Late last year, Pabst dropped cannabis-infused seltzer water. Way back then (felt like a lifetime ago!) we drank one and then quickly drank another — in part, because it was November 2020, the pandemic was raging, votes were still being counted, and sh*t was grim. But also because it was only formulated with 5mg of THC, which, for a regular smoker, is practically a microdose. 5mg of THC was just not doing it for us back then.

Now, with the country opening up, and parties and hanging out with friends being a thing again, we fear 5mg is really not going to do it for us for a whole different reason. So it’s a good thing that Pabst Labs just dropped High Seltzer, their new 10mg version of their cannabis-infused lemon seltzer water. For this expression, Pabst is doubling down on the THC and we’re setting out to see how that changes the experience.

Let’s get to drinking!

Pabst Blue Ribbon High Seltzer Lemon

THC: 10mg

CBD: < 2mg

Calories: 25

Sugar: 4g

Price: $7 (single can) $24.99 (4-pack)

The Seltzer

If you’re familiar with Pabst’s 5mg Original Lemon cannabis-infused seltzer, the 10mg High Seltzer is essentially the same thing. Same CBD content, calories, and sugar amount. The only difference is the High Seltzer version features an additional 5mg of THC — but that double dose doesn’t make the thing taste more herbal, or influence the flavor in any way, which is a good thing!

As far as lemon-flavored seltzers go, this is your standard fare, it’s citrus-forward and crisp without being too sweet, and because this is a standard seltzer and not a hard seltzer, its remarkably transparent — making it ideal for mixing in a cocktail. Which would turn it into a hard seltzer sure, but you can get a pretty fun crossfade going. Be careful if you’re not experienced ingesting THC though.

A zesty lemon flavor will stick to your tongue once you’ve crushed the can, but not in an obtrusive or overbearing way. Overall in the flavor department, Pabst hit the nail on the head. This is a good lemon seltzer, regardless of the THC content.

Another thing the High Seltzer shares with the OG formulation is the price, and at $24.99 for a four-pack, the value is better here. A big gripe we had with the original was that for people with a higher THC tolerance, you’d need to drink at least two cans just to get a decent head change. Now, all it takes is one can to feel a noticeable high, and since it’s stronger and more concentrated, that high is hitting you a lot faster. It’s a subtle difference but overall the effects are more pronounced with a single 10mg can than they would be with two 5mg cans, and a lot less exhausting to consume.

High Seltzer is also sold as a single can for $7. You would never buy a single can of the 5mg dose, the value just isn’t there. $7 for a single is still a little steeper than we’d like it, $5 would’ve been the Goldilocks zone, which is what Lagunita’s Hi-Fi Hops Reverb will cost you, and it’s also formulated with 10mg of THC. Here you’re paying a little more here for a less complex lemon flavor over the citrusy goodness of hops — that feels a bit unfair.

So from a value perspective, we’re going to say go ahead and grab that four-pack over a single. And good news: unlike the 5mg formulation, this one can be shared with friends!

The High

This time around I made sure to time myself. I wasn’t trying to kill a can immediately, but drink it at the pace one might drink it at if they were at a party or a Memorial Day BBQ with friends. It took me 18 minutes to finish a single can, and by the end of it, I was already feeling lightness in my hands and fingers. Over the next two minutes, a wave of tingles started radiating through my body, and then… I lost track of time. That’s a good sign! By the time I remembered, I was supposed to keep track of my experience, a full hour had passed, and then I was met with a pleasantly surprising subtle comedown.

The comedown wasn’t too heavy, I didn’t feel sluggish or burnt out, I simply felt normal. As a professional weed writer, I get stoned a lot — so I can’t speak for how long the duration will last for someone who only engages with THC occasionally — but I can say that whether you’re a heavy or light user, you’ll definitely feel the high with a single 10mg can. I also never felt the need to have more than one, like with the 5mg version, but I’d still love an even higher formulation.

Like the 5mg formulation, I’m going to go ahead and suggest experienced stoners mix this with a bit of gin and a twist of lime. Since you won’t be killing a single can in one cocktail, the effects won’t be too overwhelming and you’ll have that sweet crossfade going. Just make sure to drink water if you go that route.

The Bottom Line

In every way an improvement over Pabst’s 5mg formulation. Strong enough for experienced smokers to feel, fast-acting, but not so strong that the effects are going to dominate your day. Still, we’re going to go ahead and ask: Pabst, please deliver a 20mg formulation, we can handle it!

