Dua Lipa‘s long-anticipated new album Radical Optimism is finally here. Tonight (May 3), Lipa released her first album in four years, and her third overall.
As was the case for her self-titled debut album and her 2020 sophomore album, Future Nostalgia, Radical Optimism is stacked with potential hits. Almost every single one of these songs can be a hit single. However, one song features Lipa expressing gratitude to an unlikely subject — the ex of her current lover.
On “Maria,” Lipa thanks the song’s titular woman, noting that she shaped her current lover into the person he is now.
“He was cold, and now he’s the sweetest / ‘Cause he knows how much there is to lose / Ooh, I owe it to you,” Lipa sings on the song’s chorus.
She continues, expressing that she is aware that Maria will always be a part of her lover’s world. But given the love Lipa is currently sharing with this man, she is more than okay with it.
“Maria, I know you’re gone / But I feel ya when we’re alone / Even when I’m here in his arms / I know you’re somewhere in his heart,” sings Lipa on the song’s chorus.
You can listen to “Maria” above, and catch Lipa on Saturday Night Live this Saturday (May 4)
Radical Optimism is out now via Warner Records. Find more information here.
The New York Knicks are headed to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In the final game in what will go down as an instant classic series, New York managed to walk into Philadelphia and take down the 76ers despite blowing a 22-point first-half lead. With Jalen Brunson leading the way in the city where he turned into the best college basketball player in America, New York picked up a 118-115 win to secure a 4-2 series victory.
The Knicks came out like a house of fire to start the first quarter. Despite being the road team, New York raced out to a 17-4 lead, and after Philly was able to temporarily stop the bleeding, the Knicks then went on to go on another run. This one — a 16-4 stretch — gave them a 33-11 lead.
To make matters worse for the Sixers, during that stretch, Joel Embiid had to exit the game. But something funny happened: While Embiid leaving games has been the team’s death knell for years, Philadelphia was able to go on an 11-0 run without his services towards the end of the first. It still wasn’t pretty, but only being down 36-22 was far more respectable than what the earlier part of the quarter was trending towards.
Slowly but surely, the Sixers chipped away in the second. The team scored 11 unanswered points early on in the quarter to get the lead down to three, and eventually got it down to two as they started to bottle up the Knicks on the glass, which was a major problem in the first quarter.
21-8 PHILLY RUN
Oubre’s slam cuts the deficit to single digits in the 2Q
Philly kept chipping away, and with 1:37 left in the first half, the moment came when Kelly Oubre drilled a three from the corner to finally put them ahead.
The hero of the half — which ended with Philly taking a 54-51 lead into the locker room — was Buddy Hield, who scored two total points in the first five games of the series. In the opening 24 minutes this time around, Hield had 17 points off the bench and hit five of his seven attempts from three, providing a shot in the arm that the Sixers desperately needed.
Embiid had 17 points and eight rebounds, while Nic Batum came off the bench and gave Philly 10 points. New York was paced by 16 points from Brunson, 12 points from Donte DiVincenzo, and 10 points by Isaiah Hartenstein, but did not get a single point from anyone off of the bench.
The third quarter got taken over by Embiid and Brunson — the former had 16 points in the period, while the latter had 11.
Joel Embiid already has 10 PTS in the 3Q with 8 minutes to go!
While the Sixers were able to get up by 10 in the third, though, New York battled all quarter. And with the last bucket of the frame, Josh Hart got the ball out to OG Anunoby in the corner for a wide open three that tied things up at 83 heading into the fourth.
OG Anunoby ties it at 83-83 with a corner triple late in the 3Q!
The non-Embiid minutes to start the fourth were an issue for Philly, but by the time he came back in with 8:54 left in regulation, New York was only able to extend its lead to four. And right as Embiid came in, Tom Thibodeau decided to take out Brunson, which led to a stretch where the Sixers outscored the Knicks by four to tie things right back up.
Immediately upon checking back in, Brunson drilled back-to-back threes to spearhead a 13-3 run in which he scored 11 points, as Philadelphia just had no answer for his shot making and ability to get to his spots.
