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If you’re a fan of fresh, summery highballs, you’re probably a big fan of the classic gin and tonic. This simple, refreshing cocktail consists of — you guessed it — tonic water and gin. Sure, some bartenders add extra ingredients to this gin-centric drink, but those are the only ingredients you need to guarantee a crisp, refreshing highball you’ll want to drink from now until the first leaves fall in the autumn (and beyond).

But as great as this simple drink is, there are about a million takes on the classic duo — mostly thanks to endless garnishing variations. Among these, our favorite might be the much-beloved “Spanish gin & tonic.” Popularized in Spain, this version of the gin and tonic consists of extra ingredients designed to crank up the flavors to 11. It’s so popular there that there are bars centered specifically around this iconic drink.

This version begins with the traditional gin and tonic and then adds herbs, botanicals, seeds, fruits, and sometimes even bitters depending on the recipe. It’s then served in a massive balloon glass (instead of a highball or rocks glass). Common ingredients you’ll find include citrus wheels, rosemary (and just about any other herb you can think of), juniper berries, rose petals… it’s really only limited by your imagination. Because really, we’re just talking about “a g & t with lots of flourishes!”

“The key to a great Spanish G+T is pairing the botanicals of your gin to your garnish selections, as well as paying heed to your tonic water of choice,” says Brandon Ristaino, co-founder and beverage director at Good Lion Hospitality in Santa Barbara, California. “While there are countless pairings one could cite, any gin that shows a pronounced set of botanicals — and exhibits elements of ‘terroir’ — makes for an amazing Spanish gin and tonic.”

Below, you’ll find bartender-approved gin picks for which gins to pour in your next Spanish gin & tonic.

Fords Gin

Keith McCarthy, general manager at Jones Hollywood in Los Angeles

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $25

The Gin:

Fords Gin is my pick. The botanicals in the product really lend themselves to great cocktails. It’s versatile enough to have fun with the rest of the ingredients. For a Spanish gin and tonic, I start with Fords, a quality tonic, and always a grapefruit peel. After that, we like to play around with whatever is fresh. Sometimes a bit of cucumber or blackberry. I always like to finish off my Spanish gin & tonic with a few “Angel Tears”, a saline solution with Dirty Sue Premium Olive Juice, and spring water.

Tasting Notes:

Juniper, lavender, and spices make this a great base for a Spanish Gin tonic. It’s spicy, and flavorful, and pairs well with floral flavors.

Condesa Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom Gin

Wesley Rinco, beverage director at La Barca in New York City

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $47

The Gin:

I would say Condesa Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom Gin crafted in Mexico City because it’s a classic London dry with a new world touch, not very juniper-forward, and its wide array of complex flavors and floral notes always complements a clean classic tonic water. It’s a great option for those looking to add a unique twist to their Spanish gin tonic.

Tasting Notes:

It has a unique flavor profile that includes the sweet and floral notes of orange blossom and the fruity and slightly tart taste of prickly pear and a pop of raspberry. These flavors make it a great choice for a Spanish gin tonic because they complement the fresh garnishes typically used in this cocktail. The sweetness of the orange blossom and prickly pear also helps to balance the bitterness of the tonic water, creating a well-rounded and refreshing drink.

Nordes Gin

Shiva Thapa, head bartender at Miller & Lux in San Francisco

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $35

The Gin:

Bright and with sweet floral aromas, I prefer Nordes Gin for Spanish Gin Tonics. Rich with botanicals, I always use Fever Tree tonic water. Together, they are a refreshing and flavorful match.

Tasting Notes:

Made in Galicia, Spain, this perfumed gin offers hints of peach, rose, rainbow sherbet, and raspberry.

Nolet’s Dry Gin

Joel Karaway, senior mixologist at The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Florida

ABV: 47.6%

Average Price: $45

The Gin:

Nolet’s Dry Gin is a great choice for a Spanish gin tonic as it is a dry gin that works with a lot of different flavors, including citrus. The ingredients include wheat spirit, botanicals (including juniper), rose, peach, and raspberry.

Tasting Notes:

The taste is very floral and fruity, pairing well with the herby citrus and berry flavor of the Spanish gin tonic cocktail.

