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Tucked into the safari jeep, camera in hand, face-to-face with a lion, the feeling of excitement and disbelief rushed over me. I couldn’t believe where I was at that moment. How lucky I was. How intense and incredible it was to see this animal, among others, not behind a cage in the zoo, but roaming free.

Our guide, Isaac, whispered to us “he’s going to come right next to us. Don’t be scared, stay seated, take your pictures and just observe.” The lion came close enough to touch and in that moment, something in me changed. A safari experience will fill you with a deep love for wildlife and gratitude for the experiences you’ll have.

For me, Botswana is what sparked that.

Green Season in Botswana (How To Save Money)

Safaris can range quite drastically when it comes to price points and experience. Going during the green season, aka the off-season, can cut costs as much as 50% while still delivering an amazing experience and in some ways, a better adventure.

Green season is when many of the babies are born, so you have a great chance of seeing mothers tending to their newborn baby baboons, elephants, warthogs, hippos, giraffes, lions, buffalo, and more.

Even with the trees covered in greenery, the incredible guides through Desert & Delta properties, are extremely talented when it comes to finding unique experiences in the wild. From encountering a pack of wild dogs playing in the water and a leopard slinking through the bush, to lions mating and elephants taking a golden hour soak in a watering hole.

Why You Should Work With a Safari Operator

It’s incredibly worth it to go through a safari operator like Desert & Delta that represents nine amazing properties and manages the logistics. They handle the transportation in between the properties, activities, meals, safari game drives, and more to make sure your experience is stress free.

It’s possible to do a safari on your own by renting a car and driving through the national park. People do it, but in my opinion, you’re missing out on a lot. Having the help of professionals that understand animal behaviors, tracking, and communicating with each other to find the best experiences and wildlife interactions for their guests is worth every penny.

Where To Stay

Chobe Game Lodge

Chobe Game Lodge is a great destination to begin the trip. The property is filled with luxury accommodations, each room with a little something special from terraces with views of the Chobe River, to private plunge pools. There’s a pool on the property to cool off in and after being out in the heat on a game drive. Animals can come right into the property, so you could be taking a walk on the property, look over and see a family of warthogs walking across the grass.

Staying on the Chobe River, with Namibia right across, allows guests to experience boat safaris. You can relax, and sip a local beer while riding on the water spotting baboons coming down for a drink, elephants cooling off, and hippos floating around.

Wake up bright and early to head out for a safari game drive after a quick bite to eat and cup of coffee. The Jeeps will venture out into Chobe National Park to see what you can discover, and every day is different. You can see warthogs, hippos, giraffes, elephants, jackals, monitor lizards, beautiful birds, lions, and, of course, plenty of babies!

You’ll also be supporting talented women called the “Chobe Angels.” Johan Bruwer, the GM of the lodge and creator of the Chobe Angels, wanted to begin a completely female guide team, giving women career possibilities that weren’t prominent at the time. We had Vivian Diphupu, Environmental Educator and Guide Trainer, as the guide for our group, and she made it an unbelievable experience.

Savute Safari Lodge

All of the properties represented by Desert & Delta are top of the line, but Savute Safari Lodge will leave an extra special mark because of the watering holes right on the property. You could be cooling off in the pool or sitting down to breakfast and look over to see a huge herd of elephants playing in the water.

This particular property also had one of the most incredible guides, Isaac Mpuchane. His passion for wildlife is contagious, and he was so knowledgeable when it came to finding us incredible, life-changing experiences. He picked up on animal calls, tracking predators, and found very exclusive experiences like a herd of wild dogs playing in the water with each other, a leopard slinking through the greenery, lions mating, and more. We found a pack of hyenas, zebras, and so many beautiful birds like the yellow billed hornbill.

After the morning safari, you can head back to the room to take a little siesta in your private bungalow, with a huge spanning patio to lay out on and see what animals walk by. I was getting ready for bed one evening, and heard a trumpet sounding honk. When I looked out my window, an elephant was right outside my room! It’s truly an incredible experience.

Camp Okavango

For the last stop, I’d recommend Camp Okavango. Experiencing the Okavango Delta, a World Heritage Site, is a good way to see a different side of the safari world. After experiencing boat safaris in the national park at Chobe Game Lodge and game drives at Savute Safari Lodge, exploring the delta is completely different.

The rooms on the property feel like your own private treehouse, surrounded by the noises of wildlife and branches swaying in the wind. As I was unpacking, I heard and saw monkeys swinging through the trees, and my back patio opened up into the bush, so at any given moment, you could see animals walking by. There’s a spacious, double shower to freshen up in before dinner, and a gorgeous infinity pool to swim in with a glass of local Amarula Cream Liqueur on the rocks.