Anunoby silenced the Sixers fans in Wells Fargo Center with just under three minutes remaining by driving through the rim and throwing down with one hand, but it didn’t lead to a dagger. Philadelphia continued to fight and chip away at the lead, and with just over a minute left, an Oubre tip slam cut the lead down to one.
An incredible finish by Brunson while getting fouled extended the New York lead to three, but he couldn’t convert from the free throw line, which opened the door for something weird to happen. And on the ensuing possession for Philly, something weird happened, as Tyrese Maxey drove to the rim and got fouled without finishing his layup. The catch: The referees slowed it down and determined that Hartenstein committed a goaltend, and after Maxey hit the free throw, things were all level with 35 seconds remaining.
The ensuing Knicks possession featured their best punch. With the Sixers trying to heat up Brunson, Hart was left wide open at the top of the key. It took him a second to decide to shoot, but he knocked it down nonetheless.
Philly opted to take advantage of Embiid being guarded by Anunoby by having him take a two, which meant they had to foul. But New York broke their pressure and took time off the clock, and even worse, Embiid took the foul that sent DiVincenzo to the line, which led to him fouling out. Things turned into a free throw battle, and on Philadelphia’s final possession, a heave by Hield came nowhere close to going in.
Brunson’s 41 points and 12 rebounds led the way for the Knicks. DiVincenzo pitched in 23 points, while Anunoby had 19. New York’s starters scored 113 of their 118 points on the night. As for Philly, Embiid had 39 points and 13 rebounds, while Hield had 20 off the bench. Maxey and Oubre both had 17, and Batum gave them 16 off the bench.
Earlier in the night, we learned that the winner of this series would take on the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals after Indiana won its series against the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
It’s not a secret that opposing players don’t really like Patrick Beverley. In fact, prior to them becoming teammates, one of the most prominent Pat Bev haters was Damian Lillard, as the two sparred whenever they played. After one particularly testy game in 2023 when Lillard was in Portland and Beverley was on the Lakers, Beverley said something Lillard didn’t like, so he hopped onto Twitter and pressed send on this.
Fast forward to Thursday night and the pair of teammates both walked off the floor at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on the receiving end of a postseason beatdown. The Indiana Pacers blew out Beverley, Lillard, and the Milwaukee Bucks to secure a spot in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and after the game, Tyrese Haliburton showed that he has a pretty long memory.
Haliburton found a tweet from after Game 4 in the series where Beverley discussed checking him and downplayed his contributions. He then QT’d it, decided to copy and paste Lillard’s exact line, and hit send.
I have to assume that getting to hit send on this must’ve felt really good for Haliburton. Anyway, knowing how Pat Bev’s career has gone, I assume he’ll end up on the Pacers next year and he’ll turn into Hali’s best friend.
For the first time in a decade, the Indiana Pacers have won a playoff series. Indiana hosted the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of their first-round tilt on Thursday night, and thanks to a pair of unexpected heroes off the bench, the Pacers were able to pick up a 120-98 win to secure a spot in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Milwaukee looked like it was locked in and buoyed by the return of Damian Lillard at the very start of the game, as they were able to race out to a 10-3 lead that temporarily silenced the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. But over the rest of the period, the play of Tyrese Haliburton and Obi Toppin — along with a lengthy run that at one point featured 10 unanswered points — helped get them take control of the game.
The pair combined for 19 of Indiana’s 33 points in the frame, and while they weren’t quite as scorching hot in the second quarter, the Pacers were still able to build out their lead over their division rivals. While Indiana wasn’t able to get hot from behind the three-point line, their ability to get out and run, in particular, was a huge issue for Milwaukee — the Pacers outscored them on transition points, 14-2, and were plus-10 on points in the paint.
Tyrese Haliburton takes it all the way to the cup and finishes the and-1
Add in the fact that Indiana’s bench throttled Milwaukee’s bench by a 19-1 margin, and everything seemed to break the Pacers’ way. The team took a 59-47 lead into the locker room at halftime, with Haliburton’s 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists leading the way. Aaron Nesmith had 12, while Toppin put up 11. While Milwaukee got a combined 28 points from Lillard and Brook Lopez — each of them had 14 — they only went 16-for-45 from the field and 2-for-13 from three, so their offense really struggled to keep up.
