“How on earth can one person do it all?”

This is a question so many mothers ask themselves. Especially after giving birth, when life seems to expect them to take care of their newborn, get their body back, return to work and keep a clean house all at the same time.

It’s a question that had completely overwhelmed Monica Murphy, only one month into welcoming her third child, while still recovering from a C-section and taking care of her other children, who were also nursing, according to Today.com.

Luckily for Murphy, her mom had the perfect piece of advice to ease her troubled mind. And luckily for us, it was all caught on the family’s doorbell cam.

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In a now-viral Instagram post, Murphy wrote her formidable to-do list, which included:

Working

Staying present on social media

Maintaining a clean home

Tandem breastfeeding

Being present with my kids

Eating a nutritious diet

Making time for my husband

Keeping in touch with friends

Making time for myself

Planning activities for kids

Frick decorate for Christmas

Followed by that burning question: “How on earth can one person do it all?”

Of course, Murphy hadn’t expressed any of these stresses to her mom, who had been visiting. But still, her mom knew something heavily weighed on her daughter’s mind.

So, as she was walking out, Murphy’s mom left her with these words of wisdom:

“They aren’t gonna remember a clean house, they are gonna remember how much you loved them and hung out with them.”

See on Instagram

Murphy told Today.com that she “broke down” crying after her mom had left, and was instantly inspired to share the video for other moms who needed similar encouragement.

Indeed, the message struck an emotional chord with thousands of viewers.

“The way I would’ve just bawled if she said that to me,” one person commented.

Another added, “I needed to hear this today.”

Some shared how it was a sentiment they sadly would never hear from their own mothers, and how they are now re-parenting themselves.

“My mom would just nag I’m lazy and how am I supposed to leave my house a mess. So I’m just easing my anxiety with gentle words from other people’s mothers. As I’ve been doing my whole life. Clean house was above happy children,” one person wrote.

It can be so easy for moms to lose themselves in the never ending cycle of responsibilities and, frankly, unrealistic societal expectations. But hopefully this sweet message can help moms everywhere go a bit easier on themselves, and actually enjoy the time they have with their kids. That’s part of what family is all about, after all.

This article originally appeared on 11.15.23

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Channel Tres, Kendrick Lamar, Rapsody, and more.

Alright, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way right now. Kendrick Lamar is whoopin’ Drake’s feet, just as he promised in the first of his two (TWO!) diss records this week, “Euphoria.” And hey, say what you want to about the “Euphoria” matchup with “Push Ups,” but once K. Dot followed up with “6:16 AM In LA,” he pretty much put the stake through the Canadian’s heart — like, the old-school fence post-style stakes Bram Stoker really meant when he wrote Dracula, not those dinky tent spikes from Buffy. With any luck, this is the last I’ll have to write about this “beef” (it’s a yawner for me, dawg, sorry, not sorry) and both rappers go back into respective hiding so some of the acts I write about EVERY WEEK can finally get some air.

Black Thought also teamed up with Madlib for “REEKYOD,” a prime example of the lyrics y’all claim y’all want so bad.

By the way, there’s another rapper from Compton who released new music this week, and it’s truly innovative and interesting and charismatic and futuristic. Channel Tres deserves some love for “Berghain.”

And in terms of songs that hip-hop fans have been waiting for a long time: Here’s Kevin Abstract, finally teaming up with Lil Nas X for “Tennessee.”

Meanwhile, Rapsody offered the perfect antidote to all the aggressive, toxic masculine energy (let’s be real… A lot of misogyny in those diss records) with “3:AM” featuring Erykah Badu.

Look, I promise I’m not trying to be salty. But there’s SO MUCH good music to listen to in hip-hop without feeding purely negative energy (although I will admit it’s a little thin on the albums front).

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending May 3, 2024.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Slum Village — F.U.N.

