Category: News

Travis Scott broke ground on his Cactus Jack newsstand pop-up this week in West Hollywood and to celebrate, the rapper made an in-person appearance. Once fans heard the news of the rapper’s attendance, people flooded the streets in order to catch a glimpse of him. The crowd ended up getting so massive that it broke LA’s COVID-19 restrictions and as a result, Scott is now reportedly under investigation by police.

Per a report from TMZ, Los Angeles’ Department Of Public Works did not receive a permit from Scott’s team for the event. The city has supposedly been conservative with granting permits lately, as they frown upon non-essential gatherings in order to combat the spread of the virus. Because of the huge crowd Scott attracted, the Public Works department is planning on consulting with the City Attorney’s office to discuss how to reprimand the rapper, which may include some potentially hefty fines.

Scott’s initial plan for his pop-up was to promote the “Utopia Issue” of i-D Magazine, which features an in-depth cover story with the rapper shot by Spike Jonze. Scott appeared at the newsstand to pass out a limited number of physical copies of the magazine, but the event ended up turning into a mob of sorts.

If he does end up having to pay a fine for the event, Scott wouldn’t be the first musician to be reprimanded for breaking COVID protocol. Back in November, UK pop singer Rita Ora broke London’s COVID restrictions when she threw an indoor birthday party at a restaurant for a group of friends. Along with facing backlash for the event, Ora was hit with a $12,000 fine by the government.

Check out photos and fan-captured footage of the pop-up crowd above.

Karma is a beautiful thing … unless you’re a MAGA-loving cult member who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6th and had the gall to taunt your ex with text messages during the whole thing.

That’s something Richard Michetti, a Pennsylvania resident who traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the Trump-inspired insurrection, is finding out the hard way after his ex-girlfriend turned over text messages to the FBI placing him at the Capitol building on the day of the siege. The woman, whose identity is protected in court filings, provided law enforcement with several text messages, photos, and videos that show Michetti raiding the Capitol with his fellow Trump supporters. In fact, one of the photos released by the FBI in their attempt to identify members of the mob shows Michetti standing on the steps of the Capitol staring at his phone with his mask down, presumably texting his former girlfriend.

“It’s going down here. We stormed the building they held us back with spray and teargas and paintballs,” Michetti texted his ex at 2:06 p.m. before insulting her and echoing Trump’s claims of voter fraud. “If you can’t see the election was stolen you’re a moron.”

Authorities charged Michetti with knowingly entering a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and obstruction of Congress. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. But really, what’s two decades of jail-time compared to the humiliation being handed to him on Twitter?

Dating a Trump supporter = A lifetime of therapy.
Turning that Trump-supporting insurrectionist into the FBI = priceless.

James Bond is, above all, a man of discerning style and taste. And so a $7,000 camera certainly seems like an on-brand movie tie in for the oft-delayed No Time To Die. The movie, got pushed more than a year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, has had an interesting promotional calendar to say the least. Daniel Craig, you may recall, hosted SNL nearly a full year ago to promote the film that still hasn’t been released.

But perhaps an extremely nice camera is the best way to promote the film, which is why Craig worked with Leica to make a Bond-inspired version of the camera maker’s iconic Q2 shooter.

According to Leica, the camera is a “close collaboration” between Bond star Craig and photographer Greg Williams. And, quite frankly, the camera is gorgeous.

There’s a lot of impressive technical specs here, but perhaps most importantly the collaboration has an important design distinction: it’s the first time ever the company has made a camera with its iconic red logo cast in a different color.

All engravings are inlaid with gold paint; even the Leica logo adheres for the first time ever to the colour scheme of black and gold. The name of the special edition (which is limited to 750 units worldwide) and the sequential serial number are, also for the first time, shown as a laser engraving under the display glass. The grippy leather trim of the Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams is textured with an exclusive diamond pattern.

All of that makes it extremely scarce: even with a price tag of $6,995 it was almost immediately listed as sold out. But as Craig’s time as Bond comes to an end, this definitely serves as a very fancy tribute to his time in the role.

Inadvertently, a question asked here put Tom Holland right back in the same tricky predicament that was, broadly, being asked about. Namely, when he was asked recently if the rumors that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were going to appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Holland emphatically shot that down, but then social media erupted because a good number of people assume Holland is lying. (I have asked questions like this many times.) It’s kind of a fascinating quandary because there’s no real great way to address such a direct and specific question without either spoiling a movie he’s contractually not supposed to do, lying, or declining to answer, which kind of tips people off anyway. But, of course, asking about how to answer such a thing also puts Holland right back in that same boat because an answer to this question could tip off his strategy to how he answered his previous question. But, Holland is so surprisingly deft at interviews already (well, he did go through quite an infamous run of spoiling movies, but he doesn’t do that anymore) he manages to give a good answer without tipping his hand. Well, probably.

Holland is out here promoting Cherry, an ambitious film that sees him re-team with his Marvel directors, Joe and Anthony Russo. Cherry is fairly epic in scale, as it divides the film up into chapters that watches Holland’s character (based on author Nico Walker’s experiences) go from local fuck up, to fighting in the Iraq war, to becoming a heroin addict, to eventually robbing banks in order to buy more heroin. It’s a role we’ve certainly not seen Holland attempt before, and Holland is pretty open about the fact that he’s trying to strategically challenge himself with roles that are as far away from Peter Parker as possible. Not to mention the eclectic assortment of movies he’s been watching lately in order to buff up his film bona fides so that he can direct one day himself.

Though that list still does not include The Empire Strikes Back, a movie he’s still not seen and gets asked about a lot because of a line in Captain America: Civil War. But, it does include Dodgeball, which, strangely, inspired a scene in Cherry.

There’s a part in Cherry where you have a mustache, I’m not sure any other human being’s facial look changes more with the mustache than yours.

Right.

