Category: News

Joshua Bassett has premiered a new song, “Smoke Slow,” along with a video directed by himself and Michael J. Murphy. On the song, Bassett fawns over someone who seems to be happily in love with someone else. Still, he cherishes the moments he has with this person, understanding that they can’t be together at the time.

“All that we are is all that we’ll ever be ‘Cause he’s the one waitin’ at home / She holds my guitar as I pluck out a melody / There’s only so far we can go,” he sings on the song’s chorus.

In the video, Bassett is seen imagining happy, loving scenarios with a young woman as they navigate a house party. In real life, the woman’s boyfriend, played by Love, Victor‘s Michael Cimino, are seen enjoying moments of their own, as Bassett stands by, and smokes in the distance.

“This song is about savoring those moments together with a person you feel close to, but know you can’t be with,” said Bassett in a statement. “Since I couldn’t say it aloud, of course, I had to write a song about it – ha!”

Check out “Smoke Slow” above.

Joshua Bassett is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

While fall is right around the corner, the summer vibe is alive and strong at Uproxx. We’re not ready to let go of the hazy summer days spent in flip-flops while we sip cocktails in favor of warm sweaters and pumpkin-spiced beer. That’s why today we’re going to highlight some refreshing summer cocktails while we still have the time — the days of summer 2022 might be numbered, but there’s more than enough time to enjoy cocktails mixed with gin, tequila, mezcal, rum, and any number of fruity, thirst-quenching mixers.

We asked a handful of well-known bartenders to tell us their best, most refreshing cocktail recipes to finish off this epic summer. They definitely didn’t disappoint. Keep reading to see them all– then get mixing!

Goodall

“Inspired by Jane Goodall, famed conservationist known for her work with primates. This simple frozen floral lemonade is a perfect drink to cool down during the hot Nashville summer days.”

– Colby Mitchell, director of food and beverage at Holston House in Nashville

Recipe:

• 2 oz. of Tito’s vodka
• 0.25 oz. of Giffard Pamplemousse
• 0.25 oz. of lemon juice
• 0.25 oz. of lavender syrup

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish it with an edible flower.

Firing Squad

“A lesser-known alternative to the Margarita, the fruit-forward ‘Firing Squad’ takes center stage on warm summer evenings. Incorporating the bright and vegetal flavors of a Blanco Tequila with the berry notes of grenadine and the aromatic spices.”

– Lacy Hodum, food and beverage manager at Central Station in Memphis

Recipe:

• 2 oz. blanco tequila
• 0.75 oz. lime juice
• 0.75 oz. grenadine
• 3 dashes of Angostura bitters

Preparation:

Add all ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into a coupe classic with a single, medium ice cube with a twist of lime.

Jungle Bird Julep

“At Tack Room, we make riffs on classics that are best sipped to the tunes of our live piano performances. The original Jungle Bird is a fruity, bitter, funky rum cocktail. We wanted to pay homage to this cocktail while making it a little less bitter and more refreshing. We also love a good Julep, so we started with crushed ice, added a little sherry, cinnamon, swapped in Aperol and gin, and garnished with a mint sprig for a delicious summer sipper.”

– Adrian Romas, head bartender at Tack Room in Chicago

Recipe:

• 1 oz. Letherbee Gin
• .5 oz. Aperol
• .5 oz. Lustau Oloroso Don Nuno
• .5 oz. cinnamon syrup
• .5 oz. pineapple juice
• .25 oz. lime juice

Preparation:

In a glass filled with crushed ice, add sherry, cinnamon syrup, gin, and the other ingredients. Stir it and garnish it with a mint sprig.

Mango Mule

“The mango mule is the perfect summer cocktail to sip while out on our patio during those hot summer days. It’s a completely refreshing take on a classic cocktail.”

– Chris Ray, director of restaurants at the Tampa Marriott Water Street in Tampa, Florida

Recipe:

• 1.5 oz. Titos Vodka
• 2 oz. Ginger beer
• .5 oz. mango puree
• .5 oz. lime juice

Preparation:

Add mango purée, ice, vodka, and lime juice, to shaker and shake for ten seconds Pour into a copper mug and top with ginger beer. Garnish with fresh mint & a lime wedge.

