Month: March 2024

Billie Eilish has long made it clear that she’s a firm supporter of causes that go towards environmental good, like when she ran a ticket promo with Global Citizen in 2019 or hosted a climate change seminar in 2022. Eilish hates being wasteful, which means she’s not too happy about the current trend of artists releasing a bunch of different vinyl editions of their albums.

Eilish expressed this in a recent interview, alongside her mother Maggie Baird, with Billboard. Here’s the relevant excerpt:

Eilish: “We live in this day and age where, for some reason, it’s very important to some artists to make all sorts of different vinyl and packaging … which ups the sales and ups the numbers and gets them more money and gets them more…”

Baird: “Well, it counts toward No. 1 albums.”

Eilish: “I can’t even express to you how wasteful it is. It is right in front of our faces and people are just getting away with it left and right, and I find it really frustrating as somebody who really goes out of my way to be sustainable and do the best that I can and try to involve everybody in my team in being sustainable — and then it’s some of the biggest artists in the world making f*cking 40 different vinyl packages that have a different unique thing just to get you to keep buying more. It’s so wasteful, and it’s irritating to me that we’re still at a point where you care that much about your numbers and you care that much about making money — and it’s all your favorite artists doing that sh*t.”

In 2021, Eilish released a version of her album Happier Than Ever that was pressed on recycled vinyl, so she’s been putting her money where her mouth is.

After being accused of some eyebrow-raising, Diddy-related behavior, City Girls rapper Yung Miami had a message for fans on Twitter. “Y’all be going for ANYTHING,” she wrote.

While the intent behind her comment was relatively ambiguous at first, a commenter’s reply ensured that everyone knew exactly what she was talking about. “You for that 250k a month,” read the sassy reply. “Something the internet made up and yall ran with it!!!” Miami clapped back. “N****s don’t even pay that for child support why tf would a n**** ever pay me 250k for. FOR WHAT??”

Well, according to Rod “Lil Rod” Jones, the man suing Diddy for sexual harassment, Miami was not only being paid to keep the music mogul “company” — the suit specifically calls her a “sex worker” — but also to ferry synthetic drugs to him via private plane when his usual (alleged) bag man forgot them.

Of course, Miami isn’t the only one casting aspersions on Lil Rod’s claims — which, to be fair, are extensive, with many way out of the range of necessary inclusions to prove Diddy ever sexually harassed him. Sir Lucian Grainge, the CEO of Universal Music Group, also issued a reply via the label’s lawyers, requesting the judge in the case to not only throw out Rod’s lawsuit but also punish his lawyer for filing it in the first place.

Is it possible that the greatest frozen food in all of existence is the Eggo Waffle? It’s convenient, delicious, more indulgent than a piece of toast, comes in various flavors, and is simultaneously crispy and chewy. I’m going to assume you’ve had an Eggo before but unless you’re a hardcore fan you probably stick to a single flavor — the flavor you grew up eating. If you lived in an Eggo Blueberry household, you probably only buy Blueberry in your adult life. And that’s fine, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it right?

But you have to have at least wondered: what do those other flavors taste like? We’re right there with you. So to demystify the entire Eggo line we’re ranking all the most popular Eggo products from least to most delicious. Hopefully, you’ll leave this article with some new waffle flavors to try next time you head to the freezer aisle.

Methodology:

For this review, I toasted each flavor of waffle and tasted a few bites. Obviously, adding butter (and syrup) is going to result in a better waffle, but I felt like the butter might obscure the flavor a bit, so I ate each waffle completely dry.

For the pancakes, I prepared them via a microwave or oven (per box instructions) and, well I’m just going to come out and say it — I don’t love them. Microwaving bread always results in a weird gummy texture, and turning on an oven for a pancake seems like overkill. If you’re going to go through all that trouble, why not just warm up a pan and make some pancakes from scratch or a box?

My advice — toast the pancakes. But if you for some reason need to make a lot of pancakes in a short amount of time, the oven is a viable option and while I don’t find the texture of those pre-made frozen pancakes to be as delicious as fresh pancakes, they get the job done. Sorta.

The Ranking:

17. Pancake/ Pancake Minis — Chocolate Chip

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I’m going to go ahead and lump the full-size and mini versions of this particular Eggo product together because they taste identical. Here is what I like about these: you don’t need butter. Simply warm them up, and eat, the minis are small enough that you don’t even need a fork or knife.

Eggo goes heavy on the chocolate here, which dominates the entire pancake. It’s a bit like a super soft chocolate chip cookie.

So why are they ranking at the very bottom? Well, making pre-made pancakes work is an uphill battle. And unlike a toaster waffle, reheating these doesn’t give the food an interesting textural component. Unfortunately, that holds this product back, leaving it well behind the rest of the line of Eggo products.

The Bottom Line:

These get the job done, but they’re my least favorite Eggo products.

16. Buttermilk Pancakes

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I think the texture of the full-sized pancakes is a bit better than the minis. There is more bread here to chew, making this pancake a lot more enjoyable. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have chocolate chips in it — so you’re going to need butter and syrup here.

The Bottom Line:

Chewy and surprisingly close to a freshly made pancake.