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from DMX, Eminem, Juice WRLD, and more.

It was a relatively light week for new hip-hop releases after last week’s monster one. Moneybagg Yo dropped his “A Gangsta’s Pain” video, J. Cole released his “Applying Pressure” video, Earthgang returned with their “Aretha” clip, and Toosii continued to roll out his new mixtape with “Red Die,” but days went by without many earth-shaking releases from big names — that is, until Friday.

Friday saw the releases of Eminem’s collaboration with Cordae and Jack Harlow on the “Killer” remix, Future and Hotboii connecting on “Nobody Special,” and Erica Banks’s “Toot It” remix with BeatKing and DreamDoll, along with the releases listed below.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 19, 2021.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Brianna Perry — Boss Bitch Boulevard

Brianna Perry deserves a lot of credit. She’s one of the few blog-era favorites who never quite blew up who has kept up a steady stream of releases into the modern streaming moment. The Florida favorite adapts admirably as well, showing off a flow unblemished by time over some truly impressive and eclectic production choices.

DMX — Exodus

One of the more anticipated projects of the year so far, DMX’s comeback album is unfortunately now his final one, released posthumously after an overdose earlier this year. However, it’s also promising and poised, the picture of an artist ready to face the future, along with a who’s-who of collaborators including Griselda Records, Jay-Z, Nas, and of course, X’s Ruff Ryders compatriots.

Juice WRLD — Goodbye & Good Riddance (Anniversary Edition)

An anniversary reissue may seem odd just three years later (usually, you’d think fifth or tenth-year anniversaries would fit the bill here), but considering we got a luscious remix of Juice’s breakout hit “Lucid Dreams” with an elevating Lil Uzi Vert verse attached, it’s a lot easier to accept the unconventional timing.

Rexx Life Raj — Untitled EP

A surprise release of three songs from the Bay Area indie stalwart sees Raj offering encouraging words of moral support to fans, friends, and even foes after a trying year.

Wretch 32 — Little Big Man

Grime mainstay Wretch returns with the follow-up to 2019’s Upon Reflection. Using the last lame-duck year to spend time working on this new project, Wretch stretches his style, exploring new, fertile creative territory and trying out new flows, aging every bit as gracefully as his fellow grime pioneers like Chip, Ghetts, Kano, and Skepta.

Singles/Videos

BbyAfricka– “Baby Mama Coochie” Feat. Saweetie

While the track originally got its release on Saweetie’s Pretty B*tch Summer EP last month, the song finally gets a music video to highlight BbyAfricka’s tongue-in-cheek visual aesthetic.

Cochise — “Tell Em” Feat. $not

With a Cole Bennett-directed video and a pulse-quickening beat, the Florida rising star brings along his fellow sunshine state native $not for a hypnotic banger.

Fenix Flexin — “For Me”

The newly solo Fenix shows he can hang even without the rest of Shoreline Mafia on this laid-back declaration of independence.

Larry June — “You Gotta”

You know what you’re getting with a Larry June joint; a funky beat, a clean flow, and boastful lifestyle raps delivered in a laconic cadence that belies not one care in the world.

Tommy Genesis — “Peppermint”

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from this pop-leaning model-turned-rapper but her comeback track is well worth the wait.

Taleban Dooda – “More Than Average” Featuring Yung Bleu

Rising star Dooda links up with fellow up-and-comer Yung Bleu to celebrate their respective climbs out of the trenches.

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

Joel Embiid is essentially a wrestling heel. The Philadelphia 76ers’ star is an entertainer at heart, and seems to relish in both drawing heat from opposing crowds and getting tons of love from his fans. This is why it’s probably not a huge surprise that Embiid tapped into his ability to ham it up during the Sixers’ 120-95 win over the Washington Wizards a little earlier this week.

Specifically, Embiid paid homage to Triple H and Shawn Michaels’ legendary stable D-Generation X by busting out a crotch chop while he laid on the ground.

It was very funny, which is usually the case when someone does the DX like this. One day later, Embiid further paid homage to DX by taking the famous way they’d end promos and adding a powerfully Joel Embiid twist to the entire thing.