Gin Mare

Isaac Ergas, bartender at 786bartend.com in Miami

ABV: 42.7%

Average Price: $40

The Gin:

Gin Mare is a captivating and vibrant aroma. The carefully selected botanicals used in its production create a nose that is both herbaceous and floral, making it a perfect choice for gin enthusiasts seeking a sensory experience. When crafting a gin tonic with Gin Mare, you can unlock its full potential by complementing its unique flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

The initial taste reveals a delightful hint of sweetness accompanied by the prominent flavors of juniper and citrus. The finish is long and lingering, leaving behind a gentle warmth that invites you to savor it.

Tanqueray London Dry Gin

Doug Mejia, bartender at Franklin Lounge in Las Vegas

ABV: 47.3%

Average Price: $28

The Gin:

Tanqueray London Dry Gin is a great choice. A classic good London dry gin is my go-to for a Spanish gin-tonic. From citrus to herbs like rosemary, and botanicals like juniper berries. It’s the dealer’s choice per Spanish tradition but the more garnishes, the better.

Tasting Notes:

It has good floral aromas and compliments a variety of garnishes very well. Citrus peels, spices, and juniper, this classic gin is a perfect base for a Spanish gin tonic.

Xoriguer Mahón Gin

Christian Taibi, bartender at Mahina & Sun’s in Honolulu, Hawaii

ABV: 41%

Average Price: $37

The Gin:

An interesting culture, Spain’s interpretation of gin is redefining how this spirit should be expressed throughout cocktails. Mahón is an incredible spirit incorporating aged juniper berries (up to two years) as well as local grapes otherwise used for Spain’s incredible wines. Something as simple as a classic martini will bring enlightenment to the pallet.

Tasting Notes:

The more floral expression speaks for itself as a lighter yet more botanical base for said classic. It’s floral, juniper-heavy, and very complex.

Nikka Coffey Gin

William Keeling, bartender at The Iron Door at the Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley, California

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $40

The Gin:

The keys to a good Spanish gin and tonic lie in its core components — the gin and the tonic. Emphasis on the “and” because we don’t want to overlook the tonic, a common habit. With a tonic that’s properly effervescent, sweet, bitter, and chilled, in a glass that keeps in the bubbles while allowing the nose to open while you sip, the gin becomes a partner to the tonic. When I think of Spanish flavors I think bright and citrusy. For a gin, what comes to mind is Nikka Coffey Gin. Funny that I’m recommending a Japanese spirit here, but it embodies those two flavor notes well.

Tasting Notes:

Still with a floral note of juniper is that of lemon, yuzu, and orange. Combined with a good straightforward tonic, chilled, in its proper vessel, with whichever accouterments catch your fancy, we should have a great Spanish gin tonic.

Barr Hill Gin

Jill Caron, bar principle at The Salty Pig in Boston

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $40

The Gin:

Coming from New England, I think the best gin for a Spanish gin and tonic would be Barr Hill Gin coming out of Vermont. This gin isn’t made with a ton of botanicals but has enough punch to go alongside the extra juniper berry garnish.

Tasting Notes:

This gin is distilled with hand-crushed organic juniper and then finished with raw honey coming from that region of Vermont. So, you still get the depth of the botanicals and then the smoothness of the honey. Which makes for a very drinkable gin.

Sipsmith London Dry Gin

Scott Taylor, beverage director at Harris’ Restaurant in San Francisco

ABV: 41.6%

Average Price: $32

The Gin:

Sipsmith London Dry Gin is my go-to for a Spanish gin and tonic. If you prefer more of a fruit-forward tipple, Sipsmith’s Strawberry Smash, made with Wimbledon strawberries and English mint, is a good alternative for an exceptionally refreshing Spanish Gin Tonic.

Tasting Notes:

The heavy citrus notes of lemon and orange peel are balanced by the traditional herbs of coriander, juniper, and orris root, making it a great base for this flavorful cocktail.

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

Drew Russ, lead bartender at Venteux in Chicago

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $38

The Gin:

I enjoy Botanist Islay Dry Gin from Scotland. It has a nice salinity that pairs well with tonic, and it plays nice with other citrusy flavors that you can add to your glass. It also works great with rosemary as an herbaceous gin and tonic.

