Category: News

A few preliminary notes before we dive into this extremely stupid list of the best and weirdest moments from television in 2022:

• This is my list, curated by me, and so will lean heavily toward things and people that brought me joy throughout the year
• None of this is meant to be taken all that seriously
• If you scroll down far enough you’ll see a screencap of Jennifer Coolidge snorting party drugs in Sicily

All true. It’s a good time. Here we go.

Best Performance – Kathy from Holey Moley

This reads like a joke but I promise I am serious. Everything about it was incredible, starting with the thing where this woman was draining putts from everywhere to take home the grand prize in the season finale of a show that involves potentially injurious obstacles that people half her age wipe out on in deeply funny fashion, and extending to the thing where Miss Piggy was in attendance while it happened. That’s something I don’t think we all have discussed enough this year. The Muppets were on Holey Moley this season. That really happened. And the season ended with one of the most shocking and inspirational athletic performances I have ever seen. I am serious about that, too. Watch it on Hulu sometime. You won’t even believe it. Kathy is the Michael Jordan of Muppet-adjacent miniature golf competitions. You’ll see what I mean.

Worst Performance – Snoop Dogg on Wheel of Fortune

Some notes:

• This video remains incredible
• I have watched it 1000 times
• I am going to watch it again after I type this sentence
• Aaaaand I watched it three times just now

Good for Snoop. Good for all of us. Get him on The Price Is Right next.

Most Outstanding Cigarette Drags – Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul ended this year. There are plenty of places to read about its final season and various twists and the Carol Burnett of it all. I wrote a lot of words about it. But that’s not what this is. This is about Kim Wexler, as played by Rhea Seehorn, smoking cigarettes in such a deeply cathartic way that it almost made me start again after well over a decade. Look at her up there.

Look at her down here.

And here.

Better Call Saul was a show full of people having bad ideas and we can go ahead and file “what if I start smoking again?” in with all of those. I blame Kim Wexler.

Best Name of a Real Game Show Contestant – Emily Fiasco on Jeopardy

Emily Fiasco

EMILY FIASCO

THREE-TIME JEOPARDY CHAMPION EMILY FIASCO

Please know that I said all of these sentences out loud as I typed them.

Best Fart (tie) – Slow Horses and Bluey

The competition was stiff here. Gary Oldman’s character in Slow Horses was introduced to the audience — pretty much the first time we see him — by farting himself awake, which would have run away with this category if there had not been an entire episode of a children’s show about a puff of flatulence so controversial that it resulted in the entire episode getting banned briefly from Disney Plus. That really happened. On Bluey. I wrote about it at the time.

The Family Meeting episode from series three of the hit children’s show features a faux trial with mum Chilli as the judge to determine whether Bandit did “fluffy” or “make a brownie” on Bluey’s face.

The episode opens with the six-year-old blue heeler pup saying “Dad blew off right in my face” and Bandit denying it. Later he admits: “Her face is at bum level – it’s hard not to.”

Two things are important to note here:

• I love this very much
• I have a law degree

Moving on.

Best Puke – The Righteous Gemstones

The Righteous Gemstones was so good this year. Again. It’s always good, though, so that’s not a huge surprise. It’s going to win another award later in these proceedings. You should watch it if you haven’t been and you should consider a rewatch if you have. This screencap is a good reason why. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a better or more useful image. I have used it as a reaction to bad news maybe two dozen times since I first saw it. You can start doing this, too. Just click on it and save it right now. My gift to all of it.

Best Celebrity Endorsement – Danny Devito for Jersey Mike’s

Pretty tough to get better — in any substantial way, at least — than “Danny Devito pitching hoagies on television.” It’s beautiful. The only thing that upsets me about this commercial is that Danny Devito was not already on television pitching hoagies before this. Like, for years. Also, I have now typed “pitching hoagies” twice and have developed a mental image of Danny Devito in a full baseball uniform throwing a hoagie to a catcher. I’m upset that hasn’t happened yet either. We have some things to work on. Like, as a society.

Most Outstanding Milk-Related Assault — Players

I was late to Players, the new series from the American Vandal team, which was mostly my fault. I should have gotten in there from the jump. It remains my position that American Vandal — the first season, especially — is one of the best depictions of true crime and the experience of being in high school, which is a hell of a thing to say about a show that operates from a premise of “someone spray painted some dicks on some cars and we’re gonna figure out who.” It was stupid and brilliant and funny and poignant and about six other things all at once. Players took a similar formula and applied it to the world of esports. I do not care very much about competitive gaming and the people who do it, but I do love a show that zooms in super tight on a small but dedicated little ecosystem and shows you the absurdity and humanity of something you had never once actually thought about.

I also love that the show did it using characters with names like Creamcheese (formerly “Nut Milk”) and a running gag about a Philadelphia gaming prodigy who repeatedly smashed a bully in the head with a bag of milk. And I especially love that the milk-smashing thing turned out to be an important piece of character development. Like I said, stupid and smart all together. This, to put a laser-fine point on it all, is extremely my kind of stuff.

Best Use of Limited Resources – Atlanta

Atlanta came to an end this year, too, which is kind of a bummer because Atlanta was one of our most consistently fun and creative shows for pretty much the entire time it was on. But it wasn’t a total bummer because the show went out reminding us exactly why it was so good, by which I mean “it aired a full-on standalone episode that featured none of its now-famous cast and instead told an alternate history of a Disney executive who was obsessed with Goofy.” I can’t possibly put into words how happy this made me. It was so weird. And funny. And kind of perfect. You can go watch it right now even if you’ve never seen another episode of Atlanta. You should watch other episodes of Atlanta, though.

It was a good show. For reasons like this. But for other reasons, too. I’m going to miss it a lot.

Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Using a Modified “We’re Not So Different” – House of the Dragon

There are very few things I enjoy more than a character in a television series or a movie looking an adversary in the eye and explaining why the two of them are “not so different.” I prefer that exact wording, if only because no one in real life has ever phrased it that way. I especially like the “We’re not so different, you and I” construction. Start using it in your actual life. Say it to your DoorDash delivery driver this weekend. It’s thrilling.

Anyway, sometimes shows will do a little modified version of this, where they try to phrase it in a more normal way to slip it by me. But I remain vigilant. I will not be fooled. That’s how I noticed that House of the Dragon — a show I did not expect to like but enjoyed quite a bit — actually did it twice in its first season. Once up there, and once down here…

If you’re wondering if I saw these on my television at home and contorted myself into the full-on DiCaprio Pointing Meme and shouted about it to no one, the answer is yes. Maybe you’ll start doing it now, too. If that happens, well, then you and I won’t be so different, after all.