Take the mokoro ride to explore a variety of birds and plants along the water. Take an airboat out to look for hippos, crocodiles, and elephants crossing through or a helicopter ride to get a lay of the land. Guests can even do a walking safari to explore the land, looking for giraffes and other animals like the Verreaux Owl with striking light pink eyelids. With our guide, Taps, at Camp Okavango, we had incredible wildlife experiences followed by a sundowner cocktail hour with our feet in the delta.

How To Pack

When packing for Botswana, keep in mind that you usually need to have a pretty light weight, soft, squeezable bag for the bush planes like the the Dagne Dover Landon Neoprene Carryall Bag. You can’t be schlepping huge checked bags onto small planes with limited space for luggage, so packing light is essential.You can pack even lighter than normal with laundry services readily available for property guests, so you really only need a couple of clutch items and your camera equipment.

You’ll want lightweight, breathable clothing like cotton or linen, in soft earth tones. Of course, plenty of sunscreen, a hat, a bathing suit, proper footwear like sneakers or hiking boots, strong bug spray and Bug Bite Thing products like their Tick Remover or the Suction Tool.

For game drives, I brought the Lux & Nyx Large Origami Tote for essentials like my camera, sunscreen, water bottle, chargers, and phone among other miscellaneous things. Be sure to speak to your doctor about any necessary vaccines and medications needed like malaria pills as a precaution.

What To Expect

Expect the unexpected! At any given moment you can encounter a baby being born, mating rituals, a lioness hunting prey, or other once in a lifetime experiences. Be in the moment and take some time to appreciate where you are.

Unlike other wildlife experiences I’ve had, like swimming with great whites in Mexico where divers had to learn how to use scuba breathing gear, or trekking to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, safari experiences have no real effort involved for guests and can be enjoyed by many. You relax comfortably in the boat or safari vehicles with a cup of coffee or bottle of water, camera equipment by your side, and simply enjoy the experience.

I can’t recommend Botswana enough. Seeing animals up close, in the wild, is an experience that will stick with you for life.

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw PinkPantheress drop off a pleasing appetizer and The Weeknd grab the ascending Doechii for a feature. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.

Kali Uchis — “All I Can Say”

After delivering one of 2024’s best albums (according to the Uproxx Music Critics Poll), Kali Uchis is already back with a new project. Sincerely, (that comma is part of the title) is out now and it’s highlighted by dreamy tracks like “All I Can Say.”

Rosé — “Messy”

The F1 movie has quite the soundtrack and among the artists featured is Blackpink’s Rosé. Her contribution is “Messy,” a dynamic ballad that’s anything but.

PinkPantheress — “Illegal”

It’s not quite a new album, but PinkPantheress’ new 20-minute EP Fancy That is a still a welcomed amuse-bouches. She tends to go short anyway, but there are still highlights like the jittery and smooth “Illegal” to be had.

Tyla — “Bliss”

While we wait for that Tyla rap song, the South African singer has unveiled “Bliss.” It’s a sultry track that sees Tyla in a celebratory mood over something special she’s found.

The Weeknd — “Timeless (Remix)” Feat. Playboi Carti and Doechii

It is Doechii’s moment right now and The Weeknd sees that. The latter dropped “Timeless” with Playboi Carti last year, and now he’s added Doechii to a fiery new remix.

Fiona Apple — “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)”

New Fiona Apple music is a treat given how rarely it tends to come around, but the circumstances surrounding her latest aren’t as sweet: “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” is inspired by years Apple has spent court-watching and seeing what the bail system can do to people and families.

Kid Cudi — “Neverland”

Kid Cudi seems to be always trying something new, so you can’t really predict what a new song from him will sound like. His latest, last week’s “Neverland,” hearkens back a bit to his folky Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven era, but with some hip-hop and poppy production added to the mix.

André 3000 — “Off Rhythm Laughter”

No, André 3000 still isn’t rapping again yet, but he does have more new music. Last week, he unexpectedly released 7 Piano Sketches, an EP that doesn’t have bars, but does have André expressing himself through the ivories.

Mariah The Scientist — “Burning Blue”

Mariah is back with her first new single since dropping 2023’s To Be Eaten Alive: She shared “Burning Blue” last week, which is the start of a new era, as a press release declared she’s “been working on new music which will soon be ready for the world via her fourth studio album.”

