Billie Eilish has been a longtime fan of pop music. Before Eilish began making music of her own, she was a die-hard Belieber. In fact, her obsession with Justin Bieber was so ferocious that her parents nearly considered putting her in therapy. But the singer didn’t just listen to Bieber’s music. Eilish recently revealed her favorite song as a kid was “Picture To Burn,” which she only just found out is by Taylor Swift.
Eilish and her father, Patrick O’Connell, discussed Swift’s 2006 “Picture To Burn” in a recent episode of their new podcast, Me & Dad Radio. “I used to love this song when I was like 4, no, probably older than that. Probably like 6,” Eilish said before playing the track. O’Connell chimed in, pointing out the Swift’s music used to teeter between country and pop genres.
The singer agreed about Swift’s prior country sound, adding that she didn’t know who sang “Picture To Burn” until this past year: “It’s crazy. It’s very country. When I listen to it now, I’m like, wow. I totally didn’t realize how country this was. But I loved this song back then because I thought it was so bad-ass. I thought it was so cool and mean. I just loved it. I actually didn’t know it was Taylor Swift until this year. […] I didn’t understand at all what a ‘picture to burn’ meant. The only word of ‘burn’ that I knew, that I thought that she meant, was like when you burn a CD.”
After directing the highest-grossing movie of all-time (and the fifth highest-grossing movie of all-time, too), Avengers: Endgame filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo can do basically whatever they want. That “whatever” could include a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as long as it’s “the biggest movie you could possibly imagine.”
Before Endgame premiered last year, the brothers were asked what it would take to come back to the MCU, as they’ve since moved on to producing Netflix’s most-watched original movie ever and directing Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans in a “new franchise with a James Bond-level of scale.” They answered Secret Wars, which would make Infinity War and Endgame look like Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four (What is Secret Wars? It’s a secret… or you can read about it here.) The Russos explained why that crossover event would be their “just when I thought I was out…” moment in an interview with BroBible.
“I read [Secret Wars] when I was 10 or 11, and it was the scale of getting all of the heroes together. It was one of the first major books to do that — that was really event-storytelling to me at its finest. And what happens when you put all of those personalities together,” Joe explained. “I also like the idea of villains having to team up with heroes. Anthony and I like complicated relationships between heroes and villains, we like villains who believe they’re heroes in their own stories, so it’s all sort of built into this notion of Secret Wars. To execute something on the scale of Infinity War was directly related to the dream of Secret Wars, which is even larger in scale.” Anthony added:
“It would be the biggest movie you could possibly imagine, so that’s what really excites us about the story — the ambition of it is even bigger than the ambition of the Infinity Saga.”
For Secret Wars to be bigger than Infinity War/Endgame, it would have to include all the existing Marvel Cinematic Universe superheroes/villains, as well as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Deadpool. And speaking of rascals: why not add other Disney-owned characters, like Stitch? Ohana means family, and profitable corporate synergy!
The Verzuz livestream battles have been a positive force to emerge during the pandemic. As is their nature, though, they are fleeting. The events are broadcast live on the Verzuz Instagram account, and after that, they’re gone (unless a fan decided to rip the stream). Now, however, Verzuz is teaming up with Apple Music to make the battles more widely and easily accessible.
The series, co-created by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, will now be available on Apple Music and Beats 1. Every battle will be simulcast live, as it is also broadcast on Intagram, on the streaming platform at no charge. Once the proceedings have wrapped up, fans will be able to re-watch the show on-demand via Apple Music.
The new partnership will kick off with the upcoming battle between Snoop Dogg and DMX, which is being billed as a “battle of the dogs.”
If I had my way, I’d probably never shut up about Irish whiskey. Yeah, I love me some Tennessee whiskey, Scotch single malt, dark rum, and so on. But besides bourbon, I’m most in love with the triple-distilled tipple from Ireland. Ironically, it’s probably what I drink the most of but write about the least. My favorite whiskey dram of all time even comes from Ireland — Redbreast Dream Cask Aged 32 Years.
There’s a refinement to Irish whiskey thanks to that third distillation, that is touched off nicely by the broad, but not universal, use of both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks in the aging process. The resultant expressions feel at once crisper (cleaner, some would say), brighter, and deeper. The flavors are rarely muddied the way bourbon sometimes gets.