15. Grab & Go Vanilla Bean

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

The whole draw of the Grab & Go Eggo products is that you can simply, well, grab these individually wrapped waffles and, you know, go. No toasting required, simply thaw it out, unwrap it, and eat it. Yay?

I’m not sure anyone needs this product, I suppose it’s the most convenient way to eat a waffle but, how long is your toaster taking that you can’t toast a waffle? Throw that thing in the toaster, go put on some socks and shoes, grab the waffle from the toaster, and head out the door. It’s simple.

Anyway, concept aside, I don’t love the Grab & Go line flavorwise either. This waffle was a bit too chewy and I found the Vanilla Bean flavor to be just a bit too sweet. I suppose it had to be that way though, considering Eggo assumes you don’t have time to add luxuries like butter or syrup.

The Bottom Line:

Completely skippable. If you don’t have the time in your life to toast a waffle, the convenience of this might appeal to you, but eating this just made me wish I was eating… almost any other Eggo waffle product.

14. Pancake — Blueberry

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Considering how consistently low I ranked the pancake products, this one surprised me. Maybe I’ve been beaten into submission here, but I enjoy this pancake. It’s sweet, rich, chewy, and doesn’t need butter or syrup to be enjoyable.

I still think the waffles are better, but this might be worth a pick-up if you love blueberry pancakes but don’t want to go through the trouble of making them.

The Bottom Line:

The best Eggo pancake flavor.

13. French Toast Sticks — Original

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

A little bland. These French Toast Sticks desperately need some sort of dip to make a truly delicious snack. I like the crispy texture, but without butter, syrup, or some sort of frosting, these just taste too neutral.

The Bottom Line:

Desperately needs a sweet component. I have a lot more to say about the Cinnamon flavor French Toast Sticks coming up soon.

12. Grab & Go — Buttery Maple

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

It’s a step up from the Vanilla Bean because it tastes a bit like it was brushed with syrup, which is a natural pairing companion with the waffle.

The Bottom Line:

Good in a pinch, but I’d still rather have a freshly toasted waffle.

11. French Toast Sticks — Cinnamon

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

As a big French toast fan, I fully expected to hate these. How was Eggo going to capture the culinary excellence of a chewy, cinnamon-heavy, buttery, and sweet slice of French toast? Well, they didn’t.

Eggo’s French Toast Sticks don’t replicate the experience of eating French toast at all, instead what you get here is a crispy cinnamon-infused treat that tastes like a cross between a toaster waffle and a cinnamon roll. For what it is, I really like it.

The Bottom Line:

The key to enjoying these is… don’t compare them to French toast. If you can manage that, what you’ll find here is an addicting treat that doesn’t need butter, syrup, or anything else to make it enjoyable.

10. Thick & Fluffy Original (With Madagascar Vanilla)

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

This is great, it takes Eggo’s familiar texture and buttery flavor, beefs it up, and adds a subtle kiss of vanilla on the backend. What makes this waffle really work is how it balances the typical crunchy texture of a well-toasted Eggo with a bit more chew.

The Bottom Line:

Vastly superior to the original waffle texture-wise, but it leans a bit sweeter than the OG and I think that holds it back from being better.

9. Chocolatey Chip Banana

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I was fully expecting little pieces of banana in the waffle but that’s not what you get here. As far as I can tell, it’s some sort of powdered banana flavoring and it permeates the entire waffle. Every bite has a banana aftertaste. I love the combination of banana and chocolate but found this waffle to be a bit too overwhelming.

The Bottom Line:

If you want a banana with your waffle, I strongly suggest cutting up a fresh one. This one is a bit too banana-forward for me.

8. Chocolatey Chip

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Surprisingly heavy on the chocolate, each bite provides a good ratio of waffle-to-chocolate. It’s very sweet, and because of that, I think this waffle is a little less versatile than the other flavored Eggos. Rather than being a simple snack, it wants to be a dessert because it tastes amazing with a scoop of ice cream or some cinnamon sugar sprinkled all over it.

The Bottom Line:

If you have a sweet tooth, this waffle will satisfy, but if you’re looking for a simple breakfast, this might lean a bit too sweet and dessert-like.

7. Thick & Fluffy — Cinnamon and Brown Sugar

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

It’s a slight step up from the Madagascar Vanilla flavor because you can actually taste the added flavor here. The flavor leans much heavier on the brown sugar than the cinnamon, but there is a slight spice to it that your tastebuds will perceive on the aftertaste.

The Bottom Line:

Thick, fluffy, sweet, with a hint of cinnamon. What more could you ask for?

6. Homestyle

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

The fact that Homestyle, an essentially flavorless flavor, has ranked this high should put into perspective just how good the base Eggo experience is. Homestyle is all about texture, it’s crunchy and slightly chewy with a slight butteriness.

I don’t suggest eating Homestyle sans butter, you should definitely butter this thing up, heavily, but the fact that it’s not completely unpalatable with nothing on it speaks to how enjoyable a warm and toasty Eggo really is.

The Bottom Line:

It’s a classic, and while it’s not my favorite, I’d never turn down a freshly toasted Homestyle Eggo.

