I love soda but if I keep drinking multiple cans every day — and I don’t want to be dramatic here — I’ll f*cking die. Too hyperbolic? Maybe. But really, no one should be downing multiple Coca-Cola’s a day. Sorry.

The easiest way to break that habit is by supplementing your favorite full-sugar soda with its zero-sugar, zero-calorie counterpart. At least, that’s what I’m trying to do. But while navigating the no-calorie soda world I’ve been struck with a choice: Do I go for diet or zero sugar?

As a full-sugar soda drinker, I’ve always written off these options as differences in marketing. But since I’ve started looking for a substitute for Coca-Cola, I’ve realized that diet and zero-sugar sodas can taste incredibly different. Also, if these brands are willing to have different formulations of a zero-calorie sugar-free product, we’re willing to bet there are significant audiences for both.

So which resembles the real thing? We decided to put each brand’s diet and zero sugar options head to head in a blind taste test to determine which is the best from each brand.

Methodology

This test is a bit different than our usual blind taste test. Rather than a big ranking, we decided to put each brand’s diet and zero-sugar formulation against one another in a two-taste head-to-head. So think of this as four mini rankings. Here are the sodas we tasted.

• Coca-Cola Zero Sugar vs. Diet Coke
• Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar vs Diet Dr. Pepper
• Pepsi Zero Sugar vs Diet Pepsi
• Mountain Dew Zero Sugar vs Diet Mountain Dew

There are a few brands out there that didn’t have both a diet and zero sugar formulation, so we eliminated those brands. We’ll do a big diet and zero-sugar soda ranking soon, for now, we’re hitting the most popular brands.

For this taste test, I had my girlfriend pour me each brand’s diet and zero-sugar soda at random in unmarked glasses. I tasted two at a time, wrote down initial impressions in my notes, took another taste of both to solidify my thoughts and declared a winner. Just to be clear, I never knew what brand I was tasting, save for Mountain Dew, but I listed which brand I was tasting below just to make this list a bit easier to navigate.

Let’s drink.

The Zero Sugar Diet Blind Taste Test

Round 1: Dr. Pepper

Taste 1:

A nice initial sizzle with a strong sweetness that hits the palate immediately. The flavor is a bit earthy with a slight fruitiness to it that is really nice. But the aftertaste stains the tongue in this really off-putting way. I’m not loving the finish on this one.

Taste 2:

That sizzle from Taste 1 is about the same here, but there is a stronger burn on the tastebuds. This one has a little bit of bite to it that I’m liking. There is less of a fruit characteristic here than taste 1, but I’m getting a darker profile with a mix of sweet and bitter tones.

And The Winner Is…Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar (Taste 2)

Two things set this one apart from the Diet formulation for me. The bite and the aftertaste. This may just be me but I like a soda that has a kick to it, this has that along with some sweetness and an aftertaste that doesn’t stick to the tongue like no-calorie sodas tend to have.

The Bottom Line:

Overall, both have echoes of full-sugar Dr. Pepper in different ways, but I think Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar captures that magic better.

Round 2: Pepsi

Taste 1:

I’m getting some chocolate character here, but I’m disappointed in the lack of fizz. There is no bite here, it has an intense and strong sweetness at the onset that never lets up. No subtlety — kind of one-note and boring.

Taste 2:

Way more interesting than Taste 1, this comes across like an entirely different brand. I’m tasting a mix of cinnamon, sweetness, and a light bitterness here. There is more to latch onto and I found myself really enjoying my second taste. I ended up finishing the glass, I can’t say the same for Taste 1.

And The Winner Is… Diet Pepsi (Taste 2)

I’m not a Pepsi fan in general, I find that the brand tends to be too sweet and not fizzy enough. While I can’t say this one was particularly fizzy, I did enjoy the bouquet of shifting flavors a lot. I might even go as far as saying I prefer this to the full-sugar Pepsi.