It went from, “there’s Tom Holland,” to like Clark Gable walking out of some 1930s classic film.

Brilliant. I’m glad to hear that.

I’m assuming that’s a look we’re not going to see again soon.

Yeah, maybe not. I think I’m going to wait. I sadly cannot grow my own mustache, so it is a stick-on. And they are the most uncomfortable things in the world, so whatever I can do to avoid having a mustache. [Laughs] That idea actually came from a Halloween party while we were shooting Cherry. My team, we went as the Average Joe’s…

From Dodgeball?

From Dodgeball, yeah. And my makeup artist, Rachel, drew a mustache on herself. And Anthony and Joe Russo were like, “We need you to give Tom a mustache in the prison because that looks great.” So that’s where the idea for the mustache came from. And then Rachel, obviously, then has to make one and do all that sort of stuff.

I have to admit, I was not expecting Dodgeball to come up today. An influence on Cherry I wasn’t expecting.

Right. A bit of a curveball for you there.

This is an intense movie. I assume that appealed to you.

Yeah. I mean, it all appealed to me, really: working with the Russos again, challenging myself as an actor, working on a film which I think is an important one for society to sort of shed the light on a problem that’s happening all around us. But the chapters thing for me was a really interesting idea, because it almost felt like we were making an episodic TV show about the same character at six, very different, chapters of his life. And trying to find the connective tissue between each chapter was what was so difficult. But then again, research and planning and storyboarding and all that sort of stuff became very, very helpful in making those connections.

So the way I’ve read the story, the Russos just came to you and offered this. And then you told them you’d do it for free, which is a terrible negotiation tactic. But it was that easy?

Yeah. And I think that joke there kind of boils down from the fact that they changed my life. The Russo brothers cast me as Spider-Man and they put me in a position I could never have dreamed to be in. So, I owe them a lot. And I would do anything for them. But yeah, that’s kind of how it happened. I was honored that they chose me, they could choose anyone. But, yeah, so I owe them a lot.

It seems like you’re in a stage of your career where you want people to see you playing roles that aren’t just Peter Parker. Between this and The Devil All the Time, I don’t want to say it’s calculated, but it does look like you are looking for something “different.”

I mean, it’s always on my mind. And my agents and I have been very strategic in choosing our moments and picking our battles. I think, now, I’m definitely at a stage in my career where I’m able to carry the weight of films that have these heavy tones and strong emotional arcs and stuff. But at the end of the day, if it’s a romantic comedy and it challenges me and it’s not something I’ve done before, I’d be well up for it. It was a comedy, if it was a horror film, I have no agenda or anything like that when it comes to picking my films. I just like to do things I haven’t done before.

Was there anything you watched that you looked at as an influence for playing this type of character?

Oh, yeah.

You’re often associated a lot with Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. I don’t if you’ve seen it, but we rewatched Less Than Zero recently and you reminded me of Downey in that movie.

I mean, I actually haven’t seen that film. But, I mean, films like a Requiem of a Dream, The Basketball Diaries, all that sort of stuff was very helpful. It showed me some things I wanted to try and embrace. And some things I wanted to try and stay away from. Our biggest thing, when we were making this film, was to make and tell a story that didn’t romanticize drug abuse or war in any way, shape, or form. We really wanted to make it as grotesque as it can actually be. So, we learned loads from different films. The Russos are the ones to ask that question. They could go on for hours and hours and hours about films that have influenced them to make this film. My film knowledge is not quite as extensive as there’s, but it’s getting there.

Right, that’s been well-documented. And every interview you’re asked if you’ve seen The Empire Strikes Back yet and it’s always, “No.”

No. I haven’t.

When I talked to you for Far from Home, you basically said it’s not going to happen.

Well, I would never say it’s not going to happen. It’s just, they’re not my type of movies. I just … I’m not a big fan of them. And I’m a big Marvel fan, so if I’m going to watch a space movie, I would watch Guardians of the Galaxy or Thor, that’s my type of thing, per se. But I will have to watch it so people stop asking me the question, “Have you seen The Empire Strikes Back?”

Just to finally say, “Yes, I’ve seen it. Are you happy?”

Yes. Yes.

And then people say, “We are happy.”

Maybe I’ll watch it tonight.

Speaking of, what have you caught up on over the pandemic? I do realize you aren’t exactly stuck at home and have filmed two movies, so maybe you haven’t had time.

I mean, my brother Harry and I are, obviously, avid film fans and we want to one day be directors and stuff. So we’re trying to educate ourselves and watching films, and broadening our horizons by watching different types of films. We’ve been watching lots of foreign films at the moment, we watched Bong Joon-ho’s Memories of a Murder the other day, which we really enjoyed. We’ve got a cinema club at the moment. Every week, the Spider-Man cast gets together at the screening room at the studios and we pick a film that none of us have seen before and watch a film. I think next on the list is The Handmaiden, which is Zendaya’s recommendation. Cinema Paradiso is one of them. So, we’re just working our way through films that I would never normally watch, but I’m definitely learning to love them. And once you realize that there were films that aren’t in English, it opens up possibilities to so many more stories.

Based on the movies you just mentioned, and then you throw in Dodgeball, that is an eclectic group…

[Laughs] Oh, yeah, the spectrum of my film knowledge is wide, my friend.

I’ve seen a lot of the set photos from the new Spider-Man. I can’t help but wonder, does the Spider-Man mask actually work as a pandemic mask? Or is it too thin? Because that knocks off two birds with one stone if it does.

I mean, I guess it does? I have to wear a helmet underneath the mask to give my very irregular-shaped head a nice, smooth, round kind of shape. And it has a mesh over the front of the mouth to stop condensation getting onto the mask. So, it is pretty good when it comes to stopping particles coming in and out of a suit. But, on the first day of shooting, I did walk on set in the Spider-Man suit with a mask on, to just set the tone for the crew that we were like, “Guys, we’re going to take this seriously. We’re going to wear our masks.” And everyone’s been amazing. And been very, very professional.