5. Buttermilk Waffles

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

In the opening to this piece, I mentioned that your go-to Eggo flavor is likely what you grew up with, and for me, that’s Buttermilk. This is the flavor that comes to mind when you say the word “Eggo,” it’s the default for me, and I love it.

How is it different than the Homestyle version? I honestly couldn’t tell you. I’ve had these waffles side by side and they taste… about the same. I’d like to tell you the Buttermilk was chewier or has a more delicate flavor, but I got to be real with you, I’m not tasting any difference here.

I’m ranking Buttermilk above Homestyle because that’s the one I grew up with. That’s all.

The Bottom Line:

You’re either a Buttermilk or Homestyle person. Consider me Buttermilk.

4. Strawberry

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I was a bit worried the tart flavor of strawberry was going to clash with the subtle buttery flavor of the waffle, but that wasn’t the case here. This flavor is surprisingly refreshing in a way I never thought a toaster waffle could be.

There definitely is some tart here, but it’s incredibly nuanced and doesn’t overwhelm the base flavor in an off-putting way.

The Bottom Line:

Bright and surprisingly refreshing.

3. Blueberry

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

A nice balance between savory buttery notes and blueberry sweetness. I’m not sure how Eggo has managed to find blueberries this small but it keeps the berry sweetness from ever being too overwhelming.

While you’re chewing through this waffle you’ll mostly get the neutral mildly buttery flavor of the waffle with the occasional burst of rich blueberry goodness.

The Bottom Line:

If you fear that the blueberry will be too overwhelming, it’s not, it’s surprisingly balanced and much more palatable/less intense than a blueberry pancake. If the strawberry was bright and refreshing, I’d call this blueberry is dark and rich.

2. Eggo Minis — Berry Blast

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I didn’t expect one of the gimmicky lines of product to rank this highly, but I love this! It’s the only Eggo product that mixes blueberry and strawberry into one super waffle. It’s sweeter than both the stock Strawberry and Blueberry flavors, I think that’s because there is a higher amount of berries loaded in here. At least that’s how it seemed to me, as every bite I got a wonderful mix of rich and tart berry flavors.

The Bottom Line:

Can’t decide between Strawberry and Blueberry? This waffle is for you! I desperately want Eggo to make a Thick & Fluffy version of this flavor combination. If the waffle was just a bit thicker, this would take the top spot.

1. Thick & Fluffy — Blueberry

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Here it is, the greatest Eggo Waffle flavor and product. Everything I said about the OG Blueberry waffle applies here: the waffle has a buttery savoriness with the occasional burst of dark berry sweetness, only here the texture is improved. It has a lot more chew than the OG form factor, but still provides crunch from a toasted outer.

That chewy and crunchy ratio is very similar to a fresh Belgian waffle. My favorite way to eat this one is by ditching the butter and syrup and instead dropping a scoop of French vanilla ice cream on top. It’s a quick way to take a simple snack and elevate it to a satisfying and decadent dessert.

The Bottom Line:

The greatest waffle in the entire Eggo line. You need a box of these in your freezer at all times.

When you think of famous nude scenes in Hollywood history, what comes to mind? Maybe Ben Affleck in Gone Girl, or the Psycho shower scene, or Phoebe Cates’ slow-motion walk out of the pool in Fast Times at Ridgemont High? Those are all iconic, for sure, but when asked “what’s the best nude scene hollywood has ever produced?” Reddit went in a different direction.

The top reply on the post from user Inside_Lead3003 is “Frank Reynolds coming out of the couch” from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That answer has over 16,000 points. In second place? “Alexandra Daddario in True Detective. easy choice” with approximately 7,000 points. A breathless Danny DeVito emerging from a couch, like Jim Carrey forcing himself out of the mechanical rhino in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, is over twice as popular as any other nude scene. Sometimes, the internet is good.

Here are some other prominent replies:

The Triple t*ts of Total Recall.

Roller Girl scenes in Boogie Nights.

Phoebe Cates coming out of the pool.

Denise Richards, Neve Campbell Threesome Sex Scene from Wild Things

Shower scene in Starship Troopers.

Nicole Kidman kicking off the dress in Eyes Wide Shut.

As for the It’s Always Sunny couch scene, DeVito once described what it’s like emerging naked in front of dozens of strangers. “You can’t come out in front of fifty people you don’t know with your wanger hanging out, right?” he said. “So they put a little cap on it, know what I mean? And you go back there, and what’d they do, the makeup people, spray you with all kinds of oil, so now you’re like back there, waiting for your cue, and you’re gonna slide out of this thing naked, like a halibut, and you do it.”

It was all worth it for Reddit’s approval.

(Via Reddit)

Beyoncé’s new album Cowboy Carter is out now, and while it’s the latest execution of her beloved vision, she didn’t make the project all by herself: Shaboozey, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell, and others make appearances on the album. The way some hear it, though, it sounds like Taylor Swift is involved, too.

Is Taylor Swift Featured On Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Album?

Some reports have indicated Swift is credited on the song “Bodyguard,” citing supposed credits on both Spotify and Genius. As of this post, though, Swift does not appear to be officially credited on those platforms or others. That said, while Swift may not be credited, there’s one snippet of the song that fans point to, a brief portion that to them clearly indicates Swift sang backing vocals for the track.