Amelia Moore — “Spelling Bee” Feat. Teezo Touchdown

Moore takes a Scripps-approved way of getting a raunchy message across on her new single “Spelling Bee,” with lyrics like, “How do I say what’s on my brain? / You say, ‘Babe, maybe you could write it down’ / Oh, okay / F-*-C-K me in the B-E-D of the GMC, ooh, baby / So W-E-T when you B-E-G for my L-O-V-E, ooh, baby.”

At the end of March, Morgan Wallen was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live. His performances went fine, and he even used them to tease the tracklist of his album I’m The Problem. The real headline, though, was during the show’s goodbyes, when Wallen walked off the stage instead of sticking around and mingling during the credits, as is tradition.

Shortly after, Wallen shared a photo of his jet and wrote, “Get me to God’s country,” suggesting that he was eager to get out the SNL studio and perhaps had some tension with the show. Now, he has offered his perspective.

On a Sundae Conversation video shared yesterday (May 11), host Caleb Pressley asked Wallen is he’s “good around the house” and “handy,” and Wallen said, “I used to do landscaping before I moved here, so I do know how to do all that stuff.” Pressley followed up, “Could you fix a TV… if it was on SNL?” Wallen laughed and answered, “I could change it, for sure.”

The host’s next question was, “Seriously, SNL: Did they make you mad?” Wallen answered quickly, “No. No, I was ready to go home. I had been there all week.”

Wallen has an up-and-down history with SNL. He was set to be the musical guest on October 10, 2020, but the show canceled that after videos of him at a party during peak COVID, not wearing a mask, surfaced. Then, he actually did serve as musical guest on the December 5 episode that year.

Watch the full Sundae Conversation video above.

It’s safe to say that Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is a runaway box-office hit. In less than a month, the R-rated horror flick has raked in $214 million stateside and $283 million worldwide, which should be an answer to anybody who questions whether hard-hitting original IP is what audiences want (oh, they want it). Yet what will happen when Coogler climbs aboard the reboot/revival/remake train next? For starters, you can count on Coogler to make the trip worthwhile, both as an investment of his talent and his audience’s time.

Monsters of the week, paranoia, skepticism, and a central dynamic full of unresolved sexual tension? That’s a vast simplification of what the original The X-Files series delivered over the course of eleven seasons (counting those two that launched in 2026) and multiple movies. Now, the truth is out there again, and Coogler will crack it. Let’s see what that truth is delivering so far.

Plot

Let’s get real first: most revivals and reimaginings do not hit Cobra Kai heights of audience satisfaction or Mr. and Mrs. Smith levels of inventiveness and recontextualization. Coogler will easily be able to do so, but of course, we have to mention that until very recently, there was a question on whether he would really tackle The X-Files.

Oh, it is happening. He will probably also have a powerful soundtrack to boot, but those are tidbits for another day. Right now, we must draw attention to how Coogler (while promoting Sinners) told Last Podcast on the Left (via Variety) that The X-Files reboot is “immediately next” for his schedule:

“I’ve been excited about that for a long time and I’m fired up to get back to it … Some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really f*cking scary.”

And what of Gillian Anderson’s interest in returning as FBI Agent Dana Scully? Coogler added that they are in contact: “We’re going to try to make something really great, bro, and make something for the real ‘X-Files’ fans and maybe find some new ones.” Granted, Anderson hasn’t inked a deal yet (according to Coogler), but “[s]he’s incredible and fingers crossed there.” Previously, Anderson declared, “I cannot think of a better way around for a reboot to happen. I think he’s a bit of a genius” and a “brilliant, brilliant director.” What else? “Maybe I’tl pop in for a little somethin-somethin,” which is the first time Anderson has been open to joining a reboot.

Variety previously reported that this reboot would likely land on Hulu as part of Coogler’s five-year deal with Walt Disney Television. Original creator Chris Carter is also pumped for Coogler’s vision, as he told Inverse

“I just asked him what his ideas were, and he told me, and I said, ‘Those sound like good ideas,’” Carter said. “No matter what, he’s got a hard job. Casting is a hard job. Mounting it is a hard job. All the problems that I dealt with are going to be his problems.”

One more loose end: if “skeptic Scully” returned, would “believer” Fox Mulder make a comeback, too? Well, maybe, as David Duchovny admitted to Screenrant, “It just depends on Chris [Carter] or the other writers. I’m always like, ‘Hey, let’s see.’” He did, however, specify that “I don’t know what my character would be like at my age.”