Things started to get heated in the third quarter, as Bobby Portis and James Johnson picked up technical fouls due to some jawing during a timeout.
But, ultimately, the Pacers were able to do enough to extend their cushion at the end of the frame. While the Bucks were able to get the lead down to seven points after a Lopez layup with 1:05 left, Indiana ripped off eight straight points at the end of the frame to give them a 93-78 lead heading into the fourth.
The crowd was beyond amped for the start of the fourth quarter due to the play of an unlikely hero, T.J. McConnell, who scored seven of the team’s first 11 points and had the building absolutely losing its mind.
TJ McConnell spins into the layup to push the Pacer lead in the 4Q
All of this ended up being too much for Milwaukee to overcome. The team was unable to get within 14 points at any point in the fourth, and more than two minutes left in the frame and the Pacers leading by 20, Doc Rivers made the decision to completely pull his starters. By the time the clock hit zero, the entire building was on its feet and celebrating the inevitable.
Toppin’s 21 points and eight rebounds off the bench led the way for Indiana, while McConnell went for 20 points, nine dimes, and four steals. Among the Pacers’ starters, Pascal Siakam’s 19 points were the most, while Haliburton had a 17-point, 10-assist double-double. For Milwaukee, Lillard had 28 points, while both Lopez and Portis went for 20.
While the Bucks (which did not have Giannis Antetokounmpo all series due to injury) enter an offseason where they will have a number of questions to answer, the Pacers now get to watch Thursday’s game between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers a little more closely, as they’ll play the winner of that series in the next round. The Knicks currently hold a 3-2 series lead, but Game 6 will take place in Philly.
The Milwaukee Bucks had a disappointing season end in dismal fashion on Thursday night, as they got blown out by TJ McConnell and the Pacers, 120-98, in Game 6 of their first round series in Indiana.
It was the end to a frustrating year that was already shaky before getting derailed completely by injuries. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the entire series against the Pacers with a calf strain, Khris Middleton played through ankle issues, and Damian Lillard missed one game with an Achilles strain. However, things weren’t perfect even when their stars were all on the court, and they will have a lot of decisions to make about their immediate and long-term future as a team this summer.
The Bucks figure to at minimum make some changes around their core, and will have to figure out who should stay and who should go from their supporting cast. Among the players they’ll take a look at is Patrick Beverley, who was their main deadline acquisition. Beverley had a big Game 5 and provides an edge at the guard spot for this team.
Playing with that edge can take Beverley across the line sometimes, and frustrations boiled over at the end of Game 6 as he got into it with a fan behind Milwaukee’s bench, launching a basketball at the fan before being pulled away by teammates.
We don’t know what the fan said exactly, but it certainly didn’t seem from this footage like there was a lot going on, with the fan lobbing the ball back to Beverley, who then chucked it back at him. It’s not a great look from Pat, and I’m sure the league will take a look into what happened here before handing out what figures to be a fine cause they tend to frown on throwing things at fans.
As every parent knows, kids have energy for days, and figuring out how to channel and focus that energy to preserve your home and your sanity can be a formidable challenge.
Sending kids outside when they’re bouncing off the walls usually works, but that’s not always an option. Often when kids are stuck inside, we resort to screens (which can overstimulate their sensory system) or calm indoor games (which don’t stimulate their energetic bodies). Both have their place but aren’t great for getting the wiggles out.
That’s why parents are loving a viral video that demonstrates 30 simple, fun parent-child activities and games, combining full-body movement with fun challenges that stimulate both the body and the brain.
The video, shared on Facebook by Simple Life, has 55 million views and thousands of comments from parents praising the way it shows parents and kids doing fun, healthy, educational activities together without a screen in sight. And the best part is that most of them require simple props parents likely have around the house or that are easy and inexpensive to find.