Pretty good, eh? As it turns out, the two leaders of DX decided to get in on the fun, too, with both the Cerebral Assassin and the Heartbreak Kid giving Embiid a quote tweet and letting them know they’re behind him right now.

The official WWE account enjoyed this as well.

The whole thing got Sixers/WWE crossover fans really fired up.

What this all tells me is that we desperately need a Blazers-Sixers Finals so Embiid can do DX things while Damian Lillard can dress up like Stone Cold Steve Austin again.

For months now, Matthew McConaughey has been making waves about running for Texas governor, but the actor has been just as unsure about getting into politics as people are about where he actually stands on the issues. In fairness, he has described himself as “aggressively centrist,” but that only makes his policy positions even more vague. However, McConaughey has finally stuck his neck out on a hot button issue: masks.

While stopping by The Carlos Watson Show, McConaughey was asked about his gubernatorial aspirations, and true to form, he still seems to be undecided on whether that’s the next chapter in his life. But just when it seemed like he’d stick to his middle of the road approach, the True Detective star suddenly unloaded on “the damn dispute over masks.” Apparently, McConaughey still can’t believe the whole thing became politicized, and he called out people for being “scared of this little cotton thing” in an animated rant:

I don’t really feel that takes away your identity and your freedom. This is a short-term inconvenience for long-term freedom. Come on now. There’s no data that says it’s not a good thing. No data that says it’s harmful. Let’s all take one for the team here. We like to say we want to take one for the team. We like to say ‘the value of the human life is the epitome that we all-‘ [shakes his head] No, it’s not. We won’t admit it.

If the actor was hoping to win over Republicans in Texas where the state just got rid of mask mandates, he’s now in for an uphill battle. But maybe that’s part of the reason why hasn’t pulled the trigger on stepping into politics. He knows people can only handle so much of that raw McConaughey.

(Via The Carlos Watson Show)

The Inside the NBA crew is getting a fresh set of eyes, at least for a few days. Draymond Green, the outspoken leader of the Golden State Warriors who has always been a breath of fresh air whenever he’s been asked to provide analysis on the NBA, will join Turner’s coverage of the playoffs for a few days.

According to a release, Green’s stint with the TNT crew will run from May 31 to June 2, with cameos occurring on studio shows and The Arena.

Green will join Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and host Ernie Johnson for pregame, halftime and postgame analysis surrounding TNT’s Game 4 doubleheader coverage on Monday, May 31 – Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid vs. Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the Utah Jazz and Donovan Mitchell vs. Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant at 9:30 p.m. Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller and reporter Stephanie Ready will provide commentary for 76ers/Wizards, with Spero Dedes and Greg Anthony calling the action for Jazz/Grizzlies.

Green will join Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Barkley for Tuesday’s studio coverage, while being paired with Johnson, O’Neal and Smith for Wednesday’s shows.

It seems obvious that Green will transition into the studio full-time someday, and although he’s shown signs of aging on the floor, the 31-year-old point forward is still a crucial piece to the Warriors’ puzzle as a playmaker and a defender. Hopefully he gets another stint or two on TV during these playoffs, though, because Green really is one of the best minds in basketball right now.

Mare Of Easttown (Sunday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — It’s finale time! Kate Winslet returns not only to TV but to HBO (a decade after her award-winning Mildred Pierce turn) to star as a hard-vaping detective in a small town where she both portrays and elevates the “complicated” cop trope. This show will suck you in, and you won’t mind one bit. Also you’ll be wondering about this: what the heck was in that picture?

The Shop: Uninterrupted (Friday, HBO 9:30 p.m.) — LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s barbershop-centered, unscripted show continues with a Season 4 debut featuring Jay-Z, Bad Bunny, Paul Rivera, and Nneka Ogwumike. All topics are fair game, but expect to hear them shoot the sh*t on everything from their respective businesses to, uh, WrestleMania.

These top streaming picks make excellent appetizers:

Cruella (Disney movie on Disney+) — Yes, Cruella de Vil is finally getting her origin story. Even if you don’t agree that she needed one, no one can argue that Emma Stone is the actress who could deliver a damn good time in this role. Granted, the film starts out slow (the runtime’s over two hours) with a protracted childhood era that doesn’t illustrate much about why she villained out and murdered puppies. Yet it does speed up, with lots of mayhem and a cackling Emma hanging off a truck in a billowing dress. Fashion can be evil! Also, the soundtrack feels like a character in its own right.

