 13th) are supported by Rabbit Hole and Farmer’s Gin — with both brands creating exclusive cocktails and tasting experiences on-site.
The current lineup is already awesome but with The Takeover, you always have to bank on unannounced guests. Ticket info below.
Uproxx
Tickets for the Open House and Soul In The Horn takeover are on sale now, with proceeds for the event going directly to charity.
Everyone is entitled to a few nice words at their funeral, as the adage goes. Normally, this is a non-issue. Flaws can be ignored or overlooked for the sake of harmony and a peaceful, optimistic send-off.
But what if the flaws created too much damage and heartache to go without saying?
Sheila Smith made headlines last week with an obituary that was as honest in what can only be described as a brutal sense. Brutal for the departed, her father Leslie Ray Charping, and brutal for the family that had to endure his life and death.
Here’s the obituary in its entirety, taken from the website of Carnes Funeral Home:
Leslie Ray “Popeye” Charping was born in Galveston, Texas on November 20, 1942 and passed away January 30, 2017, which was 29 years longer than expected and much longer than he deserved. Leslie battled with cancer in his latter years and lost his battle, ultimately due to being the horses ass he was known for. He leaves behind 2 relieved children; a son Leslie Roy Charping and daughter, Shiela Smith along with six grandchildren and countless other victims including an ex wife, relatives, friends, neighbors, doctors, nurses and random strangers.
At a young age, Leslie quickly became a model example of bad parenting combined with mental illness and a complete commitment to drinking, drugs, womanizing and being generally offensive. Leslie enlisted to serve in the Navy, but not so much in a brave & patriotic way but more as part of a plea deal to escape sentencing on criminal charges. While enlisted, Leslie was the Navy boxing champion and went on to sufficiently embarrass his family and country by spending the remainder of his service in the Balboa Mental Health Hospital receiving much needed mental healthcare services.
Leslie was surprisingly intelligent, however he lacked ambition and motivation to do anything more than being reckless, wasteful, squandering the family savings and fantasizing about get rich quick schemes. Leslie’s hobbies included being abusive to his family, expediting trips to heaven for the beloved family pets and fishing, which he was less skilled with than the previously mentioned. Leslie’s life served no other obvious purpose, he did not contribute to society or serve his community and he possessed no redeeming qualities besides quick whited sarcasm which was amusing during his sober days.
With Leslie’s passing he will be missed only for what he never did; being a loving husband, father and good friend. No services will be held, there will be no prayers for eternal peace and no apologizes to the family he tortured. Leslie’s remains will be cremated and kept in the barn until “Ray”, the family donkey’s wood shavings run out. Leslie’s passing proves that evil does in fact die and hopefully marks a time of healing and safety for all.
The obituary walks a fine line between uncloaked honesty and mean-spiritedness, repeatedly falling on either side. If this obituary is to be believed (no person or account has publicly questioned or denounced this characterization), his family has a right to be both angry for his life and happy for his death. However, the controversy surrounding this obituary isn’t the survivors’ feelings, but their expression of them.
Sheila, speaking to The Michael Berry Show, a radio program, stood by the obituary she wrote, claiming it was an effort to heal, forget, and minimize the residual impact his death would have on their lives. To realize this, and to fulfill her late father’s wishes, the obituary needed to be honest. She said to the show’s host, ” A week after he passed I sat down and began working on it. I was somewhat blocked and everything I was going to write was going to be a lie,” she said. “He hated a liar and he would appreciate this.”
Speaking earlier to KTRK, Sheila said that those who are bothered by this or the notion of speaking ill of the dead, are fortunate to not understand. “I am happy for those that simply do not understand, this means you had good parent(s) — please treasure what you have.”
She continued to say that whitewashing transgressions that are so endemic and undiscussed in the world, such as her father’s issues with domestic violence and alcoholism, serves no greater good.
She concluded, “I apologize to anyone that my father hurt and I felt it would have been offensive to portray him as anything other than who he was,” she also said. “This obituary was intended to help bring closure because not talking about domestic violence doesn’t make it go away!”
Texas Representative Ronny Jackson has reportedly been misrepresenting his rank as a U.S. naval officer. At the time of this writing, Jackson’s congressional website claims he “retired from the United States Navy as a Rear Admiral.” However, Jackson was apparently quietly demoted to captain after an investigation into his behavior as the White House physician for Donald Trump.
For years, Trump officials have attempted to bat down claims that Jackson was the White House “Candyman” who routinely doled out drugs to staffers like your favorite drunk neighbor hands out treats at Halloween. According to a new Rolling Stone report, Trump’s White House was allegedly awash with speed and Xanax because of Jackson. However, his misbehavior didn’t stop there.
According to The Washington Post, a 2021 inspector general report led to Jackson’s demotion after detailing “substantiated allegations” about his conduct in Trump’s White House:
A Navy official confirmed that the service took unspecified action against Jackson in the wake of the 2021 inspector general’s report, which found that Jackson berated subordinates in the White House medical unit, “made sexual and denigrating statements” about a female subordinate, consumed alcohol inappropriately with subordinates and consumed the sleep drug Ambien while on duty as the president’s physician. At the time of the report, Jackson was classified by the Navy as a rear admiral (lower half), a one-star admiral that is distinct from the two-star rear admiral position.
Mediaite reports that Jackson mentioned the inspector general investigation in his July 2022 memoir, but conveniently left out the part where he was demoted from rear admiral to captain.
And, yes, Jackson is the same physician who routinely touted Trump’s incredible health and claimed the former president “could live to 200” if he ate better. Clearly, a trustworthy source if there ever was one.
If you’re ready to embark on a solo trip to Madrid this Spring or make a last-minute send to SXSW, dive into these plane ticket buying tips and strategies to save yourself more money and earn more points.
Ticket prices can be absolutely egregious at times. I’m constantly looking for a way around paying any price for tickets if I’m being honest or trying to figure out if I can offset a ticket with an annual travel credit I get with one of my credit cards. My favorite way to buy a ticket without paying for a ticket directly is buying airline points directly from an airline and then using those points to get that ticket.
