When we last checked on who’s running communications for Rudy Giuliani, he was working with Todd Shapiro, a man best known for representing Lindsay Lohan’s family and several Hooters restaurants in New Jersey and Long Island. Shapiro, who had replaced 20-something Instagram influencer Christianne Allen, is apparently out of the picture because Giuliani’s latest PR guru is, well, let’s just say a logical next step.

According to a post on her Instagram page, Giuliani is now being represented by Kristin Davis, the “Manhattan Madam” who infamously ran a high-end prostitution ring in the 2000s. Remember when Elliot Spitzer got caught in 2008? That was Davis’ service he used to hire Ashley Dupre. And if you’re wondering why we didn’t say “former” Manhattan Madam, that’s because Davis is still using the name for her Instagram handle as you can see below:

Of course, like all things Giuliani, Davis naturally has some interesting ties to the MAGA world on top of, again, being a well-known high-end madam. Via Mediaite:

Davis also has a strange connection to Robert Mueller’s Russia collusion investigation. Davis was contacted by investigators before they searched the duplex home of Donald Trump ally Roger Stone. Davis had also lived at the duplex, but had moved out a week earlier. She ended up testifying before a grand jury as part of the investigation, the Washington Post reported.

For Davis’ first assignment, maybe she can talk Rudy out of screaming at people at parades. That seems like something you don’t want your client doing. Also, maybe keep him away from hidden camera situations. You’re gonna really want to avoid those.

(Via Mediaite)

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Post Malone, Yo Gotti, Babyface Ray, and more.

Happy First Friday in June! It’s my birthday month so I’m especially paying attention to what’s sounding good and will be played on June 25. There are a lot of great raps, namely Cyhi and Ncognita, and some fun tracks to bump in the car or on the big speakers. Don’t just take my word for it though, read up and press play on this week’s offering.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending June 3, 2022.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Post Malone — Twelve Carat Toothache

Despite all of his success, Post Malone has also seen the downfalls that come with fame. He returns this week with his fourth studio album Twelve Carat Toothache to address it all. “Reputation” is a somber, introspective opener that immediately transports you into Posty’s psyche. The album features Roddy Ricch, Doja Cat, Gunna, Fleet Foxes, The Kid Laroi, and The Weeknd. He may call himself “White Iverson” but here he gets as many assists as points he scores over the LP’s 14 songs.

Vory — Lost Souls

Vory’s gotten a lot of big looks over the years, namely co-signs from Meek Mill and Kanye West. Now, the Houston talent is here with his debut album Lost Souls where the 24-year-old bears his own over 17 tracks. Features include Ye, NAV, Yung Bleu, Landstrip Chip, Fresco Trey, and Beam. The title track opener and “Lesson Learned” are the gems here.

Big Moochie Grape — East Haiti Baby

Who can deny an album that opens with a clean sample of Blackstreets’ “No Diggity” featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen? Let me know when you know. Big Moochie Grape is here with his second project East Haiti Baby with features from the late Young Dolph, Key Glock, and Kenny Muney. The singles “I’m The One,” “Never Had Sh**,” and “Uncut & Raw” provided a glimpse of what to expect from the album, but tracks like “Rick Flair,” “Christopher Wallace,” and “Joe Biden” may end up being what gets repeated the most.

KayCyy — Get Used To It

KayCyy is here with his latest EP and he wants you to Get Used To It. Embracing a variety of sounds, the Kenyan 24-year-old gets meta on the standout “Replay,” raises the adrenaline up on “Shoutouts” and brings along Lancey Foux, 070 Shake, Annahstasia, and Steven Bamidele for the ride. The album title and message are clear across its 9 songs: everyone ought to get accustomed to solid music like this.

Lil Tracy — Saturn Child

Lil Tracy’s Saturn Child is a solo galactic exploration, acknowledging the hedonistic nature of the women in his life on “Voodoo” and the king in his mirror’s reflection on “Touche.” The 26-year-old New Jersey native opts for no guest appearances here, but with a delivery like his, they aren’t necessary this time around.

Singles/Videos

Babyface Ray — “Spending Spree” Feat. Veeze

“Spending Spree” shows Babyface Ray and Veeze rapping in a garage and a control room. The fish eye effect adds a uniqueness to this video in addition to the various filters they use with it. Though the rappers flash money, there isn’t much spending here. Perhaps they just got back from cashing out? Either way, it’s a fun song and Babyface Ray never disappoints.