Tasting Notes:

This floral, citrus-filled, piney, juniper-forward, botanical heavy gin is a great base for a fresh, summery Spanish gin and tonic.

Brooklyn Gin

Jared Bailey, bar manager at Soho Cigar Bar in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $42

The Gin:

I will always prefer a dry gin for my classic gin cocktails and the characteristics of Brooklyn Gin easily complement the herbs and flavors that are introduced in a Spanish gin and tonic. The light and crisp Brooklyn Gin pairs well with the introduction of the lemon and the thyme.

Tasting Notes:

This is a great base for a flavorful, aromatic Spanish gin tonic with its notes of orange peels, juniper berries, lavender, and other complementary spices.

St. George Terroir

Bijan Ghiai, beverage manager at Urban Hill in Salt Lake City

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $30

The Gin:

St. George Terroir Gin is a fantastic gin for a Spanish gin and tonic. This complex gin is infused with herbs and botanicals like black peppercorn, juniper berries, bergamot peel, dill seed, Sevilla orange peel, and countless more.

Tasting Notes:

It has all the herbaceousness, strong upfront sage and rosemary, and savory elements that make it stand out for such a simplistic cocktail. You can build upon that with your dehydrated herbs, juniper berries, pink peppercorns, it all plays off really well with that Gin.

Bombay Sapphire Premiere Cru Murcian Lemon

Federico Doldi, food and beverage director at Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York City

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $46

The Gin:

The best gin for a Spanish gin and tonic is definitely the new Bombay Sapphire Premiere Cru. I like to pair it with London Essence Pomelo & Pink Pepper tonic water, star anise, and a fresh slice of orange and lemon. The perfect combination to enjoy during summer.

Tasting Notes:

Made with Murcian lemons, mandarins, and sweet navel oranges. It’s even more incredible given that it’s a sustainable gin.

Harrison Ford may be on the verge of turning 81, but he’s not slowing down. In fact he hates the very idea of retiring. He recently made his Marvel debut. He’s playing the president — again — in Captain America: Brave New World, the first movie to feature Anthony Mackie in the titular role. Mackie was understandably on edge working with one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but Ford knew how to chill everyone out.

“The first day was so intimidating,” Mackie told Inverse, in a bit caught by IndieWire. “I was so f*cking nervous I couldn’t remember my lines. He’s Harrison fucking Ford. There is this aura about him.”

Luckily Mackie was soon put at ease. “But he dispels that really quickly because he’s such a cool guy. He’s everything a movie star should be. He would say, ‘Let’s shoot this piece of sh*t.’ And everybody was like, ‘Yeah, let’s shoot this sh*t.’”

Ford takes over the role of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross from the late William Hurt, who passed away last year. Hurt played the role starting in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk and up through Black Widow. Ross used to be a general before graduating to secretary of state.

The actor can now be seen in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which isn’t doing so hot at the box office. That’s too bad because it’s pretty delightful.

(Via Inverse and IndieWire)

The first weekend of free agency is in the books and has seen more than 60 players sign new deals. A lot of those have been players re-signing, as to this point there have been only a few big money deals handed out to players changing teams — and most of those have been by one team, the Houston Rockets. That said, there have been some teams and players that had a better weekend than others.

With a lot of teams having to make additions on the margins, either with minimum deals or using exceptions, teams are fighting over the same group of players and some have done better than others at filling out their rosters with depth and talent. Here, we’ll look at the winners and losers of the first weekend of free agency.

There are some teams that have simply done what they had to in re-signing their guys — the Bucks, Mavs, Kings, and Warriors stand out — but haven’t been able to upgrade around them. And then you have the rebuilding teams that have been patient, not wanting to rush their process — the Magic, Pistons, Thunder, Spurs, and Jazz all fit this category — using cap space to take on contracts from other teams and add assets. Those all exist somewhere in between these lists.

The criteria for teams is fairly simple: How well have you executed your plan? Every team has been trying to address some need, and some have done better than others. From a player perspective it’s more about value: Have you been able to extract a little extra money or an extra year or two on a deal than most expected?

WINNERS

Everyone the Rockets signed or tried to sign

After the Pistons and Kings used their cap space via extensions and trades, there weren’t a lot of teams out there with money to spend once free agency opened. That makes life hard on players and agents to drum up enough of a bidding war to get their guys paid, but anyone who was able to garner legitimate interest from the Rockets managed to do just that and likely walked away with one of the best contracts of the summer.