Give it a listen:

Worth noting is that back in February, “a source with knowledge of the situation” told Entertainment Weekly that despite rumors, Swift is not featured on the album “in any way.” Of course, the source could have been denying the rumor to keep the truth a secret, Swift could have gotten on board with the album since then, or the source could have just been wrong.

Either way, listen to “Bodyguard” above.

Cowboy Carter is out now via Parkwood/Columbia Records. Find more information here.

Earlier this month, a new report stated that Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass, Anna Karenina, Bullet Train, the upcoming The Fall Guy and Kraven the Hunter, and so on) was fielding an offer (and had been “formally offered,” even) the opportunity to be the next 007. That report originated in the U.K.’s The Sun tabloid, which further reported that Taylor-Johnson “will sign contract this week.” At least 10 days later, there has been only silence as a followup.

EON Productions has opted to stay quiet, neither confirming nor denying the report, as noted by Deadline, and producer Barbara Broccoli also hasn’t spoken on the subject. Taylor-Johnson himself has only stated to Numéro that he is flattered that people would associate him with the role.

However, the question also popped up (as posed to Sam-Taylor Johnson) on The Johnathan Ross Show, according to The Independent, which relayed that she declared, “Carry on speculating. He’d be great.” However, she apparently did preface this response by “joking” about herself: “You mean that I might direct a Bond film? The first woman director.”

Granted, yes, that was a joke from every indication. However, Deadline reported Sam’s response with a headline about her having “a vested interest.” Whether or not there’s some unreported insider information beyond that headline and possible suggestion, nobody can truly say yet.

Sam and Aaron originally met on the set of 2009’s Nowhere Boy, which she directed and he appeared within as an actor. They teamed up again for 2018’s A Million Little Pieces. They have four daughters together, two of them being from Sam’s former marriage. And yep, until EON Productions speaks on who will portray and who will direct the next James Bond, the speculation will surely “carry on.”

(Via The Sun, Deadline, Numéro, Vanity Fair & The Independent)

Steven and Ian begin this week’s episode in an unlikely place — a discussion of the 2010 comedy Get Him To The Greek, which in light of the recent (horrifying) Sean Combs’ news might be the most canceled film of the 21st century. From there, they quickly pivot to two other films about musicians, the forthcoming Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet and a reported Bruce Springsteen film starring The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White. Will these films be any good? Let’s hash it out.

Next comes a conversation that truly no other music critics are having this week: A 20th anniversary remembrance of Aerosmith’s Honkin’ On Bobo. Is this really an album of blues covers or is it just a funny album title? How exactly does one honk on bobo? Finally, the guys do the Q2 Fantasy Albums Draft. Will Steven finally get it together and beat Ian for the first time?

In Recommendation Corner, Ian talks up the Brazilian shoegaze act Sonhos Tomos Conta while Steven praises the new EP from Wild Pink.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 182 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

Let’s clarify something from the start: Caitlin Clark is a supernova. When she’s on a basketball court, unprecedented things happen. This season, Clark broke the NCAA Division I records for three-pointers in a season, all-time scoring, women’s all-time scoring, women’s points in a single season, and so on. But records were only there for Clark to break because of the women who existed before her — from pioneers like Cheryl Miller and Lynette Woodard to contemporaries like A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, and Clark’s childhood idol, Maya Moore. Clark is one-of-one, but she is not the only one. She was never the only one.

Behind an over-my-dead-body game from Clark, No. 1 seed Iowa’s 64-54 win over No. 8 West Virginia attracted 4.9 million viewers on ESPN, as per The Athletic, on March 25. The skyrocketing fascination with the women’s game, however, isn’t exclusive to Clark and her Hawkeyes. Women’s March Madness set an all-time tournament record with 292,456 fans attending first- and second-round games, multiplying attendance by nearly five from 2023 (60,799), according to Front Office Sports.

Angel Reese, Flau’jae Johnson, and LSU are the reigning champions, lest we forget, after beating Iowa. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley had a brand-new starting five this season, and they casually logged a second consecutive undefeated year. USC freshman JuJu Watkins shattered several records, including Miller’s USC single-season scoring record that had stood since 1986. Niele Ivey, who seamlessly replaced Muffet McGraw as head coach at Notre Dame in 2020, has kept the Fighting Irish as one of the top programs in the nation behind Hannah Hidalgo. The fact I’ve gotten this far without mentioning UConn is illustrative enough for the booming state of women’s college basketball, although UConn is always worth noting, especially now that Paige Bueckers is back — like back, back — from an ACL tear.

Every so often, one player captures the zeitgeist and monopolizes the nation’s attention, but multiple players — Clark’s peers — have the power to hold it. To contextualize the Caitlin Clark phenomenon within the ever-changing narrative around women’s basketball, I spoke to Emmy Award-winning journalist Jemele Hill (author of Uphill, contributor to The Atlantic, and host of Jemele Hill Is Unbothered).