The ten bottles of Irish whiskey below range from the $75 to $300-plus per bottle range. Generally speaking, these bottles are easily accessible for delivery right now and, in my humble opinion, worth tasting to help deepen your overall whiskey palate. Are they pricey? Yes. But they’re not ridiculously expensive and the value is definitely there for anyone craving a truly special sip.
ABV: 46% Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard) Average Price:$75
The Whiskey:
We’re going to start with Redbreast and end with it because… well, because I love the stuff. This expression is a classic Irish whiskey that spends nine to 12 years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The juice is then married and spends a final year finishing in oloroso sherry casks from Bodegas Lustau in Jerez, Spain.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of the oak next to a clear sherry plumminess and a hint of dark fruit up top. That fruit turns more towards prunes and dried apricot as a real sense of rye-heavy bourbon pepperiness kicks in with a fleeting sense of fresh herbs and vanilla. The sherry-soaked oak is what leads you towards a mellow finish that lingers for just the right amount of time while beckoning you to take another spicy, plummy, and fruit-filled sip.
Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
ABV: 46% Distillery: Teeling Distillery, Dublin Average Price:$75
The Whiskey:
This limited release could easily cost twice the current price tag. This Dublin-born expression is made from a 50/50 mash bill of malted and unmalted barley. The spirit is then aged in a combination of ex-bourbon, new oak, and ex-sherry casks before coming together in the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a subtly at play as small flourishes of bourbon vanilla dance with peppery spice and an earthy touch of freshly baled straw. That spice carries through as a note of honey sweetness counterpoints and leads toward a touch of an orchard in full bloom. The sip lasts on the palate as the spice, wood, and vanilla fade with a final note of that grassy/malty nature on the backend.
Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey Aged 12 Years
ABV: 40% Distillery: Cooley Distillery, County Louth (Beam Suntory) Average Price:$75
The Whiskey:
This is the Irish whiskey for the single malt scotch lover. It’s also the throwback to the time before Irish whiskey distinguished itself from scotch by being triple-distilled. This expression is twice-distilled from peated malted barley and is then aged in ex-bourbon casks for 12 long years.
Tasting Notes:
There are equal measures of sea brine and peat smoke up front. That peatiness creates a foundation for an oaky, spicy, and slightly vanilla-forward taste that flirts with the idea of fruit. The sip really is a delivery system for peaty smokiness with a sharp spicy counterpoint on the long finish.
Powers John’s Lane Release Aged 12 Years
ABV: 46% Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard) Average Price:$90
The Whiskey:
Powers is generally a blended Irish whiskey with the exception of this expression. Named after the street where Powers used to be made in Dublin, this single pot expression spends 12 years mellowing in ex-bourbon barrels before heading into the bottle. That focus on bourbon makes this an excellent choice for any bourbon lover.
Tasting Notes:
Vanilla, caramel, and Christmas spices with a hint of honey? Is this a bourbon or an Irish whiskey? The palate on this whiskey relishes in bourbon vanilla, more sharp and dark spices, and a honey-ed sweetness next to a clear sense of orchard fruits. The end is short-lived but bold with a sense of the barrel, spice, and vanilla.
Red Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Aged 15 Years
ABV: 46% Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard) Average Price:$140
The Whiskey:
This masterfully-crafted whiskey is a revival from Dublin’s Mitchell & Sons. The 15-year-old whiskey is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-Marsala wine casks. The juice is then married and bottled with little to no fussing.
Tasting Notes:
Fruit leads the way with a leaning towards ripe stonefruits and red berries. Notes of vanilla, roasted nuts, and spice play supporting roles to the fruitiness of the dram. The sip ends slowly as the sweetness and tartness of the fruit fades away through a very distant wisp of smoke.
Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Single Malt Aged 18 Years
ABV: 41.3% Distillery: Old Tullamore Distillery, County Offaly (William Grant & Sons) Average Price:$140
The Whiskey:
There’s a lot going on with this expression and it all somehow works. The juice is a blend of pot still, single malt, and grain whiskey that’s been variously aged in four barrels types. Ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, ex-Port, and former Madeira casks are utilized in the 18-year-long aging process. When it all comes together, it shines.