I recently booked a positioning flight to my home airport with Southwest Airlines. I was able to get my ticket with the Rapid Rewards points I still had left over, however, the price of the ticket in a cash fare was kind of outrageous to buy for my wife — I quickly checked the price to buy the amount of points needed and it turned out I would save $70. Win!
Wanna know an even better redemption?
Many times Lifemiles, Avianca Airlines’ frequent flier program, has bonus promotions when buying miles. You can get up to 165% and recently they had up to 175% bonus miles when purchasing a specific amount of miles. Lifemiles requires 87k miles to fly first class with Lufthansa, depending on the bonus being offered, you may only be paying $1,000-$1,300 for miles which will then be used instead of a typical $8,000-$10,000 cash fare. If you are originating from Munich or Frankfurt, you will get to experience the Lufthansa First Class terminal as well as being driven to your plane in a Porsche.
This is by far my favorite way to hack the normal cash fare of a ticket.
Brighton & Mila (@themilescouple): Use AMEX Platinum To Earn 5x Points On Flights
We most frequently use our Amex Platinum to book our flights — not just for the protections that it offers travelers, but because it earns 5x points on flights. If you don’t have the Amex Platinum, we recommend booking with other high-tier cards that earn bonus points on travel categories. Additionally, if you have status with a particular airline, one of the easiest ways to get the most miles out of a booking is to keep increasing in status tier so as to gain more points per dollar spent.
Finally, if you ever see award flights going on sale but you already have a flight booked, always check if your flight is included in the sale! In this case, you can call customer service and ask to be rebooked. Often, this will be at no additional (or very little) cost, and you’ll get to save some points for your next trip!
Allison Tackette (@luckytictac): Use A Credit Card Offering Travel Protections
Whether using cash or points, make sure to pay with a credit card offering travel protections. These travel protections cover baggage delays, flight delays or cancellations, and even rental car coverage. The protections help cover you in the event something happens and you have unplanned out-of-pocket expenses. Take weather delays for example. Airlines don’t have to provide any compensation for hotels, Ubers, or food. But by using the right credit card to pay for travel, you can submit for reimbursement and recoup those costs.
Ryan Horn (@profitsandpoints): Book Southwest Flights As Early As Possible
One of my favorite hacks is booking Southwest flights as early as possible. Southwest Airlines is very generous with their refund process if the price of the flight you booked drops after you book it. If you book a flight with Southwest, and the price of your flight drops, you can rebook that flight and receive a Travel Funds credit for the difference in fare. If you paid with points, the difference in Rapid Rewards points will automatically go back into your account!
All you have to do is sign on to your Rapid Rewards account and use the “Change Flight” option. You’ll then simply change your flight to the flight you were already on.
Serena Stone (@passionforpoints): Use The Correct Credit Card To Lower Your Price
I prefer to use points and miles to book flights but sometimes award flights are not the best choice nor readily available. In these cases when you need to pay out of pocket for a flight, here are four options to reduce the ticket price:
1) Capital One: If you hold the Capital One Venture X card, you will get a $300 travel credit each card member year to use toward travel booked through the portal. In addition, you will earn 5x on flights purchased through the portal with the option to use Capital One miles to cover the cost of the flight to erase the charge from your statement. Capital One also comes with a price match guarantee. Additionally, if you have both the consumer and business versions of the Capital One Venture X card, you will get a total of $600 in travel credit, which can be used for one transaction.
2) Chase: Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can book flights through the Chase travel portal and redeem points for 1.5 cents toward flights. In addition, you will have a $300 travel credit each card member year and earn 5x points on airfare booked through the portal.
3) American Express: Business Platinum cardholders can book flights through American Express Travel, use points to pay for the fare, and get a 35% points rebate. This applies to all first/business class tickets and any class of ticket booked with the selected qualifying airline on your American Express account.
4) Direct with the airlines: If booking airfare directly with US airlines, use Google Flights to track prices for your route and dates. You will be notified if the airfare drops so you can contact the carrier for a travel credit.
Angel Trinh (@pennywisetraveler): Use Southwest Airlines & American Airlines For Backup Flights
I love using Southwest Airlines and American Airlines for backup flights. Both airlines have free cancellation, so if I find a better flight or cheaper cash deal I will cancel my flight that I booked with miles/points. The miles/points will go straight back to my airline account, and then I can take advantage of the cheap cash deal or better flight.
Spencer Howard (@straighttothepoints): Use Positioning Flights For Cheaper International Flights
Sign up for business and first-class flight alerts here. Website
SPENCER HOWARD
Positioning flights, hands down. There’s no way around it, sometimes when booking flights with points or cash, the prices out of our home airport will be absurd. For trips abroad, a great way to get around this is to book a separate cheap ticket to an airport that has much better prices for the flight abroad.
This can be even more useful when booking long-haul flights with points as it can sometimes be tough to find a domestic connection for your flight abroad. With a cheap positioning flight, you can open up many more opportunities.
Vivian Tu (@your.richbff): Browse Flights In Private Browser & Use A VPN
Order “RICH AF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life” here.
VIVIAN TU
Believe it or not, buying flights from certain locations can cost more or less. If you have the time, don’t be shy about browsing through a VPN and even from a different country. You can test out different locations to see if the price changes. It might not be a huge difference but if you browse in private or use a VPN, it could end up saving you some money!
Angelo Minella (@paidwithpoints): Consider Booking Flights Through A Travel Portal
When buying a plane ticket be sure to search and compare all sites. Search prices, point requirements, and routing options. Sometimes it makes sense to buy through a travel portal. Sometimes that same flight is cheaper directly with the airline. Sometimes the flight can be cheaper in incognito mode. Also, check for different one ways. If your city has multiple airports sometimes it may be cheaper to fly out of LGA vs round trip to JFK.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. And what a week it is — for the first time in 2024 SNX is coming at you with a full list of 10 fire drops. We always aim for a perfect 10 but rarely get there, so this is a week worth celebrating.
