Category: News

YBN Nahmir is a prime example of the How I Blew Up ethos. As he tells Uproxx’s Cherise Johnson, his preparation met perfect timing when his 2017 single “Rubbin Off The Paint” exploded in 2018, climbing to No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 and launching Nahmir and his YBN crew to stardom. He explains that he and his friends launched their efforts because, “We was like, ‘We gotta do something. We don’t wanna work for no other man.’” Unfortunately, he recalls, he still ended up stuck at Journeys selling shoes, but he says he’ll “never again” work another regular job.

The thing that changed everything for him was getting an Xbox Live subscription, which allowed him to meet YBN Almighty Jay and the former YBN Cordae. The group started out as gaming rivals but became friends, and their online freestyle sessions inspired Nahmir to take a swing at recording a solo track on the podcast mic he bought for Twitch streaming. Once “Rubbin Off The Paint” — which Nahmir says was originally a diss song for Jay that eventually sparked their friendship — blew up on SoundCloud, he made sure his friends came along with him.

Although the group’s members have more or less split up, they remain tight, and Nahmir has refocused on his solo career, saying, “I was selfless, but now I’m kind of selfish.”

Watch the full episode of How I Blew Up above.

With twelve different flavors, you’d think Wing Stop would have all its bases covered. And yet it seems like every year the wing chain dishes out a few new flavors that manage to be as delicious as they are inventive. In addition to some hybrid flavors, this year Wing Stop dropped a Hot Honey Rub (which in my opinion is one of Wing Stop’s best flavors) and, beginning today, its take on Carolina Gold. If you’re unfamiliar with Carolina Gold, it’s a variety of barbecue sauce that trades in the smokey and heavily spiced flavors for some mustard-based tang and brightness. Thanks to a sweet brown-sugar-heavy base, it tastes enough like barbecue sauce to register as such on your tastebuds but different enough to earn its distinct name.

Wing Stop’s new Carolina Gold BBQ sauce is now available at all Wing Stop locations nationwide, to get the best sense of the new flavor we tried it in every form factor offered at Wing Stop: as bone-in wings, boneless wings, and in sandwich form. What’s the best way to enjoy the new Carolina Gold flavor?

Let’s find out, starting with the wings!

Carolina Gold — Bone-In Wings

Tasting Notes:

I’m going to begin this review with what I think is the weakest form factor for this wing flavor. Don’t get me wrong, I love bone-in wings and almost always prefer them to their boneless counterparts, which are essentially just chicken nuggets if we’re being real. But my problem with the bone-in is just how messy it leaves your hands. This sauce is sticky as hell, and since bone-in wings are a food that heavily involves both of your hands, it’s impossible to enjoy these without making an absolute mess. Granted, all saucy wings will stain your fingers, but there is a stickiness to this sauce that cakes on your fingers in the worst way.

As far as flavor goes, it’s great, it doesn’t contain as much tang as your typical Carolina Gold BBQ, instead focusing on the honey and brown sugar notes, with just a hint of mustard flavor on the aftertaste. There is almost no smoke here either, so if you like your BBQ sauce smokey, this isn’t going to deliver.

The Bottom Line:

Good, but far too messy to be enjoyable.

Carolina Gold — Boneless Wings

The experience of eating the new Carolina Gold flavor is greatly enhanced by going boneless. You’re still going to get sticky sauce all over your fingers, but you can easily pop an entire boneless wing / nugget into your mouth with just one hand, creating significantly less mess. Hell, you could even use a fork to eat these things if you don’t mind getting roasted by your friends. If they do make fun of you, just pull the ‘ol George Costanza.

Look at them with disdain, scoff at them, and say, “How do you eat it, with your hands?”

The sweetness of this sandwich reminds me less of bbq sauce and more of the sort of Orange Chicken you’d typically find at a Chinese food hot lamp establishment, complete with a thick and sauce-absorbing breading that still manages to have some crisp to it.

The Bottom Line:

A much better experience than going bone-in and that’s coming from someone who generally avoids boneless wings.

Carolina Gold — Chicken Sandwich

The chicken sandwich is easily the best form factor for the Carolina Gold. Thanks to the bun, this thing is mess-free, allowing you to enjoy the intensely sweet and sticky sauce without getting it all over your fingers. Wing Stop introduced chicken sandwiches to the menu earlier this year and at one point I had attempted to order every single flavor for a full ranking, but they sold out completely, so this was my first experience actually tasting Wing Stop’s chicken sandwich.

