After weeks of games trickling out, the NBA released the entirety of its schedule for the 2022-23 season Wednesday afternoon. As part of that announcement, it unveiled a new aspect to the schedule, “NBA Rivals Week,” which will run from Jan. 24-28.
New this year: “NBA Rivals Week” 11 rivalry games from Jan. 24-28: – Celtics/Heat – Clippers/Lakers – Nets/76ers – Grizzlies/Warriors – Lonzo Ball/LaMelo Ball – Suns/Mavericks – Timberwolves/Grizzlies – Raptors/Warriors – Nikola Jokic/Joel Embiid – Knicks/Nets – Lakers/Celtics
Some of these matchups are absolutely rivalries that fit perfectly into the NBA’s vision for the week, namely Lakers-Celtics, Grizzlies-Warriors, and Knicks-Nets. Others have recent playoff history and should be both good teams again next season, such as Celtics-Heat, Grizzlies-Timberwolves, and Suns-Mavericks. Clippers-Lakers will overflow with starpower. Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid’s rivalry is manufactured by outsiders (they are seemingly good friends), but they’ve finished 1-2 in MVP voting the past two years and play the same position for a pair of title contenders. That’s a sweet battle and presumably mirrors the spirit of the week.
Not all are hits, though. Lonzo Ball vs. LaMelo Ball seems a couple years late, given this is their third year in the league together. That game could feature prolific offenses, with Chicago and Charlotte, at least. Warriors-Raptors doesn’t make sense. The majority of Toronto’s championship core from when it faced the Warriors in the 2019 Finals is no longer on the team. Golden State’s is intact, sans Kevin Durant, but the franchise is in a new era as well.
Nets-76ers could be fun if Durant is around and the Ben Simmons angle is relevant, for sure. I worry that game might pit two teams in vastly different tiers against each other, but I’m nitpicking here. Regardless, this is a pretty cool and nifty idea from the league to help spice up the middle of the season when things can grow stagnant.
NBA teams can take two approaches to schedule release day. One is they can decide to play it straight — this isn’t boring, necessarily, but it’s a pretty safe option. The full schedule is posted on social media, some cool graphics get made, maybe fans learn about the fun promotions that are on the calendar for their next year. There is basically a zero percent chance of this flopping.
And then there is the riskier option, which is doing something cool and fun. The possibility of this backfiring exists, but fortunately for the New Orleans Pelicans, the cool and fun thing they did to announce their 2022-23 schedule was extremely good. You might remember a report from last year that indicated team executive David Griffin played the piano for Zion Williamson in his hotel room in the NBA’s Orlando Bubble, which led to Williamson saying “I’m not letting a grown man come to my room and play piano for me.”
Well apparently, that lingered for a bit, and on Wednesday, the Pelicans had Griffin sit at a piano and play a tune to announce some of the biggest games on the calendar.
Unsurprisingly, this year’s national TV schedule heavily features the league’s biggest stars and best teams, as the reigning champion Warriors, reigning East champion Celtics, Lakers, Bucks, Sixers, Suns, and Clippers all find their way onto the ESPN and TNT schedule for nearly 25 percent of their seasons. However, there are some up-and-coming teams that are also cracking into the ranks of national TV regulars, with the Mavericks, Grizzlies, Nuggets, and Pelicans all getting a number of national spotlight games.
The Warriors lead the way with 30 combined games on ESPN, ABC, and TNT, while the Lakers (27), Celtics (26), Sixers (23), Bucks (23), Mavs (22), Suns (22), and Clippers (20) all feature 20-plus appearances. All 30 teams get at least one major national TV game (with NBA TV also carrying 107 national games this year, albeit with some blackout restrictions and not on as big of a network).
Rap’s always had a minor obsession with brands and brand names, which at the best of times gives it a deeper connection with pop culture. On the other hand, by tapping into cultural touchstones, rap has occasionally run afoul of the civil side of the law. From rappers being forced to change their names (Remy Ma, who once went by the more recognizable Remy Martin, which also sued 50 Cent over his competing cognac) to copyright infringement suits (Tyga and Lil Nas X were both recently sued over sneaker collaborations), rap’s propensity for name-checking has gotten more than one artist into trouble.
Now, the brands that associate with rappers are feeling those effects too. According to Reuters, the Rap Snacks potato chip brand is being sued by toy manufacturer Mattel over its new Nicki Minaj-themed flavor. Spinning the flavor’s name off from Nicki’s self-derived Barbie nickname, Barbie-Que” Honey Truffle — and its logo, which borrows the original logo of Mattel’s long-running, beloved doll line — Rap Snacks has drawn the ire of Mattel’s legal department, which filed suit last week, alleging unfair competition and false designation of origin, trademark dilution, and unfair competition violation.