Most Dangerous Piece of Exercise Equipment – Peloton

It is really very funny to me that two separate characters on two separate shows had Peloton-related health emergencies within weeks of each other. First, there was Chris Noth’s character from the Sex and the City continuation series And Just Like That, who died during a workout. That one was great because people lost their minds a little. Peloton had to put out an actual statement about the whole thing. Just massively silly and stupid on a number of levels. A delight.

Then, just weeks later, a character on Billions suffered a heart attack while riding a Peloton. This one survived, but still. It’s a blast to picture the official spokesperson for Peloton sitting back on a Sunday night to relax with an episode of Billions after a stressful month of questions about his product killing off beloved characters and then seeing this happen and sighing so deeply a piece of his soul flies out.

A blast for me, at least.

Best Home Alone-Related Cameo (tie) – The Righteous Gemstones and Better Call Saul

Here’s what happened…

Macaulay Culkin showed up on The Righteous Gemstones as the adult son of Walton Goggins’ character, Baby Billy Freeman, which just made me smile a little all over again as I typed it. That was a great piece of business. He punched Goggins in the face. POW! Just perfect. And I was sure that would be my favorite Home Alone-related cameo of the year.

But then…

Devin Ratray, who played Buzz McAllister in the franchise about a little boy who is terrible at traveling, showed up in the final season of Better Call Saul. Here. Look.

At some point next year, any time on any show on any channel, but preferably on like Succession, I really need Joe Pesci to pop up out of nowhere. Let him play a rival media mogul. Let him play a senator. Let him swear at Cousin Greg. It’s a simple request.

Most Reliably Funny Thing, To Me — News Bloopers

This is a compilation of news bloopers from 2022. I watched it the other day and I started giggling almost right away and I kept going straight through until the end. It’s kind of wild. You could assemble a team of the greatest comedic minds in Hollywood and give them all time and resources they want and they would still not be able to create something funnier to me than a chuckle-happy weatherman trying to get through a forecast right after a report about a portable toilet fiasco on the highway. This probably says as much about me as it does anything else. I don’t know. I feel okay about it.

Best Creative Cussing – Reservation Dogs

Important notes:

• Reservation Dogs is one of the best shows on television
• It makes me very happy
• This season, there was a notable uptick in characters calling each other “shitass”
• This led to a dramatic uptick in me doing it, too
• People in my life did not enjoy it

This kind of thing happens to me sometimes.

Best Use of a Chainsaw – Hacks

One of the complaints I’ve had about television throughout the years is that there have not been enough shows where Jean Smart marches into the frame with a chainsaw in her hands, cranks the sucker up, then marches forward with a devilish glee in her eyes. I think that could have really done wonders for — to pick a show at random — Mad Men.

I’m glad we’ve righted this historical wrong. Let’s not stop now, though. Let’s build on this. Looking at you, season three of The White Lotus.

Best Use of Explosives – 9-1-1

9-1-1 is a show that is known for its bonkers emergencies (blimp crash, mid-proposal escalator malfunction, etc.), but it’s going to be hard for them to ever top “a husband was upset at his garden being ruined by critters so he set off a bomb in the yard and the wife got very upset because it turned out the garden was actually being ruined by the tunnel that ran from their bedroom to the neighbors’ house, which the neighbor had been using to carry out a torrid affair with the wife until he was severely injured by the aforementioned explosion, which the husband set off because — SURPRISE — he suspected the tunnel-based infidelity all along.”

I believe in them, though. I believe they can get weirder. It’s just a matter of time.

Wildest Character Arc – Rosie Perez in The Flight Attendant

The first season of The Flight Attendant ended with Rosie Perez’s character — another flight attendant — going on the run after accidentally selling government secrets to North Korea, which is already just about the best twist you could possibly imagine. Then, in season two, all of this happened, which I am just going to quote from my own post about it all:

• She opens the season living in hiding in Iceland with a black market tuna smuggler played by Margaret Cho
• She picks a bunch of mushrooms from a forest, which we later see her mashing up into a fine dust/paste
• You guessed it, they are poisonous hallucinogenic mushrooms
• She is running around dosing people with them to keep her secret and/or investigate other secrets
• Her cover gets blown and she comes back to America using the pseudonym “Hildegard Bouffant”
• She goes hunting for a lockbox she hid in her friend’s strip club, but the friend sold the contents of the room to some strange lady, so Rosie and her stripper friend track her down to a weird trailer in the woods and, yup, you guessed it again, dose the woman with mushroom paste and steal back the lockbox while the woman has a full-on mental collapse on the woods

She isn’t even the main character on the show. She’s just the friend of the main character. This commitment to chaos is inspiring on a deep and powerful level.

Most Unrelenting Earworm – The Los Pollos Jingle From Better Call Saul

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand it’s in my head again.

I suppose that’s not a huge complaint.

Yet.

Talk to me in a week to see if it’s still in there.

Best Pronunciation of a Geographic Location – Matt Berry in What We Do in the Shadows

Bullet points again:

• I love that Matthew Berry put this much stink on it for no apparent reason
• I love that it made the final cut
• This is how we should all say “New York City” now
• Even weathermen
• Especially weathermen

I’m going to stop typing now because nothing I write can possibly top that short video. Let’s press on.

Best Fish Pictures – Henry Winkler

Two things are true here.

TRUE THING NUMBER ONE: Henry Winkler continued his yearly tradition of posting fish pictures on Twitter while on vacation

TRUE THING NUMBER TWO: For reasons I will never understand, the people at HBO let me interview him, which I used as an opportunity to ask him about the fish pictures.

We are all doing excellent work here.

Best Strut – Winning Time

Winning Time had a lot going for it, starting with John C. Reilly hamming it up straight through the fourth wall, but I’m still not over this scene. Imagine looking that cool one single time in your entire life. I cannot. And I am very, very cool. [citation needed]

Best Squelching – Stranger Things

Stranger Things has a long history of squelching-related subtitles (I am not joking here, it happens so much), and it is my great pleasure to report that it continued into the most recent season. It’s to the point now where I sit here and wait for it to happen. I get mad if there’s a squelch-ish sound and they don’t put the word on the screen.

It’s fine.

I’m fine.

Everything is fine.

The Judith Light Award for Best Use of Cocaine in a Television Drama – Jennifer Coolidge in The White Lotus

The last few episodes of the second season of The White Lotus were a ton of fun. So much happened in so many ways and some people died and that’s all I’m going to say for now, mostly so I don’t get yelled at for spoiling things you should have watched already. But I will say this: there was a thing where Jennifer Coolidge did a bunch of cocaine at a party with some mysterious gays and a Sicilian gigolo, and this is the screencap I made, and I can’t stop pasting it places now. Here, text messages, work emails, all of it. Just perfect.

