Category: News

We’re deep into summer so it’s high time (jokes for days!) that we show some love to our favorite seasonal strains of cannabis. To match the vibe of Quarantine Summer 2020, we’ve put a focus on high THC strains that strike a fine balance between chilled-out relaxation and energetic euphoria. Our previous lists — featuring strains ideal for melting away quarantine stress, and a collection of 4/20-worthy buds that would make the most devout stoners proud — were heavily themed. For this collection we’ve put the priority on flavor, curating a list with strains that taste as good as they look.

Light up one of our eight picks below, and you’ll be transported to a stress-free world — despite the fact that we’re living amidst a global pandemic in one of the hardest-hit countries on earth. Here are the weed strains to get you through the rest of the summer.

Kush Mints

THC: 23.1%
Strain: Hybrid

This delicious and beautiful strain is a cross between Bubba Kush and Animal Mints and has a mellow and minty flavor that lives up to its name and heritage. Kush Mints has notes of spiced lemon, with a woodsy aroma that brings on a quick hit of euphoria before settling you into a long-lasting chill that will calm your body but not weigh you down into couchlock territory. This strain doesn’t burn harshly, producing a milky and dense smoke that is pleasing to the throat, even if rolled up in the most basic of rolling papers.

With a THC content of 23.1%, this Hybrid strain packs a powerful punch, so if you’re a fairly moderate smoker we’d suggest sticking with a bowl’s worth to get you started, rather than rolling it in a blunt or joint, which will be way more than you bargained for if you aren’t ready.

Check Weedmaps to find Kush Mints at a dispensary near you.

Strawnana (aka Strawberry Banana)

THC: 21%
Strain: Hybrid

Sometimes known as Strawberry Banana (depending on the cultivator) Strawnana is an Indica-dominant hybrid strain more geared toward those who are looking to relax and ease pain — providing a head high that’ll keep you in your thoughts, which is perfect for those looking to meditate on a problem or self reflect.

A cross between Banana Kush and Strawberry Bubble Gum, Strawnana has a bright citrus flavor that is grounded by some deep herbal and peppery notes that blend together to give this fruity strain a relaxing aroma that enhances the smoking experience and will have you chilled out the moment you start breaking the buds.

Check Weedmaps to find Strawnana at a dispensary near you.

Amnesia Haze

THC: 19%
CBD: 1%
Strain: Sativa

Amnesia Haze has a pungent burnt lemon aroma that will instantly stink up your space once you light up. Luckily the high will have you on the move (and away from the smell) with its euphoric and energetic buzz. The perfect strain to burn when you’re working on a project, doing some housework, working through a problem, or getting some chores done, Amnesia Haze will melt away your daily stresses and keep you focused on whatever you’re working on.

While Amnesia Haze smells unpleasant, it’s subtly sweet notes of berry and earthy coffee tones give it a flavor worth savoring.

Check Weedmaps to find Amnesia Haze at a dispensary near you.

Superglue

THC: 21.3%
Strain: Hybrid

Superglue has a piney and herbal flavor with a high that strikes the perfect balance between chilled-out relaxation and energetic joyfulness. What’s great about Superglue is it seems to adapt to your situation. If you feel like smoking up and binging on some Netflix or zoning out to your favorite album, Superglue will keep you in an analytical headspace so you can discover new layers to your favorite art. And if you’re looking for a great strain to light up after a long day that’ll relax your muscles and melt your stresses, Superglue is that too, thanks to its Indica dominant properties.

Check Weedmaps to find Superglue at a dispensary near you.

Maui Wowie

THC: 20.6%
Strain: Sativa

Hawaii-grown weed doesn’t get the same attention as strains originating from California or Colorado, but Maui Wowie is one of the best-tasting strains on the market, and one of our favorite Sativas. The smoke from Maui Wowie is shockingly sweet with a nice blend of citrus, berry, and pine flavors that will be best enjoyed in a vaporizer or paired with a grape or vanilla blunt wrap. The high is giggle-inducing and will leave you relaxed and euphoric, perfect for chilling poolside on a hot summer day (if you’re lucky enough to have a backyard pool) or paired with a White Claw, gin and soda, or a LaCroix (for those not trying to get cross-faded).

Check Weedmaps to find Maui Wowie at a dispensary near you or pick up the strain through MedMen.