For instance, in one game, a parent stands on a stool and tosses a tissue for a child to catch. Super simple, but tissues fall in unpredictable ways, so it requires a child to use their hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes.
Another example is a parent facing away from a child and tossing soft balls or stuffed animals behind them, with the child catching the items in a basket. Again, super simple, but builds gross motor coordination.
Watch:
Such whole body games can help children through important developmental stages, encouraging things like bilateral and midline-crossing movements, which are activities that requires kids to reach across their body. It may seem like a simple movement, but according to occupational therapist Colleen Beck, if a child has difficulties with crossing the midline, they will demonstrate challenges in almost every functional task.
Games like those shown in the video also help kinesthetic learners, who learn best through movement and tactile activities. Kinesthetic learners retain information primarily by doing, rather than seeing or hearing. But all kids benefit from a variety of teaching approaches, so these active, hands-on games that double as skills practice are good for everyone.
So many of the activities in this video are brilliantly simple, but things most of us simply wouldn’t have thought of. Dropping tiles down a wall for kids to catch? Having them pick up balls with their feet? Who would think?
Even the balloon bum-wiping lesson in the beginning is a good way to simulate a vital skill. Notice how the woman demonstrates how to fold the toilet paper? A good first step for teaching a child personal hygiene.
Finally, these ideas offer ways to bond with your kids in fun, active ways that also sneakily teach skills and encourage strong physical development. Kids get to practice accuracy, speed and agility, parents get to watch their kids improve, and everyone has a good time doing it. And a bonus in the digital age: No screens involved. It doesn’t get any more win-win than that.
A forensics student named Alex recently shared vital information on TikTok that all women should know. She detailed the specific signs male predators are looking for when they choose a victim.
Her video is based on a 2013 study entitled “Psychopathy and Victim Selection: The Use of Gait as a Cue to Vulnerability.” For the study, researchers interviewed violent criminals in prison and asked them the type of women they’d be most likely to victimize.
The study found that the criminals all agreed that how the woman walked was a deciding factor.
“What the selected women all had in common was the way that they walked and how they generally held themselves in public,” Alex says in the video she later deleted but has been shared broadly across the platform.
How to walk for your safety! #women #safety #tips #walking #kidnapping #murder #attacks #fyp
“The selected women all had a similar ‘awkwardness’ to the way that they walked and carried themselves,” she continued. “The first part of the woman had a gait that was a little bit too small for their body, which resulted in smaller steps, slower speed and their arms more typically to their sides, or crossed, as well as their heads being down and not really taking in their general surroundings, which indicated three different things to these potential attackers.”
The woman’s body language signaled to attackers that she was fearful and anxious and because her head was down, she’d be easier to surprise. Alex then described the second type of woman the criminals said they’d target.
“On the other hand, the other part of the women that were selected had a gait that seemed a bit too big for their body and their arms tended to flail to the sides and seemed just overly awkward,” Alex continued.
The woman with the bigger gait signaled to potential attackers that she may be clumsy and won’t put up a good fight. “Because their arms were out and flailing to the side, it left the lower body open to, again, come around and grab them,” she said.
The video was helpful because Alex also discussed the types of women the attackers wouldn’t pursue. Alex says these women “walked with a gait that tended to be more natural to their body.” She adds they moved at the same pace as those in the immediate area, with their shoulders back and chins up and asserting a general sense of confidence.
“Essentially, the women that were not selected gave off an energy that said, ‘Don’t mess with me. I will put up a good fight.’ And that’s why they weren’t selected,” Alex said. “I know that it sounds silly, but something as simple as the way you walk or the way that you carry yourself in public could determine the likelihood that you become a target of a predator.”
Alex concluded her video by sharing an acronym that can help prevent women from being victimized while in public: STAAR.
S(tride) — Walk with a natural stride to your body and not too far apart or short.
T(all) — Stand tall. Keep your shoulders back and your chin up. Assert a natural confidence and dominance to those around you.
A(rms)—Swing your arms naturally by your sides, avoiding keeping them too close to your body or flailing out of your natural range of motion.