It also gives me an excuse to post my favorite GIF ever. This one. Where Judith Light did cocaine at a rodeo on the short-lived Dallas continuation series that aired on TNT a few years ago.

I am so proud of both of these women.

Best Voiceover Performance – Jason Mantzoukas as Tommy Lee’s Penis

To be clear…

Tommy Lee, as played by Sebastian Stan, had a full conversation with his own penis, as voiced by Jason Mantzoukas.

I still kind of can’t believe this happened.

I love that it did.

But I really can’t believe it.

Best Celebrity Profile – The Guy Fieri One From The New York Times

The entire Guy Fieri profile in the New York Times was amazing, just littered with perfect little quotes and anecdotes, but I’m going to highlight three specific passages to drive it home. We start… here.

“I want to chug the chutney!” Mr. Fieri said, daring someone to stop him. “One little bump.”
It was 9:33 a.m.

It’s so beautiful I could cry.

“If you only hear Metallica as a heavy-metal band, then you are not hearing Metallica,” Mr. Fieri said, riding shotgun after a day of filming and charity work. “Now maybe you don’t like that style. But they’re real musicians.”

The thing I like about Guy Fieri is that he’s never changed — not in any substantial way, at least — but the world has come around. This quote would have made everyone roll their eyes a few years ago but now it’s somehow charming. It’s a fascinating transition. Scientists should study it. They should teach it in colleges. I am not joking.

“He goes to all these diners, drive-ins and dives,” said one fan, Jim McGinnis, 77, explaining the show’s appeal as Mr. Fieri administered handshakes and how-ya-doing-brothers at a charity event for New Jersey veterans. “It’s just a pleasure.”

Jim gets it.

Across more than 30 years, The Roots have cemented themselves as the greatest live instrumental hip-hop act in the world. Led by drummer/bandleader Questlove and leading mic man Black Thought, the Philadelphia-born group seeped even deeper into mainstream consciousness when they also became the house band for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2009. It’s nothing to sneeze at for a hip-hop group and while your average consumer likely just knows them from TV, The Roots’ over a dozen album discography contains some seriously pivotal hip-hop classics.

Fuzing hip-hop with a jazz ensemble, R&B vocals, soul breaks, rock, and more, The Roots are in a class all of their own. From seminal albums like Things Fall Apart, How I Got Over, illadelph Halflife, and beyond, we’re taking a look at the best songs by The Roots below. And if you want to see these songs live for yourself, The Roots are performing a pair of New Year’s Eve shows at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles to ring in 2023.

But without further ado, these are The Roots’ best songs, ranked.

30. “Swept Away” (1995)

The opening bassline (by the dearly departed Leonard “Hub” Hubbard) and saxophone swing put down a groovy jazz club feel. Singer Cassandra Wilson’s backing hum throughout the track is hypnotic and Malik B’s (RIP) coy flow elevates one of the first full-on assaults from Black Thought (“Crazy cardiac, my attack on any fat rhythm”) that just made your head turn.

29. “When The People Cheer” (2014)

While The Roots’ last album, …and then you shoot your cousin isn’t generally considered to be among their top works, they still always find ways to tell stories about people trying to rise up from the ills of inner-city life. “When The People Cheer” sees singer Modesty Lycan delivering the play on words hook that became a hallmark of Black Thought’s songwriting in The Roots’ late-career surge.

28. “What You Want” (1999)

Debuting on the crucial live album, The Roots Come Alive, “What You Want” also ended up serving as the opening song from the soundtrack to The Best Man with Taye Diggs and Nia Long. Featuring Jaguar on the hook, the song’s lyrics tell a story in line with the cult-favorite Black romcom’s matrimonial love triangle. And after thriving in the underground, “What You Want” shows The Roots’ ability to pierce through it and become a bigger act.

27. “The OtherSide” (2011)

When James Poyser joined The Roots for good in 2008, the Soulquarian producer sent the group’s keyboard parts soaring. With Questlove, Poyser, and manager Rich Nichols (who died in 2014) orchestrating behind the boards, “The OtherSide” is among the group’s tightest productions. And for additional posterity here, Bilal is on the passionate hook.

26. “Break You Off” (2002)

Phrenology proved to be a deconstruction album of sorts for The Roots. It’s easily their most experimental album and “Break You Off” is sublime R&B featuring Musiq Soulchild’s velvet vocals on the album’s first single. Questo’s drums are tinged with bossanova, while Black Thought’s flow serves as a sinister and meditative lothario over a hard bass line.

25. “Essawhaman?” (1993)

The Roots’ first album Organix, helped them get their first label deal that would eventually lead into Do You Want More?!!!??! being released on DGC. Organix was first only sold on a modest European tour and the recording of “Essawhaman?” featured on the album is from a gig in Slovenia, soon after Hub joined the band. It helped establish the group’s unique lyrical lexicon and later appeared in a different live version (from Philadelphia’s Trocadero) under the title “Eassaywhuman” on Do You Want More?!

24. “Without A Doubt” (1999)

Predicated on an absolutely filthy breakbeat that Questlove borrowed from Philly rapper Schoolly D’s track “Saturday Night,” “Without A Doubt” shows how The Roots didn’t just sample tracks, they recreated them. “Another one of our in-house geniuses, Chaos, suggested that if we were going to ‘go there’ (Hip Hop’s ever so effortless task of ‘creating’ the cover tune) we should keep it ‘ill’ (adelph),” Questlove said in the Things Fall Apart liner notes. “We hope we did the city proud by this one.”

23. “Guns Are Drawn” (2004)

The Tipping Point is probably the most underrated album by The Roots. It didn’t get the same critical praise as their more heralded works, but “Guns Are Drawn” is a prime example of the gems that lay within. It’s a modern funk and soul original that feels instantly vintage. Son Little’s hook gives a retro veneer to exploration outside of hip-hop’s confines.

22. “Lazy Afternoon” (1995)

This jazzy, R&B tune brings together the elements of scat that resided throughout Do You Want More?! but in a far smoother package swathed in Rachel Graham’s backing vocals. “Lazy Afternoon” is the soundtrack to literally that; there’s hardly a better song to throw on when things need to get done and you’ve made the conscious decision to procrastinate happily instead.

21. “Proceed (Live)” (1999)

One of The Roots’ defining live songs, “Proceed” is a standout off of Do What You Want More?!, but its galvanizing power is most evident on The Roots Come Alive. Recorded from a show in France, the chewy keyboard part is unreal while Rahzel sprinkles in his beatboxing in incredibly tasteful fashion. It’s a signature call-and-response track that still manages to come across like a supreme Philadelphia jam session.