A couple of weeks ago I saw Chaos Walking, which you filmed in 2017 and is finally coming out. This feels like another movie where you were trying to do something that wasn’t the MCU, then it gets delayed. Was that frustrating?

Yeah. It was frustrating, and it’s been a real uphill battle getting that film made. We ran into all sorts of different problems while making it, and then while remaking it and editing it and all sorts of different stuff. The nature of the film and the concept of the film is one that is really, really difficult to overcome. But I haven’t actually seen it… the last edit I saw would have been about a year and a half ago actually.

Oh, so I’m ahead of you on that.

Yeah, so you’ve seen more than I have, but I’m excited to see it. I’m a little apprehensive if I’m honest. But, yeah. I mean, Doug Liman, I love him. He was so kind to me and I had a great time working with him. So, for him, I hope the film does really well. And yeah, excited to see it.

So, I read the interview you did with Esquire, which got around because you were asked if Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are in that movie. There were a lot of people on social media who didn’t believe your answer. And I’ve asked things like that before, but it seems like a no-win situation. Let’s say while you’re filming Far From Home I had asked you, hey, I’ve heard J.K. Simmons is in this movie. How bad of a position does that put you in?

It’s a tricky situation. [Laughs] I feel like you’re equally putting me in a tricky situation now.

I’m not trying to, I promise.

It is what it is. And sometimes the fans figure out what’s going on, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they figure out one thing, and it opens up a whole world of possibilities and they go off on a tangent, which could not be more different or more correct to what we’re making. It’s a shame, sometimes, that things get leaked and things get ruined. But at the moment, with this film, I think we’re doing a very, very good job of keeping the things that need to be a secret a secret. And I’m sure there are things that are going on that I have no idea about. I mean, I’m usually the last person to find out what’s going on, because of this ridiculous rumor that I spoil movies!

Look, you didn’t spoil Endgame. That’s the only one that matters.

I didn’t spoil Endgame!

You didn’t.

No, which is great. But, I think, the tricky thing about those questions is: it’s a question that’s going to get a reaction regardless of what the answer is. So it’s one of those things where you just have to figure out, how is the best way to handle this? Shall I lie? Shall I tell the truth? Shall I just say, “I can’t say anything.” Shall I say, “I can neither confirm nor deny”? There’s nothing you can really say that won’t spark a reaction from the fans.

Right.

So, it’s a double-edged sword. It can be great. It can be a great thing, but sometimes it can be quite a damaging thing.

Oh, by the way, last time we spoke you mentioned a deleted scene in Far from Home where you sold a Star Wars action figure, but you didn’t know the action figure. I actually emailed Kevin Feige…

Oh, yeah?

The name of the character is Lobot, who’s in The Empire Strikes Back.

Lobot. Yeah, yeah. And I actually think that that was Kevin Feige’s Lobot.

His personal collection Lobot?

I seem to remember that that was one of his own personal collection. Yeah. But I might be completely lying there.

‘Cherry’ begins streaming via Apple+ on Feb. 26th. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

If you’ve read even one article about bourbon, you already know that to be considered a bourbon the juice must be made with a mash bill of a minimum of 51 percent corn. It also must be aged (for at least two years to be called “straight bourbon”) in new oak barrels that have been charred to varying degrees. Obviously, there are other regulations. But when it comes to the flavor, these two components are pretty damn important.

The latter, aging in charred oak barrels, give the juice the unique vanilla character that many bourbon drinkers crave. As the spirit rests in the cask, the alcohol burrows into the charred wood and extracts vanillin from it. That vanillin is then imparted into the juice. It’s a chemical reaction resulting in a flavor that feels at once rich and familiar.

While all bourbons have this flavor profile in some respect, they’re not all built or blended to be bursting with prominent vanilla notes. That’s why we decided to find ten bottles that are full of enough vanilla that you’d think a toasted vanilla bean was actually placed in the barrel. Or maybe that the final product was mixed with vanilla essence. Don’t get it twisted — that’s not actually the case. These are simply vanilla-centric bourbons that owe their vanilla nature to the wonderful alchemy of wood, spirit, and time.

Henry McKenna Single Barrel

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $59.99

The Story:

This single barrel, bottled-in-bond, bourbon took the whiskey world by storm a few years ago. The price was driven up and it became the must-have bottle for bourbon drinkers. The price has returned to normal, but it still isn’t easy to find.

This whiskey is aged for ten years, giving it a rich, sweet, well-balanced flavor.

Tasting Notes:

Take a whiff and you’ll find aromas of charred oak, vanilla beans, and fruity, floral notes. The first sip is filled with sweet brown sugar, rich malts, buttery caramel, and more creamy vanilla. It all finishes with a nice hint of dried cherries and a return to the vanilla beans.

Bottom Line:

A lot of hardcore whiskey drinkers tend to collect higher-proof expressions. If you’re one of these drinkers and you still want a vanilla bomb, this is the whiskey for you.

Noah’s Mill

ABV: 57%

Average Price: $53.99

The Story:

One of the most underrated bourbons on the market, Noah’s Mill is high-proof and made up of Willett whiskeys ranging from 4 to 20 years old. This small-batch bourbon is tirelessly blended together to create a distinct, sweet, mellow flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find aromas of almonds, toasted oak, and dried fruits. On the palate, you’ll taste hints of buttery caramel, peppery spice, and gentle, sweet vanilla undertones. The finish is long, full of heat, and ends with a nice combination of cracked black pepper and toasted vanilla beans.

Bottom Line:

Bourbon aficionados know all about Noah’s Mill, now you do too. Grab a few bottles of this vanilla bomb before it becomes unattainable.