Mimosa

THC: 23%
Strain: Hybrid

Mimosa is a Sativa-dominant hybrid strain with Purple Punch and Clementine genetics that produces a delicious citrus flavor with slightly sweet and floral tropical notes. Despite its hybrid properties, this strain is probably the last thing you’ll want to smoke if you’re calling it an early night and trying to relax — it’ll have you bouncing off the walls and breaking out into giggly fits.

Mimosa is also one of the few strains out there that can be described as arousing, probably because of the uplifting high that follows a single hit of this stuff. Even the most hardcore Indica-loving stoners will have to tip their hat to this powerful Sativa-dominant hybrid.

Check Weedmaps to find Mimosa at a dispensary near you or pick up the strain from MedMen.

Wedding Cake

THC: 23%-25%
Strain: Hybrid

We strongly recommended this strain as part of our spring break roundup and it’s making a comeback in our summer strains list because it’s that good. With its dense and sticky buds, Wedding Cake feels like a weed best reserved for special occasions, but there is no sense in letting it dry up on a shelf somewhere, crack open a jar and smoke it while it’s fresh! With an earthy and peppery flavor and subtle notes of citrus and vanilla, Wedding Cake tastes great, looks great, smells great, and will get you higher than any strain on this list.

Like an actual Wedding Cake, it’s experienced best in a group, so round up your housemates, hit the backyard, sit a dozen or so feet apart, and toast to the summer with this Indica-dominant hybrid strain.

Check Weedmaps to find Wedding Cake at a dispensary near you.

Skywalker OG

THC: 20%
Strain: Hybrid

Skywalker, like Blue Dream and Pineapple Express, is a strain with a name that carries a lot of weight. There are a lot of expectations surround this Indica-dominant hybrid strain — it’s often touted as one of the best — but don’t let that hype turn you off. Skywalker is every bit as good as people say it is. With a strong earthy aroma and notes of blueberry, Skywalker OG provides a heavily sedative high that is perfect for late sleepless nights when the summer heat is too unbearable for blankets and is keeping you up longer than you want to be awake.

Smoking Skywalker in the morning won’t shut you down though. Instead, it’ll hit you with a serious case of the munchies that might have you snacking throughout the duration of your high. A great companion to a backyard barbecue.

Check Weedmaps to find Skywalker OG at a dispensary near you.

The defining moment of the SNL at home-era wasn’t Tom Hanks’ monologue, Boyz II Men and Babyface performing “A Song for Mama,” or the return of Kenan’s “What Up with That” (although that was very good) — it was Colin Jost’s acoustic guitar.

Appearing during Weekend Update in the April 11 episode, the guitar was perfectly framed on a couch behind Jost, as if he was announcing to the world, “Anyway, here’s ‘Wonderwall.’” Unfortunately (?), we never got to see Jost do his best Liam Gallagher impression, but he was asked about the guitar in an interview with the New York Times.

“Scarlett had that guitar forever and it was in the quarantine,” Jost said, referring to his very famous fiancée Scarlett Johansson. “She was like, ‘Maybe I should learn to how to play,’ and just left it on the couch. It was so perfectly framed there and then everyone pointed it out and I was like, ‘How can I be so dumb?’ I had no awareness of it at all.”

As pointed out by Vulture, Jost previously addressed the guitar on Instagram, writing, “My favorite observation from last episode, even among my fellow cast members, was: ‘Great job including the guitar, douchebag.’ This might sound incomprehensible but I did not know it was on the couch, let alone perfectly framed behind me. I have never, nor do I pretend to play, the guitar. Nor do I physically understand how it works. I just Mr Magoo’ed into having a guitar behind me.” Maybe ScarJo can teach him some Tom Waits songs.

(Via Vulture and the New York Times)

It’s been three years since Baltimore synth-pop outfit Future Islands shared their last album, The Far Field. Now, the group is signaling the beginning of a new era with their lush new single “For Sure.”

Directed by Samuel Jerome Mason, the “For Sure” visual is a journey through a post-apocalyptic world. But their idea of the future isn’t as dreary as many may believe. The visual is touched with natural scenery amid crumbling infrastructure.

“For Sure” is the first track released from Future Islands in years, but other members have since shared solo music. Just last month, bassist William Cashion debuted an ambient album under his own name, titled Postcard Music. Future Islands vocalist Samuel T. Herring has also been fairly prolific. Along with guest featuring on a few singles from BadBadNotGood, Herring continues to rap under the moniker Hemlock Ernst. Herring teamed up with Madlib in 2015 to form the project Trouble Knows Me and last October, the musician released his rap album, Back At The House.