Plan B (Hulu film) — Oh boy, does this story ever hit home for countless ladies who find themselves driving from drug store to drugstore in the heartland. That’s exactly what happens in this film, after a regrettable sexual encounter sends a high school student (Kuhoo Verma) and her best friend (Victoria Moroles) on a bit of a road trip with the clock ticking to find Plan B in America’s heartland. It’s actually a twist on the teen sex comedy, and it arrives by way of Cobra Kai and Harold & Kumar producers.

Lucifer: Season 5B (Netflix series) — The Devil is still up to no good. Even worse, Lucifer is still plagued by his twin brother, Michael, who’s trying to take his place, and Lucifer also decides that he wants to be God? Alright. Well, God’s apparently retiring, so there’s an opening for that gig. Heaven help us all if this show ever starts to make sense (and Tom Ellis has so much swaggering fun with his lead role), but Netflix’s synopsis promises that “God himself comes to Earth. Secrets will be revealed, heroic sacrifices will be made, and the world will never be the same.” Season 6 will be the show’s final run, and I’m secretly rooting for Chloe to shake off her destiny and ditch the Devil.

And back to the scheduled programming here:

Pause With Sam Jay (Friday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — The Emmy-nominated SNL writer aims to revamp the late-night talk show format with each episode taking place at Sam’s apartment, where she’s throwing a party. Get ready for some feisty conversations and, hopefully, a sense of understanding between those who hold different perspectives.

A Black Lady Sketch Show (Friday, HBO 11:00 p.m.) — The fast-paced, quick-witted narrative series returns with loads of celebrity guests, but of course, the sketches all happen by the grace of the core cast, including Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, and Gabrielle Dennis with Issa Rae executive producing,

Oslo (Saturday, HBO 8:00 p.m.) — This film may or may not be considered too timely, considering current events, but the movie’s adapted from a Tony Award-winning play and is based upon the real-life negotiations that spawned the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords. Essentially, it focuses upon a peace agreement between Palestine and Israel that’s forged between citizens of both, along with a Norwegian couple.

Fear the Walking Dead (Sunday, AMC 9:00 p.m.) — Weeks after the show brilliantly subverted Negan’s storyline, there’s a gap week here before the next episode, so expect a “Bonus Edition” of the “Mother” episode that includes some behind-the-scenes moments that weren’t previously seen.

The Chi (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Emmett ‘fesses up to Tiff while Kevin and Jake are weighing their future options, and Jada’s dealing with a surprise. There’s also a podcast and a reunion coming your way.

Black Monday (Sunday, Showtime 9:55 p.m.) — Don Cheadle’s Mo Monroe (and his coke-snorting ways) keep going strong with Mo and Dawn taking a no-holds barred approach to work-life balance. Meanwhile, a near-death sexperience is in store for Blair.

Last Week Tonight (Sunday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — Please, let John Oliver tackle Ted Cruz again.

Flatbush Misdemeanors (Sunday, Showtime 10:25 p.m.) — Kevin scores a freelance-painting job while Dan’s on the way to a birthday party, but Drew is being demanding, and Zayna’s fending off a terrible rumor.

Ziwe (Sunday, Showtime 10:53 p.m.) — Ziwe Fumudoh’s former status as a Desus & Mero writer will be no shocker for anyone who catches her new variety series. This week, Phoebe Bridgers visits to dig into allyship for minorities.

Here are some more fresh streaming picks:

Master of None: Season 3 (Netflix series) — It’s been (four) years since we’ve seen Aziz Ansari’s brainchild do its thing, and that’s not even (officially, at least) down to the pandemic. Ansari’s been largely out of the public eye following sexual misconduct allegations, although he did emerge a few years ago for an insightful comedy special that goes a long way to show that gazing inward, and this new batch of episodes proves it. Aziz takes a step behind the camera to direct in a season that he cowrote with the Emmy-winning Lena Waithe, whose character moves to the forefront.

Hacks (HBO Max series premiere) — Jean Smart’s not-so-quiet domination of recent prestige TV shows (Fargo, Watchmen, Mare of Easttown, Legion) and other popular shows of late (Big Mouth, Dirty John) has finally culminated with this leading-lady turn in a role she was arguably meant to play. Hacks hails from executive producer Michael Schur and has three Broad City alums in the writers’ room, so get ready for a (Las Vegas) buffet of complex female characters. Smart portrays a legendary comedian who forges a “dark mentorship” to a 20-something newcomer in town. Don’t miss this one.