Mattel argues that the logo’s use creates customer confusion and false association with the actual Barbie brand. The logo’s use wasn’t authorized and Rap Snacks “purposely” misled customers, allegedly refusing to “correct the misimpression it foisted on the public.” Nicki Minaj, who has long used the Barbie terminology and aesthetic, even calling her fans “Barbz” and herself “Harajuku Barbie” (oof), is said to have deferred to Mattel, obtaining at least tacit permission to continue using the moniker, even having her own doll made in 2011.
Mattel not only wants Rap Snacks to discontinue its “Barbie-Que” flavor but also wants it to cancel its trademarks for Barbie-Que and hand over all of the profits made from its sales. Rap Snacks, which also has flavors based on Cardi B, Lil Durk, Migos, and Moneybagg Yo, has not made a public statement as of press time.
Over the past couple years, Jason Isbell has expanded his presence in the world of TV and movies, guesting on an episode of Billions last year and landing a role in the upcoming movie Killers Of The Flower Moon(as did Sturgill Simpson, by the way). Consequently, Isbell has rubbed shoulders with some big-time cinematic figures. That includes Flower Moon co-star Robert De Niro, who Isbell wished a happy birthday today (the actor’s 78th) with a funny message about his own natural way of talking.
Taking to Twitter, Isbell wrote, “Happy birthday to De Niro who I’m pretty sure thought I was pulling some goofy method bullsh*t for a few days until he realized I actually talk this way.”
Happy birthday to De Niro who I’m pretty sure thought I was pulling some goofy method bullshit for a few days until he realized I actually talk this way
Yesterday, Isbell shared another delightful nugget that apparently stemmed from his time on the Flower Moon set. A Twitter account about movies posted the classic “You talking to me?” scene from Taxi Driver and noted, “The script for TAXI DRIVER just said ‘Travis talks to himself in the mirror’ and ROBERT DE NIRO improvised one of the most famous lines in cinema.” Isbell shared that and noted, “And Scorsese was sitting at his feet egging him on.”
He added in a follow-up tweet, “Got that story from the source.” In this case, “the source” could have been either De Niro or Taxi Driver director Martin Scorsese, who also directed Flower Moon.
This fall, Welsh band Mclusky will tour North America for the first time since 2004.
Known for songs like “To Hell With Good Intentions” and “Collagen Rock,” Mclusky formed in the late ’90s before releasing their first album, 2000’s My Pain And Sadness Is More Sad And Painful Than Yours. They gained wider attention with their second LP, 2002’s Mclusky Do Dallas, which led to the debut album getting re-issued in 2003. They released their third (and so far, final) album, The Difference Between Me And You Is That I’m Not On Fire, in 2004 before disbanding in 2005.
In an interview with The Guardian, Mclusky lead vocalist Andrew Falkous said the band will return with the same fervor they had two decades ago.
“I don’t believe in half-conviction,” Falkous said. “If you’re not going on stage to be the best band of the night, one that renders all the other acts irrelevant, then don’t even get up there. Wanting to be in the best rock band in the world is still part of it. But it has also become about having a nice time with my friends. Sometimes I see people in big bands, and there are songs they have to play, which everybody likes, but they have grown to despise. We don’t play often enough for that to happen. So it always feels special.”
Check out the tour dates below.
09/16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater
09/17 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club
09/20 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
09/21 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
09/22 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw
11/30 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
12/01 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
12/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
12/04 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall
12/06 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
12/07 – Detroit, MI @ Loving Touch
12/09 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
12/10 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
12/12 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East
12/13 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Hell)
12/14 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
12/16 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
But Papa Johns has a counter-counterpoint. The pizza chain claims that the reason sales for its North American locations grew under one percent in the second quarter of 2022, compared to five percent in the same period last year, is because people are tired of pizza. “There’s a general thought that there could be a little bit of pizza fatigue,” Scott Rodriguez, senior vice president of menu strategy and innovation at Papa Johns, told CNN. “Because that’s all we’ve had for the last couple of years.”
To increase sales, Papa Johns, which underwent a rebirth after greasy founder John Schnatter left the company after he used the n-word during a conference call (among other misdeeds), has introduced a new item to its menu: the Papa Bowl. That involuntary shudder you just experienced is normal. The day of reckoning has arrived.