As of now, “For Sure” is a standalone single. But seeing as the band debuted seven new songs at a Northampton, Massachusetts show last September, an album announcement could arrive shortly.

Watch Future Islands’ “For Sure” video above.

Harry Styles says he has been doing a lot of writing during the pandemic. It turns out he has also made time to help people get to sleep by teaming with meditation app Calm to record himself narrating a 30-minute sleep story, “Dream With Me,” which is available now on the Calm app.

Styles said in a statement, “Sleep and meditation are a huge part of my routine, whether I’m at home, in the studio, or out on the road. Rest and recovery is as important as doing the work. Finding a balance has been endlessly beneficial to both my physical and mental health. It’s changed my life. I’m so happy to be collaborating with Calm at a time when the world needs all the healing it can get. Treat people with kindness.”

Michael Acton Smith, Calm co-founder and co-CEO, added, “Harry’s voice usually electrifies audiences around the world but his unique Sleep Story will help millions of people drift off to dreamland every night. His mellifluous voice is the perfect tonic to calm a racing mind.”

Similarly, Nick Jonas and Diddy recently teamed up with Audible to record relaxing stories and guided meditations.

Styles opened up about mental health in a December interview, saying he has in recent years become more receptive to mental and emotional self-care. He said of therapy, “I go. Not every week. But whenever I feel I need it. For a really long time I didn’t try therapy, because I wanted to be the guy who could say: ‘I don’t need it.’ Now I realize I was only getting in my own way. It helps.”

Remember when DaBaby was booked for a 4th of July concert that promised it would follow strict social distancing and mask wearing guidelines? Well, the first footage is out and it looks like that went out the window at some point during the night, as DaBaby and his fellow rappers performed in a completely packed room where most folks’ masks were pulled down around their chins instead of covering their mouths and noses. Billboard surfaced a video shared by Instagram users depicted the actual turnout for the show, which is pretty anxiety inducing.

Before the show, the event promoter told TMZ that the venue would only operate at 40 percent of capacity to allow for six feet of distance between patrons, but it doesn’t look like the attendees utilized that extra space much, if at all. They instead crowded around the performance area and seemingly several approached very close to the performers to get selfies with them.

When the show was announced, country star Chase Rice was already facing backlash for ignoring distance protocols at his own concert, while comedian DL Hughley passed out at another show and was later diagnosed with COVID-19. The performers at the 4th of July concert also included Blac Youngsta, Marlo, Moneybagg Yo, and Stunna 4 Vegas.

Watch the footage of DaBaby’s performance above.

When Pop Smoke was tragically murdered in February, 50 Cent vowed to take over creative control of his Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon album, which dropped last Friday. 50 sought out high-profile names like Drake and Post Malone to appear on the project. But the native New Yorker’s star-studded search caused him to miss out on the most sensible guests for the project — Pop’s fellow Brooklynites.

The 20-year-old Canarsie, Brooklyn native was the face of the Brooklyn drill scene. Like Chief Keef, the golden child of Chicago drill, he had a sonic versatility and inimitable charisma that was ripe for mass appeal. Unlike Chief Keef, he seemed poised to play the industry game and make the necessary moves to become as commercially viable as possible. The sonic ambition he shows on Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon tracks like “The Woo” and “Yea Yea” demonstrate that he was capable of molding Brooklyn drill’s trademark elements into a more palatable package to become a Billboard mainstay.

If any artist was going to bust open the industry door and stimulate opportunities for the rest of the scene, it was going to be Pop. But unfortunately, he didn’t get that chance. Even still, the album was a prime opportunity to showcase acts like Fivio Foreign, Sheff G, Rah Swish, and others who he had shouted out and collaborated with in the past. Fivio has said that the deluxe version of the album is “gonna be crazy,” implying that he and other drill artists may be on the redux — but for now, the project has a mixed reception among New Yorkers.

Fans were all for hearing new Pop Smoke — but not necessarily here for the industry stunt features. Quavo shows up on the 18-track project a whopping three times. DaBaby’s verse on “For One Night” is a hair offbeat, a clumsy miscue characteristic of stitched-together posthumous albums. Tyga’s appearance on “West Coast Sh*t” reeks of “sure, why not.” Meanwhile, the most confusing feature may be Diddy’s son King Combs on “Diana.” He delivers a remarkably average verse in a slot that could have gone to any number of Brooklyn artists. Pop’s family probably appreciates the high-powered appearances, but so many listeners critiqued that they weren’t necessary, and Pop’s solo tracks were the highlight of the album. If Pop’s Brooklyn drill peers were on the project, it could have been a smoother front-to-back listen.