Maker’s Mark 46

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $39.99

The Story:

Everyone has heard of Maker’s Mark. It’s one of the most popular bourbons in the world for a reason. It’s soft, mellow, and full of caramel sweetness. That vanilla-caramel flavor is only ramped up in its Maker’s Mark 46 expression. In fact, that’s literally the reason why Bill Samuels, Jr, created it.

Cask strength Maker’s Mark is finished with the addition of seared virgin French oak staves, therefore increasing the vanillin extracted.

Tasting Notes:

Take a few moments embracing the aromas and you’ll be greeted with hints of charred oak, caramelized sugar, and sweet treacle. Take a sip and you’ll find yourself immersed in a world of French oak wood, buttery caramel, molasses, and rich vanilla cream. The last sip is mellow, lingering, and wraps up with more toasted vanilla.

Bottom Line:

For fans of ramped-up vanilla flavor, this is a steal at around $40. If you’re already a Maker’s Mark drinker, up your game with a bottle of Maker’s Mark 46.

Rebel Bourbon

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $16.99

The Story:

This iconic brand got a well-deserved rebranding a few years ago. Luckily, even though it got a new label and a new image, they didn’t change the recipe or the extremely low price. This soft, mellow, very sweet, highly sippable bourbon sticks to the original recipe with a mash bill of corn, wheat, and barley.

Tasting Notes:

Your nose will be met with aromas of clover honey, sweet butter, and dried cherries. Take a sip and you’ll find hints of raisins, sweet cinnamon, brown sugar, and sweet vanilla. In the end, you’ll find nice, gentle warmth with just a hint of spice.

Bottom Line:

For under $20, this is the kind of bargain, mixing whiskey that belongs in your liquor cabinet at all times. Great for a bourbon and Vanilla Coke combo.

Angel’s Envy

ABV: 43.3%

Average Price: $52.99

The Story:

Angel’s Envy has gained a cult following in the last few years because of its unique finishing choices. Its flagship bourbon is finished in port wine casks to give it a rich, complex flavor profile well suited for fans of vanilla, caramel, and literally anything sweet.

This might as well be a dessert whiskey.

Tasting Notes:

Take a moment to give this whiskey a proper nosing and you’ll be greeted with scents of maple candy, charred oak, and port wine. The first sip is ripe with sticky toffee pudding, dried orange peel, buttery vanilla, and sweet berries. It all ends in a crescendo of cinnamon and toasted vanilla beans.

Bottom Line:

Finishing in port wine barrels gives this bourbon a unique flavor that deserves to be sipped slowly over ice while you watch snow silently fall outside your window. Hurry and try this before the spring melt!

Garrison Brothers Small Batch Texas Bourbon

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $89.99

The Story:

Over the past few years, Garrison Brothers has made the world realize that great bourbon can be made in Texas. Its Small Batch Texas Bourbon is made with a mash bill of sweet corn, red winter wheat, and two-row barley. There’s no rye so it’s mellow, smooth, soft, and sweet.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find hints of caramel apples, clover honey, and charred oak. The first sip yields flavors of leather, spicy cinnamon, buttery toffee, creamy vanilla, and dried orange peel. The finish is literally reminiscent of sugar cookies and vanilla-toasted almonds.

Bottom Line:

You don’t have to be a cowboy to enjoy this small-batch offering from Garrison Brothers. Although, after one glass of this 94 proof whiskey you might rethink your ability to pull off leather cowboy boots.

Larceny Small Batch

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $24.99

The Story:

This small-batch bourbon has been racking up awards for years because of its exceptional, nuanced flavor. It’s soft, smooth, and utilizes wheat instead of the usual rye as the third grain in the mash bill. The result is a mellow, creamy, effortlessly sweet sipping bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find hints of brown sugar, toffee, and fresh-baked bread. The first sip is filled with subtle floral notes that pair perfectly with sweet clover honey, rich treacle, subtle cinnamon, and cream-soda flavored with vanilla beans. The length of the finish is fairly long and ends with the soft, sweet flavor butterscotch.

Bottom Line:

This award-winning whiskey has a crazy low price, making it a value buy. If you’re thinking of grabbing a bottle buy two or three. You won’t regret it.

Hudson Bright Lights Big Bourbon

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $48.99

The Story:

If you liked Hudson Baby Bourbon, you’ll love Bright Lights, Big Bourbon. The mash bill is 95% corn and 5% malted barley. That’s it. It was aged for three years in new, charred oak barrels giving it a mellow, soft, sweet flavor filled with caramel, vanilla, and honey.

Tasting Notes:

Take a moment to breathe in this whiskey’s aromas and you’ll find hints of charred oak, brown sugar, and molasses. The first sip is full of dried cherries, caramel corn, creamy vanilla, and a nutty sweetness. It all ends with a final note of warming butterscotch.

Bottom Line:

Since this is a reasonably new expression, you might be hesitant to give it a try. If you’re a vanilla fan you don’t want to miss out on this corn-filled bottle.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

ABV: 45.2%

Average Price: $47.99

The Story:

Woodford Reserve is known for its high-quality, award-winning bourbons. One of its best is its Doubled Oaked. As the name might tell you, this whiskey is matured in two different charred oak casks. The second barrel is toasted longer to give it an even greater char. The result is a sublimely sweet, mellow whiskey.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find notes of charred oak, caramel apples, and rich honey. Take a sip and find flavors of creamy vanilla, buttery caramel, toasted oak, leather, and subtle cinnamon. The finish is long, full of warmth, and ends with a final kick of baking spices and caramel sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This expression from Woodford Reserve has a cult following due to its mellow, easy-to-drink flavor. Grab a bottle and savor every drop.

Wyoming Whiskey Bourbon

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $34.99

The Story:

I know what you’re saying, “Bourbon from Wyoming?”

Well, this brand is proving that the boundaries of great bourbon are constantly widening. This small-batch bourbon is the flagship offering from Wyoming Whiskey. It’s an independent, family-owned brand and it’s distilled, aged, and barreled in Kirby, Wyoming.