I fully get the hype. The chicken is incredibly juicy and tender, and unlike most chicken sandwiches, features a completely uniform filet — my guess is they pounded out this chicken breast filet until it was equal on all sides, which makes each bite remarkably consistent. The ratio of sauce to chicken is also a bit different here, the breading is tossed in Carolina Gold sauce, but you get a lot more chicken per bite than all the other form factors allowing you to actually taste some of the meat rather than this brown-sugar heavy honey barbecue sauce. This makes the mustard notes take a bit of a backseat, but thanks to the inclusion of pickles, you still get a nice earthy tang.

My only big complaint about this sandwich is the bun. It’s way too dense and bready, masking a bit of the flavor. I think Wing Stop would have a real contender on their hands for fast food’s best chicken sandwich if they’d just swap out the bun for something softer and butterier like a brioche or potato bun.

The Bottom Line:

If you’re going to try Wing Stop’s Carolina Gold sauce, the best way to enjoy it is hands-down on the chicken sandwich. It doesn’t have that distinct mustard tang that Carolina BBQ sauce fans crave, but the balance of sweet brown sugar and honey makes it incredibly addictive.

Find your nearest Wing Stop here.

The world (or more specifically, the internet) has a tendency to tear people down when they are at their best! For example, Keke Palmer is having a fantastic year after starring in a number of successful projects and literally making a human, but that doesn’t mean that she is immune to evil internet haters.

Palmer took to Twitter to address a bunch of comments she had been getting about her appearance. “I just saw a few comments of ppl saying I was ugly cause I wasn’t wearing any makeup,” Palmer tweeted. “And I really want y’all to get the help y’all need because makeup isn’t real. I’m beautiful in real life, because of who I am, not what I look like.”

The Nope star has been in the industry since she was a child, so she clearly knows how to handle haters. Despite being a relatively private person, Palmer has been open about her struggle with acne over the years, which has inspired her to go confidently makeup-free. She added to the Twitter thread, “I wish I could bottle how I feel about myself and sell it. Because some people take comments to heart and these ppl just say anything. I mean truly it’s insane to say anyone is ugly, but especially me.”

Even though she gets some negative comments, most of Palmer’s social media presence is filled with comments from adoring fans who are grateful for her honesty…and her amazing impressions, which she has a whole separate Instagram for, by the way.

The past year has been huge for pop artist Beabadoobee. Back in July, she released her sophomore album, Beatopia. In October, it was announced that she would be joining Taylor Swift next year as an opener for her The Eras Tour. Last night (December 5), Beabadoobee stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for an intimate performance of Beatopia‘s “The Perfect Pair.”

The stage was transformed into a house holiday party-type setting, in which she is seen delivering her soft, silky vocals, surrounded by guitarists, who are sitting comfortably on couches, as well as violinists, cellists, and drummers.

“If I told you, you’d know how to go and break my heart in two / ‘Cause I would anyways, we’d end up like always / You know me, you better show me that you could say it to my face / ‘Cause you know we’re the same, there’s worse things I can take,” she sings on the song’s chorus.

Beatopia is named after a fictional city Beabadoobee created when she was seven years old. In a recent interview with Coup De Main, she opened up about revisiting the city 15 years later.

“…I realized that the whole idea of Beatopia was just a way for me to escape a lot of things that were happening at the time,” she said. “So it was a sad thing that I had to think about, but it was also really empowering, trying to uncover the feelings I had long repressed — like, very repressed feelings. I just had to face them.”

Check out the performance above.

Trevor Noah’s final episode as the host of The Daily Show is this Thursday, December 8th. Instead of hiring a permanent replacement to take over for Jon Stewart’s successor, the Comedy Central series is pulling a Jeopardy! and employing multiple hosts.

First up: former SNL cast member Leslie Jones, who will sit behind the Daily Show desk when the show returns from holiday break, on January 17, 2023. Vulture reports that guest hosts list also includes Sarah Silverman, Al Franken, Chelsea Handler, Wanda Sykes, D.L. Hughley, John Leguizamo, Kal Penn, Marlon Wayans, and Hasan Minhaj. As for the person who Stephen Colbert hopes gets the permanent gig, “current correspondents and contributors are set to be part of the anchor rotation as well.”