Friends: The Reunion (HBO Max feature-length special) — The whole O.G. gang is back in one place, which means that Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Ross (David Schwimmer), and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) are all here. Sadly, Paul Rudd is not on the scene, but there’s a buffay (get it?) of guest stars here to reinforce why this pop-culture phenomenon remains popular to this day, and why, oftentimes, friends can become your family.

Hacks (HBO Max series premiere) — Jean Smart’s not-so-quiet domination of recent prestige TV shows (Fargo, Watchmen, Mare of Easttown, Legion) and other popular shows of late (Big Mouth, Dirty John) has finally culminated with this leading-lady turn in a role she was arguably meant to play. Hacks hails from executive producer Michael Schur and has three Broad City alums in the writers’ room, so get ready for a (Las Vegas) buffet of complex female characters. Smart portrays a legendary comedian who forges a “dark mentorship” to a 20-something newcomer in town. Don’t miss this one.

Panic: Season 1 (Amazon Prime series) — This show’s a bit like The Purge in concept, only it revolves around a dangerous game that takes place over the course of a summer for graduating seniors in a tiny Texas town. They compete for a pot of money (while hoping to escape their tiny-town lives, of course), but the stakes are high and risky as players must confront their deepest fears. The story, which is based upon the bestselling novel by Lauren Oliver, will likely hook you, so be ready to binge.

Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. (Hulu series) — Patton Oswalt’s indisputable knack for voice work recently managed to shock The Boys audience (that’s what happens when you “cameo” as a set of gills for the lead pervert character), and now he’s the leading man in a very adult-oriented animated series. Here, Oswalt’s portraying an egomaniacal supervillain (with a massive, unwieldy noggin) who’s struggling to balance his day job as a bad dude with family life (it happens, even to the most evil among us!). In the process, he’s gotta deal with a certain busybody named Tony Stark/Iron Man, who’s voiced by freaking Jon Hamm. Expect to hear Bill Hader, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Schwartz, and Nathan Fillion all join the chorus as everyone on this show seems to want to push a bad man down.

The past year has been rough on all of us and while some were able to use the extended economic shutdown to be productive, others were less inspired, finding whatever they could hold onto to help them survive. Bay Area rapper/singer Rexx Life Raj falls partially into the latter category, according to a tweet thread he shared earlier this week. “Over these past months, I haven’t been able to make a lot of music,” he admitted. “But of the few I made these have been on repeat, helping me through these times.” As a gesture of appreciation to fans for their continued love and support, he released the three songs as an untitled EP.

The three tracks include “Silver Linings,” on which he nods to his flaws, but resolutely holds to his virtues and reminds listeners to “check on your strong friends” over a groovy beat. On “Made A Man,” Raj recalls the struggles that have built him up and “forced me to learn to stand on my own” over an acoustic guitar sample and spacey synthesizers. Finally, on “Make It Shake,” he again uses a guitar loop to accompany another motivational anthem on which he prays “for better days, then outside and make it shake.” And despite not making much new music over the past few months, what he has made has been similarly inspirational, including “Bounty” and the encouraging “Bounce Back.”

Listen to “Made A Man,” “Make It Shake,” and “Silver Linings” above.

After landing a spot on our rising pop stars to watch list at the top of 2021, Tate McRae’s stock has only gone up. The dancer-turned-pop-star released her Too Young To Be Sad EP at the end of March, anchored by the lush single “Slower,” and collaborated with Troye Sivan on the track “You,” along with the artist Regard.

Of her journey from dance star to musician, McRae told our own J’Na Jefferson that she’s still settling into what kind of artist she wants to be. “The crazy thing is that I’m still trying to find my sound,” she said. “I think there are a million different ways that you can play around, and a different million different artists [to work with] that will shoot you in different directions. But I can’t really define what I do [musically]. I think it changes every month… You can do so many things nowadays.”

Today’s release is another example of how versatile McRae can be, her latest release, the gloomy ballad “Darkest Hour,” is from the Amazon series, Panic, adding TV soundtracking to her already crammed full resume. Maybe a cameo in a show is the next move for McRae after this? It seems like she’s got the relationship in place with the streaming giant to make that happen someday. Listen to her new track above.