A(wareness) — Stay aware of your surroundings. Take notice if something feels or looks off.
R(elax): Stay cool, calm, and collected and don’t indicate to a potential attacker that you feel or see something is wrong.
Saying that bourbon is “smooth” is one of the most divisive descriptors you can use. Some industry veterans turn their noses up at the term because they feel it evinces simplicity – a slight that’s long been leveled at bourbon in general, when compared to the array of flavors one might find in, say, Scotch whisky. It also rankles those who spend ridiculous amounts of time parsing tasting notes. You know, the sort of folks who envision themselves as gatekeepers — seeking to hold the line between those who truly appreciate bourbon, and those simply looking for the chemical reaction alcohol evokes.
But if you hear about those two types of bourbon snobbery and roll your eyes at both? Well, we have a list for you.
Let’s agree upfront, bourbon is an incredibly rich spirit – often full of nuanced complexity to be appreciated at length. That said, even the most seasoned bourbon fanatics will tell you that sometimes, smooth is the perfect word to describe what you want. Whether it’s on a warm summer’s eve, soaking up nature’s splendor, or enjoying an activity that’s taking most of your attention away from what’s in your glass — sometimes an easy-sipping bourbon can be the best thing in the world.
Kick back and rest assured, there’s no judgment here! If you want a smooth bourbon these are the best options in 2024, ranked.
Larceny Bourbon is so-named because of the legend of John E. Fitzgerald, the treasury agent who allegedly had a knack for extensively sampling some of the whiskey he was entrusted to supervise. Larceny is one of the most readily-available bourbons to feature a wheated mashbill, which is the same type of recipe that goes into Weller and Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Mellow honeysuckle leads the way before a slight doughy note, evocative of buttered biscuits, and faint red berry notes come tumbling out of the glass.
Palate: The palate remains true to the aroma notes for a silky sipping experience that features only the slightest indication of oak which results in what can only be called a “smooth” ride.
Finish: The finish is, again, gentle and impressive with honeyed wheat bread and raspberry preserves.
Bottom Line:
Larceny Bourbon doesn’t have the robust flavor notes of its Barrel Proof sibling but what it lacks in aggression it makes up for with balance and finesse. If you’re someone new to the world of bourbon and you want an easygoing entry that can turn you into a convert, then Larceny Bourbon is a fine place to start.
Buffalo Trace Distillery is one of the biggest producers of bourbon in America and their flagship offering best encompasses everything they stand for. Featuring their low rye mashbill — believed to be less than 10% rye in the recipe — Buffalo Trace Bourbon is among the distillery’s most popular products.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Look for gentle baking spices like white pepper in tandem with sweeter aromas like saltwater taffy, lavender honey, vanilla, and caramel.
Palate: On the palate, you should find flavors like caramel apple — crisp and sweet, along with notes from the nose like saltwater taffy and white pepper to go with the faint taste of vanilla and oak.
Finish: On the finish, you’ll find each sip is pleasantly sweet with a bit more oak and the rising presence of baking spice and vanilla making this an easy pour to have several glasses of before you even realize it.
Bottom Line:
Buffalo Trace has earned its reputation as one of the most crowd-pleasing bourbons on the market, delivering a mellow sweetness on the palate and a medium-length finish that’s sure to satisfy, no matter how many glasses you decide to pour yourself.
Chicken Cock has a history that dates back to 1856, so despite being an ideal pour as the weather warms up — it’s no spring chicken. Chicken Cock Bourbon is one of the brand’s core whiskey expressions and comes in a unique, historically accurate bottle that prominently features raised glass in the design of chicken wire.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried strawberries, pie crust, and gentle oak tones take over the nosing notes with the additional aspect of custard and sage there to round things out.
Palate: On the palate you’ll find that the oak comes forward — reminding you that this is bourbon — but it doesn’t overpower you. The subtle flavor of dried fruit and particularly the agreeable undercurrent of sweet caramel will keep you coming back pour after pour.
Finish: Each sip is punctuated by black pepper spice but it serves as a counterbalance to the sweetness more than a distraction from them. Savor the lengthy finish between every sip to maximize your drinking pleasure.