While The Daily Show has had guest hosts in the past, executive producer and showrunner Jen Flanz tells Vulture that, as far as she can remember, “This is the first time we’re really having outsiders into our house.” The nature of Noah’s relatively sudden departure is also unprecedented in the show’s history: It now faces its longest stretch ever without a permanent host.

The Daily Show isn’t expected to make a decision on a full-time host until September 2023, so there’s still time for Craig Kilborn to dust off the ol’ resume.

(Via Vulture)

A lot has changed about Cardi B since entering the limelight, but her love for her family is not one of those things. Although the Grammy winner is an anchor of emotional support to her husband Offset (following the passing of his cousin and former group member, Takeoff), the mother of two is not happy with Casey Anthony re-entering the public eye.

In Peacock’s new docuseries, Casey Anthony: Where The Truth Lies, Anthony revisits the circumstances surrounding the 2008 death of her daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony.

After news of the series hit the internet, Cardi B took to Twitter to write, “I don’t give a damn how they flip it, switch it, turn it, toss it Casey Anthony is a disgrace of a mother, and she shouldn’t have a uterus. I don’t feel bad for her or for the daddy YALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED to that baby!!!!”

The Bronx native is no stranger to the court system. Although Cardi B has appeared in front of a judge several times over the past two years, the “Up” rapper draws the line at children. Although many followers agreed with her statement, some felt the rapper was out of line for sharing her seemingly harsh opinion. This isn’t the first time the rapper’s addiction to historical television landed her in hot water. Last month, her binge fest of Netflix’s The Crown ended in a chaotic series of live tweets challenging the monarchy.

If you are interested in watching Casey Anthony: Where The Truth Lies, head here.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Morocco entered Tuesday’s Round of 16 game as considerable underdogs to Spain, which was among the favorites to lift the cup later this month, but despite Spain controlling 77 percent of possession in the game, completing more than 1,000 passes, and out-shooting Morocco 13-6 (albeit just one on target), the two sides couldn’t decide the game in the first 90 minutes.

In extra time, Spain came close on a few occasions, but could not find the back of the net as Morocco always had an answer on defense (or a little luck with the post).

As such, the game moved to penalty kicks, where Spain’s advantage as a dominant possession team is negated and it came down to finishing and goalkeeping — with Morocco quickly showing its class in both areas.

In the first round, Abdelhamid Sabiri stepped up and slotted the first penalty to the right while Unai Simon dove left, which Pablo Sarabia followed up by rattling the post for a miss.

In the second round, Morocco again drilled the back of the net as Hakim Ziyech went hard and down the middle, while Yassine Bono came up with a huge save to extend the Moroccan advantage to 2-0.

Spain briefly had life after a save by Simon to start the third round, as the Spanish keeper was able to open the door slightly by saving the third of Morocco’s attempts. But again, Bono came up with a massive save, going to his right to stop Sergio Busquets’ attempt to blank Spain at 0-for-3.

Achraf Hakimi then stepped to the spot with a chance to win the match, and delivered an unbelievable panenka, chipping the ball right down the middle as Simon dove to his right in vain.

It was a stunning result for Morocco, which defended unbelievably against Spain, allowing the Spaniards to have all the possession they wanted but denying them every time they put a ball into the box. On the other end, they had a few opportunities of their own and while they couldn’t capitalize in regulation or extra time, they were undoubtedly the better and more composed side during penalties and now move on to the quarterfinals in a result that will shock this tournament.

Latin music came out on top in 2022 with Bad Bunny leading the way. The Puerto Rican superstar’s Un Verano Sin Ti album proved that Spanish-language music can connect with the world. Language isn’t a barrier anymore.

Spanish pop star Rosalía expanded the sonic palette of what Latin music could sound like with her genre-bending album MOTOMAMI. There were also US-born acts who embraced their Latin roots in their albums like Becky G and Christina Aguilera. Anitta reminded the world that Brazil is part of Latin America with her multilingual LP Versions of Me. Colombian singer Feid emerged as a rising star with his surprise drop Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo Te Pirateamos El Álbum while reggaeton pioneer Daddy Yankee said farewell with Legendaddy.

Before 2022 comes to a close, let’s look back on the best Latin albums from this past year. (And check out our full list of Best Albums Of 2022.)