Larry Nance can’t help but turn into a fan while discussing Chelsea, to the point that a vocal tic that all of us fans can succumb to every now and then.

“Look at me saying ‘we’ as if I’m on the team,” Nance says with a laugh as he looks back on an up-and-down season (or, probably more accurately, down-and-up) season for the London-based soccer team.

It’s hard for any Chelsea supporter to not feel some kind of extra bond to the club this year. Since sacking club legend Frank Lampard back in Jan. 25 and appointing Thomas Tuchel manager, the Blues have been flying, going from ninth at the time of Lampard’s ouster to an eventual fourth-place finish in the Premier League. Oh, and on Saturday, the team will face off against English rivals Manchester City in the Champions League final, with the winner getting to crown themselves the kings of European football.

The task will be a daunting one for Chelsea. City, the champions of the Premier League, are flying thanks to a striker-less style of football that has smothered opponents for much of the year. But in a fun twist, Chelsea have managed to take down City twice since Tuchel came on board, once in the semifinals of the FA Cup and once in the league earlier this month. It’s come with a disclaimer — City did not roll out its strongest lineup in either match — but no other team has beaten the Sky Blues twice this season. A prime example of the phrase “styles-make-fights,” City’s possession-oriented system can be stymied by solid, well-organized sides that have the ability to counter-attack, and Chelsea does this as well as anyone in the world.

Ahead of Saturday’s tilt in Porto, I, a Manchester City supporter, caught up with Nance to discuss our two teams, Chelsea’s season, what he thinks will happen on Saturday, and how his approach in the lead-up to the final has been a bit different than the one employed by fellow Chelsea fanatic Josh Hart.

What are your general thoughts on this season for Chelsea?

Gosh, I feel really good about it, actually. I was optimistic coming into the season — we spent a lot of money in the offseason, but at the same time, it was on some very talented younger players. So I didn’t expect us to win the league or anything like that, just because the average age of our XI is, what, 22 or something like that. So we’re very young, very unexperienced, but at the same time, finishing top four. Obviously hate that Frank had to be a casualty of it, but finishing top four, no matter how we got there, is always a positive thing. And the fact that we are in the Champions League final seems like … it shouldn’t be. So I’m excited about it.

And it’s fascinating that you mentioned Frank because obviously he’s a club legend, but it’s also led to something that … you don’t want to say it was for the better or anything like that, but there’s just been something about them since Thomas Tuchel has gotten in there. What has it looked like to you and what do you think has caused this success to come under him?

Man, I wish I could tell you. I do. I wish I could tell you, but the way we’ve responded … look at me saying “we” as if I’m on the team. But the way the guys have responded to Tuchel has been incredible to see. I mean, I just wish I knew a little bit more behind the scenes of what he’s really saying and doing with these guys to make them do a complete 180, it seems. Because we were … I shouldn’t say complete 180, we were having a good year before he got there, but when he got there, we just totally ramped it up and really got after it.

Yeah. And just from the outside, it seemed like there’s just this air of confidence about them. They’re walking around with their chests puffed out. They’re walking around with their heads held high. That sort of thing. And I don’t know about you, but it’s just been the most impressive part about all of this for me. Just how confident they look after the ups and downs of earlier in the year.

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, the confidence that they’re showing is crazy. The fact that we’ve got City in the Champions League final, and I feel okay about it, is a testament to the work that he’s done and he’s put in, because earlier in the year we would play Burnley and it was like, “I don’t know. I don’t know how I feel about this one. Burnley could take all three at Stamford Bridge.” But now I’m sitting here feeling pretty good about playing City in Porto to win it all. So I mean, I have no complaints, obviously. This dude knows what he’s talking about.

And it’s always easy for a coach to look like they know what they’re talking about when they have the players. It’s that back and forth — the coach looks good when the players look good, the players look good, the coach looks good. Who are the players that you’ve been the most impressed by this year?

I mean, easy one is Mason Mount. I mean, he’s been ridiculous. Mason’s been incredible this year. You could say his growth, but just his consistency. I mean, he’s been our guy, getting us going from if we need a late equalizer or we need someone to pick up the energy off the bat or out of halftime. He’s been that guy. So just … and at what? Twenty-one years old, 22 years old? Doing that for a team like Chelsea has been just awesome.