To get people excited about pizza again, Papa Johns is offering a new spin on the classic, with Papa Bowls that are all topping — no crust. The Papa Bowl comes in three varieties, Garden Veggie, Chicken Alfredo, and Italian Meats Trio. They are available to the company’s loyalty members this week and will roll out nationally next, and cost $7.99.
The creation of the Papa Bowl apparently isn’t a bet gone horribly wrong, but rather, it aims to remove the “veto vote,” in which “an eatery gets ruled out because it doesn’t have enough options for everyone in the dining party,” according to CNN. We all have that one friend who refuses to eat a normal slice of pizza because they would rather a sloppy pile of meat and cheese and veggies instead. “Let’s slop ’em up.”
We’ll have a review soon, but until then, let’s see what social media is saying about the Papa Bowl.
This is kind of brilliant. This news has made me excited for an actual pizza, with a crust. Sort of like how a year of sitting on the couch watching streaming turned me into a rabid theater-goer. https://t.co/IIvwsOk4CO
Their idea to get people excited about pizza again is to serve them not-pizza? Is the strategy for it to suck so bad people want pizza again? https://t.co/vqfkLoZGIL
Nobody ever lost excitement about pizza. And if they did, it wasn’t solved by a deconstructed crustless pizza in a bowl. It was solved by going anywhere other than Papa John’s. https://t.co/QmwjhAgQ5l
People never stopped being excited about pizza. They stopped being excited about Papa John’s which is utterly shitty pizza. https://t.co/Ra1VbeJJf0
— ghibby! is Vaxxed and Waxxed! (@CaffeineAndHate) August 17, 2022
It’s a competitive category but “people aren’t excited about pizza anymore” might be the worst piece of fake news CNN has ever run with. https://t.co/gGggLy6EdJ
In a new profile in Esquire, former GOOD Music artist Kid Cudi says it would take nothing short of a miracle to repair his fractured relationship with his erstwhile mentor Kanye West. Once upon a timeline, the two seemed inseparable; as recently as 2018, they had collaborated together on a joint album titled Kids See Ghosts and were even said to be working on an animated project based on the album. But apparently, Cudi has had his fill of Kanye’s antics in the intervening years and said “enough is enough.”
Sadly, he’s not the only artist formerly signed to West’s label whose relationship with the mercurial producer has soured since leaving the label. In fact, Kanye seems to have made it a point to alienate practically everyone who ever shared the stage with him prior to his first public show of support for Donald Trump in 2016. It makes a certain kind of sense; of course, those artists who teamed up with him after that wouldn’t have minded, but many of those who worked with him early on must feel a sense of betrayal.
Kanye certainly does. In interviews he’s given throughout the year, he’s identified his support of Trump — and his own disastrous presidential bid — as the major breaking point in nearly all of his relationships. He’s apparently felt hurt by what he perceived as a lack of support during that tumultuous time. Whether they were truly disloyal or he caused the schisms himself with his erratic behavior is debatable. But either way, it’s clear that things have gone bad at GOOD Music. Here’s where Kanye stands with his former artists.
Big Sean
During Kanye’s appearance on the Drink Champs podcast in November, he proclaimed that the worst thing he ever did was sign Big Sean. Sean himself said that he was baffled by Kanye’s comment, pointing out that he “was just wit this man, he ain’t say none of that!” After revealing that Kanye still owes him royalties from his time on the label — he completed his contract with Detroit 2 in 2020 — Sean went on Drink Champs himself a month later, calling Kanye’s assertion “some bitch-ass sh*t.” He also shot down Ye’s complaint that he was unsupportive of his presidential campaign, saying that he isn’t interested in politics one way or the other (which is something of a political position in itself). However, they were seen together at a studio in Los Angeles, leaving the ultimate fate of their relationship a big question mark.
Common
It could be argued that Kanye’s intervention revitalized Common’s musical career in the late 2000s after Com misstepped with the experimental (and misunderstood) Electric Circus. Com’s Kanye-produced follow-up, Be, is widely considered one of the Chicago rapper’s best and earned him enough goodwill to renew interest in his music. Fittingly, Com’s been reluctant to talk about the status of his relationship with the younger rapper, maintaining that he still feels a kinship with him and that he wishes they’d made just one more album together.