20. “Don’t Feel Right” (2006)

Game Theory marked The Roots’ first album released under the Def Jam imprint and they took the opportunity to make a sociopolitical stance. “Don’t Feel Right” proved to be the most well-formed statement from the album, imploring listeners to pay attention to the insidious oppression in America. “The struggle ain’t right up in your face, it’s more subtle,” Black Thought spits, paving the way for more of this type of commentary from the group for years to come.

19. “Radio Daze” (2010)

How I Got Over was a decidedly pop-forward turn for The Roots and they brought an unapologetic group of wordsmiths along for the ride. Blu and P.O.R.N. are featured on “Radio Daze,” with Dice Raw making another return to the group on the hook. Just like how “Don’t Feel Right” did, “Radio Daze,” is a call to pay attention to injustice. But four years later, The Roots surmise that there are multimedia forces clouding our perspectives. A piano rests alongside Questlove’s drums to make it feel like a eulogy that’s about to be written if something isn’t done about the condition.

18. “Not Sayin Nothin’ New” (1999)

Black Thought and Dice Raw are very much challenging each other on this cut off of Things Fall Apart. The melody truly stands out on “Nothing’ New” and it even features a hint of Eve’s vocals underneath the track. But it’s ultimately one of Black Thought’s greatest moments on their best album when he raps: “Yo, I’m overpaid in dues, blood, tears and sweat. When you f*ckin’ with The Roots, that’s as good as it get…Ultramagnet!”

17. “Kool On” (2011)

Questlove produced “Kool On” around a sample of D.J. Rogers’ “Where There’s A Will,” giving it a fresh soul sound. Kirk “Captain Kirk” Douglas’ delivers one of his best guitar riffs with the group to take the track to new heights. Greg Porn and Truck North each drop a verse on the gangster boogie and Black Thought slays a sleek hook, singing “Come get your kool on, stars are made to shine.”

16. “How I Got Over” (2010)

The title track to How I Got Over features one of Questlove’s best drum beats on the album. Dice Raw joins Black Thought once again for a song about rising from the streets and they come across like kids from Philly who got out and want to help others do the same. Raw’s “Out on the streets, where I grew up. First thing they teach you, Is not to give a f*ck,” lyric is sharply honed, articulating the hood mentality and making sense of a senseless life of crime in America in a way that still resonates.

15. “Mellow My Man”

There’s a unified groove on Do You Want More?! That much is undeniable. And “Mellow My Man” is soaked with the essence of it. It’s the pinnacle of Black Thought and Malik B’s jazz-scat vocals where you get the sense that this album was very much forged with an underground supper club in mind. This is a track meant to be consumed live and direct, and “Mellow My Man’s” jazz sensibilities (the horn section might as well be in your living room) are what made The Roots the incomparable live hip-hop force that they went on to become.

14. “The Next Movement (Live)” (1999)

No respectable Roots fan can ever hear a mention of Switzerland again without their minds going to Black Thought hyping the crowd at Zurich’s Palais X-Tra shouting, “Switzerland!” On the Come Alive version especially, Rahzel’s twitchy beatbox slides in so fluidly with the band and the organ is among the most defining sounds of any song by The Roots. This is an ultimate hype track.

13. “Respond/React” (1996)

The first song on Illadeplh Halflife, “Respond/React” was The Roots’ grand introduction into Golden Age rap greatness. It’s a Philadelphian diatribe that asserts how no matter where The Roots crew goes, their heartbeat will always be in the city of brotherly love. Black Thought puts on a masterclass in syncopation, finding rhyme patterns where they’re not supposed to be and while the album will eventually straddle genres, “Respond/React” is undeniably hip-hop.

12. “Adrenaline!” (1999)

How this collision of rap and jazz manages to even incorporate a full-on beatboxer into the mix and not make it feel frivolous is one of the greatest achievements in hip-hop history. “Adrenaline!” sees Rahzel at his peak, beatboxing in congruence with Questlove’s drums and a keyboard melody to kill, before giving way to verses from Beanie Sigel and Dice Raw. And while Rahzel’s time with The Roots would soon come to end, “Adrenaline!” saw his novelty in its ultimate state.

11. “Silent Treatment” (1995)

The Roots made a lot of great R&B songs and “Silent Treatment” sees them in their early days slaying the genre in pure, unadulterated form. A sexy horn and sensual keys make way for Black Thought lamenting a love that he just can’t harness. It was a song for sad hip-hop kids before that became a thing and it’s still just as evocative today.

10. “Step Into The Relm” (1999)

It’s really unfair how many perfect drum breaks Questlove puts his stamp on throughout Things Fall Apart. He makes incredible complexity come across with utter poise on “Step Into The Relm,” a track that tugs at anticipation with false fades and gambles on a piano loop that never ends. It’s probably the fiercest track on the album, with Malik B and Black Thought delivering the hook in chilling, soldier-like unison.

9. “Star/Pointro” (2004)

When The Roots sample songs, they sample really good ones. And the opening track to The Tipping Point makes excellent use of Sly & The Family Stone’s “Everybody Is A Star.” The way “Star/Pointro” builds into its explosive beginning is such a brilliant way to kick off an album; as if the group is trying to tell us as emphatically as possible to brace yourself, because they are back for another triumphant go at it.

8. “Dear God 2.0” (2010)

No track testifies to the malleability of The Roots and their inevitable longevity quite like “Dear God 2.0.” In a most improbable collaboration, The Roots and Monsters Of Folk (led by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst) turn the latter’s psychedelic tune into a haunting plea to the man upstairs. Black Thought’s opening verse might just be his finest post-2010 moment with The Roots and James’ high-pitched hook came across so naturally in a song that blends rap, folk, and pop in amazing ways.

7. “Dynamite!” (1999)

You know those insane drum breaks on Things Fall Apart that I mentioned earlier? This is the one. And maybe it’s because Questlove takes a beat he got from J Dilla and gives it the royal treatment. “I want to be part of the process,” the drummer recalled in the Deluxe album liner notes. Because instead of just using the Dilla beat, he insisted on playing it to the record. And it sounds heavenly alongside yet another stupefying bass line; this combo never gets old.

6. “Section” (1996)

This is how you build a soundscape. And in 1996, hip-hop didn’t sound like this. “Section” takes the brushstrokes that “Respond/React” laid down and adds bursting sounds and layers of senses that constructs the world of illadelph Halflife as it was just beginning to unfold. Black Thought and Malik B are as sharp as can be, flashing their whimsy while not giving up an inch of their edge.

5. “100% Dundee” (1999)

As far as opening bars to rap songs go, Black Thought’s, “On these seventy-three keys, of ivory and ebony, I swear solemnly that I’ll forever rock steadily. People wanna know where Malik? He right next to me, the weaponry, the secret recipe,” should be mentioned in the same breath as Wu-Tang’s “Triumph.” The bass register is pulsating through the roof on “100% Dundee” and it’s quite possibly the best seesaw showing from Thought and Malik B. If anyone ever doubted early on if The Roots needed to always lean on their jazz chops, this sent that notion crashing.

