Griff got off to a hot start with her debut mixtape, One Foot In Front Of The Other, which hit No. 4 on the UK charts in 2021. While fans wait for her next project, Griff is keeping them fed today (August 31) with a new single, “Vertigo.” The song is a pop slow-burner that tackles emotional turbulence head-on.
In a statement, Griff said of the song, “‘Vertigo’ refers to an emotional state — always feeling upside down. Experiencing love and growing up, it always feels like the world and my emotions are spinning faster than I can keep up with. ‘Vertigo’ is the beginning of a new creative chapter for me, and I’m excited for us all to go on this journey together.”
She also told Dork of the single, “There’s a darkness to ‘Vertigo’ that maybe I haven’t tapped into as much before. It’s still major, but there’s something quite dark and moody about it too. It’s the start of a new season for me, for sure. I’ve been writing a lot and trying to figure out what’s right for me. We’ll start with ‘Vertigo’ and see where we end up. We’re going to be walking through it together, bit by bit.”
In a social media post, Griff offered a peek behind the scenes, sharing some photos and writing, “This photo was taken a few hours before I wrote Vertigo in the English country side. Wish I could show myself in this photo the love and support you’ve already given the song. I can finally say … VERTIGO IS OUT NOW!!!”
This photo was taken a few hours before I wrote Vertigo in the English country side. Wish I could show myself in this photo the love and support you’ve already given the song I can finally say … VERTIGO IS OUT NOW!!! https://t.co/SKKVLW5iR2pic.twitter.com/FSOngOXNnC
On a scale of one to five cowboy hats, how much Timothy Olyphant is too much? This is a trick question. There is never too much. In fact, we actually have too little of the man, which is why bringing back Justifiedfor another round with Justified: City Primeval was the right move. That is until they bring back Santa Clarita Diet. It WILL happen!
While the season of the “limited series” just ended (with an incredible twist), it’s never too early to talk about a potential second season, though that would hinder the “limited” aspect of it, wouldn’t it? Who cares! We need more Timmy!
Showrunner and co-producer of the series Michael Dinner (not the inventor of dinner, I checked) recently told TVLine that the spinoff wasn’t just to add more content to the Justified universe, but it was also because they know how to work together to write some prestige TV. “We did this not to reboot Justified. We did it because we want to reboot the feeling that we had working with each other — whether it was me working with Tim, or [co-showrunner] David [Andron] and myself and the other writers, and what we felt in the writers room.”
So will there be another season? It’s tough to say, but Dinner says it’s not up to him. “It’s up to FX — what they want to do, if they want to tell another chapter [of the story],” Dinner added. “If they don’t, then, you know, it was good to do this, and we feel really good about where we ended.”
It should be noted that the season did end on a classic “one last job” situation, so it might be time for our pal Timmy O to dust off those cowboy boots.
After shows like Atlanta and Dave pulled back the curtain on the music industry, it only makes sense that more shows would follow in their footsteps to depict the highs and lows of the pursuit of stardom from different angles. Issa Rae’s Rap Sh!t addresses the industry’s sexism and double standards through the lens of a rising Miami rap duo, while Netflix’s new show, Neon, returns to Miami to follow an aspiring reggaeton star and his friends as they try to work their way past industry gatekeepers with the help of an insider who isn’t what she seems.
Neon was created by Hip-Hop (And Other Things) author Shea Serrano, who teamed up with Dave writer Max Searle, who is the series’ showrunner. The show’s executive producers also include reggaeton star Daddy Yankee, while Tainy serves as executive music producer with One Six, which is comprised of Tainy, Ivan Rodriguez, Lex Borrero, and Neon16. Here’s a sample of the new music, “Exagero”:
In the trailer, aspiring reggaeton star Santi, portrayed by Tyler Dean Flores (Miguel Wants To Fight), moves to Miami with his best friends/managers Ness and Felix (Emma Ferreira and Jordan Mendoza, respectively) to seek his fortunes after racking up a viral hit. But while he’s earned the respect and appreciation of more established stars (Daddy Yankee among them, naturally), he’ll still need the help of Mia a wannabe A&R, to land a deal and prove he’s not just a one-hit wonder — or even just get a paying gig. Neon premiere on Netflix on October 19. Watch the trailer for Neon above.