Fred VanVleet was able to pit the Raptors and Rockets against each other to get 3/130 from Houston. Dillon Brooks got a 4/80 from the Rockets, without many other suitors above the mid-level. Jock Landale got his QO pulled by Phoenix and came out a big winner, nabbing 4/32 after Houston struck out on Brook Lopez. Lopez got 2/48 from Milwaukee, as the Bucks had to give him a big annual salary to avoid him bolting. Kyrie Irving nabbed a 3/126 from the Mavs, partially on the off-chance Houston missed out on VanVleet and would need to find someone to spend all that money on. Jeff Green even got a $6 million deal just to be an adult in Houston, cashing in on a title run to vault out of the veteran minimum range.

Kyle Kuzma

As Friday night approached, it seemed like Kyle Kuzma could end up getting squeezed a bit in the market. Houston’s focus was on VanVleet, Brooks, and Lopez, with Kuzma seemingly a secondary (or tertiary) potential target for them. Sacramento, a team long connected to interest in Kuzma, had used up most of its space by re-signing Harrison Barnes (who plays the same position as Kuzma). Indiana was, likewise, focused elsewhere on Bruce Brown, and there was a real chance for Kuzma to find himself without a lot of leverage to maximize his value in negotiations. However, he quickly picked up a 4-year, $102 million deal to return to the Wizards, landing the long-term deal he wanted, while giving the Wizards a secondary scorer alongside Jordan Poole who, depending on how long the rebuild drags on, could be a useful trade chip in coming years.

Phoenix Suns

There weren’t any massive signings by the Suns, but they’ve done the best on the veteran minimum market of just about anyone. There are a lot of teams trying to work on the margins, and Phoenix has won out on a number of battles for top veterans. What separates the Suns from, say, the Warriors, is that there are no defined roles in Phoenix right now beyond their star quartet, which means lots of minutes are available in the rotation — regular season and postseason — for guys to potentially make themselves some money in the future. Phoenix was able to get some shooting in the form of Yuta Watanabe, Damion Lee, and Eric Gordon, bring back a defensive presence in Josh Okogie, add solid backup bigs in Drew Eubanks and Chimezie Metu, and even got a younger wing in Keita Bates-Diop who brings some upside to a roster seriously lacking in it.

Cleveland Cavaliers

After their first round loss to the Knicks in five games, the Cavaliers clearly got the message that they needed to upgrade their wing rotation. Cleveland hit the market to be a spender on the wing, re-signing Caris LeVert and adding Georges Niang and Max Strus (via a sign-and-trade that sent Lamar Stevens and Cedi Osman to San Antonio) to reshape their wing rotation with an eye on adding veterans who can be trusted in a playoff setting. They still need better play from their frontcourt, which got smoked on the glass by New York, and my guess is they give Jarrett Allen one more year to see if he can deliver on the playoff stage before looking into changes there. Otherwise, they’ve answered their biggest question coming off of last year. That’s important for an up-and-coming team, and we saw last year Denver have a similar offseason bolstering their rotation around their core four with some veteran upgrades for the playoff rotation. The difference, of course, is that the Cavs don’t have Nikola Jokic so I’m not sure they’re suddenly title contenders, but I do think they gave themselves a chance to be more of a threat in the East playoffs — again, pending some internal strides taken by their stars.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers had a very solid start to free agency. They were able to bring in some needed guard help in the form of Gabe Vincent, and retained Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell at a reasonable prices. They took a flier on Jaxson Hayes to be a young, backup big who can eat some minutes at center, and then solidified their wing rotation by bringing back Rui Hachimura and adding Taurean Prince with the bi-annual exception. They succeeded in their quest to have more continuity coming into this season, but didn’t have to overpay to do so and also added three potential rotation contributors from the outside, at least one of whom should be part of the playoff rotation.

