Category: News

When Meek Mill and Michael Rubin teamed up in 2019 to break ground on their criminal justice reform organization REFORM Alliance, their goal was to make lasting improvements in the justice system. Late last year, they assisted California in passing one of the most progressive probation reform bills in the country and now, they’re celebrating a similar win in Michigan.

Michigan state just passed SB 1048, SB 1050, and SB 1051 this week. According to press materials, the new set of laws “will reduce adult probation sentences in Michigan from five years to three years, prevent endless extensions on misdemeanor and felony probation terms, limit jail sanctions for technical probation violations, and require parole supervision terms to be tailored to a person’s risks and needs.” Prior to signing the new legislation, Michigan had the sixth-highest rate of probation in the country. Over 172,000 adults are probation and 17,000 are on parole in the state, which tallies to cost the state over $59 million each year.

About the exciting news, REFORM co-chair Michael Rubin thanked Michigan’s governor, saying, “It’s encouraging to watch bipartisan leaders from different states recognize the need for fair and rational legislation focused on creating second chances for those in the criminal justice system. We’re incredibly thankful for Governor Whitmer for signing these bills into law and for the coalition of groups that supported us throughout this process. This is a tremendous victory for REFORM and a strong way to start 2021.”

Echoing Rubin’s statements, REFORM’s National Policy Director Erin Haney said:

“Michigan’s criminal justice reforms are a positive achievement during a difficult and divisive year. The legislation provides a commonsense approach to justice reform by focusing on redemption, families, and safe communities while saving millions of dollars for Michigan taxpayers. Michigan’s efforts capstone a national movement that has seen bipartisan reform victories this year in red, purple, and blue states like California and Louisiana, and can be a model for other states seeking to fix broken criminal justice systems. REFORM Alliance is proud to have helped drive these state victories, and we look forward to working with bipartisan coalitions throughout the nation to support and pass more reforms in 2021.”

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

The grocery chain Albertsons along with its subsidiaries (which include Pavilions and Vons), will discontinue their in-house grocery delivery services in late February in favor of third-party delivery apps in part of California and other states. Business Insider reports that the stores will now rely on gig contractors from services like DoorDash for future grocery deliveries, a move that appears largely influenced by the passage of California Proposition 22, which exempted app-based food delivery services and rideshare companies from having to follow existing California labor protections.

Prior to Prop 22’s passage — which was aided by a $200 million campaign paid for by DoorDash, Lyft, Instacart, Uber, and Postmates — Albertsons was required to supply its delivery drivers with a minimum wage, healthcare coverage, and provide other protections under California labor law, none of which they will now have to do for third-party workers. Albertsons spokesperson Andrew Whelan confirmed the move in a statement released yesterday:

“In early December, Albertsons Companies made the strategic decision to discontinue using our own home delivery fleet of trucks in select locations… we will transition that portion of our eCommerce operations to third-party logistics providers who specialize in that service.”

According to Knock-LA, employees were notified of the move over the holidays, making the use of the word “strategic” feel particularly ironic. In 2020, Albertsons earned $38.5 billion in revenue between the end of February and mid-September, a 17% increase over the previous year, and ended their $2 per hour extra hazard pay for workers back in June, despite the fact that coronavirus was by now means under control in the company’s key states.

Many took to Twitter to air their anger at Albertsons and its subsidiaries, but mostly at the passage of Proposition 22, which labor experts fear will continue to devastate quality jobs in favor of investor profits.

While it remains to be seen just how devastating Proposition 22 will actually be, the companies that benefit from it have wasted no time at jumping at the chance to change some of their practices. The Los Angeles Times reports that Grubhub made a recent tweak that changes how customers are prompted to tip delivery drivers, a move which many drivers feel discourages tipping, affecting their potential earnings. Grubhub’s tipping prompt — which now defaults to $0 — reads “leave an optional tip on top of Driver benefits,” and was implemented after the company rolled out new fees for customers in California to help cover the cost of the new driver benefits included in the passage of Prop 22, essentially passing the cost of “new” worker’s benefits to their customers.