4. “The Seed 2.0” (2002)

The Roots are polymorphous and they found the best way to explain that concept in “The Seed 2.0,” one they valiantly lay out throughout Phrenology. Working with Cody Chestnutt to revamp his original (hence the “2.0”; just like “Dear God 2.0”), the song is a treatise on the shapeshifting nature of hip-hop. Namely, how it’s everything: soul, jazz, rock, etc… If there was ever a song that’s about The Roots and how their music was continuing to evolve into something that might even have a place on The Tonight Show someday, this is it.

3. “You Got Me” (1999)

An autobiographical love song primarily written by Black Thought and Jill Scott, “You Got Me” features Erykah Badu on Scott’s hook and the rest is history; Badu will do that. But Eve also put down her most well-known verse with The Roots as the foil to Black Thought’s protagonist too. Then Questlove manages to find a place for a drum and bass outro, which tip a cap to the power of late ’90s UK jungle music that he had an affinity for. This is peak Soulquarians magic and it netted The Roots their first Grammy Award, forever etching “You Got Me” as an essential golden age of hip-hop cut.

2. “What They Do” (1996)

If you want to make one of the greatest hip-hop and R&B crossover tracks of all-time, Raphael Saadiq pretty much has to be involved. So here he is, on the hook of “What They Do,” essentially giving The Roots sage advice on the pitfalls of the music industry that they need to avoid in order to always be originals (“Never do what they do, what they do, what they do.”) Suffice it to say, they listened. The Roots have hardly ever sounded this gorgeous and Saadiq is a huge part of that. Amen.

1. ”Act Too (The Love Of My Life)” (1999)

Probably my favorite live music moment of 2022 was during The Roots’ headlining set at Montréal Jazz Festival, when the unmistakable melody to “Act Too (The Love of My Life)” flowed through tens of thousands of people at the Downtown Place des Festivals. The Roots were headlining a jazz music festival and my entire life’s relationship with hip-hop flashed before my eyes. It was beautiful.

“The Love Of My Life” defines the journey of The Roots; how they’ve transcended hip-hop, but never compromised their core dedication to the culture. “I thought it was important to have that song so that we could personalize and humanize what hip-hop was,” Questlove wrote in the Things Fall Apart Deluxe liner notes, explaining how Dilla and A Tribe Called Quest’s “Electric Relaxation” were touchpoints for them in crafting this song, which also features Common. Few acts have navigated the ins and outs of hip-hop as fluidly and gracefully as The Roots have and “The Love Of My Life” remains a manifesto of sorts that they’ve never wavered from.

The No. 1 slot of the coveted Billboard Hot 100 chart hosted new faces and established forces alike throughout 2022. The final Hot 100 No. 1 of this year is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” a perennial holiday hit that also topped the charts dated December 25, 2021, and January 1, 2022. Carey was the bookend, as she’s been for the past four years, but there were 13 other songs that went No. 1 in between.

By mid-January, Adele’s “Easy On Me” reclaimed the No. 1 crown from Carey. The 30 single debuted at No. 1 in October 2021 and spent 10 non-consecutive weeks there. The chart dated February 5 found “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Disney’s Encanto making history with its No. 1 bow, and it stayed there before Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves,” an all-time Hot 100 record-holder, made its No. 1 debut.

But once Harry Styles decided to drop “As It Was,” it was virtually game over for everyone else. (Jack Harlow snuck in a No. 1 in April with “First Class,” though.) “As It Was,” the lead single from Harry’s House, became Styles’ second-career No. 1 on the Hot 100 but by far the longest-charting No. 1 at 15 total weeks — a record for a song with no features. Later in the year, Steve Lacy fulfilled his wish of dethroning “As It Was,” as Lacy’s “Bad Habit” hit No. 1 in early October.

Before Lacy, Future interrupted Styles’ historic reign in mid-May with “Wait For U” featuring Drake and Tems, followed by Drake and 21 Savage’s “Jimmy Cooks” and Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” in July. Lizzo was even rewarded with a bouquet of flowers from Styles.

Of course, Beyoncé’s Renaissance return netted a No. 1 with “Break My Soul” in August, her eighth career solo No. 1 and first No. 1 without a featured artist since 2008. “Break My Soul” enjoyed a two-week stint before Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” blew in for a quick one-and-done debut at No. 1 in late August.

All of September featured “As It Was” back on top until Lacy’s upset, and after three weeks of “Bad Habit,” October ended with Sam Smith becoming the first publicly non-binary artist and Kim Petras becoming the first publicly transgender artist to earn a Hot 100 No. 1 with their collaborative single “Unholy.”

Taylor Swift released her 10th studio album, Midnights, on October 21, and by November 5, Swift became the first-ever artist to occupy every top-10 spot on the Hot 100. “Anti-Hero” was No. 1, where it has logged six total weeks.

That brings us back to Carey. The 2022 “All I Want For Christmas” run began with the Hot 100 chart dated December 17 and is holding strong through this week. Which song will dethrone it in January and restart the cycle for 2023?

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

A Texas judge has denied a bond reduction request by Patrick Xavier Clark, the 33-year-old Houston resident accused of murdering Atlanta rapper Takeoff, according to Houston news. It was reported that at a hearing on Tuesday (December 27), Clark’s attorney Letitia Quinones requested to have Clark’s bond reduced from $1 million to $300,000 after previously having it dropped from $2 million. However, despite Quinones’ optimism that an appeal will eventually be successful, Judge Josh Hill has concerns — namely, that Clark could constitute a flight risk.

Those concerns are based on photos from Clark’s Instagram, in which he is seen holding large stacks of cash. He also had a “large amount of cash” on him when he was arrested, along with an itinerary for Mexico. This would seem to belie his family’s insistence that his job as a DJ couldn’t support the large bond amount; he also allegedly bragged on a jail phone that he could pay the larger $2 million amount. However, Quinones said that Clark complied with all of the judge’s requirements for a bond reduction, including securing a bonding service, completing an affidavit confirming his finances, and turning over his passport.

“We complied with every requirement that the judge asked of us, only to be told today that it will not be lowered,” Quinones said. “So yes, we are very disappointed, we disagree and we are surprised.”

Clark was identified as the potential killer after police found footage that appears to show him both holding and discharging a handgun at the bowling alley where Takeoff was shot in the head.

