Category: News

The NFL intended to clean up its pass interference rules by allowing officials to review those calls during the 2019 season, but opening up pass interference to instant replay and coaches’ challenges ended up doing the opposite. The league’s Competition Committee officially decided to move on from the rule this week, assuredly ending an experiment that will not soon be forgotten.

As Mark Maske reported at the Washington Post after the completion of the regular season, “there were 101 interference-related replay reviews during the regular season, and 24 of them resulted in the on-field call being reversed.” Just three of those reversals came on plays in which interference was not already called. The vast majority came on plays in which there was no interference called and officials went back to call the penalty.

The rule was put in place following pressure, particularly from the New Orleans Saints, after a non-call in the 2018 NFC Championship Game turned the tide of the game toward the L.A. Rams. However, many around the league this past season complained about the lack of clarity regarding the rules and referees’ apparent lack of willingness to change their own calls.

Though the NFL is moving on from reviewing pass interference, the issue has taken on heightened focus over the past 18 months, meaning there is still reason to believe referees could learn their lesson and straighten out a stricter ruling on those calls.

Esports are one of the few sporting leagues that are able to pivot and give live options to fans desperate for content of any kind. NASCAR has put on a series of successful (and very entertaining) iRacing broadcasts on Fox with Cup drivers taking on virtual tracks. The NBA, meanwhile, has had its players face off in an NBA 2K tournament that’s aired on ESPN. The NFL, meanwhile, has seen some of its players participate in a Madden tournament.

Baseball, meanwhile, is stuck in neutral before it even started. Opening Day has come and gone, but the season remains on pause while CDC guidelines and conventional medical wisdom make playing baseball impossible in America. While we wait for the pandemic’s impact to lesson and do our best to social distance, however, MLB has made its own eSports league featuring players from all 30 MLB teams.

ESPN reported Friday that an MLB The Show league will essentially play out an abridged baseball season while the COVID-19 pandemic keeps us all inside. With players from every team involved, the league will run a 29-game regular season that starts on Friday.

The regular season begins Friday and will last through April 28. Games will take place every one to two days with three to five three-inning matchups played each game day. The postseason is scheduled to begin April 30, with a World Series played on May 2. The postseason will feature the eight best teams, with a best-of-three format for the first two rounds and a best-of-five format for the World Series.

The tournament is for charity, with MLB, its players association, and Sony donating $5,000 to a Boys & Girls Club affiliate in each team’s community and an additional $25,000 going to the team that wins the World Series. The games will be broadcast on Twitch, but according to ESPN’s report there have been “conversations” about putting the games on TV with the league’s broadcast partners. The Show is consistently one of the most realistic sports sims on the market, so the product will presumably be pretty good watching.

Here are the players involved in the tournament:

• Arizona Diamondbacks: Jon Duplantier

• Atlanta Braves: Luke Jackson

• Baltimore Orioles: Dwight Smith Jr.

• Boston Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez

• Chicago Cubs: Ian Happ

• Chicago White Sox: Lucas Giolito

• Cincinnati Reds: Amir Garrett

• Cleveland Indians: Carlos Santana

• Colorado Rockies: David Dahl

• Detroit Tigers: Niko Goodrum

• Houston Astros: Lance McCullers Jr.

• Kansas City Royals: Brett Phillips

• Los Angeles Angels: Ty Buttrey

• Los Angeles Dodgers: Gavin Lux

• Miami Marlins: Ryne Stanek

• Milwaukee Brewers: Josh Hader

• Minnesota Twins: Trevor May

• New York Mets: Jeff McNeil

• New York Yankees: Tommy Kahnle

• Oakland Athletics: Jesus Luzardo

• Philadelphia Phillies: Rhys Hoskins

• Pittsburgh Pirates: Cole Tucker

• San Diego Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr.

• San Francisco Giants: Hunter Pence

• Seattle Mariners: Carl Edwards Jr.

• St. Louis Cardinals: Matt Carpenter

• Tampa Bay Rays: Blake Snell

• Texas Rangers: Joey Gallo

• Toronto Blue Jays: Bo Bichette

• Washington Nationals: Juan Soto

Call of Duty League returns this week as well, meaning gaming-inclined folks have plenty of options to watch if you’ve got some time this weekend. It’s not a trip to the ballpark, but it’s certainly a start.

Drew Brees seems like he can play football forever, but seeing as how he’s 41 and father time is undefeated, the future Hall of Fame inductee’s playing career doesn’t have all that much time left. Whenever he decides to hang them up, though, Brees already knows what he’s going to do next.