Tasting Notes:
Apple and peach orchards with big notes of wildflowers and honeycombs greet you. That refreshing opening is followed by oily vanilla beans, tart berries, and a spiced crème brûlée sugary nature. The fruit, florals, spice, and sweetness all linger on the senses as the sip delicately fades away.
Bushmills Single Malt Irish Whiskey Aged 16 Years
ABV: 40% Distillery: Old Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim, Northern Ireland (Casa Cuervo) Average Price:$150
The Whiskey:
This Northern Ireland classic is familiar yet unique. The juice is aged for 15 years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry. Then the best casks are married and aged an additional year in old Port wine casks for that little something extra.
Tasting Notes:
The plummy nature of the port and sherry are accentuated by a roasted almond presence. Dried fruit, Christmas spices, and vanilla follow with a malty sense leaning towards an alcohol-soaked Christmas pudding. A splash of water (or cube of ice) brings about a dark chocolate powder bitterness and texture with a hint of tart fruit alongside all that dried fruit, spice, and plumminess.
Jameson Bow Street 18 Years
ABV: 55.1% Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork & Jameson Distillery Bow Street, Dublin (Pernod Ricard) Average Price:$165
The Whiskey:
This is a big whiskey. The juice is distilled and aged down in County Cork in the classic mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for 18 years. The juice is then sent up to the Bow Street in Dublin where it’s casked in new American oak for a six to 12-month finishing. The final product is bottled at cask strength with no fuss.
Tasting Notes:
Oak, spice, and rich and buttery toffee lead the way on this subtle dram. That toffee becomes spiced with dark, woody spices as notes of vanilla, worn leather, and a fleeting sense of fatty nuts mingle on the palate. The sip takes its time as it walks back through the spice, wood, leather, and toffee towards a smile-inducing finish.
Egan’s Legacy Reserve Aged 15 Years
ABV: Distillery: P. & H. Egan Ltd, County Offaly Average Price:$215
The Whiskey:
This unique bottle is a very limited release (only 1,000 bottles made) from the Egan brothers. The sixth-generation whiskey makers hand-selected barrels from their 15-year-old barrels for this rollout and it doesn’t disappoint. Even at this price point, it’s worth it for the uniqueness of the expression and on-point experience of drinking the stuff.
Tasting Notes:
Vanilla toffees mingle with tart apple and a very distant hint of lemon oils. The sip has a velvet texture that carries maltiness underpinned my a mild peppery nature cut by more lemon tartness and brightness. The dram lasts well into the next sip as the vanilla, toffee, spice, and citrus meld.
Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Aged 21 Years
ABV: 46% Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard) Average Price:$330
The Whiskey:
Before you lay out a few thousand dollars for a Redbreast Dream Cask or even $600 for a Redbreast 27, try a Redbreast 21. This expression is the same distillate that goes into the Lustau above. Except, this expression skips the Lustau casks and instead stays in the ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks until it hits 21 years old. The results are stunning.
Tasting Notes:
Everything is dialed up yet beautifully in balance. The sherry jamminess and nutty nature mix nicely with the tart fruits and dried fruits up top. The sip holds onto the sherry nuttiness as moments of rich vanilla, cedar, dark spice, and pear orchards come into play.
The sip just doesn’t quit, either — near the end, all that spice and wood fade away, leaving a final note of malted barley grain sweetness.
As the NBA explores the possibility of ending their one-and-done rule and allowing players to make the leap from high school to the league once again, two of the most prominent high school draft picks of the 90s are teaming up to launch a sports agency.
Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O’Neal were drafted out of high school in back-to-back years and shared an agent, now-Pistons executive Arn Tellem, and the two told Marc Stein of the New York Times that their conversations as longtime friends have steadily shifted to how they can best help the next generation of player. Both run youth programs that have produced some NBA talent — including O’Neal’s Drive Nation seeing Tyrese Maxey, R.J. Hampton, and Cade Cunningham pass through its doors recently — and they came to the conclusion that the best way they can provide guidance and assistance to the next generation of hoopers is to launch an agency.
“We think it’s needed, and we have a passion for it,” McGrady said. “We’re around kids every single day because we have youth programs. It just makes sense. We see the lack of information that these kids are getting, so we would be doing a disservice to our people if we don’t lend our expertise of what we know and help guide them. This is a calling that we have.”