Caitlin Clark is under nobody’s shadow at Iowa like she would be at other storied programs like UConn, South Carolina, or Tennessee. Her playing style is electric and easily translates to viral social clips. She’s white. In other words, through no fault of her own, she’s an easy entry point for people to get in on women’s basketball without having to confront conversations inherent to women’s basketball — and all women’s sports. Do you sense the Caitlin Clark fandom is translating to more women’s basketball coverage outside of her orbit?

I do think she is stoking overall curiosity about women’s basketball, and [her fans aren’t just getting] exposed to her style of play. They’re getting exposed to a number of great teams, a great conference in the Big Ten, and other great players. I don’t know if the media coverage is necessarily following that same pattern. I think the media is very centered on centering Caitlin Clark in everything and pouring a huge share of the coverage behind her, which is definitely understandable. Because if she is the lightning bolt that is striking everything, then of course it makes sense to really cover the lightning bolt.

But I think the media is treating it as if there’s just this anomaly that’s come along, and all we have to do is pay attention to an anomaly — and not overall the fact that the sport, before she really began catching the eye of the national public, was gaining a tremendous amount of traction. Everything about this sport has been trending up for years now. It did not just start with Caitlin Clark, but they’re trending it like it did. And so it’s already creating a false narrative that is doing the public a disservice.

If you look at WNBA ratings or women’s college basketball ratings, they have been exploding for at least the last seven to ten years — or I would even say five to seven if you want a shorter window. And so, it’s been proven that people really enjoy the sport. They enjoy the stars in the sport, but they enjoy the sport itself. And I’m not completely convinced that the media understands the difference.

Will Ferrell, Cheryl Miller, Kevin Hart, Saweetie, LeBron, and Kehlani have all been to JuJu Watkins’ USC games as well. But “Travis Scott Flew His Ass All The Way To Iowa To See Caitlin Clark” hits different as a headline than “LA-based Celebrities Attend Basketball Game In Southern California.”

Correct.

Caitlin Clark would have been incredible regardless of where she played because she is an incredible player. But do you think the phenomenon around her would have hit the same anywhere other than Iowa?

I do think her phenomenon has a lot of factors going for it that, say, JuJu Watkins doesn’t. JuJu Watkins is in LA. That’s already a celebrity culture. Celebrities showing up to Juju Watkins’ games is not a big deal because celebrities always show up at sporting events in LA. It’s LA. But there is a Middle America quality that draws in a lot of different people. Iowa doesn’t get to be considered a cool place. It is just not positioned that way.

You know what I compare it to? I think the best comparison is what we just saw happen with Colorado and Deion Sanders. In Boulder, Colorado, it’s barely three Black people there. And as soon as the Deion phenomenon arrived in Colorado, you got all these mega celebrities coming to see Deion Sanders and the Colorado football team. Part of the fascination is not just with Deion and his persona — and the persona that some of his best players have — but you have this idea of culture happening in a place where culture is not supposed to happen.

You probably saw Stanford’s Cameron Brink appear to say “f*ck you” toward a ref or the Iowa State bench. My first thought was, Imagine if Angel Reese did that. And I saw Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon tweeting she’d have a tech “in a heartbeat” if she interacted the same way Caitlin had with a referee in her game against Holy Cross. I love it when any athlete displays raw emotion. I want that uncensored cockiness from women, but I don’t get the sense that is the majority opinion, especially when non-white players are involved. What is your reaction to the disparate perceptions and portrayals?

These differences and what we allow — “allow,” I put in air quotes — from certain athletes versus others very much has everything to do with how we generally perceive race in society. LSU has two villain factors going for them. They have Kim Mulkey, and then they have Angel. For people who love to hate-watch, every time LSU plays is like their Super Bowl. I believe ESPN posted a clip of Angel Reese [baiting] a Middle Tennessee player into a foul, and then she waved goodbye to her when she fouled out — as this girl was crying. The comments were crazy. They are hitting on all the right racial notes when it comes to Angel Reese, whereas it’s a little bit different when you look at what [Brink] did because then it’s like, “Oh, she was very passionate.”

What we feel like athletes are entitled to do is very much tied to and connected to what we think of that particular athlete. And for that matter, what we think of what that athlete represents. We see this all the time with social issues. LeBron James gets told to shut up and dribble, but when Tim Tebow and his mom cut up a Pro-life Super Bowl ad [in 2010], nobody was telling Tim Tebow to shut up and throw a football. There has always, unfortunately, been this undercurrent when it comes to athletes of color. There is this idea that they just need to be happy and stay in their place and only be outspoken in the ways that make the majority feel comfortable. As soon as they don’t do that, they face backlash and criticism. So I think these double standards — people think they wouldn’t exist for female athletes or in women’s sports. They’re just as prevalent as they are in men’s sports.

You have been granted guaranteed access to embed for months with anybody in women’s basketball or women’s sports. Who are you choosing?

Dawn Staley. I mean, Caitlin Clark would be my top three, for sure. But I think I picked Dawn Staley because she is the gold standard, in many ways, in that sport right now. When you look at her own trajectory as a player [and then] as a coach — I mean, what she built at South Carolina is extraordinary. It took her 16 years to build it. When she started off there, nobody ever thought that South Carolina would be in the kind of conversations they’re in now. We see the national championships. The players that she’s putting in the WNBA. No one ever imagined that they would be able to, at least for the last decade, surpass UConn.