The Detroit indie-rap pioneers have gone through several lineup changes over the years, but since 2020, have settled into a duo consisting of original member T3 and frequent producer Young RJ. On F.U.N., they once again expand and evolve their sonic palette, evoking the broad span of their 2005 self-titled album (when the lineup was T3 and Elzhi). Employing styles ranging from jazz to spacey funk to the gritty underground sound the group pioneered with their beloved debut, T3 and RJ round out the vocal facets of the album with guest spots from both frequent collaborators like Karriem Riggins and Phat Kat and interesting additions to the Slum Vil universe like Cordae and Larry June.

Singles/Videos

Courtney Bell — “Issues” Feat. Mishon & Katt Rockell

Detroiter Courtney Bell unabashedly demurs from producing the type of music his hometown’s best known for, proudly putting himself in the “conscious” category many rappers run screaming from. But if offering a counterpart to descriptions of self-destruction is considered corny, Courtney refuses to back down, deftly detailing his world view with witty wordplay and a polished, laid-back delivery.

Ghostface Killah — “Scar Tissue” Feat. Nas

Look, if I have to sell you on this one, I don’t know why you’re reading a weekly column about the best new hip-hop. “Scar Tissue” comes from Ghost’s new album Set The Tone, which drops next Friday, May 10, and features a who’s-who of the greatest to ever pick up a mic, including Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, Ja Rule, Jim Jones, and of course, Raekwon.

Maiya The Don — “Expensive” Feat. Flo Milli

I’ve been agitating for an Atlanta Bass revival on social media for the past several months. Here’s another brick in the wall. The “Telfy” rapper has some fun with it, bringing in another viral fave in Flo Milli — a perfect vocal foil — to celebrate her upscale taste over an upbeat track evoking summertime in the ’90s.

Mutant Academy — “Soda”

Did you know Fly Anakin has a larger crew (a la Beast Coast, Pro Era, etc.)? Mutant Academy isn’t a household name, but for fans of rap fraternities that burrow down in the studio and put the focus squarely on the music and their friendship, songs like “Soda” are just as refreshing as a glass of cold water. The song is the first from the group’s upcoming EP, Talk Soon, which drops on May 17.

Samara Cyn — “Moving Day”

This one wasn’t on my radar but popped up on my YouTube homepage while I was writing, and I found it charming. Storytelling in rap is slowly becoming something of a lost art, and the combination of the narrative lyrical approach, mellow beat, and Doja Cat reference piqued my interest and rewarded my curiosity. I’ve got my eye out for Samara Cyn.

$not — “Bully”

The Florida native has been laying low since releasing his last album, Ethereal, in 2022. “Bully” brings him back with a belligerent stance, returning to the antisocial themes of his early work as he rebuilds his buzz.

Over the years, many have questioned the meaning behind Jar Jar Binks, the divisive character from Star Wars, but real fans have always known that he was more than just a clumsy alien. He was the beginning of the future of movies.

Even though to most, Jar Jar represents an annoying comic relief side character, to Ahmed Best, the character paved the way for modern entertainment. Hear him out, this makes sense!!

Best told The New York Times that “Jar Jar represents the possibility that whatever you got in your head, creatively, we can invent a future where this thing exists,” he said. “Just because no one has done it before, doesn’t mean it can’t be done.” Jar Jar debuted in 1999, before using motion capture was very popular.

The actor, who faced years of bullying and harassment after his role in the films, says he is proud that he made an impact on modern cinema, even if the character was not a fan-favorite. “I’m in there,” Best said, adding that he paved the way for digital characters to interact with actual humans. “You can’t have Gollum without Jar Jar. You can’t have the Na’vi in Avatar without Jar Jar. You can’t have Thanos or the Hulk without Jar Jar. I was the signal for the rest of this art form, and I’m proud of Jar Jar for that, and I’m proud to be a part of that. I’m in there!”

This just proves that in 50 years, Jar Jar Binks will be in the history textbooks as the CGI pioneer. Nobody will even remember Kylo Ren.