Tasting Notes:

Take time to give this whiskey a proper nosing. You’ll find scents of floral sweetness, dried orange peel, and soft vanilla. The palate is overflowing with flavors of caramel corn, citrus zest, sugar cookies, and butter-toasted vanilla beans. The finish is gentle, lingers, and closes out with a final flourish of buttery vanilla.

Bottom Line:

If you’re on the lookout for a truly independent, high-quality, vanilla-forward whiskey, grab a bottle of Wyoming Whiskey Bourbon as soon as possible.

Meghan McCain thought she could nail the new White House press secretary Jen Psaki with a gotcha question on Thursday morning, but The View co-host was quickly outmatched by the competent Psaki, who’s clearly nothing like her predecessors in the Trump administration. While discussing the controversial topic of unaccompanied minors currently arriving at the Mexico border, McCain tried to accuse Joe Biden of being no different than Trump by “putting kids in cages” after it was reported that the children were being placed in a repurposed facility to mitigate exposure to COVID.

Here’s where the situation is different: Unlike the Trump administration, the Biden administration isn’t turning the minors away, leaving them stranded in Mexico. Instead, Health and Human Services is locating the minors’ relatives or prospective guardians, vetting them, and then releasing the children in their care. If there are no relatives or guardian, the children are placed into foster homes. At no point are the minors separated from their families (the key term here is unaccompanied) or turned away.

However, while that process takes place, the children have to be safely housed somewhere, and due to the pandemic, HHS is running out of room, so a facility from the Trump administration was reopened to provide extra space. To McCain and some on the far-right, this is considered the same as “putting kids in cages,” which Psaki shot down point by point. Via Raw Story:

“This is a facility — and we had to open a new one to make sure we have the safety protocols in order to address the COVID needs and the health and safety needs because we can’t have as many kids in the former HHS facility,” said Psaki. “That’s exactly what we did, but our objective is to get these kids into safe homes with their families as quickly as possible, and we are absolutely not doing what the former president did, and what frankly the current president and the current vice president objected to, which is ripping kids from the arms of their parents. That is not the policy of this administration and not something we would do.”

You can watch a fired-up Psaki swat down McCain’s gotcha question above.

(Via Raw Story)

From the rise of the internet, to political and social issues creating a more self-aware society, it’s safe to say that the world has experienced extraordinary shifts in the past 10 years.

Keeping this in mind, it’s not surprising that the music scene would also undergo changes in more ways than one. Each year, music’s biggest hits have carried a distinct style of production which becomes widely emulated, or a theme echoing hot-button topics of conversation. Additionally, industry advancements such as streaming and album bundling have changed the way music is consumed. And of course, social media places the power in the fans’ hands, helping to distinguish who tops the charts.

Ready to take a trip down memory lane? Read on as we look back at some of the biggest music trends and industry changes of the last decade.

2011

In 2011, the sounds of electropop — a hodge-podge of pop, EDM, techno, and dubstep — wash over the industry. Ordinarily viewed as just the “sound guys,” EDM producers Calvin Harris and David Guetta garner top billing with collaborations like Chris Brown’s “Yeah 3X” and “Titanium” featuring Sia. Pop stars like Pitbull and Britney Spears keep fans on the dance floor with EDM-tinged hits “Give Me Everything” and “Til The World Ends.” Kanye West, Jay-Z, and duo LMFAO also combine the electronic sound with their hip-hop and rap-heavy work, evident by Watch The Throne’s “I Can’t Stop” and LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem.”

In addition to getting people moving, pop music carries conceptual introspection during this time. This year not only births Adele’s stunning 21, but self-love anthems “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga and “Raise Your Glass” by Pink. Rap — which continues to rise in popularity amongst teens and college-students — also features songs about complex emotions (Lil Wayne’s “How To Love”), pushing through adversity (Lupe Fiasco’s “The Show Goes On”), and life challenges (Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Coming Home”).

2012

In a near-180 from the previous year, alternative rock and indie pop reigns supreme. Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” is the year’s best-selling song, and the band Fun dominates critically and commercially with their album Some Nights, lead by “We Are Young.” Neon Trees, Bon Iver, Alabama Shakes, and Mumford and Sons break new ground with their respective projects and accolades.

Internet virality (a trend which won’t be uncommon in the years to come) also goes to new heights. “Somebody That I Used To Know” sees a slew of covers and music video parodies upon its release, while Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” becomes an internet sensation. South Korean artist PSY’s “Gangnam Style” is so popular, it results in a change to how songs are considered for Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Per the Harvard Business Review, tracking “listens” through YouTube videos now factors into the chart’s ranking methodology.

2013

In 2013, top-notch production is the name of the game. Hit tunes are balanced between show-stopping sounds (Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop,” Avicii’s “Wake Me Up”), nostalgic instrumentation (Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” Bruno Mars’ “Treasure”), and minimalist stylings (The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey,” Lorde’s “Royals”).

This year also marks the beginning of the end for digital singles and iTunes in favor of streaming, and emphasis on “vintage” ways of buying music (vinyl), which decreases the importance of CDs and pure album sales. Per Billboard, “digital track sales fell 5.7 percent from 1.34 billion units to 1.26 billion units, while digital album sales fell 0.1 percent to 117.6 million units from the previous year’s total of 117.7 million.” Non-traditional album and CD merchants like Starbucks, Urban Outfitters, and Amazon see an increase to 36.5 million units sold, in comparison to the dwindling sales of indie merchants (a drop of nearly 12 percent).

2014

While empowerment pop has always been popular, uplifting themes of self-confidence carry 2014. Children and adults enjoy songs that make them feel seen and accepted for who they are. Kids gravitate to Despicable Me 2’s “Happy” (performed by Pharrell Williams), while members of the LGBTQ+ community christen a new anthem with Ariana Grande’s “Break Free.” Taylor Swift’s new pop-heavy sound also provides a message for haters: “Shake It Off.”