There’s something on offer for every type of sneakerhead this week, too. Jordan heads have a new High Cacao Jordan 1 and AJ 4 White Gold (both are women’s exclusives), for the skaters, we’ve got a Converse Stüssy link up, b-ball fans got the Fruity Pebbles LeBron, and for the club kids we’ve got the latest from Rick Owens and Dr. Martens.
Spring is almost upon us so now is there perfect time to refresh that footwear rotation. Let’s dive into the best sneakers dropping this week.
Nike Women’s Air Jordan 1 High Cacao Wow and Sand Drift
We’re feeling the spring vibes with this warm-toned Jordan 1 high top. Dubbed the “Cacao Wow and Sand Drift,” this women’s exclusive features a Sand Drift nubuck leather upper with Dusted Clay and Burnt Sunrise accents, bright purple insoles, and an embossed wing-logo collar.
After months of cool-toned colorways, we’re greeting this change-up with open arms.
The Nike Women’s Air Jordan 1 High Cacao Wow and Sand Drift is set to drop on March 6th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
The classic Chuck 70 is getting the shag treatment. Made in collaboration with Stûssy, this Chuck 70 swaps out the usual canvas upper for a hairy suede build with unvarnished foxing, and a vivid true red colorway. Rounding out the design is an altered tongue tag that combines the All-Star name with Stüssy’s star symbol.
The Converse x Stüssy Chuck 70 is set to drop on March 8th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $100. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
LeBron James looked to his favorite cereal for inspiration for the LeBron 4 Fruity PEBBLES. Only LeBron can take a concept like that and somehow make it work still.
The sneaker features a Foamposite upper in white with a Fruity Pebbles-speckled midsole, and hints of purple. Doubling down on the cereal vibe, the insoles feature Fruity Pebbles branding with an all-over graphic of the cereal.
The Nike LeBron 4 Fruity PEBBLES is set to drop on March 7th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $250. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT or Flight Club.
Typically the Vomero 5 utilizes a monochromatic colorway, but this Black and Blue Gaze rendition goes a different route with a four-color scheme. The sneaker features a mixed real and synthetic leather upper with plastic accents, and reflective details that give the shoe a glow in low light.
The color combination features a mix of Black, Light Bone, Total Orange, and Blue Gaze. Overall the sneaker has a sporty vibe which is in keeping with the Vomero 5’s heritage as a runner.
The Nike Women’s Zoom Vomero 5 Black and Blue Gaze is set to drop on March 8th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $180. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Nike is linking up with the Charlotte-based streetwear brand Social Status for a new take on the John McEnroe Mac Attack. Built on a Summit White soft suede upper, this tennis shoe sports an aged midsole, Social Status branding on the left tongue tag, and black accents.
Underneath the soft suede overlays sits a reflective mesh upper that shimmers in low light. Overall this is a winner, proving once again that the Mac Attack is one of Nike’s best silhouettes, despite not being that well known.
The Nike Attack x Social Status Summit White is set o to drop on March 8th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
If you liked the vibe of the Stüssy Converse link-up but you’re not a fan of the low-top Chuck 70 (or the color red) then you’ll be pleased to know that there is a high-top rendition dropping as well.
This version still features the same hairy suede upper, but the red color is swapped for baby blue. Overall, we think this is the stronger release of the two.
The Converse x Stüssy Chuck 70 is set to drop on March 8th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $110. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Looking for an ultra-clean Jordan to rock this spring? Look no further than this White & Gold rendition of the Jordan 4. This sneaker features a luxe leather upper in different shades of white over an off-white midsole with metallic gold accents and an embossed Jumpman logo.
It’s one of the few Jordans you can easily pair with some jewelry.
The Nike Women’s Air Jordan 4 White & Gold is set to drop on March 9th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $210. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
The Summit White and Phantom Air Max 1 is a sneaker designed almost exclusively for hardcore fans of the silhouette. The sneaker looks to marble sculptures for inspiration, sporting a marbled two-color suede upper with a textured midsole.
It has a strong and distinct look, yet it’s neutral enough to pair with pretty much any fit. It is a testament to the Air Max 1’s incredible base design.
The Nike Air Max 1 ’86 Summit White and Phantom is set to drop on March 9th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
American hurdler and sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is getting her own New Balance capsule collection that features several running sneakers, and a set of jackets, hoodies, leggings, and other sports-centric fashion pieces. Our favorite piece from the large collection is this take on the 9060.
Featuring a colorway of linen, stoneware, and licorice, this 9060 rides atop an ABZROB midsole with SBS heel cushioning with translucent details and a leather and suede upper.
The Sydney’s Signature Collection 9060 is set to drop on March 7th at 9:00 AM PST for a retail price of $149.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
New BalanceNew Balance
Dr. Martens x Rick Owens Drop 2 1460 Jumbo Lace Boot
RIck Owens
Price: TBA
Club kids everywhere rejoice! Dr. Martens and Rick Owens are teaming up again for the pair’s second drop this year. Built on a 1460 Jumbo Lace Boot, this high-top design features an 8-eye silhouette with brushed silver eyelets, an outside zipper, and thick wraparound pearl laces.
The upper is built from leather with an extra-tall tongue and 18 eyelets. This design, with its brutalist inspiration, is going to look lit during this year’s festival season.
The Dr. Martens x Rick Owens Drop 2 is set to drop on March 7th. Pick up a pair at Dr Martens or theRick Owens webstore.
RIck OwensRIck Owens
Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.
It’s always fun when someone shows up unannounced in a movie, like when Lindsay Lohan showed up in the new Mean Girls movie, or when John Cena appeared in just about any of his films. But it can be nerve-wracking when somebody arrives unannounced in real life, because then that could potentially cause confrontation, and actors aren’t good at that kind of stuff. Good thing Jennifer Coolidge is universally loved enough to show up just about anywhere!
The White Lotus actress appeared at the pre-Oscars Green Carpet Fashion Awards, which was co-chaired by Zendaya, Annie Lennox and Helen Hunt, though she made it clear that she wasn’t exactly invited to the event. Luckily, she was welcomed with open arms.