(Via The New York Times)

The US leg of Foo Fighters’ upcoming Everything Or Nothing At All Tour doesn’t start until July, but for the next week or so, they’ll be on a mini-tour of sorts, playing festivals like Shaky Knees and Welcome To Rockville. That means fans have gotten an early look at what setlist they’ll be playing and about how long their upcoming shows will be.

Per data from setlist.fm, the band is expected to play a 24-song set peppered with songs from across their catalog (as well as a few covers). At Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas, Texas, that took about two hours and 45 minutes. To see what songs they’ll be playing and when they’ll be coming to a venue near you.

Setlist:

1. “Bridge Burning”
2. “No Son Of Mine”
3. “Rescued”
4. “The Pretender”
5. “Times Like These”
6. “La Dee Da”
7. “Breakout”
8. “Medicine At Midnight”
9. “Walk”
10. guitar solo / “Sabotage” / keyboard solo / “Blitzkrieg Bop” / “The Outsider” / “Whip It” / “March Of The Pigs”
11. “My Hero”
12. “The Sky Is A Neighborhood”
13. “Learn To Fly”
14. “Arlandria”
15. “These Days”
16. “Shame Shame”
17. “All My Life”
18. “Nothing At All” (with “Blackbird” and “I’ll Stick Around” Snippets)
19. “The Glass”
20. “Monkey Wrench”
21. “Aurora
22. “Best Of You”
23. “The Teacher” (encore)
24. “Everlong ” (encore)

Tour Dates:

06/13/2024 — Manchester, England @ Emirates Old Trafford
06/15/2024 — Manchester, England @ Emirates Old Trafford
06/17/2024 — Glasgow, Scotland @ Hampden Park
06/20/2024 — London, England @ London Stadium
06/22/2024 — London, England @ London Stadium
06/25/2024 — Cardiff, Wales @ Principality Stadium
06/27/2024 — Birmingham, England @ Villa Park
07/17/2024 — Queens, NY @ Citi Field
07/19/2024 — Queens, NY @ Citi Field
07/21/2024 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
07/23/2024 — Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
07/25/2024 — Cincinnati, OH @ Great American Ballpark
07/28/2024 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Field
08/03/2024 — Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High
08/07/2024 — San Diego, CA @ Petco Park
08/09/2024 — Los Angeles, CA @ BMO Stadium
08/11/2024 — Los Angeles, CA @ BMO Stadium
08/16/2024 — Portland, OR @ Providence Park Soccer Stadium
08/18/2024 — Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park

Unlike the Beavis and Butt-Head sketch, Heidi Gardner’s Kansas City Chiefs fandom is no laughing matter. The SNL cast member has been rooting for the team since she was a kid, long before Taylor Swift visited Arrowhead Stadium for the first time. So it was a thrill for her when tight end Travis Kelce hosted the show in 2023.

“I was very protective [of Kelce],” Gardner said on Friday’s episode of Today. I asked him questions, which also as a sports fan I’m just interested in, but I was like, ‘On game day what do you eat?’ And he was like, ‘Uncrustables. I’m just pounding Uncrustables.’ And so the Saturday of the show, I went to the store, I got Uncrustables. I was like, I want this to feel as much like home as it can.” Kelce’s favorite foods: “American Empanadas” and “chipolte.”

Gardner also apologized, jokingly so, to Swift for being in bed with Kelce during a sketch. “It was cool because right before dress rehearsal, we were in a scene where — sorry, Taylor — we were in bed together,” she said, “and he leaned over into me right before lights up on the scene and…”

What do you think Kelce told Gardner? If you guessed, “I’ve been eating Uncrustables all day,” you are correct. The man has a type (round sandwiches and world famous pop stars).

You can watch the interview above.

Netflix’s Narcos (and Narcos: Mexico) inspired streaming services to answer with comparable shows including Amazon’s ZeroZeroZero, and now Amazon MGM Studios Distribution will be instrumental in rolling out an upcoming MGM+ project, Hotel Cocaine.