If you’re a fan of STARZ’s TV shows, specifically the ones out of 50 Cent’s cinematic universe, then the past few weeks have been great for you. It all started with the announcement that Power Book IV: Force season two with Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora) and company would return on September 1. Then, STARZ announced that Power Book III: Raising Kanan season three would arrive on December 1. Now, STARZ extends its takeover with news about BMF and its official premiere date for season three.
The network announced that BMF would make its return on March 1, 2024, to begin season three. The new episodes will be available weekly on Fridays at midnight ET/PT on the STARZ app. They will also be available on the STARZ TV channel at 8 pm ET/PT in both the US and Canada. Here is a bit of a synopsis that explains what to expect for BMF season three.
Season three of BMF resumes the storyline inspired by brothers Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory (Demetrius Flenory, Jr.) and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory(Da’Vinchi), who established one of the most infamous crime families in the country known as, Black Mafia Family. We kick off Season Three in the early ’90s when the Flenory Family has reinvented themselves. Meech has moved to Atlanta on a mission to build up the BMF empire in the south that he and Terry created in Detroit. The series continues to humanize the choices of the brothers’ business and their pursuits of the American Dream.
Along with news of the season three premiere date came an official teaser trailer that previews the upcoming seasons of Power Book IV: Force, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and BMF. You can watch that in the video above.
‘BMF’ season three debuts on STARZ on March 1, 2024. Seasons one and two are available now to stream on the STARZ app.
Sending kids off to college is a milestone filled with conflicting feelings, both for the kids and the parents. There’s excitement, pride and anticipation, plus nostalgia, loss and yearning all rolled into one pivotal life moment.
Perhaps one of the best tools to help cope with the heavier, more challenging emotions bound to arise is having a sense of humor. And some parents have it in spades.
Mom and content creator Jill Wagner had asked her son Hakin what he would like for his dorm room at Maryville University.
Hakin’s answer? Posters. Plain and simple. And it’s that lack of specificity that would land Hakin in a hilarious prank concocted by Mom and Dad.
In a clip shared to Wagner’s TikTok, we see Hakin shaking his head with disbelief as he walks in to see a giant cardboard cutout of his mom.
“Honey, I know you’re gonna miss me so much; I got a life-size picture of me for your dorm. That way, if any girls try to come in your room, they can see me,” Wagner says through a giggle.
Hakin, also laughing, says the line every parent of a teen has heard, “That is so embarrassing!” before telling his father to put it where nobody can see it.
Instead of a cardboard cutout, dad decided to go a little more old school—a photo of himself pointing to a laundry hamper, made into a poster, stuck right above the laundry hamper in Hakin’s room. Meta.
In her caption, Wagner wrote, “Dad and I are always with you 😂”
Close to 500,000 people have watched the clip, with several chiming in to share that they would be incorporating the idea for their own kids. More embarrassment to come, it seems!
The college transition is sure to be one of heightened emotions. You can follow all the recommended guidelines for make it a little smoother—plan the move-in day accordingly, jot down meaningful messages to leave behind, create memories with one last family vacation, look into new hobbies—but at the end of the day, parents are still going to be feeling all the feels.
And just like any beautiful chapter in life, we are meant to savor the sweet along with the bitter. While it’s probably best to try to hold in those tears during the actual move-in day (it is the kid’s day, after all) it’s completely natural to let it all out on the car ride home.
Wagner’s delightful prank might have gotten some viral laughs, but it also highlights a more lighthearted, optimistic way for parents to take on what’s sure to be a day full of big feelings.
Nearly two months ago, Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard requested a trade away from the organization he’s called home for the first 11 years of his NBA career. Since news of Lillard’s request broke, his desire to be dealt only to the Miami Heat has been steadfast and singular. Yet according to Andscape’s Marc Spears, a member of a different Eastern Conference contender has reached out to Lillard and attempted to lure the All-NBA point guard to his team, albeit unsuccessfully.
“I know Jayson Tatum’s called him, tried to get in his ear,” Spears said on The Oregonian’s “Sports by Northwest” podcast. “But his focus is definitely on Miami.”
“I know that Boston…I know Jason Tatum’s called [Damian Lillard]. Tried to get in [Dame’s] ear. But his focus is definitely on Miami.” – @MarcJSpears via @Oregonian
Regardless of whether Boston has the requisite means to acquire Lillard, he’d clearly be a wonderful fit with the Celtics. He’d address their tenuous and ball-handling guard depth following Marcus Smart’s departure and presumably give them the superstar initiator they’ve needed to avoid some of the offensive lulls that have plagued them the past couple years in the playoffs. But ultimately, it seems Lillard is fixated on the Heat and is uninterested on broadening his preferred destinations. At the moment, though, Portland and Miami do not appear close to a trade, so this saga rolls on.