The Bottom Line:

Pepsi Zero-Sugar and Diet Pepsi couldn’t taste more different. Ultimately, Diet Pepsi had a more interesting blend of flavors that made drinking it a significantly better experience. Pepsi Zero-Sugar is downright undrinkable with how sweet it is.

Round 3: Mountain Dew

Taste 1:

Wow, is Mountain Dew f*cking weird. There is a sickly candy-like sweetness here. It’s so sweet that it straight up tastes like sugar, if you told me it was regular Mountain Dew, I’d believe you. On the backend is this interesting bitter rind flavor with a bit of a burn.

I’m struggling with this one.

Taste 2:

And I thought Taste 1 was bad! This is horrid. It’s a bit more citrusy than Taste 1 with a gentler finish that stays sweet.

And The Winner Is… Mountain Dew Zero-Sugar (Taste 1)

Make no mistake, I’m making this decision simply because I have to. I can’t say that I enjoyed either of these very much, but forced to choose, I’m going with Mountain Dew Zero-Sugar. That comes down, once again, to the burn. I just find this one more palatable, the Diet version was sweet to the point of being distracting.

The Bottom Line:

Mountain Dew has its audience, and I’m not it. If you like the intense sweetness of full-sugar Mountain Dew you might prefer the Diet version, but if you’re looking for something with a burn and a twist of bitterness, the Zero Sugar is the way to go.

Round 4: Coca-Cola (Taste 2)

Taste 1:

There is a mellowness to this one that is interesting. I don’t know how else to describe it other than to say it tastes soft. A quick hit of sweetness greets you and leaves the palate completely once you swallow. It’s elegant and gets the job done. It doesn’t taste like any soda I’m familiar with though, so if you’re a fan of whatever brand this one belongs to, I’m not sure if it works as a true substitute.

Taste 2:

This couldn’t be more different than Taste 1, so much so that I asked my girlfriend if there was some sort of mixup and I was tasting two different brands. I’m getting a mix of dark, rich, and chocolate-forward flavors with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla on the backend. It’s very interesting and kind of tastes like one of those high-end bougie cola brands they sell at BevMo.

And The Winner Is…Coca-Cola Zero Sugar

My all-time favorite soda is Coca-Cola so I was surprised to learn what I was tasting was from the brand. I have to give the winning slot here to Coca-Cola Zero. While I appreciate the clean flavor of Diet Coke, the Coca-Cola Zero just tastes more interesting thanks to its mix of cinnamon, chocolate, and vanilla tones.

The Diet Coke had none of that, though I stand by what I said when I called it “elegant.” At the end of the day Coca-Cola Zero Sugar offers a more interesting flavor. One I can see myself going back to.

The Bottom Line:

I won’t lie to you, if you like Coca-Cola, neither Diet Coke or Coca-Cola Zero Sugar taste anything like the real thing. They lack the bite, the harsh burn, and the deep flavor of Coca-Cola Classic. Having said that both are very interesting, with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar edging a bit closer to the real thing.

Parenting is the most important job that most people will ever have in life. Your decisions as a parent will be some of the most important determining factors in whether your child becomes a happy and productive adult or not. It’s a huge responsibility.

Parenting is a difficult and important undertaking, but many parents simply repeat the same strategies used by their parents. How often do we hear people rationalize their decisions by saying, “That’s what my parents did and I came out OK.”

---

This approach to raising children negates the fact that with every generation there are countless studies done on child development, many of which run counter to popular parenting wisdom from the past.

Dr. Kristyn Sommer, who has a PhD in child development, has received a lot of attention on social media because of her dedication to teaching “evidence-based parenting.” This expertise has made her an advocate for strategies that run counter to conventional parenting wisdom and have stirred up a bit of controversy.

Here are five TikTok videos where Sommer shares some of her evidence-based parenting strategies.