Yeah. And then there’s the fact that he’s the guy who I think coming into the season, there were some people who were questioning whether or not he really deserved it or if he was just Lampard’s teacher’s pet, but he’s been magnificent.

Yeah, absolutely. He’s been just awesome. Answered all the critics and then some. Our midfielders as a whole have been awesome. [Mateo] Kovacic when he’s been out. [N’Golo] Kante, having him healthy has been unbelievable. Jorginho’s had a good year. I mean, I think the only other one, I should say two, that I’ve been incredibly impressed with is [Antonio] Rudiger. Rudiger’s had a great year as well, then the signing of [Edouard] Mendy has been just massive. No slight to Kepa [Arrizabalaga], but we needed some help.

So for the final, I’m going to start by making you praise my team. What are your thoughts on Manchester City?

You guys scare the hell out of me, to be honest with you. You guys scare the hell out of me. I would feel better if it were any other team in the world except maybe Bayern Munich. Just so much class from top to bottom. And I’ve actually got my fingers crossed that you start [Sergio] Aguero because I do not want to deal with Pep’s False 9. I don’t feel like dealing with that because that means [Phil] Foden and [Raheem] Sterling and [Riyad] Mahrez most likely are just terrorizing our back lines. I got my fingers crossed you start Aguero.

Funny you say that, though, because you know exactly what I’m about to say. The two teams have played twice in the last couple of months and Chelsea’s won both of those. Is that not giving you, as a fan, some amount of confidence, some amount of faith, or is it just something where you’re wiping it clean? You know an FA Cup match and a league match are a different level compared to the Champions League.

They are an entirely different game, an entirely different game. I mean the squad rotations that were involved in the league games and whatnot, I’m not buying it. I’m not buying it. I hope Chelsea isn’t buying it ,either, because this is for all the marbles. And Pep, and that team, [Kevin] de Bruyne, I just think we’d be silly to overlook that just because we won in the past. It did not mean anything.

Obviously different sports, but you guys beat a team twice before you go into your third match in a year. Do you have, just in basketball, a little more confidence, or is this something where it’s like, past results don’t mean future outcomes or anything like that?

It’s funny, there’s actually a saying that we use quite often. It’s a silly little saying, but it’s hard beating a team three times in a row.

Yeah.

Beating a team three times is tough. Now, you need to beat them twice? No problem. Once? No problem. And I feel like that’s just the rule. Beating a team three times is tough. I don’t know, it doesn’t matter if it’s the best team in the league or the worst in the league. If we won our first two match-ups and we play them again, it’s like, oh boy. This is going to be tough.

Yeah. Because it then becomes the expectation that you’re going to do it that third time.

Exactly. Everybody gets a little bit lax and just, there’s no room for that.

So the game itself, what’s just the biggest thing that you’re going to be looking out for as someone who’s watching this with your Chelsea blue shaded glasses on?

I will say the biggest thing I’m scared of is Phil Foden. I’m terrified of Foden. I think he is the best youngster in the world. I mean, unless you consider [Kylian] Mbappe. I think he’s on that level, I think he’s on that level with Mbappe, [Erling] Haaland, and I think Foden’s right there. I really do. I think he’s terrific.

But at the same time, he’s not as naturally talented or anything like that, but I have to imagine that by now, when you have someone running at Cesar Azpilicueta, you’re going to be feeling pretty good about it.

Yeah, that’s for sure. I mean he’s been rock solid. At the same time, I just think Foden’s top drawer. I really do. Yeah, he’s the one that scares me. Sterling, his year has been up and down, off and on. De Bruyne is De Bruyne. He’s going to be unbelievable, but the one that scares me is Foden. If I were a betting, man, I’d put money on him to score in this game.

The match as a whole, how do you want Chelsea to approach this entire thing?

To be honest with you, I want to see us go for it. I want to see us go for it. I mean, I think if we just sit back and let you guys do what you do, we are going to be in some serious trouble. I think if we go back on the attack as well, and then we just play our game as if we were playing … I was going to say Aston Villa, but I don’t want to use that anymore. If we were playing just a regular league game against whoever it may be.

Take the magnitude of the game out of it and just play free. Have these young guys play free and then be expressive with your game. But I think that would be our best chance instead of trying to throw some shackles of discipline on and say, “Alright, this is a big match. We’ve got to this, this, and that.” I think I’d like to see us go for it.

