Month: May 2024

The 2024 WNBA season got going on Tuesday night, and all eyes were on rookie sensation Caitlin Clark playing in her first game for the Indiana Fever as they visited the Connecticut Sun.

It was a rough start for Clark, went scoreless and missed all three of her shots in the first quarter. However, she would eventually settle into the game and put up 20 points and three assists on 5-of-15 shooting (4-of-11 from three), showing off the range and quick trigger that made her a star in college.

The flashes of what she can be were there, but so were the reminders of where she is right now as a rookie still adjusting to the speed and physicality of the pro game. Clark had 10 turnovers in her debut, and the Fever offense sputtered around her, as NaLyssa Smith was the only other Indiana player in double figures with 13 points. After the game, Clark noted the Sun’s physicality was a factor in her turnovers, but also said she has to be sharper.

As for the Sun, they followed the lead of their veteran stars to a 92-71 win, pulling away in the fourth quarter from the young Fever. DeWanna Bonner put up 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting to lead Connecticut, and moved into 5th all-time in WNBA scoring with the performance.

Alyssa Thomas, who finished third in MVP voting a year ago, picked up where she left off with a triple-double, scoring 13 points, dishing out 13 assists, and pulling down 10 boards.

Those two got support from DiJonai Carrington and Tyasha Harris, who each scored 16 points, and overall the Fever just didn’t have answers on defense for the Sun. It was a terrific start to the season for Connecticut, as they hope to be contenders once again after reaching the semifinals a year ago as the 3-seed. For the young Fever, the opener was a reminder of how far they have to go to reach that level, and an early crash course for Clark in what she’ll see from top teams in the WNBA.

Producer Madlib celebrated a big milestone this past weekend. On Saturday (May 11) at a 10th anniversary celebration of his album Piñata, which featured raps by Freddie Gibbs. The celebration took place at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City.

During the celebration, Madlib spun some tunes and dropped some beats. Freddie Gibbs was set to come to the stage. But before he performed, Madlib teased some new music with his frequent collaborator.

“Y’all ready for Freddie Gibbs?,” Madlib asked the crowd, who responded with cheers. Madlib continued, promising the crowd “[I’m] About to drop this live sh*t on y’all. Montana up next.”

Though neither Madlib nor Gibbs indicated an official release date for Montana, fans are waiting with bated breath.

Montana will mark Madlib and Gibbs’ third full-length album together, their first being 2014’s Piñata and their second being 2019’s Bandana. The duo releases music under the stage name, MadGibbs.

In addition to these two — soon to be three — albums, Madlib and Gibbs have also released five EPs together — 2011’s Thuggin’, 2012’s Shame, 2013’s Deeper, 2014’s Knicks (Remix), and 2020’s The Diamond Mine Sessions, with El Michels Affair.

You can see a clip from the Piñata 10th anniversary show above.

The New York Knicks are one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite getting annihilated in Game 4 by the Indiana Pacers and looking like the team was completely out of gas, New York found a second wind as the series returned to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night for Game 5. Behind the latest monster playoff performance from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks were able to pick up a 121-91 win to take a 3-2 series lead.

The very early part of Game 5 looked like it had the potential to go similarly to Game 4, as the Pacers looked like the more crisp and more in sync team as their lead got up to as many as seven points in the opening five minutes. And then, the Knicks caught fire, going on a 15-3 run to get the Garden into the game and put a much-needed pep in their step.

While N.Y.’s lead only got up to as many as six points and didn’t give them much of a cushion, the injection of confidence after the team got blown off the floor in the previous game was obvious, particularly on offense. And by the end of the first, the Knicks held on to a 38-32 lead.

In the second quarter, Brunson really started to impose himself on the game. The talismanic Knicks guard scored 18 of his 28 first half points in the period, and nearly outscored the Pacers as a team in the second. His 28 points in a single half were a new playoff franchise record.