@drkristynsommer Play > rote learning for toddlers 🙌 #playbasedlearning #learningthroughplay #playmatters #earlylearning #earlychildhoodeducation #preschool #toddler ♬ original sound – DrKristynSommer

Three Things I Do Differently as a Mum with a PhD in Child Development

In Dr. Sommer’s first video where she references her degree she admits she refuses to sleep train, co-sleeps with her daughter, and never calls her “naughty” or “bad.” She delves deeper into her thoughts on discipline in the next video.

How To Discipline Your Child So They Actually Learn

Dr. Sommer uses positive reinforcement to discipline her child and as she said in the previous video, avoids the use of terms such as “naughty” or “bad.” If her daughter is doing something wrong she asks her to contemplate whether she’s making a good or a bad decision.

How to Handle Tantrums

Most people tend to think of a tantrum as naughty behavior. However, they are actually a combination of a bunch of little stresses that the child has experienced throughout the day that eventually overwhelm them. Once they hit the tipping point, all of their big feelings bubble up to the surface, resulting in a healthy expression of emotion.

Should You Spank Your Child?

Dr. Sommer is passionately against “spanking, corporal punishment, physical punishment, what ever you want to call it.” She says it needs to stop because it has little effect on behavior and can lead to antisocial tendencies in the future.

She Doesn’t Teach ABCs and 1,2,3s

Dr. Sommer isn’t worried about teaching her child her toddler alphabet or how to count. She says that it “doesn’t really help them with anything” but they should spend that time playing because that’s where they learn best.

@drkristynsommer

Play > rote learning for toddlers 🙌 #playbasedlearning #learningthroughplay #playmatters #earlylearning #earlychildhoodeducation #preschool #toddler

This article originally appeared on 08.03.21

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Doja Cat, GloRilla, J. Cole and more.

Just when you thought it was going to be a chill week in hip-hop, here comes J. Cole with a surprise album release to upset the apple cart as he responds to Kendrick Lamar’s very loud call-out a few weeks before. This happened, of course, in the same week that brought us:

Latto putting the “L” back in “TLC” as she joined her fellow ATLiens onstage to perform their hit “Waterfalls“:

The official announcement of the return of NxWorries with “86Sentra“:

Lil Yachty remixing a 30-year-old McDonald’s jingle out of nowhere:

The long-awaited return of G-Eazy alongside Coi Leray and Kaliii (a true ally):

And GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion teaming up to affirm that the “girl rapper wave” still ain’t “dead”:

Whew, what a week.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending April 5, 2024.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Doja Cat — Scarlet 2 Claude

Doja Cat adds seven new tracks to her table-shaking fourth album Scarlet. Again, she goes out of her way to avoid categorization, despite features from ASAP Rocky and Teezo Touchdown (who are also nominally known as rappers but have run the gamut of psychedelic sounds over the course of their respective careers). No, she doesn’t diss Cardi B on the new tracks but she does continue to take fans and industry frauds to task for their meddling in artists’ lives.

GloRilla — EhhThang EhhThang

Yeah, Glo! The Memphis rapper rediscovers her groove after a successful media run that once again endeared her to the fickle hip-hop audience. More homespun wisdom and elbow swinging trap realness bounds on her latest, which features appearances from Megan Thee Stallion, Moneybagg Yo, and more.

J. Cole — Might Delete Later

Hey, man, weren’t you just working on that album you’ve been teasing for the past six years? While the world has been waiting for The Fall Off, Cole’s been building a separate body of work, which he unleashed on the unsuspecting public with no prior warning. Accomplices in this act of audio terrorism include Dreamville mainstays like Ari Lennox and Bas, peers like Ab-Soul and Daylyt, and even inspirations Cam’ron and Gucci Mane.

LaRussell — Live From The 206

It’s been hard to keep track of the Bay Area distruptor’s output, mainly because there’s been so much of it. LaRussell doesn’t sit on anything; he just drops as he goes and lets the world catch on (case in point, this is his third in less than two months). LaRussell’s independent mindset may make it tougher to keep up, but it’s always worth checking out his latest work.