If you read the 2022 Uproxx Fall Travel Hot List, then you know that Mexico is a current hot spot for travelers of all kinds. I myself have visited twice in the past six months. My most recent visit was to Cancun to check out one of the city’s newest resorts: Garza Blanca Cancun. The five-star establishment celebrated its official opening in May of 2022, and it’s already well on track to be the accommodation of choice for influencers and honeymooners alike.

In a destination that’s chock-full of all-inclusive beachside resorts, it’s hard to stand out. But I believe Garza Blanca has made its grand entrance and will continue to grow in popularity among both seasoned and first-time Cancun tourists. If you’re planning a trip to the much-visited Mexican resort city, this spot is definitely worth your consideration.

Read on for my full review of the property–from why it’s awesome to a breakdown of its amenities to my one complaint.

ALSO READ:

• Hotels We Love: ME Cabo Is Like An Elevated Spring Break For Adults
• Hotels We Love: The Green Room Hotel Is An Oceanside, CA Oasis
• Hotels We Love: Surfhouse In Encinitas (CA) Is A Beach Lover’s Dream
• Hotels We Love: Hotel Maraica Is An Ecotourism Paradise
• Where To Stay, Play, Party, And Chill In Sayulita, Mexico

WHY IT’S AWESOME:

What I loved most about Garza Blanca Cancun is that it feels modern and luxurious yet still accessible, fun, and young. Between the vibrant design aesthetic, rooftop infinity pool, various dining options, decked-out spa, and incredible views, Garza Blanca Cancun does “classic resort” but makes it sexy and cool. And it doesn’t feel over the top, either. It’s understated luxury at its finest.

I also appreciate that there’s something for everyone at Garza Blanca. For young families with kids, there’s a giant blow-up obstacle course off the coast of the resort’s private beach. For honeymooners who want to avoid, well, those same kids, there’s the adults-only rooftop pool and bar that’s sure to put them in a romantic mood. Visitors can also opt for either an all-inclusive or room-only option, making your stay tailored to your specific needs.

Speaking of tailoring to your needs, Garza Blanca also offers a 24-hour on-call service. The staff is readily available, welcoming, and kind. They’ll help you get whatever it is you need or at least point you in the right direction–whether it’s finding sunscreen at a nearby gift shop or ordering a bottle of wine to your room at midnight. Not that I did that or anything…But overall, Garza Blanca is a resort that pays attention to the details that make luxury travel worth your buck.

FOOD & DRINK:

Garza Blanca Cancun has six different restaurants, from a casual beachside food truck to a luxurious steakhouse and contemporary Chinese. I loved Hiroshi, the property’s Japanese Fusion restaurant that serves all your fresh sushi favorites and more (and when I say fresh, I mean it. I literally watched them chop and prepare the tuna).

There are also two bars. One is called “The Snack,” serving poolside drinks and finger food. My personal favorite spot on the entire property was the adults-only rooftop infinity bar and pool. Here you’ll find craft cocktails and gourmet bites alongside sweeping ocean and jungle views. Dishes include meals like flank steak tacos, poke bowls, and seasonal salads. And if you want something seriously refreshing and sweet, order the “Watermelon Fresh” cocktail to drink.

AMENITIES:

• Personal Butler
• 24-hour Suite Service
• Pillow Menu
• Electric Curtains
• Balcony Hammocks
• Nightly turn-down service
• Adults-Only rooftop pool
• Family and kid’s pools
• Wellness Zone
• Kid’s Club

ROOM TYPES:

There are plenty of different room types to choose from depending on your budget and how many people you’re with. There are junior suites and one-bedroom or two-bedroom suites with a garden, sunset, or ocean view (you’re in Cancun, so you might as well go with the ocean view). If you really want to ball out, you can stay in a three-bedroom oceanfront luxury residence or in one of the penthouses (which have been frequented by some notable celebs).

Browse the room options here.

THE BEST THING TO DO ON-PROPERTY

This section of our “Hotels We Love” series usually includes the best things to do within a 15-minute walk and a 15-minute drive. The truth, however, is that I never actually left the property once. I don’t know whether to be ashamed of not venturing beyond the resort’s shiny lobby or proud of myself for actually relaxing while on vacation. I took the mornings slow, lay by the pool, ate good food, looked at the pretty views…and instead of feeling exhausted when returning home from my travels, I felt rejuvenated. So I think the best thing you can do on the property is enjoy the amenities to the fullest.

Of course, there’s no better place for some R&R than on the beach surrounded by crystal blue water and palm trees. Although the rooftop pool is definitely a close second. If you really want to relax, though, head to Spa Imagine. It’s the epitome of luxury and wellness, where you’ll find everything from classic massage treatments to HydraFacials.

Let me put it a different way in order to fulfill the assignment and not annoy my editor: The beach is the best thing to do within 15 minutes in any direction. That’s how it ought to be on any beach vacation.

BED GAME:

As I said, visiting this resort helped me actually relax. I’m usually someone who likes to wake up early on vacation so I don’t waste a minute of my time traveling to a new place, but I slept in until about 10 am each morning. That’s basically unheard of for me, and a big part of that is how comfortable the bed was (and the blackout curtains helped).

These hotel beds are the right combination of plush and firm, which is perfect for all those post-pool, mid-afternoon naps.

Rating: 8/10 — nothing insane but definitely notably comfortable.

SEXINESS RATING:

Between the sleek design, private balconies, and pristine views, you don’t have to worry about a lack of libido when visiting Garza Blanca Cancun. That being said, it is a family-friendly hotel and there are kids running around. If you’re looking for a secluded and quiet space, most of the property just isn’t that.

However, the adults-only rooftop pool allows for some peace (complete with a cocktail, of course).

Rating: 7/10 — Our editor says that non-kid-free properties max out at 7 on this scale. So… that’s a great score!

THE VIEWS AND PHOTO SPOTS:

I’m a little ashamed of just how many photos and videos I took at Garza Blanca Cancun, but there really is a photo op around every corner! From the rainbow canopy atop the poolside hammocks to the sweeping ocean view from the rooftop bar, you’ll be posting Cancun pics to your Instagram feed for weeks.

Rating: 9/10 Doubt me? Check my own feed.

BEST SEASON TO VISIT:

Is there really a bad time to visit Cancun? I think not, but if you’re not good in humidity and heat, it’s best to avoid going in the thick of summer. The best time to visit Cancun is about December through April (or at least that’s the most popular time to go). It’s the perfect anti-winter destination, especially for East Coasters looking to escape the cold.

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:

I mean, when you’re on the beach at a brand new resort, there’s not a whole lot to complain about. I’m honestly having a hard time thinking of something to write down here. The seaweed that kept us from jumping in the ocean? The construction going on at the hotel next door? Sure, but none of that was in control of the resort.

I guess my one note would be, when compared to some other five-star resorts, Garza Blanca Cancun could probably offer more daily, free activities for guests to attend.