A new report by Andrew Marchand of the New York Post indicates that Brees, who was being courted by several television networks, has decided to ink a deal with NBC Sports that will lead to him being “groomed as a potential replacement” for longtime Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth. However, before he gets to that point, NBC plans on using him on other broadcasts to get his feet wet in the broadcasting world.

When Brees retires from the Saints, he is expected to start as a game analyst on Notre Dame football and as a studio analyst for “Football Night in America.” In its recruitment of Brees, NBC sold him on it being the best place to succeed.

Brees had been courted by ESPN, too, as the lead analyst for Monday Night Football, which has been a focus for the network this offseason. The Worldwide Leader in Sports had an eye on Tony Romo, who opted to stay with CBS, and asked Peyton Manning if he would be interested in the job, but he declined. While Marchand laid out some potential other names to look out for in ESPN’s overhaul of its signature football broadcast, there wasn’t an indication that there is anything imminent with regards to replacing Joe Tessitore and/or Booger McFarland.

Still, in the world of broadcasting, this is a huge win for NBC, which now can throw Brees and Mike Tirico on games, whether it be in place of or alongside Collinsworth and Al Michaels. As Marchand reported, two No. 1 booths is potentially on the table.

The move by NBC has been made in part to solidify its announcing group as all the networks head into negotiations with the NFL for the next TV rights agreement. NBC could possibly add a second NFL package, which would allow Brees and Collinsworth to both be No. 1s. If not, Brees will be in the on-deck circle.

Brees agreed to a two-year, $50 million extension with the New Orleans Saints this past offseason, but Marchand pointed out that “there is a feeling this could be his final season.”

Sometimes good R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the hottest R&B jams that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

First up, Kiana Ledé released her debut album Kiki and along with it came a ladies night FaceTime visual with Ari Lennox for the track “Chocolate.” Elsewhere, India Shawn reconnected with 6lack for the affectionate “Not Too Deep” and Tory Lanez came through with his new EP New Toronto 3 featuring standout cut “Stupid Again.”

Kiana Ledé — “Chocolate.” Feat. Ari Lennox

Kiana Ledé and Dreamville’s Ari Lennox connect for their mutual love of “Chocolate.” on Kiana’s latest single from her debut album Kiki. Both of their sweet voices blended on this track gives the song a bit of richness and is a fulfilling achievement as it’s a fairly easy decision to return for more. Kiki’s jazzy voice praises the mother of somebody’s son and all of her desires in a man, while Ari chimes in with her ambrosial vocals expressing a few desires of her own as the two indulge in conversations reserved for ladies night between homegirls. In this case it’s over FaceTime because of, you know, The Rona.

India Shawn — “Not Too Deep” Feat. 6lack

India Shawn wants to fall in love on her new song “Not Too Deep” featuring 6lack. The Epic recording artist fearlessly swims through the track with her soulful voice expressing a kind of love where two souls connect and, naturally, 6lack meets her there with the same energy.

Tory Lanez — “Stupid Again”

Tory Lanez has been going crazy on Instagram with his notoriously wild and entertaining Quarantine Radio featuring big booties everywhere (he got temporarily banned and everything). On Friday (April 10), he unleashed The New Toronto 3 and is going equally crazy on the project’s rambunctious joint “Stupid Again.”

Love Mansuy — “Count On You” Feat. Lil Wayne

A rarity, Lil Wayne hopped on the remix of Love Mansuy’s “Count On You” off his 2019 EP Of Age. Weezy F. Baby raps all the ways he can count on his girl in a way that’s reminiscent of Da Drought. Mansuy also counts all the ways he can count on his own family and friends as he chases his dreams. It’s a charming addition to the already very good song.

PJ — “Intentions/Yummy” (Justin Bieber Cover)

PJ is taking this sequestered moment in time to release a series of tracks for her latest musical endeavor, The Quarantine Tapes. She already put her sultry drip onto Roddy Ricch’s Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial number “High Fashion” and this week she fulfilled the same feat to Justin Beiber’s “Intentions/Yummy.”

Amber Mark — “Heart-Shaped Box”

Nirvana‘s 1993 In Utero song “Heart-Shaped Box” is absolutely one of my favorites and Amber Mark, a burgeoning R&B superstar everyone should be looking out for, really did her thing to the grunge record by truly singing it with her own divine essence. It’s a remarkable interpretation of Kurt Cobain’s angsty drawl.

Dvsn — “Dangerous City” Feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Buju Banton

OVO Sound’s Dvsn never misses so expect nothing but pure melodically dulcet rhythm and blues from Daniel Daly and producer Nineteen85 on their upcoming project A Muse In Her Feelings. Though their music is generally an ethereal slow build-up of robust sounds and heavenly vocals, their latest single off the forthcoming project, “Dangerous City” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and iconic Jamaican artist Buju Banton, is vibrant, unexpected, and needed. Once we can go back outside, I expect “Dangerous City” to rise as 2020’s perfect summertime R&B chune.