Silencio Bruno

“This vibrant & juicy cocktail makes good use of the surplus of grapefruit juice we end up with and also employs the use of one of our ‘secret weapon’ ingredients – tea. First, we steep a fragrant jasmine tea into grapefruit juice and reduce it down with sugar. Next, we simply soak hibiscus flowers into a local London dry-style gin and shake it all up with a touch of elderflower liqueur and lemon juice. Named after the phrase from ‘Luca’ that the main character uses to silence the inner nay-sayer, we like to think this playful drink channels that type of irreverence and undoubtedly gives one a little liquid courage.”

– Nick Sinutko, bar manager at Campfire in Carlsbad, California

Recipe:

• 1.5 oz. hibiscus-infused gin
• .5 oz. elderflower liqueur
• .5 oz. grapefruit and jasmine reduction
• .75 oz. lemon juice

Preparation:

Soak hibiscus flowers in London-dry gin and add elderflower liqueur and lemon juice. Shake it up and strain it into a chilled glass.

The Royal Splash

“This was inspired by the one and only ‘Miami Heat’ with its’ refreshing Miami vibe with a twist. Rum, tequila, and a ton of fruit juices. What more could you want in a summery cocktail?”

– Fernando Velazques, bartender at Kimpton Surfcomber’s High Tide Beach Bar & Grill in Miami

Recipe:

• 1 oz. Malibu rum
• 1.5 oz. El Jimador tequila
• 0.25 oz. melon liqueur
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 0.5 oz. lime juice
• 0.5 oz. simple syrup

Preparations:

Shake all the ingredients and then pour them into an ice-filled highball glass.

Tokyo-Paris-New York

“Kind of a riff on a New York sour, with a spirit long relegated to the back bar since the 80s. Midori melon liqueur, gin, parsley simple, lemon with a splash of OJ, and a red wine float. Sweet melon, citrus, peppery and red wine to cut through it.”

– Shawn Miller, beverage director at Forsythia in Philadelphia

Recipe:

• 1.5 oz. Midori
• .5 oz. gin
• .75 oz. lemon
• .25 oz. orange juice
• .25 oz. parsley simple syrup
• Red wine float

Preparation:

Shake and double strain all ingredients, top with ice, and slowly float a fruit-forward red wine on top.

Pimm’s Cup

“One of my favorite summer drinks is our version of the classic British cocktail Pimm’s Cup, which we make with vodka, Jägermeister, cucumber, lemon, strawberry, fresh mint from our onsite herb garden, and a touch of ginger ale. It’s refreshing, slightly effervescent, and can be garnished with any farmer’s market fruit for color and taste – we prefer strawberry and mint for the summer.”

– Joshua Monaghan, bartender at Zapote Bar in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Recipe:

• 4 oz. ginger ale
• .5 oz. lemon juice
• .5 oz. ginger syrup
• .5 oz. cucumber juice
• .5 oz. strawberry purée
• .5 oz. vodka
• .5 oz. Jägermeister
• 1 cucumber slice
• 1 Valencia orange crescent
• .5 strawberry
• Fresh mint

Preparation:

Shake all ingredients (except the ginger ale) in a shaker with ice vigorously for 3-5 minutes until properly mixed and chilled. Strain into a large highball glass filled with ice, then add the ginger ale and softly stir with a bar spoon. Garnish with mint, orange, cucumber, and strawberry.

Patchwork

“Named in honor of the Quilt Museum in Paducah, this cocktail is a conglomeration of a bunch of things that make one complete and beautiful end product like a quilt. It’s a completely balanced flavor bomb. All the fresh flavors work perfectly in tandem with the spirits.”

– Sara Bradley, owner/proprietor of Freight House in Paducah, Kentucky

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh strawberries
• 3-4 basil leaves
• 1 oz. cognac
• 1 oz. mezcal
• .75 oz. lemon juice
• .5 oz. Cointreau
• .5 oz. simple syrup

Preparation:

Add strawberries and basil leaves and muddle together. Add all other ingredients and shake. Double strain and pour over a large ice cube. Garnish with a basil leaf.

Sneaky Tiki

“A continued guest favorite on our summer menus is the Sneaky Tiki. It’s an elevated take on a traditional Blue Hawaiian, made with Pineapple Rum, Blue Curacao, Rum Jumbie Liqueur, Velvet Falernum, and Allspice Dram. With the additions of guava, pineapple, and lime juice, it’s a great drink to cool off from the summer heat”.