Actually, Clyde Bruckman had a prophecy on what might have happened to Mulder (although he might have been trolling), and it’s… not great:

Did “autoerotic asphyxiation” get Mulder after all? It had to be mentioned.

Cast

No official announcements have been made. We can assume that the series would move on from Fox Mulder even though Gillian Anderson might resume her Dana Scully role. Maybe she’ll be in a Skinner-type position overseeing a new pair of FBI agents? That would make for an unusual supervisory dynamic, considering everything that Scully has seen to change her past perspectives.

It’s also hard to believe that Coogler wouldn’t somehow recruit frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan after their recent Sinners success on top of their Black Panther, Fruitvale Station, and Creed pairings. These two are a dream team, after all.

Release Date

Since Coogler unequivocally declared this to be his next project, a 2026 release is possible if Hulu is the overriding destination. For FX, that would be another story.

Trailer

Not possible yet, but until a trailer emerges, we can enjoy this video of Mulder and Scully repeatedly saying, “El Chupacabra.”

Ahead of the release of Never Enough, Turnstile played their first live performance of 2025. It was a free show at Wyman Park Dell in the hardcore band’s hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, and based on all the videos, including the official rip above, it looked like a helluva good time.

There was a huge mosh pit, countless stage divers, and the live debut of Never Enough songs — best of all, it was for a good cause. Turnstile raised money for Health Care For The Homeless, who provide health care services and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness.

“Turnstile played a free show in a public park with free water and the only thing they asked was to donate money to health care for the homeless. Doesn’t get much cooler than that,” one fan wrote on social media.

You can watch Turnstile (who are also premiering the Never Enough visual album at the Tribeca Film Festival) at Wyman Park Dell above, and check out the setlist below (via setlist.fm).

Turnstile’s Wyman Park Dell Setlist

1. “Never Enough”
2. “T.L.C. (Turnstile Love Connection)”
3. “Endless”
4. “Underwater Boi”
5. “Come Back For More”
6. “Fazed Out”
7. “7”
8. “Keep It Moving”
9. “Pushing Me Away”
10. “Real Thing”
11. “Holiday”
12. “Don’t Play”
13. “Fly Again”
14. “Drop”
15. “Alien Love Call”
16. “Mystery”
17. “Blackout”
18. “Seein’ Stars”
19. “Birds”

Never Enough is out 6/6 via Roadrunner. Find more information here.

Happy belated Mother’s Day to those who celebrated yesterday (May 11). Drake spent at least a portion of the day paying tribute to his beloved mom, Sandra Graham.

On Instagram, he shared a few photos of her and gave her credit for allowing him to achieve what he has in his life. He wrote:

“It’s solely because of your relentless dedication that we are all here in this current day life setting. You kept 30 or so young men on the right path since 2007 and encouraged us to take care of each other which prompted us to form a new family that allowed us to become providers and bring joy and peace of mind back to the homes we all started at. Happy Mother’s Day from all the guys…to the kindest and most nurturing woman on earth. Forever Sandra’s Rose.”

Back in 2023, the two shared an emotional moment during Drake’s Madison Square Garden concert. He brought her on stage as he performed his 2011 Take Care cut “Look What You’ve Done,” which includes the lyrics, “They love your son, man, that boy gone / You get the operation you dreamed of / And I finally send you to Rome / And get to make good on my promise / It all worked out, girl, we should’ve known / ‘Cause you deserve it.” Graham appeared to have an emotional reaction to the special moment.

That Mexican OT isn’t just playing the part of a heartbroken cowboy on “Baby Mad At Me,” his new song with Lil Wayne. He’s living it.

Over the weekend, the rapper was upended by a bull at a Ultimate Bullfighters: Midnight Bullfight rodeo event in Fort Worth, Texas. “@thatmexicanot IS Buckin Insane,” PBR Rodeo wrote on Instagram, along with a video of That Mexican OT first avoiding, then getting nailed by a charging bull. No wonder he changed “Baby Mad At Me” to “Bull Mad At Me.”

“That boy is out there LIVING!!!! Hell yeah, bet he needed a good soak after that,” one reply to the video reads, while another person wrote, “I’ve got more respect for him now haha yeehaw!!!” According to The Houston Chronicle, even fellow rapper Slim Thug responded with four fire emojis.

Midnight Bullfight is described as an “adrenaline-fueled, high-intensity rodeo sport that showcases the agility and daring of skilled athletes. Unlike traditional bullfighting, where the goal is to avoid the bull’s horns, freestyle bullfighting emphasizes close quarters maneuvering and choreographed evasion. Competitors showcase their athleticism by performing acrobatic leaps, spins, and rapid changes in direction while evading the bull’s charges.”