Lillard averaged a career-high 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 2022-23.
Earlier this year, Yeule (née Nat Ćmiel) signed to Ninja Tune, home of critically acclaimed artists like Odesza, Sampa The Great, and Thundercat. They shared the alluring song “Sulky Baby” and later announced their new album Softscars, and now they’re back with a hypnotic single called “Inferno.”
“The song is a gash, scar no.9,” Ćmiel said in a statement. “In this scar I ask the blue flame in my heart, will you ever fade? When you are engulfed and eaten in blue, what was left of me were parts of you.”
“Inferno” is as ethereal and transcendent as they hint. “Heartbeat, heartsink / Heart broke, don’t think / Don’t love, don’t trust,” they sing against a pulsating beat. “The memory of you turns to rust / Used to be just us / Used to be honest.” The song soars with intergalactic synthesizers, culminating into a mesmeric storm. Softscars is sure to be a beautifully disorienting whirlwind, a great follow-up to 2022’s Glitch Princess.
Listen to “Inferno” above and find the album artwork and tracklist below.
Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel might have a long-running “feud,” but behind the scenes, it’s anything but. During an episode of the new late night host podcast featuring Kimmel and the four other titans, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Jimmy Fallon, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host revealed a generous offer from Damon and his old pal Ben Affleck.
“Ben Affleck and the despicable Matt Damon contacted me and offered to pay our staff for two weeks, a week each, they wanted to pay [them] out of their own pocket,” Kimmel said via The Hollywood Reporter. “I felt that that was not their responsibility.”
Colbert, on the other hand, felt otherwise. “Couldn’t you say yes and then give your money to us?”
The podcast, titled Strike Force Five, was launched for the express purpose of raising money for the staff of each of the late night shows that have been off the air since the strike. Each week, one of the hosts will take the lead and Kimmel was first out of the gate. While the comedic banter has obviously been high, Kimmel hasn’t been afraid to get personal.
During the first episode, the late night host revealed that he was “very intent on retiring” just before the strike started, but then he realized how much he would miss the job.
“Now I realize, like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s kinda nice to work,’” Kimmel shared about his free time over the past few months. “You know, when you are working, you think about not working.”
Just days before Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a “mysterious” plane crash, the mercenary leader reportedly filmed a video assuring his supporters that “everything is fine.” The video was reportedly filmed in Africa where Prigozhin was fighting to keep control of his military operations after his attempted coup earlier in the summer put the Wagner Group at odds with Vladimir Putin, who had contracted the controversial private army to turn the tide in Ukraine. They did not.
“For those discussing whether or not I’m alive, how I’m doing. It’s the weekend now, the second half of August 2023. I’m in Africa,” Prigozhin said in the video. “Fans of discussing my liquidation, intimate life, earnings or anything else—actually, everything is fine.”
Prigozhin would die just a few days later in the mysterious plane crash. Although, the resurfaced video has already sparked speculation that maybe he didn’t?
While the clip is likely to fuel conspiracy theories that the foul-mouthed warmonger’s death was staged—a theory circulated by the families of some Wagner mercenaries who believe the plane crash was a ruse—Prigozhin is wearing the same outfit in the new video as one he had on in a clip published on Aug. 21.
Prigozhin, who famously recruited convicted killers and rapists from Russian prisons to, as he put it, “win this damn war at any cost” for Putin, was buried at an ordinary St. Petersburg cemetery earlier this week after a strangely low-key funeral that only included about 20-30 people and no military honors.
Since Prigozhin’s death, Kremlin puppets on Russian state TV have repeatedly tried to deflect blame from Putin. Fingers have been pointed at everyone from Ukraine, America, France, and of course, NATO. Anyone but the likeliest suspect.
When it comes to classic cocktails, few are as well-known and easy to make as the martini. Simply put, it’s a gin (or vodka if you prefer) and dry vermouth-based cocktail. At its bare bone, that’s really it. You might add an olive or a lemon twist (or a blue cheese stuffed olive if you’re feeling wild) as a garnish to complement the flavors. Some add a bit of olive juice.
But for the most part, it’s just a simple way to make the gin shine. Simple, elegant, and perfect.