Coolidge appeared on stage to say, “I am sort of an imposter here tonight,” the “White Lotus” star told the crowd. “I am just staying in the hotel. I didn’t know about this. I didn’t know it existed. I didn’t know how incredible [it is]. I got in on this in a sneaky little way,” she said before offering up some compliments. “I just want you to know I am so impressed. And I am going to give some money tonight. I made great friends.”
The actress then presented Donatella Versace with the 2024 Game Changer Honor in recognition of her service to the global LGBTQ community, which is ironic considering Coolidge’s history. The lesson here is that you can show up anywhere if you have enough confidence!
Hennessy begins her recently released EP, Maybe I’m Oversharing with a voice memo she recorded on New Year’s Day this year. The soft-spoken spends a little over two minutes admitting her flaws and bouts with depression and anxiety. At the same time, she questions those who criticize her for a moment of weakness, wrongfully assuming it’s connected to laziness or insufficiency in her life. By the end of the voice memo, Hennessy finds solace in her attempts to overcome her mental health struggles and a moment to explain herself and overshare a bit about her life, something the voice memo allows her to do.
Born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, Hennessy dove headfirst into a music career in 2020 with her debut single “1-800-SLIDE.” Since then, she’s used music as a medium to find her voice and recover from life’s ups and downs. Her debut EP Time Revealed, released in 2022, exhibits this the best as its six songs document the crushing rise and fall of a relationship that, in the end, was “all for nothing” as the project’s lead single details.
With later singles like “I’ll Be” and “Forever & A Day” in her back pocket, in addition to Maybe I’m Oversharing, it’s now clear that Hennessy has not only accepted but embraced the healing nature of music. Keeping that in mind, it makes sense why the singer ditched her therapist after their last encounter, something she poignantly details in “Therapy Session” on Maybe I’m Oversharing.
Days removed from the release of Maybe I’m Oversharing, as well as Virgo men-bashing freestyle on the New York-based platform On The Radio, Uproxx spent some time with Hennessy where she unveiled her love for Brandy, concerns for teleporting into the future, and her hope to heal with her music.
What is your earliest memory of music?
I think probably Sunday cleaning with my mom. She would always play old-school R&B and my brother would play rap in his room. That’s how I acquired my music taste.
Who inspired you to take music seriously?
I think myself. I was in the hospital in a coma for so long and when I woke up, I was like, “Damn, if I died, I really didn’t do all the things I wanted to fully commit to in life and one of them was music.” In elementary, middle, and high school, I did all the talent shows. I did America’s Got Talent and The X Factor, my mom brought me to them. I knew if I would’ve died, I wouldn’t have died fulfilled because I didn’t pursue music. So when I left, like literally soon as I got healthy — not even when I got healthy because I was still kinda limping because of the surgery — I went to LA and I went to Atlanta to record.
Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?
I want to learn how to play the bass. I love it on all my songs, like every record, I have to have live bass on it. So it’s like if I’m having live bass on all my records, I want to be able to go on stage and actually perform with it.
What was your first job?
My first job was at the Boys & Girls Club. I was working with kids, I was like 14.
What is your most prized possession?
Definitely my hard drive. I’m done for if it’s gone.
What is your biggest fear?
I think dying before I accomplish everything that I want to do. I think because I have come close to death already, I really want to accomplish everything that I want to do because I know it’s possible.
Brandy is the vocal God, a layering queen, and my favorite R&B artist of all time. PartyNextDoor is the originator of trap R&B rnb, and without PND, we wouldn’t have a bunch of our favorite R&B male artists who were, of course, influenced by him. Plus, his production and pen are crazy. Lauryn Hill gave us one of the best albums of all time, and she was able to blend hip-hop and R&B so well, I’m heavily inspired by her. Finally, Jhené Aiko is one of the pioneers of this modern R&B sound for women. I feel like people don’t give her enough credit. She really created a subgenre in R&B for all the soft-toned singing girls. People have one idea of what R&B should sound like – with crazy runs, belting, and all – not knowing the beauty of the genre is that R&B can come in all types of forms and tones. I think we need to start giving Jhené her flowers.
You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!
I’ll stay in Rhode Island. I’m eating mad crab legs. I’m going to Wonderland and I’m paying somebody’s college tuition at the strip club. I’m buying my car that I sold, I’m buying back my 1970 Buick. I’m buying all my friends things that they always wanted. I’m paying my friends’ student loans back as well. I’m buying my mom a crib, I’ll pay it in cash. I’m gonna tell everybody to meet me at the mall and I’ll buy them whatever they want. I’ll go to a grocery store like Stop & Shop or Shaws and pay for people’s groceries. I’ll go to AS220, find an artist who is in high school and wants to become a singer just like me and give them bread to start their music career. I think I’m just naturally a humanitarian so I want to give people things if I had unlimited resources. I don’t know what I would do personally besides eat crab legs. I think I’ll be fulfilled with that and getting my mama crib.
What are your three most used emojis?
.
What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?
If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?
Rick And Morty because I want to do voice acting. I feel like I’m awkward on camera, but when there are no cameras around, I’m able to actually showcase my personality. So if I was a voice actor, I just know it’d be fire. I have the voice for it. It’ll be fun too and I love Rick And Morty.
Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?
Cardi B. She shows her personality a lot. She’s really just unapologetically her.
Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.
Virgo men are not good people and Young Thug is the most influential artist of our generation. No one can ever change that for me either.
What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?
“Put That On Everything” by Brandy. It’s my favorite love song.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?
Bangor, Maine is my favorite city to perform in. I want to perform in Toronto really badly, they have a really great R&B scene.
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.
It’s gonna be in Providence, RI. It’ll be fire to bring a music festival to Rhode Island. I like how artists have festivals in their hometowns. Jack Harlow just announced he’s doing one, I like how Tyler The Creator does it, and I like that J. Cole and Drake have their own too. So it’ll definitely be in my hometown. It’ll be me, Kehlani, SZA, Young Thug, Cash Cobain, and Drake of course. I gotta bring Drake to Rhode Island, Drake has to experience Rhode Island.
What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?