Desiigner
Of the former GOOD Music artists who released more than one record on the label, Desiigner’s the one whose friction with Kanye stems most from his treatment while signed there. In 2019, he admitted that he felt ignored by GOOD Music’s leadership, asking for the label to release him on Twitter after saying “I’ve been doing this sh*t myself” on Instagram earlier that year. In 2021, Desiigner released “Letter To Ye,” a nostalgic reflection on his time with the label in which he relishes the highs but also deplores the way Kanye treated him.
John Legend
Along with Kid Cudi, John Legend is one of the handful of artists who makes no bones about his standing with Kanye. Earlier this year, he told CNN’s David Axelrod, “We aren’t friends as much as we used to be.” He attributes the change in their relationship to his refusal to support Kanye’s 2020 presidential campaign, something Ye himself alluded to on Drink Champs. As Legend puts it, “I honestly think because we publicly disagreed on his running for office, his supporting Trump. I think it became too much for us to sustain our friendship, honestly.”
Kid Cudi
The fracture between Cudi and Kanye seems to stem as much from Cudi’s continued friendship with Pete Davidson as anything else. Considering how Kanye felt about those who distanced themselves from his support of Donald Trump, it makes sense he’d want his friends to side with him in his one-man war against his ex’s new (now ex-) boo. However, Cudi and Davidson had formed a bond stemming from their shared affinity for comedy and mutual struggles with mental health — something you’d think Kanye would relate to. Unfortunately, as he’s told us repeatedly in the past, he’s insecure and immature, cutting Cudi off and even cruelly mocking his old friend for being pelted with objects during his Rolling Loud set.
Teyana Taylor
It’s difficult to get a read on just where Teyana Taylor stands with Kanye these days, but when you consider her declaring her retirement from music over label frustrations in 2020, you have to imagine that at least some of that stems from Kanye. When collaborator Mykki Blanco said that they weren’t paid for their contributions to Taylor’s 2018 album KTSE, Teyana deferred the complaints to Kanye, GOOD, and Def Jam. While it is generally the label’s job to handle those sorts of disputes, it’s telling that she included Kanye in her response. After feeling underappreciated at GOOD Music, there’s no wonder that some of that disappointment would be pointed at Kanye, but Teyana has remained mum as to whether the two remain on speaking terms.
LeBron James isn’t going anywhere. According to reports by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Shams Charania of The Athletic, James and the Los Angeles Lakers came to terms on a 2-year max contract extension that is slated to keep him in the purple and gold through potentially the 2024-25 campaign.
The pair report that James will get a deal worth $97.1 million, while Wojnarowski brings word that the second year of James’ deal includes a player option. James was previously slated to enter this year with one year left on his deal before he had the opportunity to hit unrestricted free agency.
BREAKING: Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has agreed on a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension – including a player option for the 2024-2025 season, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. James had been entering final year of deal worth $44.5M.
Sources: Four-time NBA champion LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million maximum contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, taking him under contract through 2024-25 season.
Wojnarowski added another fun wrinkle: James has the potential to make more money on this deal. If the NBA’s salary cap substantially increases in the lead-up to the 2023-23 campaign, James’ deal apparently increases to $111 million.
The deal can increase to $111 million if the salary cap in 2023-2024 rises to a substantially higher number.
Despite the fact that the Lakers missed out on the postseason this past year, James was still ultra productive, even without mentioning that he turned 37 last year. James averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in 37.2 minutes per game, but only appeared in 56 games due to a short bout with COVID and injuries. There are still plenty of questions about what Los Angeles will look like next year, but at the very least, they’ll know they are going into battle with one of the greatest players of all time on their roster.
San Bernardino rapper KINGMOSTWANTED has proved he’s one of Cali’s most promising talents. His single “In My City” had a viral moment on Tik-Tok, piling millions of views and thousands of videos from creators. And with singles like “Cali Lovin” and collaborations with West Coast artists like AZ Chike, label mate MCM Raymond & KayDaBandit, KINGMOSTWANTED doesn’t shy away from his roots.
In today’s UPROXX Sessions, he represents the West with his single “Cali Lovin,” sampling Ice Cube’s infamous 90’s banger “Check Yo Self. The song is upbeat and boastful, selling California dreams with KINGMOSTWANTED rapping of the state’s infamous Interstate 10 (I-10) and lyrics like “weed puffin, Cali loving, the music up high and I’m outchea thuggin.” In addition to delivering a turnt-up rendition of his latest single, he brings his crew, a cup of coffee, and a laid-back cadence to Uproxx Studios.
Watch KingMostWanted perform “Cali Lovin” for UPROXX Sessions above.
UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.
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