Like many cocktails, the drink enjoyed by James Bond who preferred his “shaken, not stirred,” has mysterious origins. Some believe that it was invented by well-known bartender Jerry Thomas at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco in the 1850s. Others believe that it was invented in the town of Martinez, California during the Gold Rush era. Regardless of when it was invented and by whom, it’s been a constant favorite in the cocktail world ever since.
Prechill glass, jug, spoon, jigger, and strainer in the freezer overnight. Prechill the vermouth and gin in a fridge overnight. Remove the tools and glass from the freezer and the spirits from the fridge when ready to mix. Use the fruit peeler to peel a thumb-sized section of lemon rind. Add the vermouth to the glass and wash it out by swirling it around and then discard the vermouth in the sink. Add the gin and bitters to the cocktail jug with a hand full of ice. Stir until the cocktail is ice cold — about 15 to 20 seconds. Strain the cocktail into the waiting glass. Express the lemon oils over the cocktail and discard peel. Serve.
While you can spend the rest of your days imbibing the classic, simple, traditional version of the martini. One of the best things about this epic cocktail is its versatility. That’s why we requested fresh riffs on the drink from some well-known bartenders. Keep scrolling to see some truly elevated martinis, then decide if you want to get funky or stick to the tried and true.
Chihuahuan Martini
Bar Calico
By Alex Dominguez, head bartender at Bar Calico in New York City
Ingredients:
2 oz. Cardenxe de la Sierra
1 oz. Chareau Aloe vera
1 bar spoon Combier orange
Preparation:
Stir in a mixing glass for about 40 rotations and then strain into a cool Coupe Glass. Express an orange twist and add to the drink.
The Chihuahuan Martini is a riff on a martini using Sotol as its base spirit. Cardenxe de la Sierra has an intense Evergreen forest feel to it. Using Chareau aloe vera liqueur we accentuate these flavors and add more cool and refreshing notes to it. A small bar spoon of triple sec and an orange peel add orange notes to the sip for a light citrus note at the front.– Alex Dominguez, head bartender at Bar Calico in New York City
The Amalfi Martini
Claire Mallett
By Claire Mallett, bar director at Catch One in Los Angeles
Ingredients:
2.5 oz. Malfy Con Limone Gin, infused with Basil
0.25 oz. Carpano Dry Vermouth
2 bar spoons of Premium Olive Juice
3 Drops of Basil Infused Olive Oil
Fresh Basil
Stuffed Olives & Feta Stuffed Kalamata Olives
Preparations:
Pour the basil-infused* gin, vermouth, and olive juice into a stirring glass with ice and stir. Pour into a chilled Martini glass. Take a dropper and gently drop three drops of the basil-infused** olive oil. Garnish with the sprig of fresh basil, two stuffed Kalamata olives & one feta-stuffed green olive.
* Basil Infused Gin Instructions:
Place 10 fresh basil leaves in the bottle of gin. Put the bottle in a cold dark place for 24 hours and strain the gin through a cheesecloth or coffee filter to remove the basil leaves.
** Basil-infused olive oil instructions:
There are basil-infused olive oils that you can purchase. If you would like to make your own, use one cup of fresh basil leaves for every 2 cups of olive oil. Blanch the basil leaves by submerging in boiling water for 10 seconds followed by a quick dip in an ice bath. Add the leaves and olive oil to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
Inspired by the flavor profiles of the idyllic Amalfi Coast of Italy. Utilizing the fresh tastes of lemon, basil, olives, and feta cheese. Malfy Con Limone Gin is distilled just outside the city of Torino on the Amalfi coast. It is a very light citrus-forward gin, with low juniper notes that won’t fight against the fresh sweet peppery oils of the basil infusion. Just a touch of olive brine adds a saline balance to the Martini. Dirty Sue’s Feta Stuffed Olives make the perfect garnish for this Mediterranean Martini riff.– Claire Mallett, bar director at Catch One in Los Angeles
Palm Springs Martini
Shannon Sturgis
By Matty Clark, bartender at Dutch Kills in Queens, New York
Ingredients:
2.75 oz. Vodka
3/8 oz. Blanc Vermouth
3/8 oz. Ælred Melon Aperitif
2 Dashes chocolate bitters
2 dashes sea salt
Preparation:
Stir with ice, and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.