INSTAGRAM IMAGES TAKEN AT GARZA BLANCA CANCUN

Even though Courtney Love has a long history as a musician (and a short history as a meme-maker), she is also a pretty accomplished actress. After being nominated for a Golden Globe in 1996, Love won the part of Marla in the cult classic film among male college students between the ages of 18-21, Fight Club.

But shortly after she nabbed the part, Love got into a scuffle with co-star Brad Pitt and director Gus Van Sant, who was looking to make a Kurt Cobain biopic. “I wouldn’t let Brad play Kurt,” Love recently said on Marc Maron’s WTF Podcast. She added, “I went nuclear. I don’t do Faust. Who the f*ck do you think are?”

Love was married to Cobain from 1992 until his death in 1994, just a few short years before Fight Club. Love then claimed she was fired from the film after the fight, which should have made her more qualified for a movie titled Fight Club, right? The role eventually went to Helena Bonham Carter.

Van Sant did eventually make a Cobain-inspired pic, but Brad Pitt wasn’t involved. Before she was fired, Love allegedly told the actor, “I don’t know if I trust you and I don’t know that your movies are for profit. They’re really good social justice movies, but… if you don’t get me, you kind of don’t get Kurt, and I don’t feel like you do, Brad.”

Love was then told by Edward Norton, who she was dating at the time, that she had been fired from the fight club, a club that doesn’t exist anyway after all, so it all worked out in the end.

(Via Variety)

If you watched Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery over the holidays, it’s hard not to see the parallels between Edward Norton’s tech billionaire Miles Bron and embattled Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Those parallels feel particularly poignant following Musk’s recent purchase of Twitter, which has done significant damage to his reputation as some sort of wunderkind genius who will save the planet. However, according to Glass Onion writer/director Rian Johnson, he honestly didn’t mean for Norton’s role to hit Musk that hard. It just sorta happened.

When asked during a recent interview with WIRED if he’d ever make a movie about Twitter’s downfall, Johnson joked, “Didn’t I just do that?” before explaining that the Musk parallels were a coincidence because he wrote the film during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. That’s two years before Musk randomly tried to flex on the social media world by buying Twitter.

Here’s what Johnson told WIRED about Norton’s character, who was supposed to have a bit of Musk in him, but not this much:

There’s a lot of general stuff about that sort of species of tech billionaire that went directly into it. But obviously, it has almost a weird relevance in exactly the current moment. A friend of mine said, “Man, that feels like it was written this afternoon.” And that’s just sort of a horrible, horrible accident, you know?

So there have you it. Glass Onion is kinda about Elon Musk, but only because he leaned way too hard into being an evil tech bro billionaire right before the movie came out, which no one could’ve predicted, but probably should have.

In the meantime, you can see Twitter having an absolute field day with Glass Onion‘s (slightly) inadvertent takedown of Musk:

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is available for streaming on Netflix.

(Via WIRED)

As 2022 winds down, we’re all looking forward to the year ahead. Plotting, strategizing, dreaming… This might include professional goals, romantic goals, and even travel. And while we totally understand the importance of the first two, we’re most concerned with that the latter.

Especially when that travel surrounds beer.

We make it a goal to visit a few new out-of-the-way breweries and lesser-known beer cities every year. Sure, we also visit the hot spots as well. Taking a trip to Denver or San Diego means you’ll be immersed in beer culture you don’t see in most places. But part of the fun of visiting an underrated or up-and-coming beer destination is the excitement of finding something new and seeing beer culture grow and evolve.

To help us uncover the best beer cities to visit in 2023, we went to the professionals for help. We asked a few well-known brewers and craft beer experts to tell us their picks for the most underrated, up-and-coming, off-the-beaten-path beer cities. Keep scrolling to see all of their beer-drenched selections.

San Luis Obispo

Dave Ziolkowski, head brewer at Arts District Brewing Company in Los Angeles

The larger area outside of San Luis Obispo on the central coast is cleaning up right now on their critical recognition. The stretch from Pismo to Paso is packed with medal-winning beer that is relatively young but founded by royal institutions. Wild Fields Brewhouse and The Does Not Exist are the musts.

Other Breweries Include:

Antigua Brewing Company, Oak and Otter Brewing Company, Barrelhouse Brewing, and SLO Brew Rock.

New York City

Dave Lopez, founder of Gun Hill Publick House in Brooklyn, New York

I may be a little biased, but with so many creatives in the beer space, New York is without a doubt the most underrated and upcoming beer city. Because of intense competition from non-New York breweries, many of the extremely talented local breweries often get overlooked and are not given the time of day by many bars and restaurants. However, New York and New York City have done a tremendous job of allowing our breweries to expand via the addition of secondary tasting rooms that provide enhanced access to the end consumer.

Our expansion of Gun Hill is a great example. We joined a community of locally owned breweries and distilleries at Industry City on Brooklyn’s waterfront in Sunset Park. Included in that space is another satellite location for Big aLICe Brewing. Very few cities allow for the housing of a group of brewers and distillers offering up a mixed selection of spots to seek out locally sourced and creative beverages.

Other Breweries Include:

Alewife Brewing, The Bronx Brewery, Interboro Spirits and Ales, and Other Half Brewing.

Tucson, Arizona

Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing at Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, Arizona

Tucson is the Austin of Arizona. It’s a funky, artsy, weird, left-leaning enclave that feels satisfyingly out of place with the rest of the state. The city punches above its weight in both brewery quantity (18 last I checked) and quality. Pueblo Vida Brewing Co. does hazy IPAs (and label artwork) as well as any brewery in the country. Dragoon Brewing Co. has for a long while made what might be the most reliably awesome West Coast IPA in the state. Borderlands Brewing Co., Crooked Tooth Brewing Co., and Motosonora Brewing Co. are all likewise creating beers both intriguing and excellent.

Tucson’s also home to the Tap & Bottle, which deserves a spot in the beer bar/bottleshop hall of fame.

Other Breweries Include:

Barrio Brewing, 1912 Brewing, Firetruck Brewing, and Thunder Canyon Brewery.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Wes Burbank, head brewer at Flix Brewhouse in San Antonio

I love the Albuquerque beer scene. It has a really nice balance of bigger breweries making excellent beer (La Cumbre, Ex Novo, Marble, Bosque) alongside smaller places that are also producing some really quality beer lately. Gravity Bound is a standout, alongside Sobremesa, Canteen, and Flix Brewhouse (what’s better than a brewpub with a top-tier movie theatre attached to it?!). In particular, there are some really great IPAs and lagers getting produced by these and other breweries around town.