New York’s size and physicality was a huge, huge issue for Indiana throughout the first half, as the Knicks absolutely pummeled the Pacers on the glass — they had more offensive rebounds (12) than Indiana had rebounds (11) — and completely dominated in the paint, with Brunson and co. getting to the rim and either scoring or grabbing the offensive board on a miss. By the time the two teams went into the locker room, the Knicks found themselves up, 69-54, behind Brunson’s big half and 12 points from both Josh Hart and Deuce McBride. The Pacers’ only player in double-figures was Pascal Siakam, who had 13.

With their backs against the wall at the start of the third quarter, Indiana came out on fire. More specifically, Myles Turner was a huge problem for New York, as the Pacers started the period on a 9-1 run thanks to the big man knocking down three triples in 1:04 to cut New York’s lead to seven.

But after a timeout, the Knicks settled down and immediately took off. The team immediately ripped off a 19-1 run that completely took the Pacers out of the game — Indiana went a full seven minutes of game time between field goals — and put themselves on the precipice of a win, as they took a 96-75 lead into the fourth.

Once again, Indiana was able to start a quarter with a run to just raise the anxiety in the building. This time, the Pacers scored nine consecutive points to get New York’s lead down to 12 … but once again, the Knicks quickly found a response, this time in the form of a 13-2 run to get the lead back up to 23. Indiana couldn’t lay a glove on New York after that, and the final two minutes of the game were spent with one of the most unusual sights you’ll see: Brunson, Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo all sitting on the bench.

Brunson’s 44 points, seven assists, and four rebounds led the way for New York, while Hart and Alec Burks both scored 18 and McBride went for 17. The unsung hero on the night was Isaiah Hartenstein, who had seven points, 17 rebounds (12 on the offensive glass), and five assists. Siakam’s 22 points and eight rebounds paced the Pacers, while Turner had 16. After looking like he started to find his footing in the series on the heels of a stinker in Game 1, Tyrese Haliburton struggled to impose himself on the game with 13 points on only 5-for-9 shooting with five assists.

The series will head back to Indiana for Game 6, where the Pacers won the previous two games these teams played. Game 6 will take place on May 17 on ESPN.

Kamaiyah has been cooking. Today (May 14), the Oakland rapper she is dropping a new album, Figuring Out My Emotions, later this week.

Figuring Out My Emotions appears to be a fairly short album, with only eight tracks — including “No Pressure,” which dropped earlier this month. The album was executive produced by Kamaiyah herself, along with producer Quakebeatz.

Kamaiyah has many projects to her credit, her most recent being 2023’s Another Summer Night. Figuring Out My Emotions arrives just six months after Another Summer Night, but maintaining a consistent output has always been part of her plan.

In an interview with KQED, Kamaiyah said she is moving in the ways the industry is evolving.

“I don’t want to ever get complacent … because the way the industry is thriving right now is volume,” said Kamaiyah. “It’s not the ’90s or early 2000s, like, nobody is catching a hit that lasts for a fucking year anymore. People’s attention spans are so short. If you got the attention, keep it. And only way you keep it is more shit in their face. It’s got to be organic.”

You can see the Figuring Out My Emotions cover art and track list below.

1. “Be Mine”
2. “Can’t Lose”
3. “DND”
4. “Link Wit Me”
5. “One & Only”
6. “No Pressure”
7. “Success”
8. “Winter Blues”

Figuring Out My Emotions is out 5/17 via Keep It Lit. Find more information here.

It looks like the Bardigang is going to have to wait a little bit longer for new music. Over the course of the past few months, Cardi B has been teasing her long-awaited sophomore album. She’s released buzzy singles “Like What (Freestyle)” and “Enough (Miami),” which have fueled anticipation for her first album since her 2018 debut, Invasion Of Privacy.

But today (May 14), Cardi took to Twitter to explain that she will likely not drop an album until next year.

Cardi is not one to mince words, however, a fan suggested that some might not appreciate her bluntness. The fan also said that while this wears Cardi out, it is ultimately Cardi’s choice to interact with haters.