Last Friday, 50 spoke to Ebro Darden on Apple Music’s Rap Life show. He saluted the Brooklyn drill scene, noting, “The thing that’s really interesting about Brooklyn is they’re actually marketing each other.” But he also added, “If they can figure out how to not kill each other in the process and stay focused on what they actually want to do, this is our music.”

His comments were thoughtlessly reductive, as if the factors that lead to gun violence are a mystery. Gang violence is a symptom of an underserved community and a lack of opportunity. His dissonance to “own” the scene as New York culture but also finger wag its artists — when he could help provide opportunity — reflects the selective apathy of so many other figments in the lives of these young rappers.

It’s difficult for a drill rapper not to feel trapped. Every iteration of the movement, from Chicago, to UK, to Toronto, and now Brooklyn, is plagued by the gang violence that seems to be the cornerstone of so many of its songs. The scenes sprout up with a wave of excitement and fizzle out as violence and the carceral state claim artists one-by-one.

But despite the peril they reflect in their lyrics, seemingly every institution uses their raw honesty as a reason to fear and shun them. The cops target them and prevent them from performing at venues (Pop became a star without performing a single show in his hometown). As Lil Durk once rapped, “I can’t do no shows, cause I terrify my city” on “Dis Ain’t What U Want,” reflecting how the Chicago Police Department and city officials treat their scene. Local arts communities ignore them, though they often reflect the pulse of their cities. The industry siphons their energy then backs away from them, scared off by their perceived “lack of focus.” And rival gang members look to tear them down before they ever get that clarity.

That’s why 50 using Pop’s album to highlight more Brooklyn artists could flipped the script on everyone who wants drill artists to disappear. Pop reportedly did his first verse during a Jay Gwuapo studio session when Gwuapo got too intoxicated to record — but he’s not on the album. Rah Swish is a previous Pop collaborator who has been paying heavy homage to Pop since he passed, and he’s not on the album. Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow are two artists who’ve been buzzing for several years and could have had breakout moments on the album. As much as fans on Twitter celebrate Bobby Shmurda, Rowdy Rebel, and the GS9 movement, how many of them realize that Rowdy’s brother Fetty Luciano is a recording artist who would appreciate some residual love? All of these artists could’ve invigorated the album with that authentic Brooklyn energy that made Pop a hometown hero.

PG County’s IDK spoke for many young people when he called 50 Cent a “superhero” like figure. 50’s against-all-odds story and brutish demeanor have given him almost universal respect among young New Yorkers, making him one of the few industry figures that could potentially reach young drill artists. He already recalled that Pop literally took phone notes as 50 gave him game. 50 recalled brokering a 2007 record deal for Maino with Atlantic Records when the industry was apprehensive about dealing with an artist of Maino’s street-certified reputation. He could have a similar impact for young New York artists that the industry is wary of.

So many young people join gangs because they’re overlooked in their community. It’s a shame for them to continue to get overlooked when they try to be productive as musicians. Hopefully, 50 is planning a complete overhaul for the deluxe album a la Lil Uzi Vert’s LUV Vs. The World 2. But for the time being, the lack of Brooklyn drill artists on Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon was a missed opportunity.

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

As if Mission: Impossible — Fallout didn’t already have an impressive enough cast, with Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Michelle Monaghan, Henry Cavill, and franchise mainstay Ving Rhames, Mission: Impossible 7 will add Shea Whigham, Pom Klementieff (Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy), Esai Morales, and Hayley Atwell to the ensemble. The Agent Carter star, last seen sharing a dance with Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame, is an exciting new face to the long-running action franchise because Peggy Carter rules, and she’s hard at work preparing for the role.

Atwell recently shared a shirtless photo of her back on Instagram with the caption, “Backbone #missionimpossiblemovie.” Basically, she’s getting shredded / ripped / jacked / another word that means she’s in better shape than you to scuba-dive in lava, or whatever, with Cruise’s Ethan Hunt. It’s still unknown who she’s playing in the Christopher McQuarrie-directed movie, and we might not find out for a while, as production has been shut down until September due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We hope to start shooting again in September. We were days from shooting in Venice — we were right at the epicenter when it all kicked off — so we had to shut down in Venice where we were four or five days from shooting,” first assistant director Tommy Gormley told BBC Radio 4’s Today program. “We hope to visit all the countries we planned to and look to do a big chunk of it back in the UK on the backlot and in the studio, so September through to end April/May is our targets. We are convinced we can do this.” Mission: Impossible 7 is scheduled to come out on November 19, 2021.