The series stars Danny Pino (Mayans M.C., Law & Order: SVU), who knows a little something about portraying a non-caricature version of a figure who is neck-deep in illegal dealings. Let’s discuss what we can expect behind the glitz and glamour in this look at the 1970s/1980s Miami’s cocaine scene.

Plot

Hotel Cocaine is an 8-episode crime thriller story that revolves around the notorious Mutiny Hotel in Miami, Florida. Pino will step into view as Roman Compte, the hotel’s general manager and a Cuban exile, and accompanying him will be Yul Vasquez (Severance, The Outsider) as Roman’s brother, Nestor Cabal, who supplied an unknown number of cocaine buttloads to the partiers of Miami. Will we see some sort of Griselda Blanco appearance? There’s been no word yet on that front, but expect plenty of intervening parties to make their presences known including a shady customs agent or few.

The Mutiny Hotel was the real-life destination for a revolving door of rock ‘n’ roll musicians, sports stars, and (yes) narcos of many ranks. Part of the Al Pacino version of Scarface depicted the hotel, although the grounds were replicated elsewhere in the making of that film.

In short, this place has a reputation, and MGM+ has provided a synopsis about the “Casablanca on cocaine,” too:

Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Danny Pino), Cuban exile and general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine; a glitzy nightclub, restaurant, and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars, and musicians. At the center of it all was Compte, who was doing his best to keep it all going and fulfill his own American Dream.

Cast

The cast includes Don Mike (as Mutiny Club maitre’d Omar), Pedro Giunti (as a Nestor henchman), and Lola Claire and Candy Santana as prominent Mutiny Girls. Other roles shall be filled by Matthew Del Negro, Victor Oliveira, Robert Beck, and Sam Robards.

Release Date

Hotel Cocaine debuts on June 16 over at MGM+ and runs through August 9.

Trailer

Let the good times and 1970s bad fashion roll.

There’s a wide variety of summer camps out there with activities ranging from classics like bonfires and water balloon fights to the uber niche, ala putting on musicals or prepping for space adventures.

Still, even with the plentiful themes in existence, people are calling one mom’s unique but oh-so-practical camp idea pure genius.

Kaitlyn Rowe, mom of four and content creator in Utah, gave her kiddos a list of super basic, but very important life skills to learn at home throughout summer, in what she calls “How To Be A Person” camp.

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The difficulty level of each task would be age dependent. Rowe’s 3-year-old son learned things like making the bed, safely using scissors and glue, introducing himself to a new friend and organizing his toys. Whereas Rowe’s eldest daughter, age 6, would learn slightly more complex things like scrambling an egg on the stove, blow-drying her hair and packing an overnight bag. There was also a list of skills the siblings would learn together, like putting away groceries, pool safety and talking on the phone.

See on Instagram

As Rowe shared in an interview with Good Morning America, she actually got the idea from fellow mom Emily Ley, who created this alternative camp during the peak days of COVID-19.

Overwhelmed with homeschooling, Ley thought if she could teach her kids “some age-appropriate independence,” it would take the load off of her as well. Rowe borrowed the idea and the “How To Be A Person” camp title as she compiled her own list of activities in lieu of sending her kids to an actual camp. So far, her kids have loved it. And with her post currently having over 54,000 views on Instagram, it seems other parents are in love with the idea as well.

It’s no secret that many of us reach adulthood having learned obscure academic subjects and somehow skimming over the things we would actually incorporate into everyday life. Nothing against algebra and trigonometry, but it sure would have been nice to have learned about doing taxes instead, you know what I’m saying?

Plus, it’s well documented that kids genuinely enjoy mimicking adults, so having them engage in grown-up duties is not only a rewarding activity in the moment, it potentially creates a positive relationship with household chores that they can hold onto throughout their life.

Another cool thing about the “How To Be A Person” camp idea is that it’s fully customizable. It can be a list that parents create, or it can be child-led. It can be 100% practical or silly. A healthy mix is probably the best of both worlds.

Per some suggestions in the comments, it seems that Rowe will be changing the name to “How To Do The Important Stuff” camp to be more inclusive towards those with special needs. Point being: this camp can be for every kid. And honestly, probably should be.