Missy Elliott’s Twitter has been an occasional source of insight and delight, but today, she used the account to ruin the dreams of a generation of music fans. Replying to an… ahem… tweet about one of Missy’s fan-favorite collaborations, the genre-bending star debunked a longstanding myth about the meaning behind Tweet’s 2002 hit “Oops (Oh My).”

The original fan tweet posted an excerpt from the song, captioning it, “Tweet said Masturbation but make it a Bop.” However, Missy chimed in to clear up the accepted, 20-year-old origin story, offering up a #FunFact explaining, “This song was never bout Masturbation.” Instead, she said, “It was always about her appreciating her Dark Skin when she looked in the mirror.”

The assumption that Tweet’s song referred to self-pleasure sprung up in the minds of fans, and unwilling to shut them down, she said, “It was the listeners that thought it was about sex & just ran with it. We just let the consumer’s mind create what they wanted.”

The news was met with some disappointment from fans who’d bought into the widely-held theory to the contrary, lamenting Missy bursting their respective bubbles. Some even challenged her on it, with one questioning even more of Missy’s hits, although that fan can rest assured in the knowledge that “One Minute Man” was about exactly what it sounded like. Check out more fans’ responses below.

While we never turn down a good bottle of bourbon or rye on a cold winter’s night, it’s hard to beat the warming, comforting feeling you get from a nice glass of peated (or even unpeated) Scotch whisky this time of year. Alas, your bank account is probably still reeling from all your holiday season generosity — so an overly expensive bottle of scotch is likely out of the question.

You need to get every penny’s worth out of the juice you buy this January.

To help you along your way, we asked some of our favorite bartenders to name the best value Scotch whiskies to drink this winter. Check them all out below, pick one or two that fit your price range and passion points, and pour yourself a dram. If you don’t have a Glencairn glass, a rocks glass or even an old coffee mug will do!

Aberfeldy 12

Felipe Muñoz, head bartender Sweetleaf Cocktails in Long Island City, New York

Aberfeldy 12 has become a staple behind our bar. A favorite of our bartenders as it delivers notes of honey, vanilla, orange and spice, all rounded out nicely by dark fruit notes and the right amount of peatiness. This will get bourbon drinkers out of their comfort zone too and keep connoisseurs of the category wanting the next sip.

Price: $44.99

Lagavulin 8

Erin Delaney, food and beverage director at Barn8 Restaurant & Bourbon Bar in Goshen, Kentucky

The best “value” Scotch to drink this season is Lagavulin 8 Years Old — because it is smoky and full of peaty flavor that you don’t find in other Scotches at this price, which tend to fall flat.

Price: $57.99

Kilchoman Machir Bay

Brandon “Habi” Habenstein, beverage director at The Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky

Kilchoman Machir Bay is an absolute must-have bottle this time of year. Kilchoman is a “Single Farm” Distillery and, as the name may suggest, this bottle is indeed grain-to-glass where every aspect of production is handled on-site. The peat fires used in the malting process are very present in the whisky itself but not as powerful as say, Laphroaig.

Peated scotch is the quintessential whisky to drink in the winter, with fires crackling.

Price: $60

Ledaig 10

Iain McPherson, owner of Panda & Sons in Edinburgh, Scotland

The Tobermory distillery produces exceptional Scotch. Ledaig is their peatier range of expressions. My favorite within the range would have to be the 10-year-old, which is finished in sherry casks. The marriage of sweet berry notes and smoke is one that dreams are made of. The finish keeps going and going.

This is the ideal sipping Scotch at its price and it doesn’t get its fair share of the spotlight in my opinion. That’s largely to do with the historical dominance of smoky Scotch’s coming from Islay.

Price: $54.99

Aberlour 12

Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis

Aberlour 12 is a great single malt for the season and the money. It’s all citrus and barley on the nose. At first sip, the citrus is met with apricot, orange blossom honey, and bit of black pepper. As it finishes, the dry barley and mild oak leave you with just enough residual tannin to keep you going back for more.