– Allen Lancaster, master cocktail craftsman at The Bar at The Spectator Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina

Recipe:

• 1.5 oz. pineapple um
• .75 oz. Giffard Blue Curacao
• .5 oz. Rum Jumbie Liqueur
• .5 oz. Velvet Falernum
• .75 oz. St Elizabeth All Spice Dram
• 1 oz. guava puree
• .5 oz. pineapple juice
• .75 oz. fresh lime juice
• 2 dashes Tiki Bitters 
• Orange/Cherry Skewer

Preparations:

Combine all ingredients into shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously. Pour contents into Tiki glass and garnish with skewered orange slice/cherry.

Spirit Animal

“This cocktail is super balanced and the mezcal and pisco pair so well together. It’s still the perfect amount of smoke and citrus. The Breckenridge helps cut the sweetness of the orgeat in a perfect way. This cocktail is a summer crusher as well as a fall favorite sitting by the fire. The best part is the garnish: a Fox stencil. Because a fox is everyone’s spirit animal.”

– Amanda Phelps, beverage operations supervisor at Frannie & The Fox in Charleston, South Carolina

Recipe:

• 1 oz. Ilegal Joven Mezcal
• 1 oz. Barsol quebranta Pisco
• .25 oz. Breckenridge bitters
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• .5 oz. orgeat
• 1 oz. egg white

Preparation:

Add all ingredients into a shaker, dry shake, add ice, and wet shake. Double strain into a coupe glass.

Royal Flush

“This botanical summer cocktail is a must-try at Agave Caliente. The butterfly pea blossoms give Empress Gin a distinct indigo hue. Add in citrus and cucumber which paired together results in a unique, refreshing taste, and this lightly floral mixology is enough to cool you down in the Summer heat.”

– Melissa Smith, mixologist at Agave Caliente Tequila Bar in Cathedral City, California

Recipe:

• 1.5 oz. Empress Gin
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• .75 oz. simple syrup
• 2 muddled slices of cucumber

Preparations:

Shake and strain into Collins glass, top with soda water. Garnish with cucumber.

White Gold Picador

“Few drinks are more refreshing in summer than the Margarita – regardless of if frozen or on the rocks. This riff utilizes delicious Californian Oro Blanco grapefruits and high-quality tequila to really make it pop.”

– Adam Montgomerie, bar manager at Hawksmoor in New York City

Recipe:

• 1 teaspoon agave syrup
• 1 oz. lime juice
• .5 oz. Oro Blanco Sherbet
• .5 oz. Velvet Falernum
• 1.5 oz. El Tesoro Blanco Tequila

Preparation:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail tin and shake with ice. Strain into chilled rocks glass over a single block of ice and garnish with a slice of Oro Blanco grapefruit.

This week, Rage Against The Machine were forced to cancel their Europe and UK dates on the Public Service Announcement Tour due to singer Zack De La Rocha’s leg injury. The complications from his on-stage injury in July are too much to bear right now for the singer, given the flights, tours, etc., and the band has had to turn back headlining performances at arena shows and music festivals. Among those festivals is the UK’s titanic Reading and Leeds festivals in September, and The 1975 have just been announced as the replacement headliner for Rage Against The Machine.

This is a significant advancement for UK fans, who haven’t had a chance to see The 1975 play live since 2020. The band has their new album, Being Funny In A Foreign Language coming out on October 14th, and singer Matty Healy recorded a video on his Instagram story explaining that he was actually planning to see Rage at Reading, but now, plans have changed. “The 1975 are going to headline Reading and Leeds and it’s going to be f***ing sick,” he said. “There will be guys and girls my age who are like “that’s not a replacement for Rage Against the Machine” and it isn’t I mean, who can replace Rage Against The Machine? But it’s going to be a different day, a different festival. Outside of like rock bands, we’re the best f***ing band in the world, so I’ll see you on Friday and Sunday.”]

That hasn’t stopped fans from poking fun at how it’s truly a different festival now, especially considering that other headlining acts include Halsey and Arctic Monkeys. Some of the responses on Twitter to the news that The 1975 are replacing Rage Against The Machine at the Reading and Leads festival have ranged from elation to downright hilarity though.