To see Rowe’s complete “How To Be A Person” camp list, go to Instagram.

This article originally appeared on 6.15.23

The names parents give their children make a profound impact on their lives—for better, or for worse. And the different strategies for picking the right name—including spending upwards of thousands of dollars for professional help—is a hot topic of discussion for well intentioned moms and dads.

It wasn’t too long ago that one mom went viral for encouraging parents to give their kids “adult names” that they wouldn’t outgrow. However, another mom who tried that tactic is having some second thoughts.

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In a video posted to her TikTok, Heather, known as @_heatherel_ opened up about her mixed feelings since naming her son Reed four months ago.

“Since the beginning, I’m not convinced I like his name … even though I like his name,” she says, laughing at herself.

Heather goes on to say that she intended to give her son an “adult name,” but is still “having a hard time connecting it to him because he’s a little squishy baby,” leaving her unsure as to whether or not she actually likes the name at all.

The experience left Heather wondering if any other moms who gave their kids, particularly their sons, more “traditional adult” names felt the same sort of ambivalence.

@_heatherel_ Just me?? #boymom #momtok #babynames #babyboynames #adultnames #regerts #momlife #workingmon #needadvice #babytok #babyboy ♬ original sound – Heather

While she did get a few who commiserated with her situation, Heather mostly received a whole lotta advice and encouragement.

“I have a Thomas, Henry, Levi and Woody. They all took some time for me to connect their name with them! But they all fit now!” one mom commented.

Undoubtedly the main tip was to incorporate a squishy baby-friendly nickname.

“My grandson is a Reed. I LOVE his name. When he was a baby I would call him Reeder, Reedster, Reedman…Just playing with him,” one person wrote.

“I named my son Reid and I love his name! He’s a young adult now, but when he was a squishy baby we just nicknamed him,” another added. “Sometimes we called him Reido, sometimes we called him Reidie.”

Another mom chimed in to reiterate that changing a name is perfectly okay.

“My son was supposed to be Daniel. It just did not fit him at all. We changed his name to Joseph. Fits him much better,” she commented.

Since Heather told People in an exclusive interview that the name Reed has “sentimental value,” there won’t be any plans of changing it. But now, with a little support, hopefully she can feel more confident in her decision.

Relationships are as old as time itself. And nearly all of them have awkward beginnings. For men, there is often the expectation of taking action. You can’t go too far without crossing ethical boundaries but if you’re not assertive enough, good luck waiting to be swept off your feet. And for women, well, let’s not even get started. As simple as love and attraction may appear on the surface, in practice they are anything but.

If it’s a man approaching a woman, oftentimes the woman is unsure how the interaction will end should she not be interested. There are all sorts of reasons for apprehension on the woman’s part that some men looking to court may not fully understand. But one woman has taken to social media to share her excitement over a “new way of hitting on women,” which may help ease concerns. The woman goes by the name Tee Rex on Instagram and eagerly tells viewers from her car about an experience she just had.

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“I just got hit on and I hate getting hit on but the way that this person hit on me was immaculate and I want to share because I feel like men are doing a tough, there’s a lot of hate going towards men who are literally just trying to find love,” the woman says.

She explains that he did “the normal thing” when men hit on women but immediately after asking for her phone number, the man says, “I am safe to reject.”

“Just taking the extra steps to make a woman feel safe and respected goes a long way (sadly) so I’m glad you had this experience vs the far too common unsafe experience,” one commenter said in response.

“Wow impressive and I would be even more impressed because he’s also demonstrating he has self worth enough not to lose it if he is rejected. Good quality,” another woman praises.

“I thought this was going to be another bullsh*t tip… but I’m definitely adding this to my arsenal,” one man writes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tee Rex (@dinosaur.arms)

Some men took the time to explain the concept to other men who are skeptical.