Songs about body positivity are also popular. The surprise drop of Beyoncé’s fifth studio album in winter 2013 gives listeners a new catchphrase for 2014 — “I Woke Up Like This” from her song “***Flawless.” Nicki Minaj and pop star Megan Trainor drop songs about pride in their prominent posteriors with “Anaconda” and “All About That Bass.”

2015

Electronic dance music is taking over the scene again. This time, a recognizable characteristic — the drop — is center stage. This sudden change in sound or rhythm is central to hit songs both by EDM-leaning producers (Major Lazer’s “Lean On,” DJ Snake’s “You Know You Like It,” Calvin Harris’ “How Deep Is Your Love”), and pop stars (The Weeknd’s “I Can’t Feel My Face,” Demi Lovato’s “Cool For The Summer,” Zara Larsson’s “Never Forget You”). The trend continues into 2017.

This year also kicks off the re-emergence of viral dance crazes, which continues into 2021. Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson steal the show with “Uptown Funk,” while Drake becomes a meme for his moves in “Hotline Bling.” Silento’s “Watch Me (Whip, Nae Nae)” and iLoveMemphis’ “Hit The Quan” become fixtures on and offline.

2016

Dancehall and Caribbean-inspired tracks are a mainstay in 2016 pop. While Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” was released at the tail-end of 2015, it is the biggest song of 2016, per Billboard. Drake leans into this craze with his hits “One Dance” and “Too Good.” The latter is a collaboration with Bajan musician Rihanna, who drops a whine-inducing ditty, “Work,” also featuring Drake.

Additionally, Ariana Grande, Sia, and Clean Bandit create hit songs with island flavor: “Side To Side,” “Cheap Thrills,” and “Rockabye,” respectively. This trend continues until at least 2019, however, as conversations of cultural appropriation of Black music heat up, these sounds taper off. Per The Observer, modern dancehall music has always been appropriated. Reggae/dancehall superstar Sean Paul says in the interview: “It is a sore point when people like Drake or Bieber or other artists come and do dancehall-orientated music but don’t credit where dancehall came from and they don’t necessarily understand it.”

2017

R&B/hip-hop surpasses rock music as the most-listened to genre on the planet, per Nielsen Music. Its supremacy becomes exceedingly evident in 2017 with the takeover of the trap sound—classified by heavy bass, atmospheric sound and brash attitude. Migos, Future, and Rae Sremmurd’s popularity soars with trap hits “Bad And Boujee,” “Mask Off,” and “Black Beatles,” while social media superstar Cardi B breaks the mold with her major-label debut single, “Bodak Yellow.” Soundcloud-style trap rap, which employs a more ethereal, trippy sonic inspiration, is found in Post Malone’s “Congratulations” and Lil Uzi Vert’s “XO Tour Life.” The trend continues into 2018 with Juice Wrld’s “Lucid Dreams.”

Given a tepid national climate, songs featuring socially-conscious and self-aware themes become popular. Rapper Logic’s experiences with depression prompt him to pen the rap/sung collaboration “1-800-273-8255,” which increased calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by more than 30 percent. Alessia Cara, a featured artist on Logic’s song, releases her self-love anthem “Scars To Your Beautiful.” Kesha drops “Praying” in the hopes that the abused and their abusers can heal. The song was written in response to the alleged sexual assault and emotional abuse she’s experienced at the hands of producer Dr. Luke.

2018

Due to the success of Luis Fonsi’s monster hit “Despacito” the year prior, it’s no surprise that Latin pop and hip-hop completely command the airwaves in 2018. J. Balvin’s “Mi Gente” and Camila Cabello’s “Havana” were released in 2017 and continue to have chart success this year. Cardi B’s Latin-heavy rap track “I Like It” hits No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, while Becky G, Marc Anthony, Will Smith, and Bad Bunny drop “Mala Mia” and “Esta Rico,” respectively.

2018’s crossover collaborations also find unexpected success. Zedd and Maren Morris’ ‘The Middle” receive Record and Song of the Year nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards. Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha’s “Meant To Be” hits No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart, and DJ Snake’s “Taki Taki” featuring Selena Gomez, Cardi B, and Ozuna reaches one billion streams on Spotify.

2019

The theme of 2019 is that…there is no theme. Genreless music — sounds that fit an artist’s mood, vibe, or idea without boundaries or confines — encapsulates the music world. Newcomers Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X shatter expectations with “Bad Guy,” (an electropop, hip-hop-flavored dance track) and “Old Town Road” (a record-breaking country trap hit). Music superstars Ariana Grande and Tyler The Creator also take part in the sonic shattering. Her song “7 Rings” pairs Broadway with trap, while his song “Earfquake” combines R&B, hip-hop, and soul.

Self-love anthems also make major comeback, and highlight the various levels of self-acceptance. Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes” is about self-confidence. Self-love and exploration is the base for Selena Gomez’s “Lose You To Love Me” and Ariana Grande’s “Thank U Next,” which was popular in 2018 as well. Through her album Because I Luv You, Lizzo proves that spreading positivity is her M.O.

2020

Nothing captures 2020 in music quite like social media’s reign over the charts. TikTok, a popular video creation app, is the place for viral dance crazes to take over. Routines to Doja Cat’s “Say So” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” boost their popularity, while the dedication of Internet stans catapults Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me” and BTS’ “Dynamite” to the top of the charts.

Despite strict social distancing rules in the age of COVID-19, dancefloor-ready tunes are an undeniable trend. Dua Lipa rules the year with her album Future Nostalgia, and “Say So” carries palpable ’70s-inspired energy. Other disco-tinged hits include Jessie Ware’s “Remember Where You Are,” Kylie Minogue’s “Say Something,” and Victoria Monet’s album Jaguar.