Choosey — “Reminded”

Choosey “plays for commas, you can keep the comments” in his new piano-laced track “Reminded.” He calls out people who make it to the blogs but still aren’t hot, and likens moments not lasting to episodes of television shows. His deep vocal tone in conjunction with the pianos and drum kicks make this the type of record best experienced through headphones.

Payroll Giovanni — “Back 2 The Basics”

Payroll Giovanni lives up to his name in the new video for “Back 2 The Basics.” With a blunt in hand and homie to his side, the visual opens with him arranging a transaction for his watch. He tasks his partner with making the drop, and it all goes well as another associate returns with a bookbag full of money in between scenes flashing money counters or the rapper delivering his verses with his crew backing him. Business as usual for Mr. Giovanni.

NCognita — “2x Freestyle” Feat. Tundra

The video for “2x Freestyle” shows NCognita kicking things off, passionately rapping at the top of a staircase at what either appears to be a house party. She gets the outside crowd rocking even though there is a function going on inside. In a nod to classic comedies, there is a cutscene of an angry neighbor yelling upstairs to quiet down and threatening to come upstairs. Nothing changes and Tundra opts to join the crowd as he raps and dances along to his verse. It’s safe to say the neighbors know their name, but that just may not be a good thing in this instance.

Tanna Leone — “Picasso”

“And my name not sex at all, but a n**** came from nothin’” is hilarious. Tanna Leone croons about money, women, and success in his new track “Picasso,” but it’s the video that truly makes the experience. The visual’s appeal begins with the time lapsed reverse zoom into Leone’s shades, and continues on with the slowly deteriorating phone booth he raps in. Then we find him lying on a couch while a woman dances next to him, only the floor elevated to where she is almost perpendicular to the pgLang artist. It’s all very well executed.

Blk Odyssey — “Benny’s Got A Gun” Feat. Benny The Butcher and George Clinton

Blk Odyssey’s song and video for “Benny’s Got A Gun” featuring Benny The Butcher and George Clinton is both a tough listen and watch, but the storytelling is excellent. A young man is trying to get tougher, runs into a situation where he can’t defend himself and is driven to up the ante by using a gun for his comeuppance. It is certainly a relatable narrative for some, and an unfortunate reality of a position many young Black men are put in. Odyssey and Benny appear in multiple scenes, watching over the young man who is bloodied, pensive, and vengeful. George Clinton’s soulful vocals make this even more of an immersive experience.

Cyhi — “LA Leakers Freestyle”

Cyhi stopped by LA Leakers and absolutely blew it out of the water. He first spit a load of metaphors over 42 Dugg’s “Maybach” beat before following Jeezy’s instructions and going berserk over the “Go Crazy” beat. The breath control and myriad of flow switches were eye-opening, and him confidently claiming himself as everyone’s inspiration due to all of his songwriter credits should earn Cyhi’s June 1 visit a spot in the LA Leakers canon. We can debate.

CMG The Label (Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo, Mozzy, Lil Poppa — “Big League”

CMG The Label’s artists Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo, Mozzy, and Lil Poppa reimagine themselves as a basketball team on “Big League” and everyone hits their shots here with Murda Beatz calling the plays on the production side. This could easily be synced in an NBA Finals commercial with all of the NBA references, but it also serves as a victory lap for CMG which has had a successful last few years due to its popular roster. More years of this and there may need to be a serious dynasty talk.

Quando Rondo — “War Baby”

Quando Rondo is iced out and pushing a Benz in the “War Baby” video, but simultaneously sticks to his roots. Scenes show him among what appears to be his hometown homies from Savannah, Georgia. He raps about difficult situations they’ve worked their way out of and how those experiences have turned him into a “War Baby.” Rondo doesn’t run away from the trauma but rather uses it to fuel how he moves forward in life. Obviously, autotune is not a new concept, but there is a conversation to be had about introspective songs like these sounding better at times when the artist half-sings with autotune’s assistance.