I would be an Africana Studies professor at a university because I think that’s what I want to do when I’m like 60 years old.
If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?
I think I’m too scared to see the future. What if I don’t f*ck with it? What if I die so now I just see black? Like I’m dead so I wasted the five years for nothing. I think I’ll go to the past to relive some moments, just to get that feeling again.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
You should’ve never dated that man.
It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I went to Brockton for Luke Bar’s listening party for his “Flawless” single and one of the guys that owns the venue came up to me and said Time Revealed was one of the best projects he’d listened to that year because he was going through something dark. I told him I just dropped a three-pack, but I didn’t tell him the names of the songs. I told him that if you liked Time Revealed, you’ll like this one because this one is me being more vulnerable and expressing my mental health. He’s like it’s crazy because a lot of people don’t talk about therapy when it comes to mental health and I told him I have a song on the project called “Therapy Session.” So I just want my music to heal people because every time people DM me or tell me my music just helped them, it makes me feel better and like I have a purpose outside of just releasing music. It makes life worth living.
Maybe I’m Oversharing is out now via Pousome Records. Find out more information here.
While convention wisdom is to avoid drinking the high-proof stuff early in your whiskey journey, that’s not always necessary. There are some high-proof bourbons on the shelf that hide their heat amazingly well. To that end, I’m calling out 15 bourbons that have very high proof points but don’t drink like it. These bourbons have superb flavor profiles and offer warmth instead of all-out numbness. Even if you’re new to bourbon, these whiskeys will feel approachable on the palate without torching your senses.
Now, there are a few parameters here. First and foremost, when I’m talking about high-proof bourbons, I’m talking about anything above bottled-in-bond proof, which is 100 proof/50% ABV. And for this particular list of high-proof bourbons, I’m choosing ABVs above 55%/110 proof. Anything below that should be pretty manageable already for most folks, even newbies. Also worth noting — the best flavor profiles do not come cheap. I’m often asked if “expensive” bourbons are that much better. As always, the answer is “depends…” I can tell you that high-proof bourbons that perfectly balance their warmth with a deep flavor profile tend to cost a fortune.
Okay, that’s enough preamble. Let’s get into the bourbons that offer some serious kick but hide the heat.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
2024’s first Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a unique one. The batch is made from barrels that averaged out to 10 years and nine months old, which is on the young side for these releases. Moreover, the ABVs are much lower than usual as well, coming in under 60%.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich salted caramel, apple fritters, cherry pie, winter spice, old leather tobacco pouches, and deep oakiness drive the nose with a touch of rye bread crust and nutty … I want to say granola covered in dark chocolate.
Palate: The sweetness gets buttery on the palate with rich toffee and salted caramel ice cream next to creamy cinnamon chews, vanilla malt, dark and smooth chocolate sauce, and a counterpoint of sharp oak spices with a touch of old spicy tobacco.
Finish: That tobacco and oaky spice sharpen on the finish before the creamy caramel, vanilla, and chocolate base returns for a soft and lush end.
Bottom Line:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof drops tend to hide their heat well under classic Kentucky bourbon profiles. That’s not always true though as some are firebombs — so pay attention to batch numbers. Overall, this batch is going to feel warm from the nose to the finish but it’ll never feel hot.
That said, for the best experience of this barrel proof, I’d use it in a classic old fashioned. It gets super creamy and adds a wonderful depth to the drink with a nice kick of booziness.
14. Hirsch The Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished In Cognac Casks
This cask-strength version of Hirsch is made from a classic bourbon mash of 72% corn, 13% rye, and 15% malted barley. That hot juice then rests for six years in new American oak. Those barrels are batched and then re-filled into 30-year-old Hine XO fine cognac casks for another year-and-a-half of resting. Finally, the whiskey is batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose feels lush and oaky with a sense of Christmas cookies, mincemeat pies, and sticky toffee pudding next to stewed plums over fresh scones with a hint of brandy butter.
Palate: Old leather boots filled with cinnamon bark and a medley of dates, figs, and prunes lead to chocolate cut with red chili and vanilla and kissed with salt and dry cedar.
Finish: That cinnamon bark intensifies with dark red fruit, light chili pepperiness, and a sense of old malted cookies dipped in vanilla toffee on the very end.
Bottom Line:
I’d never in a million years call this out as a 126+ proof whiskey. The warmth is there but it registers more as warm holiday cakes and sharp spices than burning heat. It’s delicious and deep without leaving you feeling like you’ve numbed your senses.
13. Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 13 Years
This whiskey was made by Eddie Russell to celebrate his 40th year of distilling whiskey with his dad, Jimmy Russell. The juice is a collection of a minimum of 13-year-old barrels that Eddie Russell hand-picked. Those barrels were married and then bottled as-is with no proofing or filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet and dried fruits invite you on the nose as a touch of fresh, creamy, and dark Black Forest cake mingles with mild holiday spices, dried almonds, and a sense of rich pipe tobacco just kissed with sultanas.
Palate: That dark chocolate and cherry fruit drive the palate as a hint of charred cedar leads toward vanilla tobacco with more of that dark chocolate and a small touch of honey, orange blossom, and a whisper of dried chili flake.
Finish: That honey leads back to the warmth and spice with a thin line of cherry bark smoke lurking on the very backend with more bitter chocolate, buttery vanilla, and dark cherry all combining into chewy tobacco packed into an old pine box and wrapped up with worn leather thread.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that just doesn’t feel hot at all. The profile is so lush and nostalgic for the holidays that you feel maximum comfort.
Stagg is Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill no. 1 (a low-rye mash) turned all the way up to MAX volume. The whiskey spends about a decade resting in the old Buffalo Trace warehouses before it’s batched and bottled (in this case in Spring 2023) 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is rich on the nose with deep senses of dark chocolate brownies just kissed with stewed black cherry and old vanilla pods before a soft sense of red chili tobacco and wet brown sugar tobacco lead to a whisper of smoldering fall leaves.