Bottom Line:
Far more flavorful than its 90-proof designation might indicate, Chicken Cock Bourbon is a great entry-level offering that combines layers of flavor with an even-keeled experience on the palate that simply hits the mark.
4. Four Roses Bourbon
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ABV: 40% Average Price:
The Whiskey:
Aged for a minimum of 5 years, Four Roses Bourbon is comprised of a blend that uses all 10 of Four Roses’ famous recipes. Capturing a little of the magic from each recipe, the bourbon in this bottle is then proofed down to 40% ABV and bottled for consumption.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spearmint, lavender, and honey all pack a wallop on the nose with some faintly grassy notes floating along the periphery. Focus in on the sweeter notes, and that grassy undertone will only elevate your nosing experience.
Palate: The interplay of spearmint and honey takes center stage but there are also dried floral flavors to be found along with crisp apple skin and mild vanilla.
Finish: The finish is abbreviated with a touch of oak, white pepper, and even more honey which curtly concludes and primes your palate for a second sip. Then a third.
Bottom Line:
Four Roses makes great bourbon across their portfolio. While enthusiasts tend to spend most of their time seeking out the brand’s excellent barrel strength expressions, entry-level Four Roses Bourbon wonderfully showcases the level of quality in each of their bottles and stands as the most approachable among them all.
3. Widow Jane Aged 10 Years Bourbon
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ABV: Average Price:
The Whiskey:
Widow Jane Bourbon is aged for a remarkable 10 years before being bottled, making it the only whiskey on this list with an age statement — and a hefty one at that. Every batch of Widow Jane is the product of a 5 barrel blend that comes non-chill filtered and proofed with mineral water from the Rosendale mines of New York State.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aromas in the glass are exceptionally refined with black tea and lavender honey wafting out first before a woodsy, floral backbone emerges and beckons extended consideration. This is well-layered and it’s evident that care went into each batch.
Palate: A litany of standard bourbon notes splash across the palate — milk chocolate, oak tones, and caramel being among them — but then white peach, black pepper, and rosewater begin to coat your tongue.
Finish: Milk chocolate, star anise, and bright cherry are found on the finish, which maintains a silky grip on your palate after each sip.
Bottom Line:
This is one dangerously smooth bourbon, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t also incredibly rich and nuanced. Unlike any other bourbon on this list, Widow Jane is resplendent with unexpected mouth-watering flavors without compromising its easy-sipping status. Neophytes and aficionados alike will find an abundance of notes to enjoy in every decadent pour.
Maker’s Mark is a classic brand, instantly recognizable from the red wax adorning each bottle. As one of the premiere wheated bourbons on the market — they utilize soft red winter wheat — Maker’s Mark has been proudly producing exactly one bourbon recipe since 1953.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Apricots and vaguely floral aromas lead the way as honeyed black tea and gentle oak soon emerge on the nose making this an exceedingly approachable bourbon.
Palate: Apricots and nectarines hit the palate at first, delivering a slightly austere but all the same enjoyable texture on the tongue. It’s that same lean mouthfeel that rewards the fruit-forward flavors with an opportunity to lightly coat your tongue and blossom along the roof of your mouth.
Finish: Gentle tannins, orange blossom, and fresh walnuts grace the finish, providing the slightest touch of earthiness to compliment what is an overall spry and sweet affair.
Bottom Line:
Maker’s Mark is one of those rare entry-level bourbons that strikes the perfect balance between being approachable for beginners, flavorful on its own merits, and readily available globally. For those reasons, Maker’s Mark should be one of the first bottles you seek out if you’re looking for a perfectly smooth bourbon.
Basil Hayden, and its eye-catching bottle, is produced by one of the most well-regarded brands in the whiskey world — Jim Beam. Though the age statement was removed back in 2014, the whiskey in this blend is still believed to be between 6-8 years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Buttery croissants and a bit of brown sugar punch through on the nose, making you instantly sit up to recognize how rich they are. Those notes are joined by a warm vanilla aroma along with cola nut and clove.