You can watch the video of That Mexican OT here.

The 2025 Just Like Heaven festival this past weekend featured an all-star lineup filled with favorites from the 2000s and 2010s. Among them was Vampire Weekend, who paid tribute to their peers with a run of era-appropriate covers.

Towards the end of their set, Ezra Koenig and company performed portions (a verse and a chorus, mostly) of “Lisztomania” by Phoenix, “The Less I Know The Better” by Tame Impala, “Space Song” by Beach House, “Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear, and “Wolf Like Me” by TV On The Radio. (Notably, Koenig featured on Phoenix’s “Tonight” in 2022.)

The festival lineup also featured Beach Fossils, Bloc Party, Courtney Barnett, Empire Of The Sun, Panda Bear, Perfume Genius, Peter Bjorn And John, Rilo Kiley, Toro Y Moi, TV On The Radio, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Wild Nothing, and others.

Check out a video above and find the band’s full setlist below (via setlist.fm).

Vampire Weekend’s Just Like Heaven 2025 Setlist

1. “Mansard Roof”
2. “Holiday”
3. “Ice Cream Piano”
4. “Classical”
5. “Unbelievers”
6. “Step”
7. “This Life”
8. “Sympathy”
9. “Capricorn”
10. “Gen-X Cops”
11. “Diane Young”
12. “A-Punk”
13. “Campus”
14. “Oxford Comma”
15. “Mary Boone”
16. “Harmony Hall”
17. “Lisztomania” (Phoenix cover)
18. “The Less I Know The Better” (Tame Impala cover)
19. “Space Song” (Beach House cover)
20. “Two Weeks” (Grizzly Bear cover)
21. “Wolf Like Me” (TV On The Radio cover)
22. “Walcott”

With tracks like “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2,” “Stateside,” and “Tonight,” it is safe to say PinkPantheress is one of the foremost faces of electro-pop. But the Grammy-nominated producer’s personal genre of choice might shock you.

Yesterday (May 10), PinkPantheress surprised users online when she revealed she is a huge fan of rap music. For some the confession isn’t the jarring as PinkPantheress has collaborated with hip-hop acts in the past such as Ice Spice and Central Cee. But when PinkPantheress told Pitchfork her all-time favorite album was Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, that seemed to come from left field. So, she went on to open up about the snobbish reason she feel in love with the project.

“It’s my favorite album because […] I remember thinking I was so far ahead intellectually because I enjoyed it,” said PinkPantheress during an appearance on the outlet’s series My Perfect 10. “Which is so funny because I probably actually wasn’t at all. But I remember listening to it, feeling cool because I was listening to it. And as time went on, it struck more of a chord the older I got because I was like ‘Wait I actually understand what he’s saying in these songs now.’”

She went on to poke fun at her then high school mindset, saying: “[These were] my thoughts back then when I was a teenager.”

Back in 2023, first revealed her professional admiration for Lamar when she shared a story about their failed studio session.

Watch PinkPantheress’s full sit down with Pitchfork here.

The Boys‘ fifth season is currently hot and heavy into filming with Vought Rising poised to take the superhero-skewering franchise into the past including the creation of Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy and Aya Cash’s Stormfront. Before those series return, Eric Kripke’s universe will head back to campus with Gen V, which ended on a cliffhanger with Homelander rewriting a bloodbath’s narrative and choosing his own “heroes,” who will still be in Godolkin University’s good graces as the next semester begins.

This will happen with open arms from God U’s new dean, Cipher, portrayed by Midnight Mass‘ Hamish Linklater, who always delivers unsettling vibes. He will be assisted by Cate (Maddie Phillips) and Sam (Asa Germann), who will no doubt help keep alleged troublemakers Emma/Cricket (Lizze Broadway), Marie (Jaz Sinclair), and Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh) under control. Sadly, Golden Boy (Patrick Schwarzenegger) is now a ghostly vapor trail, yet a major question remains.

Does Gen V Season 2 Have A Release Date Yet??

Nope. Frustrating? Yes, but “2025” is the only confirmed tidbit from Prime Video/Amazon at this time. If a summer date isn’t announced soon, then this year’s San Diego Comic-Con will surely drop those goods.

If it’s any consolation, Eric Kripke recently revealed that the second season is fully edited and “doing music, sound & VFX now” so that the first trailer can be released into the wild. He also promised a date “coming soon,” and he added that this “this season is better.” No bias there, right? Yet if he’s correct, get ready, and fingers are crossed for more revelations soon.