Price: $49.99

Monkey Shoulder

Robbie Robinson, lead bartender at The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina

I’ve recently come across Monkey Shoulder, which is blended with several single malts. Vanilla, clove, malt, and baking spices on the nose. It has a very creamy palate consisting of butterscotch, vanilla, honey, with a bit of dried fruit. All in all, a great match for the season.

Price: $32.99

Compass Box Peat Monster

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

Compass Box Peat Monster is an excellent holiday (or post-holiday!) scotch for those peat enthusiasts. Similar to many bottlings, this takes best to a splash of water or some cubes for better translation of the flavors.

Price: $49.99

Glengoyne 10

Gavin Humes, bartender at Scratch|Bar & Kitchen in Encino, California

I think not enough people give credit to the Glengoyne 10-year Single Malt – finished in sherry casks, it has a nice round, lush mouthfeel to complement the flavors of vanilla, baking spices, and almost overripe apples. The 10 years in cask give it enough time to really settle into the flavor complexity to be sure.

Definite bang for the buck!

Price: $44.99

Old Pulteney 12

Dan Marlowe, mixologist at Modena in Washington, DC

Old Pulteney 12-year-old Single Malt is a relatively lesser-known “highland” style that is completely peat-less. It is however aged seaside on one of Scotland’s most northern shores and the salinity in the spirit more than replaces the peat for flavor and depth. Perfect sipping on a brisk winter day.

Price: $45.99

Kilchoman Sanaig

Eric Vincent, bartender at Sparrow in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Kilchoman Sanaig. Everyone is aging, resting, or finishing their juice in sherry barrels and when done effectively I can hardly blame them. This Scotch is an excellent blend of all my go-to flavors. Mild salinity, enjoyable peat smokiness, toasted ex bourbon barrels and a nice nuttiness from the oloroso casks to round it all out — lots of scotch for the money here!

Price: $56.99

Slowthai wrapped up 2020 by starting to roll out his next album, Tyron. Here in 2021, he’s picking up where he left off by dropping an upbeat new song today, “Mazza.” The track features ASAP Rocky, whose creative agency AWGE is releasing the album in the US. Also set to appear on the album are Skepta, Dominic Fike, and James Blake, among others.

Meanwhile, Slowthai shared a note on social media, in which he revealed that he and his team have considered delaying the release of Tyron. However, he ultimately decided that he “cannot allow this virus to keep holding us back” and will go forward with the planned February release.

Listen to “Mazza” above and check out Slowthai’s full note below.

“it’s almost a year since this virus took hold of our world and shattered the lives of thousands. deaths, unemployment, rise in domestic abuse and suicide, business closures, educational crisis and a rise in homelessness to name a few of the overwhelming negatives this pandemic has caused.

i’ve personally struggled more with my own mental health during this time and wanted to let you know that you’re not alone if you feel the same. however, i’m trying to do my best to stay positive and look forward on ways in which we can come out of this and make this whole world a better place for every one of us.

earlier today me and my team had a conversation about pushing back TYRON due to the national lockdown and not being able to bring to life all the ideas we had planned for you all but i cannot allow this virus to keep holding us back.

films, an and music have helped me most in my darkest moments and with the majority of this album being made last year i would hope that it can help someone as a distraction amongst the chaos and shift their mindset positively.

‘normality’ may not return but we do have a chance to create a new normality. one built with humanity at the core, one that is inclusive of all with compassion and love as a focus. although it’s hard I try my best to act and visualise this every day.

ALL LOVE

TYRON.”

Tyron is out 2/5 via AWGE/Method. Pre-order it here.

As more and more artists get into podcasting as an alternative outlet and become the subjects of narrative podcasts like the Tekashi 69 podcast Infamous, it was only a matter of time until an artist took on the challenge of reporting for their own documentary-style show. Now, Dreamville and Bas are partnering with Spotify for The Messenger, a podcast telling the story of Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine, who is running for president in his country’s upcoming general election — and risking his life to do so.