To build something from scratch, and then on top of that, be as outspoken as she’s been in supporting other Black women who are coaching in women’s basketball, but also about pay equity. She’s been very vocal about that issue. There are so many layers to Dawn Staley, and for a lot of us who came to love women’s basketball during the time that she played, she represents … even the most misogynistic dude loved Dawn Staley. She’s no-nonsense. I mean, she’s pretty straightforward, but it’s something about her that is enigmatic, charismatic, and obviously, she’s damn good at what she does.

Three years ago, Paige Bueckers used her ESPYs speech to call for more coverage for her Black peers and acknowledge that she’s succeeding in “a Black-led sport.” Do you think we’ve seen an improvement?

I don’t think we have. In part it’s because, overall, the media does a terrible job of covering women’s sports. And then the times when they do decide that women are worthy of their coverage, they’re going to overload in one direction. Because it’s all they know. And I was very, very happy — happy probably is a substandard word — but it was just very encouraging to see Paige Bueckers recognize that, especially given how young she is. That’s not something that necessarily has to be in her social consciousness, but she understands, “Hey, this sport is almost half Black women.”

A study I cited recently for a piece I wrote in The Atlantic [found that] when you compare [the coverage] of, say, someone like Bueckers, Sabrina Ionescu, or Caitlin Clark to A’ja Wilson, who has dominated basketball at every single level. She’s probably the best player in the world right now. And I’m not trying to act like she gets no coverage, but the coverage that sometimes non-white women get, or specifically Black women get, is not even close. It’s two-to-one.

I mean, Aliyah Boston was the best player in college just a couple of years ago. And she did not get even a tenth of this media coverage that Caitlin Clark did. Now, some people would say, “Oh, it’s her game.” But I don’t think it was that. She’s tremendous on television, and I’m thinking, What a missed opportunity for the national media to really elevate who she was as a person. Caitlin Clark seems to be a great personality, but it is not like Caitlin Clark is walking around saying crazy stuff. They’re just covering her excellence, and that’s good enough. Whereas it feels like for Black athletes to get the same amount of coverage or even fair coverage, there has to be something extra [beyond basketball].

Caitlin has handled her outsized fame as well as you could expect from a 20-, 21-, 22-year-old. As her time wraps up as a deified representation of Iowa and college basketball, what would you love to see her do with her WNBA platform?

I would love to see the style that she plays really translate to the next level. And I think it will, by the way. There’s going to be a natural learning curve when she makes the leap to the WNBA. I think the people who don’t watch women’s basketball regularly don’t understand that there are not a lot of roster spots in the WNBA. The person at the end of the bench could legitimately have been averaging 31 in college. Sabrina [Ionescu] struggled, and she was great. Everybody goes through it. A lot of people don’t understand that talent is insane in the WNBA. But I’m hoping that because there is such a fascination with her, because she has created such a staunch fan base, that fan base not just follows her but starts to fall in love with the entirety of the league. And I think that will happen.

To me, Caitlin Clark was always Steph Curry. It was always him. And even if you consider LeBron to be the greatest player of this generation, which would be accurate, the biggest effect on basketball at every level was Steph Curry. I feel like Caitlin Clark’s going to continue that because even the reason she plays, the way she plays, is because of Steph Curry. I can only imagine the number of little girls and young female athletes who are trying to copy everything she’s doing, and I think that’s a great thing for the sport.

It’s not specific to women’s sports for one player to get outsized exposure like Caitlin. We see certain players in any league become media darlings and other great players be semi-anonymous. But if any player could be given the same level of exposure, who do you think has the potential in post-Caitlin Clark college hoops to attract this level of national intrigue?

MiLaysia Fulwiley. Well, if you give me two answers, I’m going to say JuJu and MiLaysia. I actually lean toward Fulwiley more because of style. Style matters when it comes to basketball, and MiLaysia Fulwiley can do things with the basketball I currently have not seen a lot of women able to do. The behind-the-back passes, the no-looks. Her game is rounding out, and she’s just a freshman. It is scary to think about where she’s going to be two years from now.

One of the big components as to why Clark was able to draw so many fans is because she plays the game with flair and confidence. While the confidence part isn’t necessarily unique to the women’s game, I think the flair, the artistry of it, is different. And I see the same thing with Fulwiley. She’s a highlight clip every day. She’s going to do something that’s going to make ESPN’s top-10 plays. I saw it myself in Paris when I went to [South Carolina and Notre Dame’s game], and she did that behind-the-back move, and I was like, “I’ve never seen that.” She’s also got the benefit of the monstrous national platform that South Carolina has built.

I’m hoping something like what happened with South Carolina is also in Iowa’s future because this has got to be more than just about supporting one generational athlete. It’s got to be about supporting the program. Fans have proven that they will support. And so, I hope that after Caitlin Clark is gone, Iowa is able to create an atmosphere where they’re consistently in the conversation for having the best players and the best team in the country.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

There is a real joy to be had in slow sipping a beautifully aged tequila. A great añejo has a depth of flavor and character that is downright dessert-esque. The best ones are mellow, warm, soothing, and/or rich, with flavors of cinnamon, roasted agave, and honey that linger on the palate. It’s a flavor and experience meant to be savored. But goddamn can it be pricey.