Reuben Vincent — General Admission

I wasn’t looking for the 9th Wonder protege on my release radar but there he was on my Tidal this morning. I ain’t complaining; those who say “hip-hop has been boring” between bouts of high-school gossip would do well to actually, y’know, check for new hip-hop. Lots of good stuff out there… like this.

Singles/Videos

Concrete Boys — “Where Yo Daddy” Feat. Karrahboo

After officially launching his label, Lil Yachty has done a terrific job of supporting his new rap crew. Karrahboo is the obvious standout, as demonstrated by “Where Yo Daddy,” and it’ll be fascinating to see the Concrete Boys’ trajectory as they move out of the shadow of his old group Sailing Team to establish themselves in their own right.

Courtney Bell — “Word II Conway” Feat. Conway The Machine

Detroit wordsmith Courtney Bell has been on a bit of a hot streak this year. Following up January’s “Westside” with fellow Motor City motormouth Royce Da 5’9, “Word II Conway” sees him match wits with the Buffalo bully. Bell is exactly the sort of rapper who flies under the radar for a while but produces so consistently that one day you look up and he’s got a tremendous body of work, a fervent fanbase, and respected reputation among his peers, elders, and successors, just like the guys he’s been working with lately.

Lil Wayne & Wheezy — “Bless” Feat. Young Thug

I wish I could have sampled the sound my girlfriend made when Wayne suddenly popped up onscreen during our weekly watching of WWE Raw (she’s a big fan) and turned it into a beat. It was mind and eardrum-blowing. This is probably the song he’ll be performing at Wrestlemania this weekend (we’ll be watching, of course). Free Young Thug already, darnit.

ZelooperZ — “WOA!” Feat. Zack Fox

Zack Fox is a maniac. That is all.

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

Have you ever come across something online that instantly made you smile? That’s what happens when people see Locklan Samples pop up on their Instagram feed. The cute dimple-faced toddler has a rare condition known as uncombable hair syndrome, which results in locks that stick straight up no matter how you try to manipulate them. It also causes the hair to be extremely fragile, so frequent combing can cause it to break off. The syndrome is so rare that Locklan is just one out of 100 people known to have it.

Locklan’s parents spoke with People magazine about how they discovered he was living with this ultra rare condition. Katelyn Samples, Locklan’s mom, explained that when he was born he had a head full of jet black hair, but eventually it fell out and was replaced with peach fuzz. A newborn baby’s hair is often completely different than the hair they end up with by the time they’re toddlers. It’s not uncommon for their hair to fall out in one spot or another, but it’s also not unheard of for their whole head to end up bald while their second sprigs of hair grow in.

---

Hair can grow back coarser, curlier or a completely different color. In Locklan’s case, his hair went from being jet black to platinum blonde peach fuzz, which eventually grew into hair that stood on end. Locklan’s parents said the color of his hair matched his brother’s hair, so it wasn’t a surprise, but the texture threw them for a loop.

When Katelyn posted pictures of Locklan on Instagram, a stranger messaged her asking if he had “uncombable hair syndrome.” This started Katelyn on a journey to find answers to what was going on with her infant’s hair, and if the condition was something she needed to be concerned about health-wise. Katelyn told People, it sent her into a “tailspin on Google.” Eventually, after climbing out of the Google rabbit hole, Katelyn called her son’s pediatrician to get answers. This turned out to be the first step toward an accurate diagnosis.

See on Instagram

See on Instagram

Locklan’s pediatrician had not heard of the condition and referred them to Atlanta’s Emory Hospital to see a specialist. It was there they got the diagnosis. Katelyn explained to People, “We went to see her and she said she’d only seen this once in 19 years.” The doctor “didn’t think it was uncombable hair syndrome because of how rare it is, but they took samples and a pathologist looked at it under a special microscope,” and confirmed the diagnosis, she said.