Christina Aguilera – Aguilera

After more than a twenty-year wait, Christina Aguilera released her second Latin album this year. Reflecting her Ecuadorian roots, the pop superstar named the LP Aguilera after her last name. She finds her footing in the current Latin music soundscape, teaming up with Becky G, Nathy Peluso, and Nicki Nicole for the Latina girl power anthem “Pa Mis Muchachas.” She also gets in on a bit perreo in the reggaeton romp “Santo” featuring Ozuna. Aguilera later flexes her vocal prowess in the Mexican genres of mariachi and ranchera music in the emotional ballads “Reina” and “Cuando Me Dé la Gana.” LatinXtina was a bicultural force to behold this year.

Rauw Alejandro – Saturno

Rauw Alejandro took one giant leap with reggaeton music in his stellar Saturno album. While looking to the genre’s future, the Puerto Rican superstar also honors its past with throwback bangers like “Punto 40” with Baby Rasta and “De Carolina,” his ode to hometown featuring pioneer DJ Playero. Alejandro goes on to put an alluring electronica spin on reggaeton in the hot-and-heavy “Lokera” and the sexy “Que Rico Ch**gamos.” He proves that he’s not bound to one genre with the new wave rush of “Corazon Despeinado” and Miami freestyle of the otherworldly “Verde Menta.” It’s Rauw’s limitless world and we’re just living it in.

Anitta – Versions Of Me

Anitta emerged as a global pop star this year with her album Versions Of Me. The Brazilian superstar impressively sings on the 15-track LP in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. She embraces the Brazilian funk sound of her country in her red-hot collaboration “Me Gusta” with Cardi B and Myke Towers and pop-inflected “Faking Love” featuring Saweetie. Anitta reminds people that Brazil is a part of Latin America with her reggaeton romp “Envolver.” She also looks to the future of pop music with her punk-influenced anthem “Boys Don’t Cry.” Anitta’s best version of herself is when she’s not afraid to try everything.

Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti

Bad Bunny gave the world the soundtrack for the summer with his album Un Verano Sin Ti. The Puerto Rican superstar celebrates the music of the Caribbean throughout the 23-track LP, while returning to his reggaeton roots in club anthems like “Me Porto Bonito” alongside Chencho Corleone and “Party” with Rauw Alejandro. But he keeps fans on their toes when he takes the genre to new places with alternative acts like The Marías in “Otro Atardecer” and Bomba Estéreo in the dreamy “Ojitos Lindos,” and samples the sounds of the Dominican Republic in the merengue-infused “Después De La Playa” and the dembow-driven “Me Preguntó.” Bad Bunny continues to prove that his sound has no borders or limits.

Becky G – Esquemas

Becky G has always played with the duality of being a pop and Latin artist in her music and she sounds like she had a blast blending both of her worlds in her second album Esquemas. The title is a reference to breaking down barriers and the Mexican-American singer does just that across the 14-track LP. She teams up with Colombian singer Karol G for the kiss-off anthem “Mamiii” that mixes mariachi music with reggaeton. Becky G also brings doo-wop and disco-pop in the Latin realm with the trap-infused “Flashback” featuring Elena Rose and the dreamy “Bailé Con Mi Ex.” While embracing who she is, Becky G is pushing pop to new frontiers.

Camila Cabello – Familia

Camila Cabello embraces her Cuban and Mexican roots in her first Latin album Familia. In the soulful ballad “Celia,” Cabello pays tribute to the queen of salsa music Celia Cruz, even referencing Cruz’s signature “¡Azúcar!” line in the lyrics. One of the most fun songs on the album is the playful “Hasta Los Dientes,” where she seamlessly blends her Latin and pop sides alongside Argentine singer María Becerra. Familia is authentic to Cabello as an artist that is beautifully reflected in this heartfelt LP.

Daddy Yankee – Legendaddy

Over twenty years ago, Daddy Yankee helped globalize reggaeton music. Earlier this year, the Puerto Rican pioneer announced his impending retirement with his last album, Legendaddy. Daddy Yankee made sure to go out with a bang across this 19-track LP while pushing reggaeton to new places. Whether it is teaming up with Bad Bunny for the computerized banger “X Última Vez” or embracing elements of funk and synth-pop in the alluring “Agua” with Rauw Alejandro and CHIC’s Nile Rodgers, reggaeton music’s G.O.A.T. didn’t let his crown slip.