The agency, which they call Seven1 Sports Group and Entertainment in a nod to their two jersey numbers as players, will feature McGrady as co-owner and advisor, with Stein noting he’s likely to leave his post at ESPN, and O’Neal will look to pass the league’s test to be certified as an agent. The two will also look to bring in some tenured agents to fill in the gaps in negotiating and the subtleties of the business that they need to learn, but the passion for helping young players and imparting the wisdom both have gained over the years is tremendous for both of them.
“Make no mistake,” O’Neal said, “this is very personal.”
O’Neal discussed his struggles during his career with not having his father, who died at the age of 30, and not having that relationship in his life. McGrady echoed that, noting he didn’t have a strong relationship with his father during his career, which he said was especially difficult while he battled the knee injury that derailed his career while in Houston. For both, starting the agency seems to be far more than an effort at a business venture, but an opportunity to provide young players with not only guidance but someone to lean on during times where they might be struggling.
The two hope to begin bringing in players ahead of the 2021 NBA Draft, with O’Neal taking the agent’s exam in January 2021. How successful they’ll be in landing top talent remains to be seen, but they certainly have a unique pitch as the two most accomplished players turned agents in the business.
Calboy is a rapper by trade, but a gamer at heart. When it comes to the intersection of gaming and music, the Chicago native fits in almost too perfectly. He was even featured in Grand Theft Auto V on Pop Smoke’s “100K On A Coupe,” possibly the only game which he admits he’s not the best at.
The 21-year-old exploded onto the rap scene with his breakout single “Envy Me,” with the official music video currently hailing over 184 million views and counting. He soon followed it up with his EP, gaining the attention of Meek Mill and his Dreamchasers imprint — one of his most fire collaborations to date includes “Chariot” featuring Meek, Lil Durk, and Young Thug.
Growing up on the South Side of Chicago comes with its own battles, and Calboy uses music as his outlet for the pain he’s endured. Currently signed to Polo Grounds Music and RCA Records, each release is injected with emotion and feeling, as he raps and sings about real-life experiences and changing his life for the better. Fast forward to 2020, he released his Long Live the Kings EP spearheaded by lead single “Barbarian” featuring Lil Tjay.
But in his downtime, Calboy plays video games. In fact, he has an entire room in his house in Atlanta dedicated to his favorite games, which includes a whole Mortal Kombat arcade machine, a Nintendo GameCube, and endless throwbacks he played as a kid.
Recently, we caught up with Calboy via Zoom while he was hanging out at the crib with his nieces. Beyond chopping it up about games, he gave us a preview of the full-blown petting zoo he has down there, which includes an iguana, a Savannah monitor, an exotic bully puppy, and two baby bearded dragons.
What was the first video game you ever played?
The first video game I’ve ever played was Mortal Kombat, the Sega Genesis. It ended up being my favorite game still to this day. I liked everything, from the storylines to the characters to the fighting. I’m not really good at sports games, I’m not good at 2K. I’m actually good at Mortal Kombat, that’s another reason why I like it.
Who are you playing with?
My brothers, my cousins, my homies. I actually have a gaming room in my house, I just moved in. I came outside to check on my pet iguana, he chills on the patio since it’s hot. [Laughs] I have a petting zoo in my house, for real. I have a Savannah monitor that’ll grow to be eight feet, he’s a baby though. I have an exotic bully here in the cage, that’s my baby. She got the blue eyes, about seven weeks. I have two big dogs downstairs, and two baby bearded dragons. There’s two in [a cage], I don’t know where the other one is.
What do you feel when you play video games?
I feel good, this is my little work station where I play the games. These are my favorites: I got Mortal Kombat 1, 2, 3. I have a GameCube, which not too many people have anymore. This is pretty old. I have Rocket Power and Madagascar, I still play them today. I have three TVs set up.
How much of the day are you gaming?
Whenever I’m free for real. I’m not free a lot, I’ve only been free during the quarantine. Before, I’d play whenever I could. Or I take my Switch with me and play that.
Do you play in the studio?
Yes, the Switch is portable so I can play it anywhere. I like to play on the private jet, dressing rooms. I have the same games on my Switch that I have on my Xbox, so it doesn’t even matter. The Mortal Kombat and all that.
Does gaming inspire your music at all?
Fasho, I actually do a lot of gaming references. That’s probably why people don’t be knowing what I’m talking about. I actually pitched one game to Mortal Kombat for “12,” they hit me back too. They rock with the song. It has a bunch of MK references in it, like characters and all that.