Seriously, some of the best añejos are well over $150, and for a lot of people, that’s a hurdle they just can’t clear for a bottle of alcohol. We get that, but enjoying tequila añejo doesn’t have to be an experience for the very rich — there are plenty of great bottles out there that are affordable and delicious.

Now, let’s be clear here when I say “affordable.” I don’t mean you’re going to walk out of your favorite liquor store with a $30 bottle of brag-worthy añejo tequila. Not possible. What I mean is relatively affordable. When you’re dealing with aged tequila, you’re paying for time in the barrel. And time, as we all know all too well, is expensive.

Our goal here is to point you in the direction of great bottles of tequila añejo under $90. Some of our choices will be well under that price point. We’ve ordered them low to high so you can find what works in your budget. What we can guarantee though are eight bottles of truly great tequila.

Let’s drink.

• We Put The 10 Best Selling Tequilas On The Market To A Blind Test
• Tequilas Under $100 That Are Perfect For Sipping Straight
• The Absolute Best Bottles Of Tequila For Taking Shots, Ranked
• Additive Vs. Additive-Free Reposado Tequilas, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• The Best Tequilas For Whiskey Drinkers, Power Ranked By A Whiskey Pro

Tres Agaves — Organic Añejo

ABV: 40%
Price: $37.99

The Tequila:

Tres Agaves offers great value for the money. What you’re getting here is an organic, additive-free añejo that punches way above its weight, and has some of those deep dessert-like flavors characteristic of aged tequila.

This bottle is produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, using agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave and roller mill extracted before being rested for 18 months in repurposed Kentucky Bourbon and Tennesse whiskey barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Roasted agave and sweet delicate floral honey offset by some spicy cinnamon sticks.

Palate: A gentle black pepper flavor balanced with juicy tangerines. There is a nice sense of balance here.

Finish: More citrus on the finish, but the zest rather than the juice with a strong wet oak flavor.

The Bottom Line:

You get the sense of depth characteristic of añejo without digging yourself into a financial hole.

Chamucos — Añejo

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $52.99

The Tequila:

Chamucos is a very reliable brand when it comes to aged expressions, as the brand’s flagship bottle was its reposado. The añejo takes the mellow character of the repo and deepens the flavors.

Chamucos is an additive-free tequila that undergoes a more traditional process, which is a steal at this price point. Produced at NOM 1586, Destileria Casa De Piedra, the agave here is cooked slowly in stone brick ovens before being roller mill extracted. To reach the añejo state, Chamucos is aged for one to three years in French Oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Surprisingly fruit-forward with notes of caramel and chocolate. This comes across as very dessert-like and inviting. Truly a joy to inhale.

Palate: Gentle spice and tropical fruits. I’m getting mango and pineapple kissed with cinnamon, some slight vanilla, and roasted agave.

Finish: Oak with earthy cracked peppercorns. Really nice and pleasing.

The Bottom Line:

A great additive-free aged tequila. Not quite as complex as more expensive bottles, but for its price, it’s a straight-up steal.

Tequila Ocho — Añejo

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $65.99

The Tequila:

Full-bodied and rich, at a price point that won’t make you sweat!

This additive-free tequila is produced at NOM 1474, Cía. Tequila Los Alambiques, using agave harvested from a single estate in Jalisco, cooked in stone brick ovens, roller mill extracted, and open-air fermented in wood tanks. The tequila is aged in American White oak ex-whiskey barrels for a full year.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Warm roasted agave and wet tobacco leaves dominate with a hint of orange rind.

Palate: Deep vanilla and chocolate kissed with cracked black pepper, a touch of cinnamon, caramel and stone fruit.

Finish: Prominent oak with some rich coffee bitterness and a supple butter finish.

The Bottom Line:

An intensely flavorful and rich añejo with a glittering light amber hue that is as appetizing as it looks.

El Tesoro — Añejo

ABV:
Average Price: $60.99

The Tequila:

El Tesoro is a true God-send in the tequila world. What you have here are high quality traditionally made additive-free expressions under $100. That alone makes this brand a staple on any list.

This multi-award winning añejo, is produced at La Alteña Distillery from agave cooked in stone brick ovens, tahona extracted, and fermented in open-air wood fermentation tanks before being two times copper pot distilled.

The tequila is aged in American oak ex-bourbon barrels for up to three years, resulting in a golden hue and more prominent oak notes.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A surprisingly delicate jasmine aroma with some floral vanilla and charred oak.

Palate: Pepper but floral with some maple syrup sweetness and earthy toasted caramel.

Finish: Despite all the deep and rich flavors, this añejo is surprisingly grassy at the finish underneath the stronger roasted agave and wet oak notes.

The Bottom Line:

A great añejo tequila for lovers of whiskey, there are prominent barrel flavors (honey, caramel, vanilla) in this bottle that serve as a great transition point between the two spirits.