Feid – Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo

Despite his LP leaking a few months ahead of time, Feid made the most of it by releasing it as Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo Te Pirateamos El Álbum. The cheekiness of the album’s title was reflected in the feel-good title track “Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo.” What Feid did the best was serve up the nostalgia and sentimental side behind his Medellín-made reggaeton across the 15-tracks. The chilling intro to “Normal” never leaves the listener like the feelings of Feid’s ex for him. Puerto Rican pioneer Yandel added more emotional baggage to the alluring regagaeton romp “XQ Te Pones Así.” Feid’s knack for mixing vulnerability, sex, and perreo remains unmatched.

Rosalía – MOTOMAMI

Rosalía has created her own lane in pop music that wasn’t bound to any language barriers. Having positioned herself as a global pop star, her 16-track LP experiments with genres from around the world like electronica, reggaeton, flamenco, and bolero. She revs into her new era with “Saoko,” a cyberpunk joyride with a jazz detour. Elsewhere, Rosalía reflects on the toxicity of fame in bachata-infused “La Fama” alongside The Weeknd. She also lets her hair down with the delectable “Chicken Teriyaki” and the bouncy “Bizcochito” that is reminiscent of a Nokia phone ringtone. On MOTOMAMI, Rosalía races into the future with her newfound sound.

Sebastián Yatra – Dharma

Sebastián Yatra proves himself to be an all-around pop star with his third album Dharma. The Colombian singer dabbles in reggaeton in the sweeping “Pareja del Año” with Myke Towers while incorporating elements of classical music that are reminiscent of Bach. He also invites the Jonas Brothers to embrace reggaeton in the buoyant “Runaway” alongside Daddy Yankee and Natti Natasha. With Dharma meaning a “divine purpose” in life, Yatra fulfills that on this adventurous album as a Latin pop revelation.

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

Eric Trump is swatting down rumors that his family are not big fans of Don Jr.’s fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle. The former Fox News host has been a prominent fixture since she began her relationship with Junior and often speaks at campaign events for his father (for a hefty fee). However, Guilfoyle was seemingly snubbed following Tiffany Trump’s wedding in November. Despite posing for a photo with the bride and bridesmaid, Guilfoyle was noticeably cropped out of the picture when Ivanka Trump shared it on Instagram.

The photo fiasco may not be a simple mistake. However, Eric insists that there’s no bad blood and his family does not think Guilfoyle is “trying too hard” to fit in. “I completely disagree with the narrative and happen to think the world of Kimberly,” Eric told Page Six.

The attendance at Don Jr. and Guilfoyle’s recent party paints a slightly different picture. The two held a charity event for Toys for Tots that was DJ’d by noted Trump supporter Kid Rock. While the president (very briefly) attended, Jared and Ivanka were absent. Although, they seem to have a valid excuse. Via Page Six:

While Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner did not attend, a source tells us: “They were invited to go, it was [Jewish sabbath] Shabbos. They have a good relationship. It’s just the rumor mill.”

Former President Donald Trump, we hear, came to the fundraiser for half an hour, but left before a “holiday boat parade.” Eric Trump and his wife, Lara, were also in attendance. Eric had only kind words for Guilfoyle, telling us, “I am best friends with Don and had an absolute blast at the party.”

If anything, we’ve firmly established that Eric doesn’t have a problem with Kimberly Guilfoyle. Everyone else is debatable including the former president who already had one blow-up over Guilfoyle campaigning for a Senate candidate he didn’t endorse. Plus he wanted to date her first and reportedly banned her from Mar-a-Lago when she first hooked up with Don Jr. No messed up family dynamics there!

(Via Page Six)

BTS may be on hiatus, but that’s not stopping the highly-anticipated solo projects coming through. Over the summer, we got J-Hope and his EP Jack In The Box. In October, we got Jin and his hit single “The Astronaut,” co-written with Coldplay. Now, we have RM with his first full studio album Indigo.

As last Friday marked the album’s release, promotions for tracks on the solo project are well underway. After the release of the “Wild Flower” music video, the BTS leader unveils the video to Indigo‘s second track, the Anderson .Paak-featuring “Still Life.”

In his Tiny Desk Concert on NPR last Friday, RM revealed the inspiration behind the track was based on a trip to a museum and coming across a painting of the same name.

“When I see ‘Still Life,’ like the canvas,” RM said on the series. “My life is like a canvas. I’m exhibiting my life to the whole world, everywhere.”

Throughout the music video RM moves and grooves through various still scenes. At one point, he’s stuck in time inside of a train and the other he’s in a blank space moving graphics with his magic hands.

The concept of “Still Life” follows the overall theme of Indigo, where the album acts as an art exhibit curated by RM.

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