2021

There haven’t been too many distinguishing music trends as of late. (Especially since it feels like we’re still in 2020.) However, it appears that budding music stars are about to make their mark.

Since the beginning of 2021, singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo’s song “Drivers License” has been on top of the charts, and “Mood” by 24kGoldn and Iann Dior has held the second seed position for several weeks. Relative newcomers may also find success if they continue to collaborate with major stars, such as singer-songwriter Jhay Cortez with “Dakiti” (his collaboration with Bad Bunny), and rapper Yung Bleu with “You’re Mines Still” (his link-up with Drake).

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

Lorde‘s latest album Melodrama debuted in 2017 and fans have been pressing her for its follow-up ever since. Because is not very active on social media, every little change the singer makes leads to speculation about a new era of music. One such update came when Lorde revived her Instagram account — where she reviews every onion ring she eats — which ended up being completely unrelated to her songwriting career. But fans are once again hopeful that new music is imminent after the singer made a very small change to her Facebook page.

The New Zealand songwriter “updated” both her official Facebook profile and cover photos this week. But instead of selecting brand-new photos, they were copies of the same pictures she had before. Even still, the activity caused a tizzy among fans on social media.

Though nothing else was meaningfully altered on Lorde’s Facebook page, some fans took the small update as a sign that she’s gearing up for a new era of music.

While some fans were overjoyed at the idea of new music, others thought it was Lorde’s way of playfully taunting her listeners.

Lorde has not yet confirmed the release date of the next album, but she did recently reveal how her 2019 trip to Antarctica influenced it. Along with writing the book Going South about her journey, Lorde said it inspired her to create a “whole cinematic universe” to go along with her new music.

See fans react to Lorde’s Facebook update above.

The last time Amazon gave a blank check to the director of a Best Picture winner, it was for the Small Axe series, and that turned out out pretty well. Now it’s Barry Jenkins’ turn.

The Oscar-winning writer and director of Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk has turned Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-decorated novel The Underground Railroad into a limited series. It follows “Cora Randall’s desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. After escaping a Georgia plantation for the rumored Underground Railroad, Cora discovers no mere metaphor, but an actual railroad beneath the Southern soil,” according to the official plot description. Randall is played by Thuso Mbedu, while the rest of the cast includes Damon Herriman, William Jackson Harper, Chase W. Dillon, Amber Gray, Lily Rabe, and Joel Edgerton. “We are Africans in America. Something new to the history of the world,” a voiceover says in the trailer over clips from the series.

Jackson Harper, who played Chidi on The Good Place, hopes The Underground Railroad makes people “look into themselves and see who they would be in these scenarios because not everyone would be the protagonist, not everyone would be the person that’s fighting against this injustice… It’s my hope that people can watch this and really connect with the story and get angry. I would also hope that people would take that time to examine who they would be in that world.”

The Underground Railroad premieres on Amazon Prime Video on May 14.

The Utah Jazz exist in a spot that traps a lot of teams: they’ve been good for a long time but have never felt like a real contender. Breaking free from that position is an incredibly difficult task and changing the public perception of your franchise is, arguably, even harder.

And yet, at 26-6, 3.5 games clear of the Clippers for first in the West and fresh off of demolishing the shorthanded Lakers on Wednesday night, the Jazz seem determined to make people believers. It’s usually impossible to do so in the regular season, as a team with repeated postseason failures is judged by that past until they show something different in the playoffs, but if there were ever a formula for doing so before then, Utah is following it.

They lord over the three-point line in a way we’ve never seen before, shooting (and making) more threes than anyone else in the league. This season, Utah leads the NBA in makes (17) and attempts (42.6) per game from deep and is third in three-point field goal percentage (39.9 percent). On the other end of the floor, the Jazz do not let teams score via triples — Utah gives up the second-fewest three-point attempts in the NBA (31.4) and the third-lowest opponent three-point percentage (34.7 percent), ushering opponents inside the line and into the waiting arms of Rudy Gobert. The 59.7 two-point attempts allowed per game are the most in the NBA, but teams are shooting just 49.1 percent from two, the second-lowest mark in the league.

All of this is to say, the most important real estate on the basketball court is where they are dominating on both ends, and, unsurprisingly, that’s a very good recipe for success. Other teams have tried similar strategies, but the Jazz really are uniquely constructed to any team you might compare them to in the recent past that has dominated in the regular season but fallen short come playoff time.

The 2014-15 Hawks, a team for which Quin Snyder was an assistant, shot threes at a similar efficiency (38 percent as a team) but not at the same rate (26.2 attempts per game), and the defense had a polar opposite strategy of selling out to protect the rim first and meaning to give up the three (25.8 opponent attempts per game that season was the most in the NBA). The 2017-18 Rockets were similarly focused on bombing threes and taking away the three-point line, but didn’t have the caliber of shooters around James Harden (36.2 percent from three as a team) and didn’t have an interior presence as capable as Gobert, allowing opponents to shoot 51.9 percent from two. The 2018-19 Bucks dominated defensively at the rim, but gave up 36.3 three-point attempts a game and only shot 35.3 percent as a team from deep.

All of this is to say, whatever team in that group you’re thinking this Jazz team reminds you of, you aren’t totally wrong. They have pieces of each, but a one-to-one comparison is really hard to find. In terms of a statistical profile is, as blasphemous as it may seem, the 2014-15 Warriors are actually closer than any of those other squads. The first Golden State title team of this century exploded on the scene by hoisting 27 threes a game, fourth-most in the NBA, and hitting them at a ludicrous 39.8 percent clip. Defensively, they were seventh in three-point attempts allowed (21.4), fifth in opponent three-point percentage (33.7), forced the third-most two-point attempts (65), and were the best in the league at forcing two-point misses (45.8 opposing two-point percentage).