That’d be so full circle!
That’ll be the second game I’m on. They have me and Pop Smoke on the GTA. When they do the heist on GTA, me and Pop Smoke play the “100K On A Coupe.”
What does it mean to have a record with Pop on a video game?
It was lit. I felt good about me and Pop’s relationship for real, and the music we made. His energy was crazy. I didn’t know him for a long time but for the little time that I did know him, he was cool. His energy was real lit up, that’s why I rocked with him. It feels good to have a song with him on there.
How do your music and gaming intersect?
Man, I have to be enjoying some music to actually play the game good. Music will actually put you in the right mood to do good in the game, whatever game you’re playing. You have to have good music to go with your game, it has to go hand in hand. If you’re playing some garbage music, you’re damn near losing on the game.
I had to find my babies, I forgot they’re in the basement. This is my American bully and my Frenchie. My bully’s big, but he’s only 8 months. I love dogs, I got a bunch of dogs.
Do you like Twitch?
My brothers have been trying to put me onto Twitch. I just started using it but I do like it. My fans get on there and tweak with me while I’m playing the game. Everybody loves to watch Call of Duty and I’m not really that good at Call of Duty. I like Tekken and Mortal Kombat.
Are you looking for action or story?
I really like those types of gameplays. The multi-player fighting is the only type of games I really like, unless I play a single player adventure game like Assassin’s Creed or Uncharted.
Are you excited for the next GEN of consoles like PlayStation 5?
Yes, I have four Xbox One’s and three PlayStation 4’s I’ll probably get two of each to see how they go. I’m really rooting for the Xbox though because I’m an Xbox fan, I have Microsoft everything.
Why do you get two of each?
Because I live with my brothers and they all have their own personal preferences. I’m going to get one of each for myself, then I’m going to get an Xbox for my brother and a PlayStation for my other brother. Both of them are separated like that.
Is there anything you’d like to see happen in the gaming world?
I’d like to see more cross networking, like the Call of Duty sh*t. I’d like to see a lot more of that on the games where the PC players can play with the Xbox players, who can play with the PlayStation player. I have three TVs across one wall, so all of my brothers have a single console playing the same game with me. It’s lit up. They already do it on Call Of Duty, I just want to be able to do it on more games.
You linked with King Von on “Brand New.” What did that mean for Chicago?
It’s lit up, Chicago’s lit up. Von’s like family, so that wasn’t hard to do. We linked up, showed love and did the video. Von actually came up with the scheme for the video. I’m like “what we gon’ do?” He said “man, let’s make something quick!” We did our slight acting scene in the beginning, talked our little sh*t.
How was that?
It was fun, we enjoy ourselves. We be chillin’. It meant a lot for Chicago, we’re showing and proving. We’re the best city in the world, honestly. I say that in the humblest way, there’s no food like Chicago food. No rappers like Chicago rappers, nobody will beat your ass like Chicago people will. All that.
Since you’re in the A, do you go back to Chicago often?
Yeah, I visit moms and pops. Pull up, ride through the 100’s and see my peoples. I’m out of there. I don’t stay too long. If I’m there, I stay for about two or three days and I’m back.
How much more did you game during quarantine versus normal?
Man, probably 100 percent more. My gameplay went up 100 percent. [laughs] I haven’t really had any time, I just started poppin’. I hopped on two tours. Show after show, the walk through, then I be tired. I don’t have a bunch of energy in me so I be shutting down. Ever since I’ve been at the crib not doing sh*t, I’ve been playing the game every day now. I’m starting to like new games that I thought I’d hate. I’m in this b*tch playing Mario Bros. That shIt raw as hell though, I’m in that motherf*cker gassing.
What other games did you discover during quarantine?
Mega Man. I be trying to go back. Dr. Mario, it’s like Tetris. That sh*t goes crazy. I’ve played Crash Bandicoot, Super Mario Odyssey. I’ve been going crazy on the Nintendo for real.
Is it the same when you play on Twitch?
Yeah, it’s the same. It’s just funny, I read the comments from my fans.
Is there anything we can look forward to?
“Long Live The Kings” deluxe on the way. I shot two videos in one day yesterday. It was 14 hours, some crazy sh*t. We got them done, so new content coming out in about two weeks.