He joins the very small club of people with the syndrome. Thankfully, this condition only affects the toddler’s hair and he is developing normally in all other aspects of his childhood. Katelyn revealed she hardly ever has to wash his hair unless it gets visibly dirty as it doesn’t collect oils at the scalp. Everywhere they go people are fascinated by Lock’s locks and ask to touch his soft tresses.

See on Instagram

The family documents their journey on their Instagram account, and have found a support group via Facebook, where Katelyn says “it’s cool to see how other kids’ hair has changed over the years—for some people it does not go away, and for others it becomes a little more manageable.” For now, Locklan enjoys the attention he gets from strangers, and he continues to bring a smile to people’s faces wherever he goes.

This story originally appeared on 03.02.22

One of music’s biggest artists just pulled a Beyoncé, quietly dropping a new album without warning in the middle of the night. No, it wasn’t J. Cole, whose mixtape Might Delete Later has been dominating social media discussion today as a result of his “7 Minute Drill” call-out of Kendrick Lamar. While y’all were arguing about whose entry in the Burn Book was more vicious (smh), Pharrell Williams released Virginia: Black Yacht Rock, Vol. 1 —City Of Limitless Access for his 51st birthday. It sounds exactly as its title suggests.

Of course, it’s fair if you didn’t realize such a thing happened. I myself didn’t catch on until Pharrell superfan Tyler The Creator posted about it on Twitter, at which point, I scrambled through the DSPs (yes, all of them, music writers can write off all those memberships on our taxes — this is me reminding myself to actuall do my taxes) only to find out that its only available on its own website. Hit up blackyachtrock.com to hear it. Feel free to throw on a linen suit first, make yourself a tropical drink. You can also download it and take it on a yacht with you laters. Whatever… ahem… floats your boat.

Pharrell’s new album arrives, strangely enough, after news of friction between him and his former production partner, Chad Hugo, over the name of their production group, The Neptunes. You can read about it here.

Virginia: Black Yacht Rock, Vol. 1 — City Of Limitless Access is out now via blackyachtrock.com.

The following news is big for me, personally, as a Clippers fan since the raggedy Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena days of the 1990s. The “other” LA basketball team is finally getting their own venue for the first time in 25 years after sharing Staples Center — fine, “Crypto.com Arena” — with the Lakers. The Intuit Dome’s grand opening has been set for August 15 and 16, with opening shows by none other than Bruno Mars. The Las Vegas fixture — who is NOT $50 million in debt to MGM — is returning to the City of Angels for the first time in six years.

The Inuit Dome project broke ground in September 2021 after being approved by the City of Inglewood for a new arena just for the Clippers. It’ll actually be the first time the Clippers had full ownership of one of its arenas. It’s also the planned site of the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and the 2028 Summer Olympics. As for why Bruno Mars was chosen to be the arena’s first-ever performer, he explained in a video announcement. “I moved to Inglewood, California when I was 18 years old,” he recalls. “Opening up this arena is a full-circle moment and I can’t wait to celebrate.” Watch that below.

Bruno Mars is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight just took a major step towards becoming the next Game of Thrones prequel. The series will reportedly adapt the “Tales of Dunk and Egg” stories by Thrones author George R.R. Martin, and we now know who is playing said Dunk and said Egg.

According to Variety, Peter Claffey has been cast as Dunk and Dexter Sol Ansell has been cast as Egg. Claffey is a former rugby player whose recent credits include the Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters and the BBC Three horror comedy series Wrecked. Ansell, who started his acting career at four years old, was last seen in The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

Over the years, Martin has written three stories starring the knight and squire: The Hedge Knight all the way back in 1998, The Sworn Sword in 2003, and The Mystery Knight in 2010. All three were collected in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which was published in 2015 during the height of the original Game of Thrones series run on HBO.

Here’s the official synopsis for the prequel series, which will be the second to make it air following House of the Dragon:

A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight does not have a release date, but with filming set to take place in 2024, the series could potentially debut on HBO some time in 2025.