Other Breweries Include:

Bow & Arrow Brewing, High and Dry Brewing, The 377 Brewery, and Rio Bravo Brewing Company.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Kaylen Gibbens, assistant brewmaster at Widmer Brothers Brewing in Portland, Oregon

I was in Charlotte, North Carolina earlier this year and definitely had some great beer. I think it gets overshadowed by Asheville in terms of being a beer city, but I really enjoyed Hopfly and Wooden Robot when I was there. Really nice beer and a cool ambiance at both spots. It’s an up-and-coming area with a mix of larger and smaller breweries springing up all the time. If you’re going to Asheville, make a detour to visit Charlotte as well.

Other Breweries Include:

Catawba Brewing, NoDa Brewing, Sycamore Brewing, and Birdsong Brewing.

St. Louis

Ryan Joy, lead brewer at Green Flash Brewery in San Diego

St. Louis. While there definitely are some well-known heavy hitters in the St. Louis area (Side Project, Perennial), some under-the-radar breweries are doing some great things too. Narrow Gauge plays heavy in the haze game but has also produced some solid lagers and complex and interesting mixed culture beers. The Italian food is awesome too. Head to Urban Chestnut for some great lager or Civil Life for classic English pub-style ale. While St. Louis has long been known for one big beer brand, the craft beer scene is on the rise.

Other Breweries Include:

4 Hands Brewing, Alpha Brewing, Blue Wood Brewing, and 2nd Shift Brewing.

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Garth E. Beyer, certified Cicerone® and owner and founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin

The Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) have to be the most underrated beer cities, at least in the Midwest. I lop them together because one is basically spitting distance from the other. Whether you hit up one or both (easy in a single day), you’ll leave thinking how amazing of a beer temple each is. The breweries in the twin cities win at both making incredible beers across every style imaginable and being gorgeous breweries to visit – from eclectic indoor taprooms to ridiculously spacious, dog-friendly outdoor patios. Here are a few that should be on your must-visit list: Lake Monster (St. Paul), Bad Weather Brewing Company (St. Paul), Lakes & Legends (Minneapolis), and Pryes Brewing (Minneapolis).

Other Breweries Include:

Dangerous Man Brewing, Modist Brewing, Surly Brewing Company, and Indeed Brewing.

Boise

Max Shafer, brew master at Roadhouse Brewing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Boise, Idaho. I cannot begin to tell you how underrated the beer scene is in Boise. With incredibly close proximity to Idaho’s hop-growing region, the brewers in Boise have access to hops that most brewers dream of. One of my go-to breweries in Boise is Boise Brewing Company. The team at Boise Brewing is making incredibly drinkable and well-balanced beers. Beyond the many other great breweries, you will find plenty of amazing beer bars, like Matlack’s, and great bottle shops like Boise Co-op.

Other Breweries Include:

Payette Brewing, White Dog Brewing, Lost Grove Brewing, and Edge Brewing Company.

Yakima, Washington

Jeremy Marshall, brew master at Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California

I wish I traveled more, but I go to Chicago frequently since we built our brewery there in 2014, and that market has really matured and exploded since then. However, when really considering a maturing and underrated market, I must shout out Yakima, Washington, home of the Bert Grant’s Yakima Brewing from 1982 and the magical valley of hop production. Us craft brewers descend upon Yakima for an annual pilgrimage, Over the past five years, the area has massively stepped up its beer game. Known as a predominantly blue-collar and agricultural landscape, it’s still true that the average beer drinker reaches for some sort of macro-brewed yellow lager, but there’s just too much access to amazing hops at a stone’s throw to not see this area explode. Recent additions are Balebreaker, Single Hill, Varietal Brewing and I would be unsurprised to hear of more coming. You could argue that this area doesn’t have the demand — but come hop harvest, they sure do.

When we show up thirsty, the super mature neighboring markets of Portland and Seattle are there to happily sponge up the rest of the demand.

Other Breweries Include:

Hop Capital Brewing, Valley Brewing, 5th Line Brewing, and Wandering Hop Brewery.

Baltimore

Judy Neff, founder and head brewer at Checkerspot Brewing Company in Baltimore

I may be biased, but the Baltimore craft brewery scene is up and coming. Over the next year, the development in the Baltimore Entertainment District is being finished and this will be the area with a concentration of new breweries (the Brewery District), in addition to venues like Top Golf, the casino, and music venues, and all right by Ravens Stadium and Camden Yards (where the Orioles play). It’s a great city to play as well as drink great beer.

Other Breweries Include:

Flying Dog Brewery, Suspended Brewing Company, Union Craft Brewing, and Full Tilt Brewing.

Wednesday didn’t turn The Cramps into chart-toppers, like Stranger Things did with Kate Bush (feel free to blame Mariah Carey’s holiday dominance). But the psychobilly icons — who came up with wonderful song titles like “Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?” and “The Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon” — have received more long-overdue national attention since the Netflix series premiered than they did during their active years.

Jenna Ortega’s self-choreographed dance to “Goo Goo Muck” has even made it all the way to Russia, where figure skater Kamila Valieva recreated the viral scene during the Russian Figure Skating Championship. The 16-year-old “snagged silver for her performance,” according to Insider, which also notes that she “sported a black ruffled tulle dress that mimics the one Ortega wore in the show when she originated the dance. The look was complete with heavy black eye makeup and long, black pigtail braids.”

Ortega explained the origin of the dance while appearing on The Tonight Show. “Initially, they wanted a flash mob, but I thought, no, there’s no way Wednesday would be cool with dancing and encouraging a bunch of people,” she explained. Wednesday director Tim Burton suggested “Goo Goo Muck,” which Ortega loved. “The Cramps is one of my favorite bands ever, so I was super excited, super pumped,” she added.

You can watch Valieva’s routine above, which includes snippets of The Addams Family theme song and Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary,” which has also gone viral on TikTok.

Since Lil Uzi Vert unveiled “Just Wanna Rock” in October, the hit got its own rowdy video and it even soundtracked a jumbotron dance battle at a 76ers game. It helped that the song became popular on TikTok, being used for online dance trends.

Chart Data revealed on Monday (December 26) that “Just Wanna Rock” sold over 1 million units across the country. Lil Uzi Vert took to Instagram to celebrate, sharing a screenshot on their Instagram story and writing, “Never let them get in Your head BE YOU.”

They’re also prepping for their first tour in six years. They announced that they’ll be hitting 20 cities in a Live Nation-produced run starting in March of next year, though dates and venues are still yet to be revealed. Meanwhile fans are still impatiently waiting for the release of The Pink Tape after it was delayed in October 2021. They also hinted at collaborations with Grimes, Travis Scott, and Playboi Carti on the LP. Their last record was 2020’s Eternal Atake, which was supposed to be followed by a tour that was subsequently canceled due to the pandemic.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.