What features do you have on the deluxe?
Of course, Fivio Foreign, King Von, and big bro Gotti came through again. We got some shit. I can’t spill all the beans though!
LA-based Duckwrth is on his way to releasing his major-label debut studio album following a handful of mixtapes. The rapper has teased his next release with a few singles, opting to bring other rising musicians along with him. Since his last EP, Duckwrth has shared “Find A Way,” “Crush,” and “Play Too Much.” Now, the rapper returns with a video accompanying his most recent single, “Come Closer,” featuring Juliana Romana and G.L.A.M.
Directed by Grizzlee Arts, the vibrant visual channels the aesthetics of ’70s disco. The visual is composed of close-up shots and bright hues, offering an intimate look at the musician’s entrancing moves as he dances across the screen with his collaborator G.L.A.M.
Duckwrth adds in a special treat for his fans at the video’s close. The rapper teases his next single with a 40-second snippet of an unreleased song he labels as a “nice little snack” for his followers.
The musician is reportedly releasing his debut album in August but has yet to unveil specifics about his upcoming record. In anticipation of the big project, Duckwrth has broke ground on his own NTS radio show with Channel Tres. Titled SuperGood Nights, the rapper’s month-long radio show will feature a compilation of his favorite music and possibly a first-hand look at his debut record.
Watch Duckwrth’s “Come Closer” video with Julia Romana above.
Joey Badass dropped off his first new music in three years on Friday with his The Light Pack EP. The three tracks show the Brooklyn native delivering what he controversially deemed as his “mumble rap extermination / this is godly interpolation” on the head-nodding “The Light.”
Tyla Yaweh — “Stuntin’ On You” Feat. DaBaby
Tyla Yaweh and DaBaby are f*ckin up some commas on “Stuntin’ On You,” a Hitmaka-produced track that’s paired with a Chris Villa-directed video which features the two artists peeling down the street in twin sports cars as they rhyme about splurging.
August Alsina — “Entanglement” Feat. Rick Ross
August Alsina got with Rick Ross to capitalize on his new entry into the cultural lexicon. “Entanglement” is a sultry, petty track about a relationship where you “know it’s wrong but it feels right.” Most listeners believe the song is aimed at Jada Pinkett-Smith, who admitted an affair with him last week.
Jhene Aiko — “Down Again” Feat. Wiz Khalifa
One of the most noteworthy tracks from Jhene Aiko’s Chilombo deluxe is the breezy “Down Again” with Wiz Khalifa. The track shows Wiz aiming to “make a chick forget about her man” while Jhene gives him lush backing vocals.
03 Greedo — “Band In Da Basement” (Remix) Feat. Chief Keef & Ron-RonTheProducer
Who knows what kind of fire 03 Greedo and Chief Keef could have created together. We got a preview of their chemistry on the remix to “Bands In Da Basement,” a collaboration that Ron-RonTheProducer set up. Chief Keef augments the melodic vibe of the smoky track, reeling off all the creative ways to hide their money.
Dame D.O.L.L.A. — “Hometown” Feat. Dreebo
NBA star Damian Lillard decided to build a recording booth in his hotel while the NBA is in their bubble. It seems like he’s aiming to follow up where he left off with “Hometown,” where he salutes his come up in his native Oakland as well as his late cousin Brandon “Chef B” Johnson.
Calboy — “Clueless”
Chicago’s Calboy is set to jump on the deluxe CD wave with the addendum to his Long Live The Kings project. He offered up a taste of what to expect with “Clueless,” a smooth, melodic track where he declares it’s “back to the basics” and proclaims, “they never knew who we was” before his rap stardom.
Lil Bam — “Julio” (Remix) Feat. Rick Ross & Jucee Froot
Alabama rapper LIl Bam’s “Julio” track is steadily buzzing. He decided to feed the fire with a remix to the flashy track featuring Rick Ross and Jucee Froot. Jucee Froot declares she’s “only comin for the guapo” while Ross reminds us “where I live at it’s bigger than Lowe’s.”