Palate: That dark chocolate and chili-laced tobacco drives the taste toward a Christmas cake brimming with candied cherry, orange rind, rum raisin, clove, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and creamy vanilla icing with a dash of salt, marzipan, and brandy-soaked apple and pear orchards.
Finish: The rich and boozy holiday cake fades on the finish as deep earthiness — think firewood bark and smudging sage — drives the end toward a big Kentucky hug of warmth that’s just right.
Bottom Line:
Stagg batches are very hit-and-miss if you’re looking for hidden ABVs. Some of them are like chewing mega hot chilis or swallowing fire while others a creamy sweet flavor bombs with a lovely Kentucky hug on the end. Last year’s Batch 22A is the latter. This is just a wonderfully nuanced and luscious whiskey with a deeply earthy Kentucky profile. It’s nutty, creamy, and full of orchard vibes in all the best ways.
This new version of Legent leans into the marriage of Kentucky and Japan in the bottle. The whiskey is a straight bourbon from Beam that spent eight years mellowing in Kentucky. That whiskey was then sent to the Yamazaki Distillery outside of Kyoto, Japan where blending legend Shinji Fukuyo transferred the whiskey into French and Spanish oak casks for another rest before batching again and re-filling the whiskey into the incredible Yamazaki Spanish Oak whisky casks for a final rest before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a leathery sense of old dried chilis that have just been kissed with heat before a sense of dried cranberry and rich malted chocolate take the nose toward soft plummy cakes full of soft powdered spices.
Palate: A hint of maltiness comes through early on the palate with a fleeting sense of smoked red berries before deep vanilla buttercream creates a luscious foundation for rich pipe tobacco, cranberry sauce cut with anise, clove, and nutmeg, sticky toffee pudding, and mulled wine cut with toffee and dry reeds.
Finish: The spices warm on the finish before descending toward soft nutcakes and winter-spiced doughnuts with a light sense of stewed plum and pear over old saddle leather and rickhouse dank.
Bottom Line:
This is a divine sipper. There’s no heat whatsoever. There is a subtle warmth that builds toward the end, but it’s more in line with nuttiness and winter spice cakes than any chili or firey heat. You can easily sip this neat and not worry about numbing heat. Again, this makes a great cocktail, especially a Manhattan.
10. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels
This is the 12th Cask Strength Bourbon release from Angel’s Envy but the first under new Master Distiller Owen Martin. Martin brings a deep knowledge of craft Colorado whiskey making and Scotch whisky to the table and it shows in this new release. The whiskey is a masterful blend of Angel’s Envy’s port-finished bourbons at cask strength, allowing the barrels to shine through. As a limited edition, there were only 22,656 bottles produced. The good news is that they’re going out to all 50 states.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spiced cherry cake mingles with rich and buttery caramel sauce, toasted marshmallows, rum raisin, black-tea-soaked dates cut with cinnamon and nutmeg, and a deep sense of mulled wine cut with dark chocolate.
Palate: The palate leans into the mulled wine and sticky toffee pudding with a flourish of sea salt and orange zest next to lush vanilla buttercream, dark cherry spiced tobacco leaves, and old motorcycle jacket leather.
Finish: The end leans into brandy-soaked cherries dipped in dark chocolate next to dry sweetgrass, smudging sage, and cedar bark braided and stacked in an old cigar humidor next to a dry red wine cork with winter spice cakes, pear brandy marzipan, and deep dried fruits rounding out the end.
Bottom Line:
This is Christmas in a glass next to a roaring fire. While the fire warms you from a distance, you never feel like you’re in the flames. You’re really greeted and delighted by deep nostalgic holiday profile notes that drive this delicious whiskey from top to bottom. This is another amazing Manhattan base as well.
9. Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This expression is the purest form of Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon. The whiskey in these bottles is from the same Blanton’s barrels, but they’re perfect just the way they are. This whiskey goes into the bottle straight from the barrel with no proofing water whatsoever.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of very bespoke dark chocolate-covered salted hard caramel toffees encrusted with almonds and pecans — the kind you get from a chocolate shop that imports their goodies from somewhere like Belgium — next to full fall leaves falling on wet grass outside musty old warehouses with a hint of well-worn boot leather lurking beneath it all.
Palate: The nutty toffee carries through into the taste as oily vanilla pods mingle with cedar boxes of dried tobacco leaves and a touch of floral honey jars with old wooden spoons and more of that old boot leather before sharp winter spices and dried red chili pop on the mid-palate.
Finish: The end is very long and lingers in your senses with a hot buzzing thanks to the barky spices and dry chili that subtly fades through all that sweetness before ending up in an old cedar box full of choco-chili tobacco layered with old dark fruit leather sheets.
Bottom Line:
Blanton’s is already an amazingly light bourbon sipping experience — some would argue too light for all the hype it gets. This cask-strength version fixes that. There’s serious depth to this sipper that provides serious warmth without over-bearing heat. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you buy one Blanton’s, make it this one.
8. Fortuna Rare Character Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Last year’s Fortuna release was an instant classic. This year the Rare Character team has upped the ante with a cask-strength version and, ho boy, they hit it out of the park. The whiskey in the bottle is a small batch of minimum seven-year-old barrels that were expertly batched and bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of deeply roasted walnuts, almonds, and chestnuts dipped in salted toffee with a sense of darkly charred old oak staves countered by a lush vanilla cream cut with winter spices.
Palate: The nuttiness drives the palate toward vanilla buttercream next to winter spice cakes filled with rum raisin, candied orange rind, and brandy-soaked cherries before a hint of sticky toffee pudding arrives with a whisper of roasting herbs and sweetgrass.
Finish: Nutshells and dried pipe tobacco round out the finish with a deep winter spice bark vibe before the luscious vanilla creates a creamy landing for the pour that’s part eggnog and part malted vanilla shake cut with peppermint, clove, and sasparilla.
Bottom Line:
There’s a nice layer of warmth that runs through the whole profile on this one. It’s an embrace that accents the insanely deep and nuanced flavor profile. While I pour this one over a big rock, that’s more to add creaminess and nuttiness to the profile than to cool any proof heat down.
7. Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Series #11
The latest release from Bardstown Bourbon Company is a full-on Kentucky bourbon blend. The whiskey is made with 73% 13-year-old Kentucky bourbon, 21% 10-year-old Kentucky bourbon, and 6% of Bardstown’s own six-year-old Kentucky bourbon. Once batched, the whiskey mellows before bottling 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Tart cherries and rich toffee rolled in roasted almond and dipped in salted dark chocolate drive the nose toward cinnamon spice cakes with a hint of dried cranberry, plummy sauce, and rich tobacco.
Palate: The taste leans into caramel-covered peanuts with a hint of red fruit leather, old spice barks, and a whisper of orange rinds next to a touch of Cherry Coke, old leather tobacco pouches, and the old beams from a whiskey barrel house.
Finish: The end leans into a lush vanilla buttercream with notes of old back porch wicker, almost sweet cedar kindling, smudging sage, and cinnamon bark soaked in cherry brandy with a touch of chili-cut dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This is amazingly well-hidden proof. I had to triple-check the ABVs when I first tried this expression. It’s wild how well those ABVs are layered into soft and supple profile notes that they almost magically disappear. This is a great option for neat tasting with touches of water that’ll reveal incredible depth.
6. Old Forester President’s Choice Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This year’s President’s Choice Single Barrel bourbon from Old Foresters is yet another masterpiece from the Louisville brand. The whiskey in this case is a 10-year-old barrel that rested in a specific location in the West Louisville warehouses. Once it was just right, the whiskey was bottled as-is with a touch of water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The whiskey opens with a salted caramel apple nose that edges towards apple saltwater taffy with a creamy layer of spicy dark chocolate and a touch of orange blossoms and barrelhouse beams.
Palate: The palate takes the wintry spices and attaches them to the creaminess, creating an egg nog feel to the taste that leans into dark fruits and a hint of toasted coconut cream pie.
Finish: The end holds onto the spice but focuses more on anise (and maybe fennel) while the caramel and spice attach to sticky tobacco with a warming end.
Bottom Line:
This is a slow burn in the best way. The profile is iconic Kentucky bourbon that takes you on a journey with proof adding depth, not heat. Yes, it’ll leave you warmed by the end but that’ll be a hug more than a punch to the face.
5. Augusta Distillery Buckner’s Aged 13 Years Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is a very niche brand out in rural Kentucky that’s sourcing old barrels. The whiskey in the bottle is a Kentucky straight bourbon that rested for 13 years before it was bottled completely as-is both unfiltered and at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of old barrel houses full of sweet and spice bourbon next to a gentle moment of creamy vanilla honey with old corn husks stuffed in the honey which is poured over spiced winter nut breads with a hint of butteriness and earthy nutshells.
Palate: The clove, allspice, and anise of the nut bread amp up the buttery palate with a sense of Earl Grey tea leaves, salted caramel, and mocha-heavy espresso beans next to a light marzipan moistness and hints of burnt orange next to old dry black cherry bark.
Finish: The end lingers for a while as the marzipan and orchard barks fade toward sharp eggnog spices and soft creaminess before the vanilla creamed honey slathers old oak staves with a good dose of earthy fall vibes kind of like a forest floor on a frosty day.
Bottom Line:
This is a warm bourbon that never feels it. It’s hard to explain in that you are presented with this deeply beautiful flavor profile that does heat up but never burns. So this is probably one of the only entries that I’d warn that newbies might feel a little more heat. That said, the profile is so damn good that it’s worth a little heat on the senses. Think of it this way — you’re getting a silken bourbon profile with a warmth that leaves your senses buzzing at the very end of a few minutes, reminding you of the journey you just embarked on.
Every year, Willett releases amazing barrels that are going to blow you away. In early 2023, they released this short barrel that yielded only 62 bottles. That made this a distillery-only release of last year — that also means that this was a very fleeting bottle that came and went very quickly.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich and oily coffee beans mingle with dark chocolate creaminess on the nose next to wet brown sugar, buttermilk biscuits fresh from the oven, salted caramel chews, and this fleeting sense of rye bread with a caraway seed crust covered with fresh and almost sour butter smeared over it.
Palate: That chocolate and coffee bean meld on the front of the palate for a rich and very dark mocha latte vibe before leaning into clove, anise, and sasparilla with a smoldering sense of smudging sage and marshmallow next to lush vanilla buttercream and pear compote cut with saffron.
Finish: Ginger coins dusted in raw sugar drive the finish toward spiced mulled wine and holiday nut cakes brimming with dried rum raisin, candied orange, and brandied cherry before eggnog-laced tobacco layered into an old cedar humidor leads to a rich yet sweet black dirt from a cellar that held hams and funky rind cheeses for centuries.
Bottom Line:
Willett is one of the best brands out there that magically hide massive ABVs/proofs under amazing flavor profiles. That said, you do have to mind the barrel numbers here. I’ve had some hazmat (above 70% ABV) bourbons and ryes from Willett that are like dragon’s breath. I can tell you that this range — almost 20 years and closer to 60% ABV — is the sweet spot.
You’ll be left buzzing but the road to the finish will be a wildly delicious one.
3. Michter’s Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 25 Years Old
The whiskey in the bottle was distilled in or before 1998 at an undisclosed Kentucky distillery from a unique mash bill. That whiskey went into new American white oak barrels and was left alone until they were moved to the Shively, Kentucky campus where they were monitored for excellence. When the barrels hit the right mark — that’s where the Michter’s team’s prowess comes in — they were batched for this very small limited release and bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a deep sense of old molasses vats that held prunes, dates, and raisins with a sense of winter spice barks, berries, and buds next to brown buttery Christmas sugar cookies dipped in dark chocolate and dusted with ground vanilla pods before this light sense of smoked walnut shells and fire-roasted chestnuts arrives.
Palate: That molasses leans toward thick hot chocolate just kissed with red chili before a deep sense of candied almonds takes the taste toward rich and moist sticky toffee pudding flaked with sea salt and fresh orange zest with a hint of vanilla buttercream.