Bas will narrate the podcast, amplifying Bobi Wine’s social justice struggle as he challenges Ugandan dictator Yoweri Museveni, who’s been the nation’s president since 1986. Under Museveni, Ugandan leadership has suppressed dissent, threatened to punish homosexuality with the death penalty, removed term and age limits on the presidency, and oversaw multiple humanitarian crises, including involvement in Congo’s civil war and the insurgency of the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda.

Bobi Wine, who led multiple humanitarian aid projects throughout his tenure as both a musician and a member of Uganda’s Parliament, was banned from radio for speaking out against the government’s policies, arrested after his nomination for president, and allegedly mistreated while in police custody. The Messenger seeks to bring light to this artist’s struggle ahead of his challenging Museveni this year, spearheaded by Bas, who is also of African descent, although he hails from Sudan rather than Uganda.

Listen to the podcast on Spotify and check out its theme song, “Smoke From Fire,” above.

Meghan McCain has been back on The View for all of two days after taking a months-long paid maternity leave (which she only now realizes should be mandatory), and already she’s pissed off the internet and her co-hosts. On Monday, it was telling Whoopi Goldberg that the “media needs to be more respectful of Trump voters,” to which the EGOT winner replied, “You’re not allowed to kvetch and poop all over this!” (Don Lemon agrees). During Tuesday’s episode, she got into it with Joy Behar, who straight-up said what many others are thinking: Meghan’s contrarian takes were not missed.

During a discussion about America’s two-party system, Behar said that compared to the Democrats, the “Republican Party is in much more trouble right now because you have, really, traitors.” This was too much for McCain, who interrupted her co-host to bring up Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez not having the “full support” of Nancy Pelosi, and so on. “Excuse me, am I done? I’m not done!” Behar fired back. She was only getting started.

“You missed me so much, Joy. You missed me so much when I was on maternity leave. You missed fighting with me,” McCain joked. But Behar wasn’t joking when she said, “I did not. I did not miss you. Zero.” Harsh, but fair. McCain called Behar’s response “so nasty,” and that she was only “teasing because you said something rude,” but based on the reactions to the clip on Twitter, it seems most people are on Team Joy.

Sturgill Simpson may not have been keen on late-night talk show performances in the past, but since he can’t tour behind his recent music, the singer has made some exceptions. After appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Show this year, Simpson brings his bluegrass tunes to a performance on The Tonight Show.

Taking the stage backed by a full band, Simpson delivers an upbeat rendition of “Life Of Sin.” A reworked bluegrass version of the song appears on his 2020 album Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions), one of two LPs he released last year. Simpson debuted the album’s follow-up, Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 2: The Cowboy Arms Sessions, in December as a way to “[take] more chances” with his sound.

Ahead of his The Tonight Show performance, Simpson sat down with Uproxx to chat about his music. Simpson also revealed that, along with having a bevy of music in his back pocket, he is also working on a manuscript about navigating the music industry. “I’m always writing. I wrote a book. I’m working on a couple of scripts,” he said. “I’ve gotten really into film. Not just acting, but the whole art of it. I think it’s a very powerful medium for storytelling, without as many restrictions as a three-and-a-half minute song. But I definitely wrote a book. Still working on it. […] As somebody starting at 35 and just sort of learning to navigate the waters and all the real ins and outs behind the curtain. The kind of stuff that fans probably deserve to know, but you don’t really want to say while you’re still actively engaged in the business. So, I’m going to save that.”

Watch Simpson perform “Life Of Sin” on The Tonight Show above.

Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 2: The Cowboy Arms Sessions is out now via High Top Mountain Records. Get it here.