Yeah. I mean, you guys have so much talent that if Chelsea wants to sit back and absorb pressure and hit them on the counter, you have that. But I can’t imagine it feels good sitting there and watching Manchester City have the ball, even if you know you could go the other way in five seconds and [Christian] Pulisic puts one past Ederson.

Exactly, that’s what I mean. If this were another team, fine. Sit back and let them kind of pass it around, do their thing. But this is city, and at any given time … do we know if [Ilkay] Gundogan is going to be healthy?

He’s good.

He’s good? Yeah. It can come from anywhere with you guys.

For Chelsea, who are the players who you think are ultimately going to decide? Because to me, there is a very obvious Chelsea player who I think is going to decide this one, but I’m interested in your thoughts.

It’s one of two people, really. If Kante has a Kante game, you guys could be in trouble. You guys could be in trouble because he can dominate a game.

And then Timo Werner’s gonna have his chances. He’s going to have his chances, you know what I mean? We’ve seen it time and time again. He’s going to have his chances because he’s fast as lightening and gets into the right positions. But if he decides to take them, then it could be a great night for Chelsea fans. But if not, hopefully we go to [Olivier] Giroud pretty quickly.

Werner’s the guy that popped right into my head because there are three, four moments a game, every single game, where [Kai] Havertz, or Mount, Pulisic, [Hakim] Ziyech create chances for him and then it’s just right there in front of him. And it’s been in his head, I think. But you know as well as I do, when he gets those opportunities and he has that clear head, he’s scoring every time. That’s the avenue where I think Chelsea can win this one.

Right? I agree. I mean, it just depends. It all depends on how he approaches it. It really does. If he’s feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, we’re in some trouble. I would love to see us, like I said, go to Giroud early if Timo is being Timo.

Yeah, and then just basically have [Giroud] lay it off to those wingers who are going to be flying around.

Exactly. Because we know Christian’s as talented is anyone. We know our wingers — Havertz, Ziyech, whoever we decide to start — we know they’re talented. We’ve got to get our number nine right.

Alright, so thoughts on what’s going to happen?

I truly believe that you guys are going to win it. I do. It’s like, you’re hoping from the Chelsea fan’s perspective, that no, we’re going to win it. But, I feel like we’re playing with house money, to be honest with you.

Exactly.

We shouldn’t be here. We shouldn’t be here, so if we don’t win, I genuinely feel like, alright, we’ll be back within the next 3-4 years. It’s alright.

Yeah, and when you guys had that big summer, I said to a friend who’s a Liverpool fan that I feel like Liverpool’s window is shutting and Chelsea’s about to open. It just feels like you guys are on the cusp of something and you’re ahead of schedule more or less.

Yes, exactly. Exactly. It feels like we’re close.

You and Josh Hart against Alex Caruso, anyone else a Manchester City fan?

In the NBA? Not that I really know of. I know AC is a big City fan. Other than that, I don’t know.

So you, Josh, and AC. How’s the banter been this week?

It’s been great. Obviously, we’re all on the same team in L.A. So, we’ve been at it quite a bit and got our little side bets and everything. So it’s been fun, it’s been fun. But at the same time, I’ve expressed to those two as well that hey, look. I’m going to play in the banter, but I don’t know. I don’t know if I feel great about it.

Has Josh been a little more optimistic?

Oh, Josh is … yeah. Josh is wildly optimistic.

It was in 2010 that Willow Smith broke into the music mainstream with “Whip My Hair,” when she was just 9 years old. A lot has changed since then: She’s 20 now and she’s going in a more pop-punk direction. She recruited one of the genre’s most revered (and busy) figures, Travis Barker, to assist on her latest single, “Transparent Soul,” for which she has shared a new video today.

The clip follows two narratives, one of Willow and Barker performing the song with her band, and another of Willow encountering a mysterious figure at a show. Willow says of the clip, “I’m so happy that I got to bring these two parts of myself together, this spiritual part of myself into this pop punk angsty world that I wanted to create for the video. I’m so honored and excited for you guys to see it.”

She also previously explained why she was once hesitant to pursue her current musical direction, saying “I never felt like I could sing that kind of music because I was always trained to sing R&B and pop. I realized that it’s not my voice that can’t sing this kind of music. I was afraid to sing this kind of music because I wasn’t sure what people would think.”

Watch the “Transparent Soul” video above.