Since NPR Tiny Desk Concerts are no longer taking place at the NPR offices in Washington, DC, artists have been shooting their own, at-home concerts for the popular segment. While this has resulted mostly in artists trying their best to reproduce the office environment with stripped-down performances of their favorite songs, the latest participant, Roddy Ricch, seems to have decided to bend the rules a bit, delivering his performance from a space that looks bigger than the whole office where the segment is usually filmed.

Cramming several members of 1500 Or Nothin’ into what looks like a garage, Roddy’s Tiny Desk Concert rivals most mid-size venues for production value, complete with lighting, amps, backup singers, and two sets of drums on the back line. Roddy himself starts the show at his keyboard, playing the opening chords of “Perfect Time” before emerging to rap as he roams the makeshift stage. He’s joined on “Bacc Seat” by LA crooner Ty Dolla Sign and gives a short speech touching on current events before delivering a warm rendition of his album closer “War Baby.”

Watch Roddy Ricch’s Tiny Desk Concert above.

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

Billie Eilish’s admiration of Justin Bieber is longstanding and well-documented. She got to collaborate with him on a “Bad Guy” remix, and the single art was a photo of a younger Eilish in front of the Bieber posters lining the wall of her bedroom. A bit before that, the two met in person at Coachella, which was clearly an emotional moment for Eilish. It turns out Eilish’s life has been full of emotional Bieber-related moments, which she discussed on a new episode of Me & Dad Radio — the Apple Music show she launched with her father, Patrick O’Connell, earlier this year.

During a chat with her father and guest Maggie Baird (her mother), Baird described driving Eilish to a dance studio while listening to the song, saying, “Driving to the dance studio with Billie, playing this song, sobbing, and then driving back and sobbing. It was either Marina And The Diamonds or this, sobbing… not just this. It was all of Justin Bieber. […] But I just happen to remember this one really well, and the video, and Billie talking to me about it, and being excited that it was coming out, and just crying and crying.”

Eilish added, “I would watch the music video for this song and just sob.” They then listened to some of the single, but Eilish cut the track short because she was getting too emotional. After O’Connell spoke about the power of music, Baird added (perhaps jokingly), “I just want to say, we did consider taking you to therapy for help.” Eilish laughed at the idea that her obsession was that significant, and Maggie added, “You were in so much pain over Justin Bieber.”

Listen to the conversation above.

Young Thug is not through with Pusha T, with whom he shared an unpleasant exchange yesterday when a leaked record featuring them both revealed Pusha using the opportunity to once again diss Drake. While Thug doesn’t seem to care all that much about Pusha’s ongoing feud with the Canadian star, Thug definitely took issue with Push’s chosen forum — a song recorded for the deluxe version of late Brooklyn artist Pop Smoke’s debut album. Now, Thug is continuing to air his grievances with Pusha’s antics via his Instagram Story, captured below by gossip monger DJ Akademiks.

In the video, Thug gives jabs to Pusha’s verse on the leaked track and wonders why the older rapper didn’t just reserve those bars for his original Drake diss, “The Story Of Adidon.” “First of all, your verse was ‘seven days,’ if you know what I mean,” Thug snipes. “That motherf*cker weak. Second of all, you already done went crazy the first time, so it ain’t nothin’ but a sucka going on double takes, triple takes and quadruple takes. You should have just got all of that out on the first song when you put the first song out.”

But soon enough, Thug gets to the thrust of his argument: that using Pop Smoke’s debut album to draw attention is a bad business move and disrespectful to Pop’s memory. “You didn’t even have to do all that,” he says. “You just feel like you wouldn’t get enough views on your own sh*t, so you came and put some bullsh*t on a whole ‘nother n**** — who’s resting in peace — music. Trying to f*ck up a n**** whole vibe ’cause you feel like it’s the perfect platform. Thug, Gunna, and Pop Smoke. ‘This is the perfect platform to go at this n**** ass’… Do that sh*t on your own song!”

The back-and-forth between the two drove even more debate about Drake and Pusha’s feud on Twitter yesterday and it doesn’t appear that it’ll slow up anytime soon.

Watch Thug’s video above.

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