Palate: Gentle oak tones, gooey caramel notes, and more beautiful brown sugar burst on the palate — each well-defined and coming through as clear as a bell. Those focused flavors come together on a superbly substantive mouthfeel that rewards “chewing” as well as easy-sipping.
Finish: Brown sugar, black pepper, and clove accent the finish but there’s also a bit of space left for some subtle barrel char.
Bottom Line:
Basil Hayden is the king of easy-sipping bourbon. Full stop. The bouquet of prototypical bourbon notes on the nose prepares your senses for the steady yet unrelenting bounty of flavor on the palate. Basil Hayden is the smoothest bourbon available today on top of the fact it checks every box — affordability, well-rounded flavor, and availability.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. The month of April was quite the month for sneaker drops — so far we’re earmarking it as the best single month of 2024. Will May be able to compete? This week is looking like a strong start!
The heavy hitters this week come courtesy of a collaboration between Travis Scott and Nike (who we crowned the king of sneaker musician collaborations), yet another Kobe Protro, New Balance’s eye-catching Spring/Summer ’24 seasonal collection, and a surprise release — The Cactus Plant Flea Market Nike AF1 Air Sunshine, a fusion of the iconic AF-1 silhouette and Nike’s Air Uptempo.
Let’s dive into this week’s best sneakers.
Nike Jumpman Jack TR Sail and Dark Mocha
Nike
Price: $200
In the intro to this piece, I simply called this a “collaboration between Travis Scott and Nike,” I didn’t want to go too deep into it then, so consider this a surprise. This isn’t just a simple collaboration, it’s Travis Scott’s first signature sneaker through Nike. This isn’t a Jordan colorway remix, it’s a brand-new silhouette designed to the specifications of Scott.
The sneaker sports a full-grain leather, nubuck, and canvas upper with a rubber wrap and a forefoot strap. The silhouette takes its inspiration from classic Nike trainers and has a very flattering and classic shape, which doesn’t surprise us, as Scott’s Jordan collaborations always favored the more traditional silhouettes in the lineage.
Despite this being an all-new silhouette, the typical Scott touchstones are all here, you’ve got the embroidered Cactus Jack smiley logo at the heel, his signature backward swoosh, and a TS logo on the strap. Interestingly, Scott also included a Jumpman Crown logo at the tongue. I guess at the end of the day, even with his own sneaker, Scott can’t help but be a Jordan head.
The Nike Jumpman Jack TR Sail and Dark Mocha is out now for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair at aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
NikeNike
Nike Astrograbber x Bode Light Cream and Black/Black and Coconut Milk
Nike and New York-based luxury brand Bode have joined forces for a two-sneaker collection utilizing the legendary Astrograbber silhouette. The silhouette has been in the Nike vaults for some time, so we’re happy to see it back. The football shoe was first released in ’74 and as the name would suggest, it was designed to provide better grip on the football field.
Bode took what was once a very simple leather sneaker and transformed it, giving it a mixed leather, suede, canvas, and woven upper, adding an air of luxury to a shoe that was made to be function over fashion. If you’re not feeling the Light Cream colorway, there is also a stealthy black version but you lose the woven texture in favor of a smooth leather and suede upper.
The Kobe drops continue! Named to honor the late Gianna “Gigi” Bryant and arriving on what would’ve been her 18th birthday, the Mambacita sports a textile upper in white with an all-over butterfly print, a golden woven swoosh, and “Gigi” branding at the heel.
Profits from the sale of the Mambacita will go to benefit the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.
The Nike Kobe 8 Protro Mambacita is out now for a retail price of $190. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS App or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
NikeNike
Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike CPFM Air Sunshine AF1 Fuchsia/Moss
Nike has teamed up with Cynthia Lu’s Cactus Plant Flea Market once again for a shoe that fuses two Nike classics. Over an AF-1 silhouette are the words “Sunshine” across one shoe, and “Air” across the other in the familiar Nike Uptempo buddle-letter font. The sneaker is available in two single-color iterations, one in fuchsia, the other in moss.