Rowdy Rebel — “Woo Nina”

Rowdy Rebel’s “Woo Nina” follows the NYC drill production starter pack to a T, but he sets himself apart with a few clever, funny, or ridiculous bars. “Catch me geekin’ off these meds like I’m Urkel” yielded a chuckle, the “Woo” chant was well-executed, but the Black Lives Matter bar is where things got wild. Among a crew of his people, some ski-masked up, he says “They say Black Lives Matter / Let me catch my opp lackin’, see if that sh** matter.” Oh, Rowdy. In any event, this will pass the car test with flying colors and the Brooklyn enigma will always be a fun listen.

Audrey Nuna x Deb Never — “Sardines”

“Sardines” gives college house party energy. Audrey Nuna and Deb Never are in high spirits and won’t allow anything to bring them down. “If you really want me gotta show me what you got / Like ‘Okay!’ / I’m feeling really good.” And while the internet often makes jokes about songs with a similar boom-bap feel “scaring the h***,” this is an example of that type of record that can exist in a fun, social space. Nuna and Never did well.

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

Canadian rye whisky still isn’t getting the hype it deserves. That’s a shame. But the tide is shifting (slowly), as brands like Barrell Craft Spirits integrate amazing Canadian barrels into their bespoke releases. It also helps that WhistlePig now admits they use the stuff in their bottles too. But overall, Canadian rye is still a footnote to the wider whisk(e)y boom.

Becasue of that, killer bottles like Alberta Premium Cask Strength often languish on the shelf. Which, again, is too bad.

Alberta Premium put out a pretty great whisky with their Cask Strength expression late last year. It’s well-priced, easy to find, and, guess what? It tastes pretty freaking good. What more could you want in a premium whisk(e)y release?

Below, I’m giving you my professional opinion of what’s in the bottle. Overall, this whisky continues to slip under the radar for a lot of whiskey folks. That’s an advantage for everyone else in that you can actually find this for a good price. Good whiskey that’s not marked up on the aftermarket is always a good thing. Let’s get into it!

Also Read: The Top Five Rye Whiskey from the Last Six Months on UPROXX

• All 19 Brands From The Buffalo Trace Distillery, Ranked
• The Single Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• The 50 Best Rye Whiskeys Of 2021, Ranked
• We Tasted Rye Whiskeys Blind To See If Any Of Them Could Beat Willett
• The 100 Best Whiskeys Our Head Drinks Writer Tasted In 2021

Alberta Premium Cask Strength 2021 Edition

ABV: 63.7% (varies)

Average Price: $65

The Whisky:

The whisky starts off with rye grains grown on the Alberta plains. Those malted grains are then mixed with glacial water from the Rocky mountains before fermentation begins. The juice is distilled and loaded into ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed amount of time (a minimum of four years). The barrels are then selected for this expression, vatted, and bottled as-is with no proofing.

The Bottle:

The faceted bottle is a mid-century eye-catcher with a subtle label. The pebble effect plays nicely and stands out. The bottle also comes in a nice box that works as a good gifter. Overall, it’s a unique presentation for a unique whisky.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a hint of Cherry Twizzlers on the nose that leads to soft cedar tobacco boxes from the last century with a hint of used vanilla pods. The palate takes dark and tart currants and dips them in creamy yet dark chocolate with a dusting of nutmeg and clove next to vanilla-laced shortbread dipped in black tea. The mid-palate balances a hint of dark cherry tobacco with more of that old cedar as the creamy vanilla sneaks in and smoothes everything out. The end has a slight green peppercorn vibe that circles back to the nutmeg and clove with a tiny touch of woody cinnamon and more of those tart berries and a minor note of savory fig and… maybe melon (?) on the very backend.

Bottom Line:

This is complex and rich without being overpowering in the slightest. There is a tiny bit of spicy warmth on the mid-palate but it never overpowers the rich and creamy flavor profile. Moreover, this leaves you wanting another pour. It’s enticing yet sooting and a little refreshing.

Ranking:

91/100 — This is really solid. It’s an easy and rewarding sipper with hardcore ABVs that hides them well in a masterful build.

The Los Angeles Lakers filled their head coaching vacancy by bringing on board now-former Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham. According to a new report by Marc Stein, Lakers brass had another name very high on their shortlist of candidates and may have gone as far as to tell him the job was his.

Stein reports that Michigan coach Juwan Howard was the “preferred candidate” for the team among those who currently have head coaching gigs elsewhere, which includes a pair of names who were rumored for the gig throughout the process: Sixers coach Doc Rivers and Jazz coach Quin Snyder. In fact, Stein claims that the team would have given Howard the job if he wanted to pursue it, which ultimately ended up not being the case.