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

Billie Eilish has addressed her body and public perception of it on multiple occasions, like when she explained why she has an affinity for loose-fitting clothing or when she kicked off her recent tour with a video of her taking her shirt off and sharing a message about her body. Now she has offered more comments on the subject, and she believes that when it comes to her body, she just “can’t win.”

The topic came up in a new Dazed feature, and talking about the videos Eilish posted of herself wearing a bikini while on vacation in Hawaii (which are relatively tame and don’t seem to be intentionally provocative), she said, “It was trending. There were comments like, ‘I don’t like her any more because as soon as she turns 18 she’s a whore.’ Like, dude. I can’t win. I can-not win.”

She also discussed her own self-image and stressed that her style choices are her own, saying, “There was a point last year where I was naked and I didn’t recognize my body ’cause I hadn’t seen it in a while. I would see it sometimes and be like, ‘Whose body is that?’ It’s not that I like [my body] now, I just think I’m a bit more OK with it. […] If I wore a dress to something, I would be hated for it. People would be like, ‘You’ve changed, how dare you do what you’ve always rebelled against?’ I’m like, ‘I’m not rebelling against anything, really.’ I can’t stress it enough. I’m just wearing what I wanna wear. If there’s a day when I’m like, ‘You know what, I feel comfortable with my belly right now, and I wanna show my belly,’ I should be allowed to do that.”

Read the full feature here.

Aside from being teammates for the United States Women’s National Team, Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath, Meghan Klingenberg and Christen Press are also the founders of re—inc, a purpose-driven lifestyle and streetwear brand. With a mission of redefining the status quo, the co-founders sought to design a clothing line that is gender neutral and allows for individual expression.

Following the success of the company’s first clothing collection in November, the second release, a black and white ensemble, dropped on Friday. The BW Capsule features clean and smartly designed t-shirts, hoodies and sweatpants as well as dad hats, beanies, socks and more. According to the re-inc website, five percent of capsule sales through April 22 will go to #GetUsPPE, a national organization that works to get personal protective equipment to healthcare providers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We spoke with Rapinoe, Heath, and Press about the capsule, what it’s like to work with your teammates, and how re-inc balances its role as a high-end streetwear brand that is made for everyone.

Why did you choose black and white for your next clothing collection?

Tobin Heath: Well, black and white is obviously super wearable, but the story was also about how our company, re, was founded through this tension that exists when you’re trying to reimagine the status quo. Out of this idea of fighting against something and we wanted to change that narrative — to fight for something. So we knew we wanted to drop the black and white capsule as a nod to that. Our black and white capsule is our story of how our company was born and the story that we continue to tell ourselves in everything that we do — no matter how hard the imagination process is, that it’s worth it and that together, we can be even stronger.

Your first capsule, RWB, was popular and many of the items quickly sold out. What does your success mean to you and what have you learned from the first release?

Christen Press: I think the whole process of starting something has been really humbling and we’ve all been venturing into unknown territories, which is fun. I think it was beautiful that we were able to co-opt the clothing line that was rooted in something other than commercialism. It was about re-imagining patriotism and especially during the course of the year when we were representing our country at the World Cup. And one of the biggest things we learned was how important that was for our community, to be buying in to re-inc. It wasn’t just about product — it was about product that was a symbol of the change, and that’s something we want to bring to every capsule and every product that we do.

We’re so intentional and we’re so careful because this isn’t [merchandise] for us. This is handcrafted goods and clothing and creative pieces that we’ve designed ourselves, with our own hands, and we’ve been there for every step during the process. So it’s really personal.

What does it mean to be able to have your own company, create your own products and build out your own vision?

Rapinoe: Seeing it come to life is obviously so rewarding. We knew that this could be successful, so it’s kind of like, yeah, we knew this was going to happen. But it’s also like we’re putting something out there, this idea of something better and re-imagining the status quo, and so being successful means that other people are feeling that as well. So I feel like we’re giving a voice and tapping into something that hasn’t really been tapped into in the way that we’re doing it.

I think streetwear, as a whole, often has to find the balance between being available to a wide range of consumers while also remaining somewhat exclusive. On the other hand, the communities that re-inc seems to be targeting with its clothing, like the LGBTQ+ and minority communities, are also the ones who are more likely to struggle financially and might be unable to purchase a lot of your clothes. How do you reconcile those two elements with your company?