Finish: The end leans into dried sweetgrass and old fall leaves in an apple orchard with a hint of pear-brandy-soaked marzipan dipped in dark-as-night chocolate and kissed with a mix of woody brown winter spices wrapped up in old tobacco leaves and stored in a very old whiskey barrel in a musty old brick rickhouse on a cold fall day.
Bottom Line:
This is a shockingly lush bourbon. The heat is non-existent and presents as warming orange and winter spice more than chili pepper spice or fire. This is also a magnificent bourbon in general, so that helps.
This is Buffalo Trace’s classic wheated bourbon. This year’s Weller BTAC was distilled back in the spring of 2011 and left to rest in warehouses C, L, M, and N for 12 long years. Those barrels were batched and this whiskey was bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Deep and dark candied black cherry mingles with dry cedar bark, molasses, real vanilla beans, nutty brown butter, and old leather rolled in pipe tobacco and just kissed with smoldering sage and dry chili pepper flakes.
Palate: The palate opens with a full blast of ABVs, making the front of your tongue tingle, as floral honey, cherry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream, and brown butter streusel cut with nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove lead to a hint of dry orange tobacco.
Finish: Cinnamon sticks and clove buds floating in maple syrup arrive on the finish with a sense of old leather boots, the oak in an old rickhouse, orchard barks, and soft notes of vanilla and cherry cake.
Bottom Line:
I just drank the better part of one of these bottles a week or so ago. The reason we got through so much of it was that the heat never really overpowers any part of the profile. There’s a warmth there, sure. But it’s this embracing sharpness that’s a soft tobacco buzz more than a firey burn. It’s delightfully bold.
1. 15 STARS Fine Aged Spirits Sherry Cask Finish A Select Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished in Sherry Casks
This brand-new release from 15 STARS is made from a blend of 10 and 13-year-old Kentucky and Indiana bourbons. Those barrels were batched by the 15 STARS crew and then the whiskey was re-barreled in sherry casks for a final touch of maturation. That whiskey was then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Plums, dates, and figs come through on the nose with deep marzipan cut with pear brandy and dipped in salted dark chocolate next to eggnog spices and creaminess with a good dose of Christmas nut cakes.
Palate: The eggnog lusciousness leads the palate toward soft vanilla cookies, salted caramel chews, and a hint of spiced plum jam next to buttermilk waffles studded with pecans before old cellar oak adds an earthen layer.
Finish: The sweetness of the leathery dried fruits drives the finish toward winter spice barks and berries with a sense of old pipe tobacco braided with smudging sage and a whisper of dried mint next to cedar and fall leaves.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that you have to do a double-take on the proof when sipping. It feels so lush and supple with a soft warmth that never overpowers the amazing profile. This is the true sweet spot and the best example of a high-proof bourbon hiding its heat perfectly with a balanced flavor profile, even neat.
Jean Dawson is a bright young experimenter, trying things in multiple genres as he works his way towards the top. Now, he’s diving into multiple languages, too, on Boohoo, a new three-song collection he just dropped.
A press release describes the project as “a collection of tracks that serve as an overture for his upcoming full length album out later this year, painting a striking picture of what is to come with tracks ‘New Age Crisis,’ ‘Taste Like Metal,’ and his first full track in Spanish, ‘Divino Desmadre.’”
“New Age Crisis” debuted earlier this week (and was named BBC Radio 1’s “Hottest Record Of The Week,” even), and it’s an epic, gospel-inspired tune that packs a major wallop into under three minutes.
Listen to the new songs above and find the Boohoo cover art and tracklist below. Dawson is also joining Lil Yachty on a run of European tour dates starting in April, so find those shows below as well.
Jean Dawson’s Boohoo Album Cover Artwork
P+
Jean Dawson’s Boohoo Tracklist
1. “New Age Crisis”
2. “Divino Desmadre”
3. “Taste Like Metal”
Lil Yachty 2024 Tour Dates: The Field Trip Tour (With Jean Dawson)
04/29 — London, United Kingdom @ OVO Arena Wembley
05/01 — Birmingham, United Kingdom @ O2 Institute
05/02 — Glasgow, United Kingdom @ O2 Academy Glasgow
05/04 — Manchester, United Kingdom @ Manchester Academy
05/07 — Köln, Germany @ Palladium Cologne
05/08 — Zürich, Switzerland @ Komplex
05/10 — Barcelona, Spain @ Razzmatazz 1
05/12 — Milan, Italy @ Fabrique
05/15 — Vienna, Austria @ Gasometer
05/17 — Paris, France @ Salle Pleyel
05/18 — Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
05/20 — Tilburg, Netherlands @ Poppodium 013
05/22 — Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle
05/25 — Stockholm, Sweden @ Fryshuset Arenan
05/26 — Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
Amanda Knox was an American undergraduate exchange student in Italy when her entire world turned upside down in 2007. Her roommate, Meredith Kercher, was murdered in their rented home, and Knox quickly came under suspicion by police, who also zeroed in on her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. A tabloid frenzy ensued, and Knox found herself dragged for every nonverbal gesture she made and even her soccer-team nickname, “Foxy Knoxy.” During the eight years following Kercher’s death, she and Sollecito were found guilty and had their convictions overturned only to be tried again and found guilty. It wasn’t until 2015 that the pair was exonerated, and Knox was free to return to the U.S.
Since that time, her story has been adapted at least three times (including for Lifetime) in the true crime realm, but Hulu is going to do it again, and the synopsis will draw Knox’s saga through the present day, given that the project is not only “based on the true story of how Knox was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher” but also “her 16-year odyssey to set herself free.”
Casting for the project is largely being kept under wraps, but we do know who will play Knox. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Margaret Qualley, who not only knocks every role out of the park but makes increasingly interesting choices (everything from Maid to Sanctuary to Drive-Away Dolls, Fosse/Verdon, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood in recent years) will portray the lead role in a limited series executive produced not only by Knox but someone else who has experience with being misunderstood and dragged through tabloid hell: Monica Lewinsky.
Certainly, the group believes there’s much more story to tell, and hopefully, more details on the project will arrive soon.
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