Both look great and capture that beloved CPFM minimalist aesthetic.
The Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike CPFM Air Sunshine AF 1 in Fuchsia and Moss are out now for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair at Cactus Plant Flea Market.
Cactus Plant Flea Market
New Balance Made in USA 993 — Spring Summer ’24 Seasonal Collection
New Balance’s latest Seasonal Collection has finally dropped! The collection consists of two colorways, Purple and Chive, on a 993 silhouette produced by NB’s Made in USA studio. The sneaker features a mesh upper with nubuck overlays over an ABZROB midsole, with ACTEVA cushioning, embroidered branding, and reflective details throughout.
The pack drops in a full-size run but only features the standard width, so if you’ve got wide feet, you might want to size up.
The New Balance Made in USA 993 Purple/Chive is out now for a retail price of $219.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance webstore.
New BalanceNew Balance
Nike Air Huarache 20Y24 x Patta Saffron Quartz and Sand Drift
Nike and Patta have teamed up for a new take on the Air Huarache that looks straight out of a ‘90s X-Men comic. The Huarache 20Y24 slams together the Huarache and Pegasus silhouette with an inner sleeve design that is supported by adjustable straps that allow you to achieve a customizable fit. The upper sports an airy mesh build and rides atop React foam for a lightweight fit with a responsive step.
The shoe sports Patta branding at the heel tab and tongue. It’s a weird design for sure, but we’ll take more of these inventive collaborations any day of the week over a simple color alteration.
The Nike Air Huarache 20Y24 x Patta Saffron Quartz and Sand Drift is set to drop on May 2nd at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Nike picked a hell of a week to finally drop the much anticipated Jordan 4 Industrial Blue. I’m not sure how you’re supposed to decide between the Jumpan Jack, the CPFM AF-1, and this shoe, copping any of these three would make our week. There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles here, this is a simple leather Jordan 4 with a colorway that mixes off-white, neutral gray, and Industrial Blue.
It’s low effort from Nike, but I mean, just look at it. If you love the Jordan 4 (the greatest silhouette in the lineage, fight me), you’re going to love these, unless you don’t like dope colorways.
The Nike Air Jordan 4 Industrial Blue is set to drop on May 4th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $215. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
On the song, Tudzin sings over a punchy, breezy track, detailing her need to get up and dance.
“I find that something I have in common with most people that I talk to lately is the immense fear of and inability to be alone with ourselves,” said Tudzin in a statement. “Constant motion, avoidance, restlessness – anything to keep myself from stagnating have always been my coping mechanisms when my inner monologue starts to get loud.”
The accompanying video features Tudzin wandering about a city, a forest, and the beach, finding a group of dancers to match her groovy energy.
In celebration of a new era, Illuminati Hotties is hitting the road this fall on a North American tour. On select dates, she will be supported by Daffo and Maddie Ross. Fans can sign up for presale and purchase tickets here.
You can listen to “Can’t Be Still” above and see the tour dates below.
09/25 — Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room^*
09/26 — San Diego, CA @ Casbah^*
09/28 — San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel^*
09/29 — Sacramento, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post^*
10/01 — Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios^*
10/02 — Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret^*
10/03 — Seattle, WA @ Neumos^*
10/04 — Boise, ID @ Neurolux^
10/05 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court^
10/06 — Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge^
10/08 — St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club^
10/09 — Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium^
10/10 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall^
10/11 — Hamtramck, MI @ The Sanctuary^
10/12 — Toronto, ON @ Longboat Hall^
10/13 — Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Foufs^
10/15 — South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showcase Lounge^
10/16 — Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair^
10/17 — Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church^
10/18 — New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom^
10/19 — Washington, DC @ Black Cat^
10/20 — Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall^
10/22 — Nashville, TN @ The End^
10/23 — Atlanta, GA -The Masquerade (Purgatory)^
10/26 — Dallas, TX @ Club Dada^
10/27 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (Upstairs)^
10/29 — Santa Fe, NM @ Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery^
10/30 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge^
11/01 — Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom^
^ with Daffo
*with Maddie Ross
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Toppin finish!