Press: I think that what we have decided to do is to strike a bit of a balance. We welcome all members of our community to participate by offering them space to share their thoughts, to learn, to grow, and we’ll hopefully continue to do that as we grow. And then we’re also hoping to provide products at a range of price points, so if someone isn’t able to afford the full suit, perhaps they can buy in with a pair of socks or a hat. So, we’ve actually expanded our range of products to be more inclusive.

At the same time, when you’re building products of super high quality that are sustainable and doing really limited drops in order to reduce the production, it does come at a certain price point. So that’s where we’ve struck the balance, we’ve actually come in at kind of a lower end of a luxury brand. The prices are significantly lower than the ones of a high luxury brand and that’s because we want it to be accessible to a lot more people. But at the same time, I think it’s a fair price for the value of all that we put into this, from the designs to the quality of production, and to hopefully the overall experience that a customer will have when they shop our line.

What has it been like to work with your teammates and friends who you’ve known for so many years?

Megan Rapinoe: It’s actually been really so amazing. One of the things that our company was born out of was all of us feeling a little boxed in. Obviously, we’ve been athletes our entire lives and it’s always, “Oh, you’re the creative athlete or the athlete that likes fashion or the athlete that does this,” so that was a big genesis for us when we first started this. Then, to be in the company, we’ve all given each other space to be something completely outside of what we normally know each other, and that’s the really beautiful part of all of this. When we step off the field, I’m not thinking of Tobin as a really creative athlete. I’m like, this is our lead designer, she’s our artist and she’s coming up with all of these crazy ideas that we’re sort of charged with bringing to life. And Christen’s running the company — I don’t see her as my teammate, I see her as the CEO of the company.

Projecting out running backs in the NFL Draft is difficult, if only because so much goes into evaluating that position in 2020. How much emphasis should teams place on the amount of touches a player has had — can you make any sort of definitive conclusions off of a light workload, or should you be more scared if a guy has taken a beating over the course of his career? Should pass-catching be critical, or merely a tool in the toolbox? Are subpar numbers the result of bad offensive line play, a weak passing game that let foes zero in on the running back, or a guy just not being that good?

While we are not paid by NFL teams to figure out that formula, it doesn’t take much to figure out which members of this draft class have what it take to become really solid contributors at the next level. There’s talent in this class from top-to-bottom, even if there are some question marks. There’s a chance we don’t hear any names read on Day 1 of the draft, but don’t be surprised if a number of these guys stick around and end up being really valuable backs for a long, long time.

Previous 2020 NFL Draft Big Boards:

• Quarterbacks

Tier 1

DeAndre Swift: This year’s running back class is extremely solid, even if there’s not a top-10 caliber guy and all three in this top tier have reason to think they’re the best back in the class. Swift can do it all, as he’s comfortable running between the tackles, has breakaway speed, and is capable as a receiver out of the backfield. He has the pedigree of coming through the Georgia pipeline that just pumps out productive running backs and he figures to be the latest immediate impact player at the next level as a three-down back. What might help Swift the most is he’s proven, but has less tread on his tires compared to the two Big Ten backs in this tier.

J.K. Dobbins: Like Swift, Dobbins projects as an immediate starter in the NFL and is capable as a receiver. He rushed for 2,000 yards last year and really there aren’t any questions his tape can’t answer for a team. He, like Swift, has a great combination of power, speed, and agility. The biggest hurdle facing this year’s crop of backs isn’t talent, but how many teams have more pressing needs to address in the draft at positions other than running back. All three in this first tier are first round talents, but it’s possible that only one ends up a first round pick.

Jonathan Taylor: Taylor has the main issue that we’ve come to expect out of Wisconsin running backs: At a time where NFL teams look for running backs who have not taken a beating during their collegiate career, Taylor has ran the ball 926 times. It’s an obvious question mark, but the good news is he has shown a whole lot in those 926 carries, from speed, to power, to decisiveness. Taylor has 4.39 speed in a 5’11, 220 pound frame, and even though this isn’t the main part of his game, he has enough shake to make defenders miss. Still, as a back who can run by or through a defender, Taylor is a beast. We’ll see if his pass catching — not exactly a hallmark of his game — comes along, and how much more mileage he can put on his tires.

Tier 2

Clyde Edwards-Helaire: The former LSU standout can flat-out play, as he showed during the 2019 campaign, his first (and only) one in a featured role. He’s a bit undersized (5’8, 209) and doesn’t really have speed that pops (4.6-second 40), but he is a bowling ball who is not afraid to take a hit, in part because he is quite good at staying upright — his feet are quick and his spin move is nasty. He’s a smart back who can catch the ball and will help whatever team he is on. That may never be as a clear-cut RB1, but the stuff he does well and the lack of hits he has taken in his career means a team on Day 2 could — and should — take him. His tape against Alabama, where he just would not stop attacking the vaunted Tide defense, is some of the most fun you will have today.