Kid Laroi — “Tell Me Why
The titanic sales of Juice WRLD’s first posthumous project reflect that his impact is felt far and wide. He won’t soon be forgotten, especially by friends like Kid Laroi, who lamented his loss on the melancholy “Tell Me Why,” where he reflects, “I can’t count all the tears I cried, so many sleepless nights / Watch all of my idols die, right in front of my eyes.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Stateless, a series co-created by Cate Blanchett, who also portrays a flashy cult leader, recently joined Netflix’s growing library or prestige titles. Set in Australia, the series is filled with both horror and hope while depicting what happens behind the razor-wire fence at an immigration detention center. The show follows the plight of dual protagonists, including Sofie (portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski), who’s based upon the true story of Cornelia Rau, a permanent Australia resident who somehow (about 15 years ago) found herself illegally imprisoned. At the same facility, the audience also gets to know Ameer (Fayssal Bazzi), a refugee who fled Afghanistan out of desperation to save his wife and daughters from the Taliban.
Sofie and Ameer must each wrestle with a twisted bureaucracy that mirrors much of what we see in the U.S. today. It’s a nightmarish scenario for both, and Ameer suffers through circumstances so heart-wrenching that the audience can barely fathom them upon watching. Stateless isn’t the easiest watch, but it’s a compelling and a vital one, given that the refugee crisis persists with no end in sight. We spoke with Fayssal Bazzi about how he brought authenticity to his role and, following a decade of his TV and movie roles down under, what it’s like to work with Cate Blanchett as a boss. Fayssal was also cool enough to nerd-out with us about his dream comic book movie roles.
Do you think Netflix made the right call on the U.S. release date for Stateless?
Yeah. The world’s going through a pandemic at the moment, but there’s also issues that we have to tackle. The refugee crisis isn’t going away, as we’ve seen through all the Black Lives Matter protests throughout the world. These things can’t wait. I think, especially while people are at home, to give them something to watch that also educates them. I think it was the right thing to do.
It’s also important to not let the powers-that-be sweep immigration matters under the rug right now, which is happening in some places.
Absolutely. I can’t speak for what’s happening in America at the moment, but in Australia, the treatment of refugees here while the pandemic is happening is pretty despicable. There’s a hotel in Melbourne where I think 65 asylum seekers are being held at the moment. [They] traveled here for medical reasons from offshore, and it was just released the other day that one of the guards who’s looking after them tested positive for Covid, and they’re kind-of sweeping it under the rug. These are human beings that we’re dealing with, so I think that by sharing these views with the world, we’re trying to show how we still treat our refugees here. Maybe it will start conversations that lead to change, and a little political pressure from overseas wouldn’t hurt either.
Netflix
Do you think lessons have been learned in the years since the events of this series took place?
I think that it’s one of those heated debates in Australia where it’s very hard for politicians to pick a side, no matter what they feel, and they sort-of push it to the background. This is a series that was produced and created by Cate Blanchett, and it was still hard to get it made in Australia because people are scared of the refugee topic here. It took Cate six years from the birth of the idea to getting it made, and that’s because everywhere she went, people were (especially in Australia) afraid to tackle the subject. They didn’t want to get into the firing line of some political debate.
Obviously, this was a passion project for Cate. Your character didn’t intersect with her cult leader, and that’s… for the best! Ameer had a tough enough time already.
[Laughs] Yeah, I don’t think Ameer would have done well with the [cult-]dance contest!
What was it like to work with Cate as a producer?
In the early weeks there, we hung out a few times, but we had to shoot her out really quick because she also had Mrs. America, so she was there the first month or so and was pretty good on the phone, throughout, really flexed her producer’s muscles well whenever I had an issue, got a call from Cate, just making sure everything’s great. In December, I went to London to help her talk about the show, and she’s been really wonderful. I think she’s really taken to the producer side of things, and that’s where she’s taking the next step of her career. She’s really good at it.
The reviews of this series are largely positive, but what do you say to the critics who believe the show shouldn’t have been packaged around the plight of Sofie, a white woman (even though it’s a real story)?
I think the comments reflect the climate we’re in. It took six years to make the show, but the powers-that-be here need to see the financial benefit into putting money in a project. Unfortunately, that means that stories kind-of have to be massaged in a certain way, but also, you do get to tell those stories. And I’ve read some of those reviews and even understand where they’re coming from, but also, if it was the other way, I don’t know that the show would have been made, so sometimes it’s better to have, hopefully, with our show coming out and how we’ve done it, it is a stepping stone for another show to come up and tell that whole story. There are wonderful projects out there that might gain further traction because of our show leading the way.