“Fellas if you haven’t heard numbers of stories about how dudes be aggressive and retaliatory when getting rejected, you’re living under a rock. A woman was recently murdered for this (not the first). The problem is we take this personally and it might seem ludicrous because some of us ourselves know that we’re not like that. That still doesn’t dismiss the fact that it happens A LOT to the point women have to plot ways of avoiding it. But this is social media, we gotta be contrary lol,” one man explains.

“Crazy the number of dudes who see this as self-deprecating vs a reflection of both his social awareness and self-confidence. And for those who see this as defeatist – is it really a win if she’s only not saying no because she’s AFRAID,” another man asks.

While saying the exact phrase, “I am safe to reject” may not be everyone’s ideal line, if a man knows he wouldn’t pose a risk to women after being rejected, it wouldn’t hurt to put that out front.

Several men in the comments shared that they say things like, “It’s cool if you say no” or “No pressure to say yes.” These small phrases give women who may be feeling afraid from past experiences a sense of relief and the room to give an honest answer.

In early February 2024, Beyoncé rocked the music world by releasing a surprise new album of country tunes. The album, Renaissance: Act II, includes a song called “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which shot up the country charts—with a few bumps along the way—and landed Queen Bey at the No.1 spot.

As the first Black female artist to have a song hit No. 1 on Billboard’s country music charts, Beyoncé once again proved her popularity, versatility and ability to break barriers without missing a beat. In one fell swoop, she got people who had zero interest in country music to give it a second look, forced country music fans to broaden their own ideas about what country music looks like and prompted conversations about bending and blending musical genres and styles.

And she inspired the Gardiner Brothers to add yet another element to the mix—Irish stepdance.

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In a TikTok that’s been viewed over 17 million times, the Gardiner Brothers don cowboy hats while they step in time to “Texas Hold ‘Em,” much to the delight of viewers everywhere.

Watch:

@gardinerbrothers

Beyoncé 🤝 Irish dancing #beyonce #countrymusic

Michael and Matthew Gardiner are professional Irish-American stepdancers and choreographers who have gained international fame with their award-winning performances. They’ve also built a following of millions on social media with videos like this one, where they dance to popular songs, usually in an outdoor environment.

The melding of Irish dance with country music sung by a Black American female artist may seem unlikely, but it could be viewed merely as country music coming back to its roots. After all, country music has its roots in the ballad tradition of the Irish, English and Scottish settlers in the Appalachian region of the U.S. And despite modern country music’s struggle to break free from “music for white people” stereotypes, it has roots in African-American traditions as well. For instance, the banjo, which has long been used in bluegrass and country music, was created by enslaved Africans and their descendents during the colonial era, according to The Smithsonian.

People are loving the blending of genres and culture that the TikTok exemplifies.

“Never thought I’d see Irish step dancing while Beyoncé sings country,” wrote on commenter. “My life is complete. ♥️”

“So happy Beyoncé dropped this song and exposed my timeline to diversified talent 👏🏽👏🏽,” wrote another.

“Beyoncé brought the world together with this song 😭,” offered another person.

“Ayeeee Irish Dancing has entered the BeyHive chatroom… WELCOME!! 🔥🔥🔥” exclaimed another.

“I don’t think I can explain how many of my interests are intersecting here,” wrote one commenter, reflecting what several others shared as well.

The Beyoncé/Gardiner Brothers combo and the reactions to it are a good reminder that none of us fit into one box of interest or identity. We’re all an eclectic mix of tastes and styles, so we can almost always find a way to connect with others over something we enjoy. What better way to be reminded of that fact than through an unexpected mashup that blends the magic of music with the delight of dance? Truly, the arts are a powerful uniting force we should utilize more often.

And for an extra bit of fun, the Gardiner Brothers also shared their bloopers from filming the video. Turns out stepping in the rain isn’t as easy as they make it look.

Beyoncé Bloopers #texasholdem #gardinerbrothers

@gardinerbrothers

Beyoncé Bloopers #texasholdem #gardinerbrothers

This article originally appeared on 2.26.24