Tier 3

Cam Akers: Akers is an interesting case study. He has gobs of talent, showed the ability to take over games, and can make an impact as a runner or as a pass catcher (although that second thing could use a little work). He also struggled to consistently produce, but the question teams will need to answer is whether that was because of himself or because he played on a Florida State team that has completely fallen off over the last few years. The good news for Akers is he’s able to blend speed and power well, running a 4.47 in a 5’10, 217 pound frame, and can be quite the violent runner. If he shores up some questions regarding ball security, some team is going to fall in love.

Zack Moss: It is time to appreciate another Utah player. Moss isn’t the fastest guy, but has solid functional speed in pads. He’s a powerful runner at 5’10, 220 pounds, and has plenty of shake in the hole to make defenders miss. His tape against Cal last year is some of his best against a good defense and he has years of production that could make him a mid-round steal in terms of value.

Eno Benjamin: The classic guy who isn’t outstanding at anything but does everything well, Benjamin is a floor raiser, the kind of player who will slide right into a backfield and make it better even if he might not have a path to being an All-Pro. He ran a 4.57 at 5’9 and 207 pounds, and while he’s not the biggest, fastest, strongest, or quickest dude in this draft, he can run, he fights for every yard, and he knows how to make opposing players miss. A tough and productive back out of Arizona State, Benjamin had four straight games of 149+ yards in 2018, and even if he’s merely a one-cut runner in the league, he’ll end up being a good one, especially for a Day 3 pick.

Anthony McFarland: Our thinking on McFarland goes like this: NFL teams are constantly on the lookout for guys who have not been asked to do a ton, but have shown that they’re capable of impacting games. McFarland, with 245 career carries and 24 career receptions, is one such dude. A former blue-chip recruit, McFarland had his ups and downs at Maryland. His downs weren’t great — the Terps were decidedly not good the last few years, something that makes being a running back particularly difficult — but when he was cooking, he was able to do things like hang 298 yards on 21 carries against Ohio State in 2018. His speed (4.44 40) and explosiveness are quite impressive, and while his size (5’8, 208) and lack of physicality are concerns, he has a place in the modern NFL due to the fact that it looks like he got shot out of a cannon when he gets a chance to turn on the jets.

A.J. Dillon: Would you like a 6’0, 247 pound running back that can run a 4.53 in the 40? Of course you would. Dillon was a workhorse and lead Dude at Boston College, rushing for over 4,000 yards in three seasons. He’s a physically imposing runner, but once he hits the open field, he will run away from you. He’s not Derrick Henry, but given his size, he’ll elicit some similar reactions from people the first time they see him break a tackle at the line and then start running away from DBs. The reason he’s further down in this tier is the lack of productivity as a pass catcher, but he can pass protect and absolutely tote the rock.

Tier 4

Darrynton Evans: Teams might pass on Evans if they’re looking for someone who will win battles between the tackles when they need to lower their pads and run through a linebacker. He’ll try, that’s just not his game. What he does do very, very well, though, is hit home runs — the former Appalachian State standout has game-changing speed (his 4.41 40 was the second-best time among backs at the combine) and is good at making dudes miss in the open field. As a change-of-pace back, there are few better in this draft than Evans, who put up some impressive numbers as a senior: 255 carries, 1,480 yards, and 18 touchdowns on the ground with 21 receptions for 198 yards and five scores through the air. A potential return man, Evans also returned three kickoffs for scores, one in each of his three collegiate seasons.

LaMichal Perine: There are two things Perine has going for him when put up against other back in this range. First is his productivity as a receiver, as the sure-handed Gator caught 40 balls out of the backfield last season, meaning he could come in and immediately help out as a third-down back. The other is that he’s got relatively low tread on his tires given that he’s gotten steady playing time for all four years of college. He’s had right around 130 carries the last three years after 90 as a freshman, which means despite four years of experience, he has carried the load of a two year back in a run-heavy offense. He’s productive (5.12 YPC) but not overused, and while not the speediest (4.62 in the 40), he’s a powerful runner and, as mentioned, great catching the ball out of the backfield.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn: Vanderbilt was terrible last year and, in particular, they were abysmal in the passing game. This meant Vaughn regularly faced stacked boxes and he still averaged over five yards per carry, a year after he averaged 7.92 yards per carry as a junior on 157 carries. A fun fact about last year’s Vandy offense: Vaughn’s 5.2 yards per carry only narrowly trailed the ‘Dores 5.4 yards per passing attempt this past season. He was also Vandy’s third leading receiver on the season and is a well-rounded back that put forth a solid combine performance (4.51 in the 40). He’s likely a Day 3 selection, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he can be a helpful addition to a running back room immediately.