The rapper acknowledged this, and said she plans to dial it back. In more ways than one.

“Exactly and I tell myself this all the time..and I hate that I fall back and start interacting again and it bites me in the ass…” she said. “anyway NO album this year I don’t care I’m relaxing this year.. Dropping these features I already committed to and traveling and enjoying my summer.”

Though a Cardi feature is usually the key to a banger, fans have been waiting for a full body of work for over six years.

But it seems she might change her mind, as she has since deleted the interaction.

Sometimes you have to just rage against the machine, especially when you’re trying to sing some sick tunes and your toddler is demanding Old McDonald. Look kid, the cow goes moo, let mama show you some real music. A mom that goes by the username Big Merla on TikTok has been creating parodies of 90s songs using her toddler’s musical instruments.

In one of her most recent musical ventures, she took on Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name.” Who knew baby xylophones could go so hard? Parents immediately screamed yes to this version of the rock classic. How could they not when the lyrics are so dang relatable.

“Old McDonald farms horses, toddlers rage like rude bosses,” will be stuck in people’s heads on repeat for weeks. Merla has talent too, she not only plays the xylophone, she plays a tiny piano and a whack a mole type toy to create the beat to the famous song.

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Of course toddlers won’t do what you tell them so Merla didn’t even have to mess with those particular lyrics. The entire song is sung from a toddler’s perspective and fully encompasses what adults likely imagine their thought process to be. Just walking around moody, demanding and filled with unintelligible rage when things don’t go their way. They’re super cute and laugh at nonsensical things so it balances out.

Check out her performance:

@bigmerla Rage Against the Machine 👶🏻🐣🍼 #rageagainstthemachine ♬ original sound – Big Merla

Commenters love the one woman private concert she put on for her uninterested toddler. Several commented on how Tom Morello would be proud. Morello was a founding member, singer and guitarist for Rage Against the Machine a rock band that mixed metal with rap and left leaning politics.

“Congratulations on inventing an entirely new genre of music,” someone writes.

“I don’t have kids but I am a 30 year old with ADHD and find these videos so entertaining,” another person says.

“Epic!!! This is the creativity yay[that] can only be found when talent meets parental sleep deprivation. Rock on,” a commenter writes.

“These videos are my absolute favorites. I need a Spotify playlist please,” one person demands.

Big Merla has an entire playlist on her TikTok account that include Snoop Dogg’s “Drop it Like it’s Hot” and System of a Down’s “Chop Suey.” Maybe Merla should consider creating a baby tunes playlist on music platforms, 90s kids will certainly enjoy it.

Chance The Rapper has been teasing his long-awaited mixtape Star Line/em> for nearly three years. Tonight (May 14), he has given his dedicated fans the latest taste of mixtape. Ahead of the long-awaited Star Line, Chance dropped his new single, “Together.”

On the piano-driven track, produced by the illustrious DJ Premier, Chance calls for unity within his family and within his hometown of Chicago.

“We gotta stick together / Been looking at the puzzle / We gotta fit together / And looking at the struggle / We gotta lift together / And not just on the holidays / We gotta get together / It’s either now or never,” raps Chance on the song’s chorus.

The song’s accompanying video is comprised of clips of home movies featuring Chance and his friends and family. Over the years, Chicago has seen many changes — but amid all of the struggle, Chance’s lifeline has been his loved ones, all of whom, he has kept close, even through the fame.

Last month, Chance took to social media to hint that Star Line will arrive soon. In a clip shared to his Twitter account, fans got a look at a montage of videos, featuring studio sessions and performance rehearsals. Also seen in the clip are Vic Mensa, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri, and Jazze Phat — which seems to imply collabs with these artists and producers.

You can see the video for Together” above.

Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors‘ season came to an end in the Play-In Tournament, and after taking some time after the season, the Hall of Fame forward is spending some time with the Inside the NBA crew. While the future of the show is up in the air due to the league’s media rights negotiations that might lead to Turner being shut out, Green has long been viewed as a potential successor to Charles Barkley on the Inside desk.