It’s a bright twist on the vodka martini with notes of fresh Charentais melon and chocolate. Ideal for steamy summer nights — but just as invigorating for brunch the morning after. Precisely what you need at your Palm Springs pool party.– Matty Clark, bartender at Dutch Kills in Queens, New York
Martini Swizzle
Robert Brenner
By Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Plymouth Navy Strength Gin
1 oz. Cocchi Extra Dry Vermouth Di Torino
0.25 oz. Combier Liqueur
2 drops of saline (4:1 water to salt)
Preparation:
Combine ingredients in Collins glass, fill with crushed ice, and swizzle. Express a lemon peel around the rim of the glass and discard. Garnish with a Castelvetrano olive skewer.
I love martinis, but they are a bit tough to drink in the heat of the summer. I use crushed ice and a navy strength gin to keep it cold while keeping the bite of a martini. The orange liqueur adds a bit of body and the Cocchi Extra Dry Di Torino Vermouth balances everything out. Plus, the bit of saline solution gives it a whisper of a dirty martini.— Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago
Botanist Martini
Botanist
By Jeff Savage, head bartender at Botanist in Vancouver
Ingredients:
(Batched: Yields one bottle)
7 oz. Longtable London Dry Gin
7 oz. St George Terroir Gin
4.5 oz. Berry Bros and Rudd No. 3 London Dry Gin
3 oz. Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
1.5 oz. Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
7 oz. Reverse Osmosis Water
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients together and stir until fully combined. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve. Garnish with cucumber balls (Jeff uses spherified cucumber compressed with absinthe, elderflower, salt, and cucumber juice).
The Botanist Martini is a fun riff on the classic. We use a unique blend of three different gins that create a strong base for the cocktail. At Botanist, we like to use ingredients that evoke the feeling of being in the Pacific Northwest, which we’ve done by incorporating spruce, verbena, and elderflower into the martini. The result is an herbaceous and bold twist on the beloved drink.– Jeff Savage, head bartender at Botanist in Vancouver
Saint Theo’s Martini
Saint Theo’s
By Simon Sebbah, beverage director at Saint Theo’s in New York City
Ingredients:
2 oz. Grey Goose Vodka
2 oz. Blend of equal parts Dolin Dry Vermouth and Noilly Prat Extra Dry Vermouth
2 dashes of Lemon Bitters
Preparation:
Add all ingredients into a small mixing glass with ice, stir for 20 seconds until chilled, then strain into your martini glass without ice. Add garnish of Saint Theo’s Pickled Onion and enjoy.
A well-made martini is the perfect drink for celebrating with friends after a long day at work or just sipping at home. Everyone has their own take on the classic cocktail; ours at Saint Theo’s is a combination between a vesper and a smooth, dry martini.—Simon Sebbah, beverage director of Saint Theo’s
As if (Martini)
Madam George
By Marshall Minaya, beverage director at Madame George in New York City
Ingredients:
1.5 oz, Monkey 47 Gin
.75 oz. Lychee Black Tea infused Dolin Blanc Vermouth
.25 oz. Giffard Lichi-Li
.5 oz. Blanc Verjus
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, fill with ice, and stir till diluted. Strain the martini into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with fresh lychee.
We have a cocktail named ‘As If’, and this martini variation plays on the ever-famous “Lychee-Tini.” Our reworked classics use a bit more traditional methods of building though, so with that in mind, this martini is built with a traditional martini in mind. We have a Gin base, using Monkey 47, and our blanc vermouth is infused with Lychee Black Tea, amplified with a touch of Giffard’s Lichi-Ali liqueur. We use verjus to provide acid to our cocktail without the use of fresh citrus. The idea of a cocktail like this is to have your memory start jumping to times and places where you had your first “tini” or smelled your parents and thought “ugh! How do you drink that?!’’-Marshall Minaya, beverage director at Madame George
Principe Martini
Principe
By Alan Wither, bar manager at Principe in New York City
Ingredients:
3 drops Colatura
.25 oz. Dry Marsala
.25 oz. Cocchi Americano
.25 oz. Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
2 oz. Vodka infused with Olive leaf
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir for thirty seconds. Strain into Nick and Nora or Coupe glass. Garnish with olive.
Olive leaf vodka:
Infuse 20 grams of olive leaf with one liter of vodka at room temperature for three hours. Strain.
Martini variations are everywhere. For this cocktail, we wanted to do something different but at the same time very recognizable. Infusing the Vodka with Olive leaf gives these savory earthy qualities without the salinity of a dirty martini.– Alan Wither, bar manager at Principe in New York City
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(@wiffygriffy) August 31, 2023