There are few things that rile up avid television series watchers like a back-and-forth love story. It is almost impossible not to pick a side, but it is also inevitable to experience disappointment. Yesterday, Megan Thee Stallion had the opportunity to put Stranger Things actress Natalie Dyer on the hot seat about her character Nancy’s treatment of Steve, as Dyer stopped by the Grammy winner’s specially co-hosted episode of The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.

“You just kind of, like, dumped him. No caution, he didn’t know what was happening. Poor Steve,” Megan said in reference to how Nancy left Steve and then began dating Jonathan, the victim of his bullying. “He keeps saving y’all life. All he do is save y’all life. He was beating everybody up, saving – and you’re like ‘Aw man, I’m goin’ to Jonathan, sorry.”

Dyer took some accountability for her character, admitting to a proclivity to make bad choices. This is especially true as the “Plan B” artist pointed out that Nancy has recently been reconnecting with Steve, and it just so happens to be while Jonathan is out of town. When Fallon later questioned what Nancy should actually do in the situation, Dyer said “Everyone’s, you know, Stancy, Jancy – but I think, honestly, she just probably needs a little, like, me-time after all of that, right?” in reference to her experiences with the antagonist Vecna.

There weren’t actually any hard feelings, but it was clear how invested Megan Thee Stallion was in the show. The passion carries over to the music as she has now released her sophomore album Traumazine led by the singles “Plan B,” “Sweetest Pie” with Dua Lipa, and “Pressurelicious” with Future.

Check out the Tonight Show clip above.

When the original Power series concluded in 2020, 50 Cent and the show’s co-creator and co-executive producers Courtney A. Kemp announced that four Power spin-offs were greenlit by STARZ. So far, we’ve received Power Book II: Ghost, which focuses on the life of Tariq St. Patrick, the son of Ghost from the original series, as he goes to college while rising as a drug dealer. There’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan, which serves as a prequel to Power, and then there’s Power Book IV: Force, which captures the new life of Tommy Egan, Ghost’s best friend and drug operation partner.

The next spin-off was supposed to be Power Book V: Influence starring Larenz Tate. It was set to detail his life in the political world as a councilman in New York. However, thanks to a recent interview conducted by Variety, STARZ is no longer moving forward with that spin-off. Kathryn Busby, president of original programming at STARZ, spoke to the publication and confirmed the cancellation during their conversation. While that may come as bad news to some (others were not too keen on the storyline for the fourth spinoff to begin with), additional reports have shared interesting plans for a new Power spin-off.

Deadline reports that sources informed them that a London-based Power spin-off is in the works, and when the publication asked Busby about it, she was pretty tight-lipped about its existence. “I am not at liberty to answer anything in that vein except to say what we love about Power is the potential to spinoff and to spinoff successfully which we have done,” she said. “Which in theory, we would love to do again. I love that you’re hearing it.”

One thing Busby did confirm is that James “Ghost” St. Patrick is absolutely dead and gone from the series. “I don’t think you’re alone in that hope,” Busby said when asked about the possibility of Ghost’s return. “But…Ghost died,” she added with stern finality.

With all that said, it’s only right that the Power Universe attempts to go global in order to live up to its name. Baby steps right?

It’s rare to find celebrities who are as cool as they appear on TV, though Kenan Thompson seems to be a pretty chill guy. Ahead of his hosting debut at this year’s Emmys, the Saturday Night Live cast member was awarded one of the most prestigious pieces of sidewalk one can have: a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. And he looked really cool doing it!

Former co-star and friend Leslie Jones presented the star to Thompson on Thursday, August 11th. “I need about two years to tell you how I feel about this man. He is the most dependable, sweet, and honorable [man],” she added. “Kenan, I have learned from you immensely. Not only to be a better artist but a better human.”

Next month, Thompson will host the 2022 Emmy awards on NBC, where he will follow in the footsteps of several other SNL cast members, like Colin Jost and Michael Che, though their hosting duties were not well-received.

The comedian recently told Variety how he wasn’t going to say no to the opportunity. “They asked, and it’s an honor,” Thompson explained. “It’s a giant career milestone to host an Emmys, an Oscars, a Tonys, whatever. So you get that phone call, you should take it!”

Thompson will continue to appear on SNL for its 48th season this fall. He is currently the longest-running cast member on the show, as he joined the cast in season 31. It’s safe to say his giant star is well-deserved!