Tapatio Añejo

ABV: 38%
Average Price: $59

The Tequila:

Tapatio is another one of those brands that make consistently great expressions for a shockingly affordable price. The brand’s añejo is produced at NOM 1139, Tequila Tapatio, from agave that is slow roasted in brick ovens, roller mill extracted, proofed down with well water, fermented in open-air wooden tanks, twice distilled in copper pots, and aged from 18 months in ex-whiskey American oak barrels.

This tequila is 100% additive free and with this production method and price point, scoring a bottle truly feels like a steal.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Roasted agave with a hint of dark cocoa and vanilla.

Palate: Zesty citrus mixed with black pepper, caramel, floral honey and black cherry.

Finish: Smooth yet spicy on the backend. The oak notes really shine on the aftertaste.

The Bottom Line:

Spicy, floral, and rich, with a finish that burns on the palate in the best way.

Siete Leguas — Añejo

ABV: 38%
Average Price: $62.99

The Tequila:

This year I’ve already shouted out Siete Leguas blanco and reposado expressions, and now it’s finally time to talk about my favorite expression of the brand — Siete Leguas añejo.

This additive-free aged tequila is produced at NOM 1120, Tequila Siete Leguas, where it is not only the namesake of the distillery, but the only brand in production there. The agave is cooked in stone ovens, Tahona extracted, proofed down with natural spring water, and open-air fermented in stainless steel tanks before being twice distilled in a copper pot.

The tequila is then aged in American white oak barrels for 24 months.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A really delicate, gently spicey nose. I’m getting a gentle waft of cinnamon, caramel, and oak, all hovering over a roasted agave base.

Palate: Surprisingly fruity, I’m tasting some rich plum notes, some juicy ripened citrus, a bit of coffee bitterness and a bright white peach vibe.

Finish: The barrel comes out on the finish, I’m tasting oak, more of that cinnamon from the nose, and the slightest hint of grassiness.

The Bottom Line:

A fruity and gently spicy añejo made low and slow with a rich depth of flavors.

Fortaleza — Añejo

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $87.99

The Tequila:

A holy grail of tequila snobs, you can’t miss with Fortaleza’s Añejo. Yes, it’s one of the pricier bottles, but you get a lot of nuance and depth here that could easily garner a more expensive price point.

Produced at NOM 1493, Tequila Los Abuelos, this tequila is crafted the old fashioned way using agave harvested at peak maturity that is cooked in stone brick ovens, tahona extracted, and fermented in open-air wood fermentation tanks.

The tequila is rested in American white oak ex bourbon barrels for 2 years which brings an astounding amount of complexity to this delicious añejo.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A quick whiff will present some butterscotch and orange but the primary note is a medley of agave, charred oak and vanilla.

Palate: Oak and agave begin your journey before juicy apricot notes dusted with cinnamon take over. There is also some prominent baked citrus and black pepper flavors that poke out.

Finish: Warm charred oak with some browned butter and a kiss of smoke.

The Bottom Line:

One of the best añejos you’ll ever drink at any price point!

Don Fulano Añejo

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $89.99

The Tequila:

Alright, we’re right at the edge of our maximum price point, so if you want to argue that this bottle isn’t affordable, we get it. But for under $100, this is still a great additive-free añejo tequila that could easily be priced higher and no one would bat an eye.

Made from a mix of tequilas aged in French limousine and Nevers ex wine oak casks for 30 months, this añejo is produced at NOM 1146, Tequileña, and utilizes screw press extraction and natural spring volcanic rock water, Maduro and Pinto agave sourced from the Atontonilco highlands, and open tank fermentation.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Spicy cinnamon and baked fruit. A hint of orange zest hovers above the sweeter characteristics.

Palate: Dry but sweet, prominent vanilla and rich chocolate flavor mingle with floral honey and woody notes.

Finish: Sweet and pleasing but with a sort of leathery ruggedness that gives you that characteristic bite tequila is loved for. Hints of mint linger nicely on the aftertaste.

The Bottom Line:

It is sip-worthy and savory but not so mellow that it lacks bite. You’re not getting too much barrel interference here, so if you like agave-forward tequilas, this still provides that brightness and bite.

Beyoncé’s legacy grew in a big way today (March 29) with the release of her latest album, Cowboy Carter. While Beyoncé is herself a monolithic figure in music history, she doesn’t hide from the fact that she stands on the shoulders of giants. Indeed, she pays tribute to music history in a number of ways on the new project, including with the songs she and her collaborators chose to incorporate via sampling.

What Songs Are Sampled On Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Album?

Acccording to WhoSampled, “Ya Ya” samples “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” by Nancy Sinatra and “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys. “Smoke Hour Willie Nelson,” meanwhile, samples”Maybellene” by Chuck Berry, “Grinning In Your Face” by Son House, and “Don’t Let Go” by Roy Hamilton. The site also notes that “Daughter” samples “Caro Mio Ben” by Tommaso Giordani, “Sweet Honey Buckin’” samples “I Fall To Pieces” by Patsy Cline, and “Spaghettii” samples “Aquecimento Das Danadas” by O Mandrake Feat. Xaropinho DJ.

Also related are the album’s two covers: “Blackbiird” is a cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” while “Jolene” is a new take on the Dolly Parton classic of the same name.

Cowboy Carter is out now via Parkwood/Columbia Records. Find more information here.