(Via Variety)

If you, to quote Space Werner Herzog, would like to see the baby, you’ll have to wait until 2026. Disney announced the release dates for multiple films on Friday, including The Mandalorian & Grogu, Toy Story 5, Tron: Ares, and the live-action remake of Moana.

The Mandalorian & Grogu, which acts as a “fourth season” of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, is scheduled for May 22, 2026. It will be the first theatrically-released Star Wars movie since The Rise of Skywalker. Hopefully this one is slightly better. “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created,” director Jon Favreau said when the project was announced. “The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.”

Additionally, Disney will release Pixar’s Toy Story 5 on June 19, 2026, while the live-action Moana was pushed back a year to July 10, 2026. That gives it more space from Moana 2, which comes out this November. Parents, prepare to hear the soundtrack 47,000 times now.

The other two films that were added to Disney’s calendar are The Amateur (April 11, 2025), a thriller with Rami Malek and Rachel Brosnahan, and the Jared Leto-starring Tron: Ares (October 10, 2025), which the Hollywood Reporter notes “is said to take place mostly in the real world as an AI escapes its digital confines.” It’s a bold strategy away from the thing everyone remembers about Tron and Tron: Legacy — the digital setting — but sure, why not. Maybe they’re saving money to pay for a Daft Punk reunion.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)

The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers are teaming up for a new podcast called… well, The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast. While it’s not the most original title, the endeavor sounds pretty interesting.

According to the recently launched Instagram account for the audio collab, the podcast will take a deep dive into each of The Lonely Island‘s digital shorts that instantly became viral hits after airing on SNL.

“We’re launching a podcast!!” reads the first official post for the podcast. “Episode by episode we’ll discuss how each short was created, what the response to it was at the time, and what impact, if any, it still has today. We’re so excited to relive our time at SNL and reminisce on the nearly 50-year-old show. Along the way we’ll talk all things SNL from guests, fellow cast members, and favorite live sketches including many that never aired!”

The first episode launches April 8 on the podcast network of your choice, and new episodes will drop every Monday.

You can also listen to the official announcement below that also teases the first short, “Lazy Sunday,” which instantly became a smash hit for not just SNL, but also YouTube.

The Lonely Island consists of Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer who dropped a litany of viral hits during their time on SNL that includes “D*ck In A Box,” “I’m On A Boat,” “Like A Boss,” and of course, “Jizz In My Pants.” They also made the masterpiece that is Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.

(Via Instagram)

It’s finally (almost) here: J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival is returning to Raleigh, North Carolina for its 2024 edition this weekend, on April 6 and 7. In case you missed it, there was a last-minute lineup change, with 50 Cent in and Chris Brown out. As for when 50 and the rest of the artists on the lineup are performing, take a look below.

Here Are The Dreamville Festival Set Times For 2024

Dreamville is a relatively small festival, with just two stages and two days, so running through the set times is fortunately simple.

Playing the Rise Stage on Saturday, April 6 are Luh Tyler at 1:20 (all times p.m.), Amaarae at 2:05, Earthgang at 3:30, Jeremih at 5, Schoolboy Q at 6:30, and 50 Cent at 8:15. Over on the Shine Stage, there’s Domani at 1, Lute at 1:40, Teezo Touchdown at 2:45, Sexyy Red at 4:15, Lil Yachty at 5:45, JID at 7:15, and SZA at 9:30.

For the second day (Sunday, April 7) at the Rise Stage, performing are TiaCorine at 1:20, Coss at 2:05, Key Glock at 3:15, Monica at 4:45, Jeezy at 6:15, and Nicki Minaj at 8. On the Shine Stage, there’s Chase Shakur at 1, Omen at 1:40, Hunxho at 2:35, Bas at 4, Rae Sremmurd at 5:30, Rema at 7, and J. Cole at 9:30.

If you’d prefer that info as a graphic, check it out below. There’s also a listing on the Dreamville website.

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