The Lakers, I’m told, made such strong overtures to Howard that the implication was clear: The job was his if he wanted it. As covered here on May 2, Howard made it clear in turn throughout the Lakers’ 47-day search that — despite his long associations with both James and Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka — he had no interest in leaving behind the college game at Michigan and the opportunity to coach sons Jace and Jett next season.

Howard was a teammate of James’ with the Miami Heat before spending a year as one of the team’s assistant coaches while James was in town — he ended up spending six years on staff before taking the gig at his alma mater. His ties to Pelinka are even stronger, as the two were teammates in Ann Arbor.

For someone who is so rich she could easily stay out of the spotlight for several years and still be rich, Kim Kardashians just keeps…saying things. This time, she is defending her controversial decision to lose weight before stepping into Marilyn Monroe‘s iconic gown (a move that was already highly criticized).

In a new profile with The New York Times, Kardashian defended her decision to lose 16 pounds in three weeks by saying that people gain and lose weight for roles all the time. She is of course referring to movie roles, not walking down a red carpet for less than 15 minutes, so it doesn’t quite apply. But her logic was…there.

“To me, it was like, ‘OK, Christian Bale can do it for a movie role and that is acceptable.’ Even Renée Zellweger gained weight for a role. It’s all the same to me.” Kardashian was referring to the multiple times Bale has gained and lost weight for movie roles, though, to be fair, that was never really acceptable either. He even admitted that he just “doesn’t eat” which is literally the worst thing you can do.

Kardashian then explained that she wasn’t encouraging her fans to follow in her footsteps. “I wasn’t saying, ‘Hey everyone, why don’t you go lose this weight in a short period of time?’” she said, adding that if she couldn’t lose the weight, she “just couldn’t have gone, which wouldn’t have mattered. It was just important to me to reach that goal.” As it turns out, the dress didn’t even zip up all the way, which is why she wore a fur coat to hide the back.

Even if she isn’t explicitly encouraging her fans, she is saying that it’s possible to lose that amount in such a short amount of time, even though it should not be, especially for people who don’t have access to the most expensive trainers and dieticians. The moral of the story is this: don’t follow anyone else’s advice, especially people who have more resources at their disposal than most normal people ever will.

A lot of people out there like Harry Styles’ new album Harry’s House and there’s plenty of quantifiable data to back that up: “As It Was” is No. 1 for a fourth week, three other songs from the album are in the top 10, and Harry’s House debuted at No. 1 with far and away the biggest sales week of the year. The LP has itself a fan in Lizzo, too, who found a creative way to express how terrific she thinks the album is.

During a recent Instagram Live session, the conversation got to Harry’s House, about which Lizzo proclaimed, “[Styles] put his… Harrussy [laughs]… he put the whole Harrussy into that album. I love his new album.”

The linguistics of that feedback are funny but not unprecedented coming from Lizzo, whose own current hit single “About Damn Time” includes the lyric, “Feelin’ fussy, walkin’ in my Balenci-ussies.”

Of course, Lizzo and Styles have become friendly in recent years: They put on a joint concert during the weekend of the Super Bowl in 2020 and more recently, Lizzo popped up as a surprise guest during Styles’ set at Coachella this year.

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

Recently, CJ McCollum joined ESPN as an NBA analyst and made his debut during Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday. Early in the broadcast, Magic Johnson asked McCollum how he intends to grow his relationship with his New Orleans Pelicans teammate and young star, Zion Williamson.

McCollum is president of the NBPA and has played in 63 playoff games, including four Western Conference Finals contests. Both of those traits likely carry cache on a youthful, talented Pelicans club, particularly for someone like Williamson, who is still navigating all that comes with NBA stardom.

“I took him under my arms. I’m gonna make sure he’s right. We’ve been communicating this summer about times we’re gonna meet up and link,” McCollum said. “I’m gonna get him out here in New York, get some work in with me during Draft week. If he’s not watching this, he’s gonna see this clip. I’m getting him out to Vegas with me. We’ll get some time together.”