Wild Cards

Antonio Gibson: I want to be clear on one thing, Gibson isn’t behind Tier 4, he just exists on his own plane of existence here as a RB/WR/KR hybrid. If this were recruiting, he’d just have that ATH designation, but we included him with RBs because the WR class is deep, as you’ll see in our next installment. He did a little bit of everything at Memphis, catching 38 passes (with nearly 20 yards per catch) and rushing the ball 33 times (at over 11 yards per rush). He is a dynamic playmaker (4.39 in the 40) that could hear his name called on Day 2 as offenses around the league look for versatile players that can work out of the backfield or in the slot. He’s also a terrific kick returner and can immediately bring value on special teams. Hopefully he goes somewhere with a creative OC, because he can be moved all over the field and the number one rule is just find ways to get him the ball in space cause he is electric, as evidenced by his SMU tape.

Joshua Kelley: Time to play everyone’s favorite game: Is A Running Back Good Or Did He Just Play For Chip Kelly? Kelley is a big (5’11, 212 pounds) back with good numbers at the combine, namely a 4.49 40 and a 4.28 shuttle. He was productive, too, running for 5.1 YPC over two seasons in Westwood with 12 scores each season (especially notable given UCLA’s issues in the passing game). Our guess is he’s a high floor, low ceiling guy, someone who can reliably tote the rock but will never be a game-changing back. That is perfectly fine, and for a team that wants a dude who will put on his hardhat and go to work, he’s a dream.

If you’ve spent any time on social media during the past three weeks (which, obviously), you’ve probably noticed that people are really horny right now. Like, really really horny. Even the people who are quarantined with a sexual partner are dealing with boredom so strong that it’s is like its own goddamn aphrodisiac. Many of us who are taking social distancing seriously — and you should absolutely be taking it seriously — aren’t getting any right now. Even people who have partners or super dope friends (whatever you want to call them) could easily have ended up in a situation that has kept them apart for weeks and will continue to keep them apart for the foreseeable future.

Regardless, some states like Oregon and New York have seen fit to offer guidelines for those of us who are wondering, “Can I still eat ass during the coronavirus?”

The answer isn’t a simple “yes” or “no.” According to the New York City Health Department, yes, you can totally still hook up. In fact, if you’ve been quarantined with a sexual partner this whole time and you haven’t been having sex… what have you been doing? No seriously, what have you been doing? We can all use new binging suggestions.

Here’s the rub (horny pun intended): according to these guidelines casual Tinder and Grindr hookups are probably a thing of the past for right now, you’re not going to meet anyone on Hinge, and the chance of a serendipitous run-in at the grocery store where you both reach for the same carton of oat milk sounds way more like a nightmare scenario than a meet-cute at the moment. But sexual contact with a partner you’re quarantined with — go at it.

If your partner is out of the house, working as a high-risk essential worker, it’s not a bad idea to take a look at the health guidelines issued by New York and Oregon. They’ll keep you safer — as weird as it sounds for adults to be told how to have sex by a government authority. (This is America damn it, we’re supposed to find out everything about sexual health from our P.E. teachers during a single week of high school!)

Let’s dive into the most useful information about how to safely have sex in the time of COVID-19, according to the New York City Health Department and the Oregon Health Authority.

Sex yourself

That’s right — the state of Oregon reminds us that during COVID-19, we are our own safest sex partner. “Masturbate, use toys. Take this time to find out what makes you feel good,” says Oregon, with a graphic that includes a Hitachi magic wand, a fleshlight, a pair of fingers, some lotion, and an iPhone, which is just *chef’s kiss* perfect.

The state of New York recommends, as a precautionary measure, to wash your hands and any sex toys with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after sex. Yes sir, Governor Cuomo! You read that right by the way, they call it “sex.” Masturbation is sex now.

Oregon’s graphic also suggests you can always “get off” while maintaining social distancing by sexting or using web chat platforms.

Or sex the people you’re quarantined with

“The next safest partner is someone you live with,” says the great state of New York. “Having close contact — including sex — with only a small circle of people helps prevent spreading COVID-19. Have sex only with consenting partners,” and suggests those who “meet your sex partners online or make a living by having sex” should “consider taking a break from in-person dates.”

Again, there is always FaceTime sex, OnlyFans, and good old sexting! Cybersex — A/S/L?

Use condoms!

We should all know to use condoms by now, but here is a weird fact about COVID-19: the virus has not been shown to spread through semen or vaginal fluid, but it has been found in the feces of people who are infected with the virus. Condoms will help reduce your contact with feces during anal sex and saliva during oral sex. Which will keep you safer.