On Tuesday, Green and co. are preparing to discuss the New York Knicks’ Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers. Before that happens, though, one Knicks fan had something to say to Green, and thanks to Chris Haynes, he got the chance to relay his thoughts.

Tracy Morgan made clear that he loves Green, but also, he absolutely did not want to hear him say anything bad about the Knicks while he’s hanging out with the fellas. And then, in the best moment of the whole video, Morgan handed the mic back to Haynes and dipped before Green had the chance to say anything to him … which he would have needed to do via Haynes, because he didn’t have an earpiece in or anything. Honestly, famous Knicks fans should be allowed to just hop on the mic and talk to the Inside guys more often.

“Is my kid the only one who does this?” Parents find themselves pondering this question all the time. No matter how great your children are, they will sometimes do things that make you wonder how you ever thought you had the patience and energy to be a parent.

The good news is, the resounding answer is “no”—your child is most certainly not alone in whatever inexplicable thing they are doing, whether it’s throwing a tantrum over their cup being the wrong color (even though it’s the one they specifically asked for) or somehow scaling to the top of the refrigerator in the 0.3 seconds you took your eyes off them.

In fact, parents across the animal kingdom have to deal with similar behavior challenges from their offspring. Though human parenting is obviously more complex, seeing that kids are kids no matter the species can be comforting for parents who have reached their wit’s end.

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How familiar are these parenting woes?

When you have to carry your toddler to where you need them to be, only to have them run away immediately

See on Instagram

Her blank stare into the distance at the end is all too relatable. As one commenter wrote, “That’s the look of let me calm down before the ‘I brought you in this world and I can take you out’ comes into play. 😂😂”

When you’re trying to pull your toddler away from something that’s completely captured their curiosity

Mama’s like, “Come on, sweetie…nope, this way…you need to leave these nice people alone now…time to go…I know you really like it, but we have to go now…hey, I have a snack…how about some ice cream?”

When your baby is just barely walking and you want to help them, but you also know they have to slip and fall sometimes to learn

Sweet little muffin.

When it’s time to leave the playground and your kiddo 100% does not want to

100% familiar.

When you’re trying to take a nap with your child and they won’t stop fidgeting

@abc7newsbayarea

A fidgety polar bear cub was seen attempting to nestle atop its mother at a park near Churchill, Manitoba. Video shows the small cub constantly shifting in an attempt to find the perfect resting position along the back of its sleepy mother. #polarbear #polarbears #bear #bears #cub #polarbearcub #mommabear #snow #animal #animals #churchill #manitoba #news #fyp #foryoupage #abc7news

“Just lie still and go to sleeeeeeep.”

When the teen starts getting too big for their britches and thinks they can do whatever

The look that said, “When you start paying the mortgage, you can sit wherever you want.”

When your kid hates the bath but they desperately need one

Some kids love the bath and some kids hate it. This is as true for pandas as it is for humans, apparently.

When your kid won’t stop using you as a climbing apparatus

@gorilla.garden

Praha Zoo. Funny interaction between Nuru the gorilla boy and his dad Richardovi. Original footage of the video screen is from Facebook author Martina Šmelová.Thank you for sharing interesting stories about Praha Zoo and hope more viewers will follow them.#gorilla #silverback #fpy #foryou #silverbackgorilla #gorillas #babygorilla #animals #zoo

Seriously, kid. I am not a jungle gym.

When Dad says no, so the kid goes running to Mom

@us.gem

Humans alike 🥺 #gorrila #zoo #pov #jackieinteresting #cute #animals #foryou

If not for a yes, at least for some sympathy.

When Mom is touched out and at the end of her rope

@frolic.the.meadow

#zoo #funnyanimals #babygorilla #Kayembe #mamalife #momlife #mommalife

You’re a loving, affectionate mother 99% of the time, but then you hit the “If one more person touches me one more time today” breaking point.