As his answer progressed, he also noted that he’s seeking some tutelage from Johnson about the complexities of being an NBA point guard. During McCollum’s time with the Portland Trail Blazers, he sat shotgun alongside Damian Lillard as the lead ball-handler. Now, in New Orleans, he’s the de facto point guard, so he’s aiming to grow that part of his game with some tips from an all-time great playmaker in Johnson.

“I need some pointers on how to run the show. I gotta make sure (Williamson is) happy, gotta feed (Brandon Ingram). I gotta make sure (Jonas Valanciunas is) getting what he needs to get,” he said. “I gotta take it to the next level. I know you can help me get there.”

Comedian Louis C.K. has unveiled the first trailer for his secret indie movie, Fourth of July, in hopes that his fans will request that it play at their local theaters. The project is C.K.’s first major attempt at a comeback since he was accused of sexual misconduct by several women during the height of the #MeToo era.

According to Deadline, Fourth of July is getting a very limited release. Specifically, only three theaters at the time of this report. However, in a letter posted to fans on his official website, C.K. is hoping to expand those screenings through word of mouth:

Fourth of July will premiere at New York’s Beacon Theater on June 30, with screenings to follow at Boston’s Shubert Theater on July 1, and The Vic in Chicago on July 2. Additional plans for exhibition have not yet been disclosed.

“We are still compiling and constantly adding to the list of theaters which I will post on the web page for the movie which is on my website,” shared C.K in an open letter to fans. “Also if you would like Fourth of July to play at a theater near you, please contact the theater directly and ask for it.”

Despite still being mired in controversy, C.K. has been performing regularly in comedy clubs, although nothing like the headlining tours prior to the sexual misconduct allegations. He’s also continued to release comedy specials on his website, too, one of which recently won a Grammy. That accolade sparked debate over whether or not “cancel culture” is even a real thing. It looks like this movie will spark another round of that conversation. So that’ll be neat.

(Via Deadline)

Syd recently released her sophomore album Broken Hearts Club, whose title off the bat hints at the headspace she was in while working on the record. The artist told Uproxx that the main difference between this LP and her debut was the increased sense of vulnerability, which a listener can notice immediately in the songs. She explained more about that in a new interview with Rolling Stone, discussing how she approached songwriting after going through a breakup.

“There’s one song in particular on the album that I wrote while I was really still in it,” she said. “I wrote it, like, sobbing, probably. But everything else… I actually took a few months off to heal from the heartbreak before I started writing anything, because the first few songs that I wrote sounded really bitter because that anger was still in there so I had to lift some weights. Get that out and revisit it. Once I revisited it, I honestly started off trying not to write songs about it. And so I wrote a lot of random stuff. A lot of practice songs. And I let what come out come out. I think that’s the best way to do it — keep it organic.”

Check out the full Rolling Stone interview here.

(SPOILERS for The Boys Season 3 will be found below.)

Amazon’s The Boys has launched debut episodes for Season 3, which is perfectly depraved and stunningly deep at the same time. Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy is great satirical fun, but at the moment, it’s time to talk about The Deep and his tan lines.

The Deep’s full spectrum of strange appears later this season, and it’s enough to say there that Chace Crawford wasn’t subtle about wondering whether he’ll work again after what his character does this season. And he also revealed that Aquaman fans don’t like him that much, which makes a lot of sense, especially in light of Zack Snyder’s fish-talking joke and James Gunn’s Peacemaker finale joke about Aquaman doing everything with water-bound creatures.

An Entertainment Weekly interview with showrunner Eric Kripke and Crawford digs into The Deep’s raunchier doings this season. There are some spoilers here, but the gist is that Kripke didn’t take as much inspiration from Aquaman’s fish-loving as from a Netflix documentary called My Octopus Teacher, and Crawford says that he responded, “I know where this is going.” Here’s what Kripke, who was well aware of how that documentary followed a close bond between filmmaker and female octopus, offered to EW:

“No spoilers for the season, but the thing about My Octopus Teacher when I watched it… I watched that whole thing and the whole time I’m like, ‘Is he gonna f— that octopus?!’” Kripke says, immediately breaking into laughter. “And then in the writer’s room, we just kept laughing about that documentary. And it’s a great documentary… but it’s weirdly sexual.”

If you’re interested in watching My Octopus Teacher, it’s available on Netflix. And as for what that film inspired in The Boys, let’s just say that things get, well, Deep.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)