Still, if you’re having sex with someone who has the coronavirus… you’re probably going to need to seriously self-isolate regardless.

The Death Of Rimming

Oregon’s graphic uses the modern universal symbol for the human butt, a peach, adds a pause button and says, “Press pause. Rimming (mouth on anus) might spread COVID-19. Virus in feces may enter your mouth.”

Sorry Young Thug, eating that booty like groceries isn’t a go right now.

Practice Selective Kissing

How do you make the idea of kissing not sexy? By telling us to practice “selective kissing.” “Kissing can easily pass COVID-19. Avoid kissing anyone who is not part of your small circle of close contacts.”

It should go without saying that one of the easiest ways to spread this virus is through kissing, so be careful with who you kiss.

Don’t have sex if you aren’t feeling well

If you have COVID-19 like symptoms you should absolutely refrain from having sex. But for now, it’s probably a good idea to act with caution even if you come down with something that isn’t the coronavirus. While the most common symptoms are sore throat, high fever, and difficulty breathing, there are numerous stories of other weird symptoms that mimic other illnesses, so skip sex if you or your partner are feeling under the weather.

Social Distancing is still important!

Don’t forget about the crucial companion track to “Let’s get it on.”

When I first heard that Indonesian rapper Rich Brian had released a video freestyling over the beat from Teriyaki Boyz’s theme song for for The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift, my mind was blown. For one thing, it was such an surprising choice for a beat to freestyle over. For another thing, I didn’t think anyone else even remembered that movie now that the franchise has nuclear subs and parachuting personal tanks.

But that’s Rich Brian: Always doing the unexpected. He surprised American audiences as a foreign-born rapper who learned English watching American TV, debuting with the viral single “Dat $tick.” When his former rap name caused controversy, he pivoted, becoming Rich Brian and releasing The Sailor last year. It was another unexpected move; he proved that he could really rap and that he didn’t need a gimmick to capture our attention.

Just a week ago, he released the “Tokyo Drift” freestyle, complete with a homemade music video making light of coronavirus social distancing protocols, turning his boredom into content — much-needed content that not only helped others stave off their own boredom, but showed his talent for crafting self-produced potential hits. Not only did it display his artistic growth, but it also brought him back to his SoundCloud guerrilla releases, showing he has the edge to compete in this new, Wild West world.

In a new interview by phone, Brian talks about his “Tokyo Drift” video, his appearance on Guapdad 4000’s Falcon Fridays release “Bali,” and how coronavirus-sparked xenophobia against Asian people has affected him.

All right. First of all, your “Tokyo Drift” video is incredible. What were you doing when you got the inspiration for it?

I was in just like my little studio set up and then I was just one night, I was just thinking the “Tokyo Drift” beat is so f*cking hard, and I feel like if I tried writing to it would be tight, so I did. This was kind of before the lockdown things started to get crazy.

So I recorded it with my friend Vic, it was a really rough recording, we didn’t have that much time to mix it, I showed it to my manager, and he was like, ‘Yo, this is tight, we should put this out.’ At first, we were going to try to do some sort of video, but then I was like, ‘I don’t really want to get out the house, though, right now it’s kind of scary.’ So, I decided to just make a little phone thing in my living room and then just edit it on [Adobe] After Effects for like two, three days, and then just put it out. It definitely felt like the old times and just kind of like being able to hit ‘upload’ on SoundCloud again.

It’s funny because I didn’t think that people really remembered that song or that soundtrack or that particular entry in the Fast And The Furious movies. Why do you think it was that Tokyo Drift was considered the redhead step-child of the Fast And The Furious franchise?

I heard that song for the first time when I was really young, when I was probably like five or six. And I remember just loving it and just because I was a kid, that melody with that hook just stuck with me. It was just like this is the hardest thing ever. I think that was just a really legendary song.

It’s kind of a legendary movie. It’s kind of known as being the worst one, but some people say it’s the best, some people like it more. And some people think it’s the worst one.

I actually don’t even remember.

Okay. How’s this? Which one’s your favorite?

To be completely honest with you, I don’t remember watching Tokyo Drift. I don’t remember like how it went, but my favorite Fast And The Furious probably would be — and this is for me just you know, like hell, I don’t think that I’ve watched all of them to be honest with you. But I watched like a good, like three or four of them and I think my favorite is the first one with Paul Walker and Tyrese.

Which is 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Do people like that one?

Some people did, some people didn’t. I liked it and I think it’s aged probably better than any of the other really old ones. So, we’ve been stuck in the house for a little while. What kind of music have you been working on since you were stuck in the house?