Kehlani dropped her latest album, Blue Water Road, in April and is currently crossing the country on the Blue Water Road Tour. But that’s not stopping her from putting out new music. Earlier this week, the “Nights Like This” singer was featured on Ali Gatie’s new track, “The Look” and today, Babyface has just released the new single “Seamless,” with Kehlani on lead vocals.

The track, which will appear on Babyface’s upcoming album, Girls Night Out, is a sultry R&B jam about trying to get back to that point in a relationship when things are flowing smoothly. Kehlani owns the track and Babyface adds god-mode backing vocals. He explained in a statement what it meant to have Kehlani on “Seamless”:

“I worked with Kehlani many years ago and I am just so proud of who she has become as an artist and also how well she knows herself and her fans. I am really honored to have her collaborate with me many years later for such a special project and I love the song we created. Kehlani is one of one and a true superstar.”

Listen to “Seamless” above.

Girls Night Out is out on 10/21 via Capitol Records.

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

The last days of summer are rapidly approaching, which means it’s almost time to bid farewell to pool parties, day drinking, seasonal travel plans, and long beach days (unless you live in LA, Miami, or Vegas — where those sorts of activities are year-round). But while spooky season and pumpkin spice everything is on the horizon, that doesn’t mean we have to let go of summer completely. After all, summer is a state of mind, right?

RIGHT???

If there’s anyone who knows how to capture the whimsical, carefree essence of summer, it’s Hailley Howard — a self-taught California-born artist, photographer, and storyteller. In her work, she takes a vulnerable and honest approach to magical realism, using digital and film capture images and then perfecting them with gentle post-manipulation.

To help keep our sunshine daydreams going long into fall, we asked Howard to share her all-time favorite beach photos. She told us she aims to “encourage feeling and emotion from her imagery,” which she so effortlessly does in the round-up of images below. From Laguna Beach to Kauai to South Carolina, keep scrolling to hold onto the spirit of summer.

ALSO READ:

• Travel Essentials To Make August The Best Month Of Summer
• Our Writers Guide You Through A Perfect Summer Day In Their Home Cities
• A Guide To Fort Myers: Florida’s Surprisingly Cool Beachside Oasis
• Travel Writers And Influencers Share Their All-Time Favorite Beaches In The US
• An Island-Hopping Guide To Turks And Caicos

ASAP Rocky has had a relatively quiet couple of years since being released from Swedish detention after a brawl on the streets of Amsterdam. Mostly it seems he’s been dropping guest verses on projects from Black Thought, Nigo, and Snot, performing at Rolling Loud, and enjoying becoming a new dad with Rihanna. But in April, Rocky ran into even more legal trouble. He was arrested at LAX in connection with a shooting on November 6 last year and police searched his home, finding guns, but only legally-obtained ones.

Earlier this week, nearly four months after the initial arrest, the alleged shooting victim came forward. ASAP Relli, a member of Rocky’s ASAP Mob collective who works as a manager and a producer, told Rolling Stone that he was lured to central Hollywood, where Rocky supposedly shot at him without provocation. Relli also said that he intended to file a lawsuit against Rocky because he’d received “multiple death threats and irreparable harm to his career in the entertainment industry as a result of this incident.” Police say they were able to recover surveillance footage of the alleged shooting but during their search of Rocky’s home were able to tell that none of the guns there were used in the shooting without testing.

As the NFL regular season grows ever closer, fans are reaching their most excitable, as the prospects of a new season means new levels of hype and hope. However, sometimes this excitability can lead to altercations, and while that’s usually between fans of two different teams, on Thursday night in Carolina it saw some Panthers fans getting ready to go at it at Fan Fest.

The good news was, there was a peacekeeper at the ready to calm things down, most importantly one the fans would listen to. As the argument between Panthers fans grew heated (about what, you can’t tell from the video), star wide receiver DJ Moore leapt into action (literally) jumping up into the stands and pleading with the fans to chill out and not get into a fight at what was supposed to be a celebration of the upcoming season.

Kudos to Moore for seeing what was about to be a bad situation and realizing that his presence could stop a fight before it started. He talks the fans down and gets everyone to cool off, and everyone was able to move on without incident. I’m not sure conflict mediation is a necessary skill for a wide receiver to have, but Moore seems pretty good at it if it’s ever needed in the Panthers locker room.