Beyond serious stuff, one thing that I recently learned about you is that you love comics and Star Wars and intended to take a fantastical path in your career.
The stories that I’ve told in my career so far are really important. It’s always an honor and a privilege to shine a light on and put a face on a story. Putting a human face on a refugee story is really important to get people to connect with that, and looking past numbers and statistics, we are really talking about human beings. In saying all of that, Kimberly, I still haven’t given up hope of one day being a Jedi or a Dark Lord of the Sith. Or to be the next Magneto! Disney just bought all the rights to X-Men. I’m Australian, I have a hairy chest, I can be the next Wolverine!
See, that’s where I was going next: the whole, “Would you like to be hero, antihero, or villain?” thing.
My passion growing up… I’m a bit of a nerd, so I have statues and collectibles that I’m looking at right now. I have a Magneto helmet and a Wolverine claw, so I like heroes with a checkered past or bad guys with a bit of a heart, like my hero growing up was Darth Vader, just because of the complexity of that character… I’m taking you down the path of the Dark Side! Complex characters with troubling last choices and paths are my go.
When reading comics, do you prefer graphic novels or single issues?
Look, I think whatever kind-of stimulates your creative brain [works]. As a kid, I was a massive Wolverine fan, so I had every issue of the Wolverine series. I had his first appearance, and they’re all sitting within perfectly zipped comic bags.
Oh, you’re one of those nerds.
I’m also an anime fan, and the majority of things that I watch are Japanese. I’m not really a stickler for graphic novels are comics. Both have their place.
I’ve taken us way off-topic here.
[Laughs]
With Stateless, sadly, it’s not fantastical but is grounded in reality. So, how did you aim to bring authenticity to your character’s experiences?
I guess when I first was offered Ameer, I just wanted to bring the family story to the forefront because when you strip everything back — that they’re escaping the Taliban, they’ve been on this journey — it’s a father trying to look after his family. And if people could connect to that, they could connect to the actual story of refugees. I’m an immigrant to Australia, and I was three when we got here, and my father and mother had to rebuild, and it was hard-going for a number of years. I drew from what I saw from my father with Ameer and then getting to spend time with all our lovely background artists, the majority of people at the detention center had, at one stage, been in a refugee camp or offshore detention, and hearing their stories and their experiences was really the driving force behind it. And it inspired me to be able to tell the story that needed to be told so these people could feel respected and represented.
Ameer tells a “story” near season’s end, and I don’t want to spoil what that story is, but man, what a selfless character.
I don’t have any children, from what I hear from friends who have kids that have watched this, they were bawling their eyes out and thinking that this is what having a child is about. They end up becoming the center of your story, and then it becomes your objective to help tell this new story to the world, and if that means sacrificing yourself to the world, you have to do it. Now sadly, because of this series being set in the early 2000s, what I think happened to Ameer was either offshore detention, or he got sent back to Afghanistan, so there was, sadly, not a way for him to get out of there. The way the system works in Australia and the way that it worked in the early 2000s is really what happens in the world.
When word surfaced earlier this year that Chris Meloni was rejoining the Law & Order universe, SVU devotees instantly wondered if his Elliot Stabler would reunite with Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson. Meloni’s definitely playing Stabler again in his own spinoff, Law & Order: Organized Crime after departing the franchise in 2012, which is an unexpected development for sure, but hey, fans will take it, even though Stabler has remained in spirit and never really left cable reruns.
Over the weekend, Hargitay and Meloni decided to tease what now looks like an inevitable onscreen reunion of their law enforcement partners. The “It’s on” caption sounds like this is a done deal, right? Also, this is one heck of a quarantine mustache, and I’m wondering if we’ll see it on the streets of New York City.
You can’t kick a bond that lasted twelve seasons and beyond. And Hargitay’s still going strong with her Benson character, so there’s absolutely no reason to not have a crossover between the two shows. And while we’re at it, there had better be a scene where Ice-T’s Fin Tutuola walks in and asks Stabler where the hell he’s been for eight years. There’s no projected launch date for the Stabler show, but production is planned to start in August, and the Law & Order: Organized Crime has already nabbed a Thursday, 10:00pm EST time slot for when it happens. So yes, it’s… on.
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