I’ve been getting back to producing more because before this, I’ve always produced and I started learning how to produce when I was like 16, 17. So, that’s always been a nice little skill to have just because it makes it easier for me to make songs and I don’t have to talk to people about what I want all the time. It just makes songwriting a lot better, and being able to learn arrangements and what these little languages are.

And it’s been a lot of different kinds of music — a lot of hip-hop stuff, then a lot of really melodic stuff, and that’s what comes out when I produce. I can’t really just do one thing because it gets really boring for me. So I try to switch it up.

That’s fire. Challenging yourself is a really great way to get better at any skill or even just get better at like you said, writing things down or finding ways to solve problems. There’s actually a challenge that I heard that goes with the video that has prompted prominent Asian rappers to also jump on the beat for “Tokyo Drift.”

I guess it’s been a challenge that kind of started naturally, people wanting to get on the beat. I think it’s cool to see people doing that without even me just trying to start anything. It’s really interesting to see. I’ve seen some really good ones and right now, I’m currently trying to get my other rapper friends on it, but we’ll see.

Absolutely. So, I know you’ve probably seen how in the news that there’s been a rise in anti-Asian sentiment and xenophobia lately because of the coronavirus. What would you say to someone who believes or repeats some of those anti-Asian sentiments?

This virus is not an excuse to just be racist to random Asian people. And what’s been happening is not cool. And I’ve seen a lot of the news and even my friends have gotten into their share of weird encounters and altercations relating to this whole pandemic situation. It’s really fucked up. It’s a weird situation to be in and I just hope that more people realize that it’s not cool.

And as an Asian person myself, I don’t feel safe walking outside just by myself. And I never thought I would feel that, like in a million years.

You’re now seen as sort of a role model for a community of people that don’t necessarily get a lot of representation in hip-hop. Can you just talk about what does that position mean to you?

That position is so big to me and most of the time I don’t really get pressure from it. Most of the time it’s motivation. But there are times where I’m really, really thinking about it and I’m like, ‘Whoa, this could be a lot of pressure sometimes.’ But a lot of times, it’s what keeps me going. It’s great that I’m able to make money off of something that I enjoy doing, but at the same time, outside of all that, I like being able to do it and inspire a lot of other people in the process and be that role model that I didn’t really have that much of when I was a kid.

I also hear you’re working with another rapper from the Asian-American community: Guapdad 4000, who’s part Filipino.

Yeah, the new single’s called “Bali” and it’s featuring Guapdad 4000 and it’s coming out today. It’s just a really fun song, it’s really melodic and catchy. At the same time, there’s also rapping in it that’s kind of like that rap-melodic stuff that people do sometimes and I haven’t done too much of it because it’s kind of a new territory for me. It has kind of like a reggae vibe on the beat.

I worked on it with Bekon and the Donuts. We produced it together and Guapdad 4000 was amazing to work with. We never met before, but we were just like texting about it. He was really cool because he did his verse and then he sent it to me. Usually, when I collab with people, they send me their verse, whatever, and they’re just like, ‘Alright, I did my verse, this is what you get.’ But he was actually asking me what do I think about it and he was down to take notes and stuff like that.

So it was a great collaboration and I can’t wait for it to come out because it’s definitely, again, a weird time to be in right now. I’ve never seen anybody just like globally staying home. I don’t think this ever happened before in this world. And the thing that I feel like keeps a lot of people sane right now is music.

Rihanna is jumping on the livestreaming wave to celebrate the release of her new Fenty clothing line with the Fenty Social Club. The party celebrates the launch of the Fenty brand’s faux leather capsule. Launching later today (April 10) at 3pm PST, 6pm EST, and 11pm BST, the party will feature DJ sets from DJ Pedro, Kitty Ca$h, and Stretch Armstrong, with a performance from grime star Octavian. See below for the flyers.

Rihanna also donated quite a lot of money to coronavirus relief on top of providing entertainment, donating $5 million via her Clara Lionel Foundation to organizations all over the US and overseas, which helped food banks serving at-risk populations, provided medical equipment to hospitals, and helped speed up distribution of testing kits in Haiti and Malawi. Her home country, Barbados, received $1.4 million for ventilators.

She also teamed up with Jay-Z to distribute $2 million collectively to organizations in New York and Los Angeles to help vulnerable populations such as children of frontline healthcare workers, the elderly, the homeless, the incarcerated, and undocumented workers.

But of course, with so many fans — including Drake — clamoring for new music from the Bajan star, she’s also been hard at work on just that during quarantine. Hopefully, she’ have something new to play for fans who tune into Fenty Social Club this afternoon.

Check out the announcement for Fenty Social Club above, along with a preview of what to expect.