Now, to be clear, they are some stark differences there as well. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson carried the load on that Golden State team in terms of shooting, taking 15.2 of their 27 three-point attempts per game. The Jazz have a much more egalitarian approach, as six players take four or more threes per night, double the number on that Golden State team. Defensively, the Warriors were one of the most versatile teams we’d seen to that point, particularly with their small-ball “Death Lineup” that featured Draymond Green at the five, Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes on the wing, and the Splash Brothers at guard. That switchability and athleticism all on the floor at once, combined with their shooting ability, was something the NBA had yet to see and didn’t have counters for yet.

The Jazz, meanwhile, are far more tied to their two-time DPOY in Gobert, and when he’s off the floor, it’s Derrick Favors manning the middle. That, more than the shooting, is where the questions will lie for this Jazz team come playoff time. The playoffs haven’t always been as kind to Gobert in the past, as teams have more time to figure out how to draw him away from the rim and attack the Utah defense. If a team finds a formula to exploit their reliance on him, there isn’t really a good Plan B to counter that. It’s the concern they have to have against the other top teams in the West, chiefly the Lakers and Clippers when they go to Anthony Davis or Serge Ibaka at center lineups.

Still, this is a team that, in the same vein as all of the aforementioned regular season juggernauts, demands that you be at your best to beat them on any given night, testing your ability to execute on both ends of the floor. The Utah offense is truly something to behold right now, with the way they move and flow, all connected and seemingly always on time — it is obvious that this is a team that has placed a premium on continuity, with even their main free agent acquisition this past offseason (Favors) being someone who knows Snyder’s system. They apply so much pressure to a defense with the way they pounce on any miscommunication, missed or late rotation, or poorly timed help.

Take this play against the Lakers, as Jordan Clarkson drives under the rim and gets walled off by three Lakers. He skips it to the top of the key to Donovan Mitchell, who sees Alex Caruso closing out and notices that both Marc Gasol and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have stayed with Clarkson, leaving Favors wide open for a dunk before either can rotate back.

They are, seemingly always, one pass away from a bucket and see every opportunity a defense presents them. Against Charlotte, with the clock winding down in the quarter, Mitchell set up for what looked to be another high pick-and-roll with Gobert. As the Hornets try to anticipate what Charlotte wants to do, the soon-to-be weakside help strays up floor to trap Mitchell before he’s even gone, abandoning Joe Ingles in the corner.

Playing the Jazz right now is the best test in the league for how well a team is executing on defense, because they are so consistent at running their stuff that, eventually, they tend to break you down. You might hang around for awhile, a quarter or maybe even three, but for the most part, teams simply haven’t been able to match their constant execution for four quarters. Sometimes the barrage comes early, as it did against the Lakers. Sometimes it’s not until late, like against Charlotte, but it almost always comes, because whenever the opposing squad makes a mistake, they capitalize.

Their starting and closing lineup almost always has four players capable of putting the ball on the floor and initiating the offense, while also being elite catch-and-shoot players. Conley is back to being his best self after scuffling to start last season and learning his new team, and Mitchell has continued to grow as a more efficient scorer and, more importantly, a creator for others, becoming a bonafide star in the process. One of Ingles and Bojan Bogdanovic is almost always on the floor, and they are two of the best spot-up shooters in the game who can also be secondary creators (or in Ingles case, a primary one with the second unit). Royce O’Neale has developed into an elite 3-and-D forward, giving them the wing defender they desperately need while becoming a tremendous three-point shooter, allowing him to stay on the floor for their best offensive lineups as well.

And then you have Clarkson, who has the Sixth Man of the Year award locked up at this point. Clarkson has the greenest light to shoot off the bench this side of 2012-13 J.R. Smith, and he boasts the best efficiency marks of his career to boot. He has given them an extra dimension offensively, something they’ve craved since Mitchell burst onto the scene. For the first three years of Mitchell’s career, the biggest issue for Utah’s offense is figuring out who else can create for themselves. Conley gives them that with the starting unit, but it’s what Clarkson has done with the bench that, in my mind, has really separated this Jazz team so far this season. There aren’t the let-offs you get with most every other team in the league when the star sits, because Clarkson to this point has been one of the best individual scorers in the NBA.

The Jazz will need this to continue into the postseason and that is, of course, at the center of every major question they face. Can Clarkson still do this in the playoffs? Can Gobert be this impactful on defense in a playoff series with either of the L.A. teams? Will they be able to win a game or two when they inevitably have an off shooting night and have to find buckets in a different manner? Is O’Neale capable of taking on the elite wings of the West defensively every night in a series and continue to shoot at this level?

Those aren’t going to go away, and they aren’t the only team facing these questions. The Clippers, Bucks, and 76ers are also all in “prove it in the playoffs” situations, where nothing they do this regular season can quiet doubters. Maybe the 2020-21 Jazz will end up being remembered right along with the Hawks and Rockets and Bucks teams that were top seeds that fell short of the Finals. They play in a stacked conference with two teams led by players who have been to that mountaintop in a way they never have, capable of overpowering just about every other team. Health pending, the unfortunate reality is that nothing the Jazz do between now and the playoffs will change perception of most as to their stature as a “true” title contender.

So while it’s natural to look ahead, this is also a regular season to celebrate in the moment. This Jazz team dismantles opponents and does so with some historic shooting. We’ve seen teams shoot nearly 40 percent for a season and we’ve seen teams shoot 40-plus threes a night, but never together. They are an incredibly well constructed team that has gotten just the right combination of mining the free agent market for gems along with some development and Draft luck (or skill, depending on your outlook).

It’s natural to be skeptical of a team without one of the elite stars in the league, proven as such in the playoffs, but as someone who covered that 2014-15 Hawks team, let me tell you, it’s far more fun to embrace the moment and just believe. Because for as many words that will be spilled between now and the summer trying to parse whether this team is legit, none of them will really matter until we can see it in action. So enjoy the ride, and we’ll see how it ends later.