Like a lot of couples, Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor‘s characters in the new HBO Max original, Locked Down, found themselves trapped together due to a nationwide quarantine. But unlike other couples, they decide to mix things up with a high-stakes jewelry heist. Shot in London during the pandemic, the first trailer for the romantic comedy showcases Hathaway and Ejiofor’s relationship falling apart while navigating a new world of Zoom calls and toilet paper hoarding. Director Doug Liman shows a skilled hand at dealing with a troubled couple who rekindles their love life with a little illegal activity, thanks to his work on the smash hit Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Ben Kingsley, Mindy Kaling, and Stephen Merchant also stop by for some blink-and-you’ll-miss-them cameos.

Announced back in September under the original name of Lockdown and with Hathaway already attached, Locked Down came together pretty quickly despite shooting in pandemic conditions in the UK and with only a $10 million budget. However, Warner Bros. clearly liked what they saw and snatched up the streaming rights to the film in early December, when it was fast-tracked for a release on HBO Max.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Just as they decide to separate, Linda (Anne Hathaway) and Paxton (Chiwetel Ejiofor) find life has other plans when they are stuck at home in a mandatory lockdown. Co-habitation is proving to be a challenge, but fueled by poetry and copious amounts of wine, it will bring them closer together in the most surprising way.

Locked Down starts streaming January 14 on HBO Max.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got another taste of the forthcoming tenth Foo Fighters album, a remix album of Grimes’ Miss Anthropocene, and an excellent covers EP from Hovvdy. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter right here to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Grimes – Miss Anthropocene (Rave Edition)

Following in the footsteps of Dua Lipa, who brought new attention to Future Nostalgia with the reworked remix album Club Future Nostalgia, Grimes is back with a new “Rave” version of Miss Anthropocene nearly a year after the album’s initial release. While the tracklist is the same, each of the songs has been reimagined by the likes of Channel Tres and Julien Bracht, breathing new life into an already inventive album.

Hovvdy – Covers 2

Austin lo-fi indie-pop duo Hovvdy (one of the most underrated bands out there right now) had a relatively quiet 2020, popping up here and there to share a couple of new singles. To close out the year, the band has shared an EP of covers, featuring their takes on songs from Charli XCX, Coldplay, Paramore, and Frou Frou. Put through a Hovvdy filter, most of these tracks are almost unrecognizable until the chorus kicks in.

Foo Fighters – “No Son Of Mine”

With Medicine After Midnight right around the corner, Foo Fighters have shared another preview of their tenth studio album. “No Son Of Mine” is a frantic rocker, straying from a conventional time signature and ramping up the riffs. “Pour a drink, turn it up, close your eyes and imagine that festival field blowing up to this. Because it f*cking will,” Dave Grohl said in a handwritten statement.

The Black Keys – “Keep My Name Outta Your Mouth”/“Black Mud Pt II”

As part of the deluxe ten-year edition of their breakthrough album Brothers, The Black Keys have shared two previously unreleased tracks. “Keep My Name Outta Your Mouth” and “Black Mud Pt. II” fit in perfectly with their Brothers track brethren (hehe), expanding on the distorted blues sound that launched the duo to arena headlining status and yielded some of their biggest hits to date.

Jeff Rosenstock – “Caring”/“Illegal Fireworks And Hiding Bottles In The Sand”

2020 was never lacking in new music from Jeff Rosenstock. From the surprise release of No Dream to his ongoing 2020 Dump collection, the punk maestro had a prolific year. He wrapped up the ongoing release with “Caring,” an acoustic duet with Laura Stevenson, and a new rocker called “Illegal Fireworks And Hiding Bottles In The Sand.” Rosenstock announced the release on Instagram, writing, “Wishing every one of you patience, health, kindness, love and massive success and financial gains that test your character in ways you couldn’t possibly imagine in 2021. Farewell, bad year.”

La Dispute – “Fifteen”/“Kinross”

We’ve been eagerly awaiting a new La Dispute LP since Panorama landed at No. 2 on our mid-year list of 2019’s best indie albums. Well, nothing better to tide us over than two new tracks from the Michigan post-hardcore outfit that “combines jazz, spoken word, and post-hardcore all into one roiling, beautiful mess,” according to Caitlin White.

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