When the whining and complaining is relentless

@tednewy

Cute baby Emperor Penguins complaining to their mom “I’m so hungry!!” #emperorpenguin #babypenguin #cutepenguin #penguinlovers #ocean #birdlife #birdvideography #birdwatching #nature #birdwildlife #birdnature #wildlife #birdoftiktok #birdslove #birdlover #birdlovers #birds #bird #duniaburung #pencintaburung #burung #antartica

Pretty sure this is the penguin equivalent of, “Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama…”

When the kiddo’s throwing a non-stop tantrum and you just needs a break

@animal_world140

#fyp #nature #wildlife #interesting #babyanimals #koala

Sometimes you’re able to help a tantruming child work through their feelings, and sometimes you need to step away before you lose your mind. It’s called balance.

Parenting is full of joys as well as challenges, and it’s nice to know we’re not alone in either. What’s interesting is how calm and patient most of these parents are in the faces of their kids’ shenanigans. Perhaps there’s a lesson there for all of us, regardless of species.

Ready to get transported back to the Decade of Decadence? Cause this wholesome new TikTok trend is gonna put you right back in the attitude-filled, neon colored post-disco era otherwise known as the 80s.

Specifically, it’s going to take you back to an 80s dance club.

In the trend, kids ask their parents to “dance like it’s the 80s,” as the 1984 track “Smalltown Boy” by the British pop band Bronski Beat plays in the background. The song’s high energy tempo mixed with heartbreaking, anguish-ridden lyrics make it a fitting choice to bring us back to the time period.

As for the parents—let’s just say that muscle memory kicks in the minute the tune begins to play, and it’s a whole vibe.

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Check out Tabatha Lynn’s video of her mom, Leanne Lynn, which currently has over 8 million views.

@tabathalynnk My moms 80s dance moves, I wanna be her when I grow up 😍 our kids better not ask us this in 30 years 😂 #80s #momsoftiktok #dancemoves ♬ original sound – Tiktok / IG strategy 🚀

Leanne and Tabatha told TODAY that since going viral, the dance is now a common “topic of conversation in the family text group.”

There are two factors here that folks really seem to connect with.

One: 80s dancing was simple. Just moving to the rhythm, maybe a head bob for some flair or a robot if you’re feeling adventurous. Of course, the 80s had ambitious moves like the worm and the moonwalk, but for the most part it was just about groovin’ to beat.

@marynepi One thing about Ms. Suzanne, shes gonna slay. #fypage #dance #slay #80s #yasqueen #trending #trend ♬ original sound – Tiktok / IG strategy 🚀

Then there’s seeing the parents light up at the chance to go back to the days of their youth.

“I can literally see the young women in these women spring out in fluidity. Love this trend,” one person commented.

@lavaleritaaa Love her 😭 “Se me espeluco el moño” 😂 #80s #momdancechallenge ♬ original sound – Tiktok / IG strategy 🚀

Another seconded, “I love seeing moms remember when they were just themselves.”

Of course, dads are totally rocking this trend too. Check it out:

@chrisbrown711 I dont normally do trends but i got in on this one. How did I do? #fyp #blessed #80sdancechallenge #80smusic #80s ♬ original sound – Tiktok / IG strategy 🚀

The 80s was a time of rapid expansion for music. Much of this we have the birth of MTV to thank for, which subsequently dropped music videos, CDs and a vast array of sub genres straight into the heart of pop culture.

Plus, the 80s brought us the synthesizer, which remains a strangely satisfying sound even in 2024. So while the era might have brought some things that most of us would prefer not to revisit—like acid washed denim and awful, awful hairstyles—some of its gems are truly timeless.

The trend also shows how, even though the weekly outing to a dance hall might be a thing of the past, people inherently want to bust a move. Luckily, there’s no shortage of clubs that cater to someone’s music tastes, no matter the era.

Speaking for 00s teens everywhere…just play the Cha Cha slide and we’ll come a-runnin.