Indiana Pacers

There’s some sticker shock with the Tyrese Haliburton extension, but he’s an All-Star who just averaged 20/10 in a season on tremendous shooting efficiency. That results in a max extension just about every time, and the Pacers absolutely believe he’s a core guy. They also bolstered their roster with things they needed around him. Bruce Brown was someone just about every team was pursuing, and while they definitely had to pay big for him (although that second year is a team option), that’s the price of getting a role player to leave a contender and join a team hoping simply to be in the Play-In hunt next year. Adding Obi Toppin for a couple second round picks was also a nice use of cap space, bringing in a bouncy forward who has gotten continuously better in his career and will join a team that looks to get out and run and should fit his skillset nicely. This isn’t a team that’s suddenly a contender but they used their cap space well to add a defensive-minded veteran they desperately need, locked up a key piece long-term, and took a swing on a young player that fits their profile.

Jerami Grant

Grant might want to send Damian Lillard a gift basket for holding off on his trade request until the team had reached an agreement with Grant on a 5-year, $160 million deal. Once again, in a market where very few teams had the cap space to threaten to poach a guy like Grant, landing a deal for that long and that much money is rather incredible. Grant was terrific last year and he’ll fit in Portland with or without Lillard, but I’m not sure anyone was anticipating the fifth year on his deal — or why Portland felt they had to give that to him.

LOSERS

Philadelphia 76ers

So far the Sixers have signed Patrick Beverley and had James Harden pick up his player option and request a trade. Georges Niang and Shake Milton have signed elsewhere in free agency and they can’t really look to add many more veterans until they know what they will be getting back for Harden. While they might get a decent return for him, it’s going to be nearly impossible for them to completely replace his production in a trade given his value won’t be particularly high on an expiring when most everyone assumes he wants to be in Los Angeles. We know Daryl Morey is willing to get uncomfortable with a trade request and let it linger, but with a new coach, you’d like to have the team set going into camp.

Portland Trail Blazers

Well, it finally happened. Damian Lillard issued his trade request on Saturday after the Blazers had already handed a 5/160 to Jerami Grant, but had not found any other additions to upgrade the roster. They now must do what they have undoubtedly been preparing to do for much of this summer, which is trade their franchise cornerstone. The reason they’re in the Losers category isn’t simply that they have to trade Lillard, as long-term that might be for the best. It’s that, as of now, there’s not a clear suitor who can give them value back for him — and just gave Grant a contract that’s going to be hard to move for positive assets in return.

The Miami Heat’s offer is well below what Dame should be going for, both in current players and future assets. The Nets can throw picks at Portland, which helps, but if Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson aren’t in the mix it still won’t feel like an ideal return. Portland should (and by all accounts will) let this drag on a bit to see what other teams
might make offers, because Lillard has so many years left on his deal that even teams who aren’t on his preferred list should be willing to make a solid offer. Still, it’s extremely rare for a team to get back even close to positive value in a star trade request, and the Blazers now have to figure out how to reset the roster.

Restricted Free Agents not named Cam Johnson

The RFA market is cooked, plain and simple. Cam Johnson got a 4/108, in part because the Nets decided to play nice when they could’ve very easily squeezed him once Detroit traded for Joe Harris and used up their cap space. That was nice to see, but as has been the case for a few years now, there just aren’t strong offer sheets to be had for most RFAs. Austin Reaves couldn’t find anyone to throw him an offer sheet, meaning the Lakers got to bring him in on a 4/54 (the max they could offer him), which is incredible value for the guy who is their third-best player. Herbert Jones got the same deal after New Orleans declined his team option to pay him sooner, which was both nice by them and also probably got him signed to what will look like a significant value contract by the back half of it. Coby White got 3/33 from the Bulls, which might’ve been the best non-Cam Johnson RFA deal a player signed, but certainly not an overpay by any stretch for a solidly efficient shooter.

Then you have the guys still waiting on deals. Grant Williams, a helpful rotation player on a contender, is still sitting there without an offer sheet even though Boston is far from a lock to match after the Porzingis trade. Matisse Thybulle is in purgatory waiting for the Blazers to figure out what they’re doing. PJ Washington and Paul Reed have seen a thin big man market mostly dry up, and Ayo Dosunmu has seemingly been unable to find a market either. The new CBA was supposed to help RFAs get better deals, as an offer sheet now only ties up cap space for one day rather than up to three since teams have less time to make their decision on matching. However, that hasn’t yielded any offer sheets thus far and with how quickly cap space dries up with unrestricted free agents, RFAs still are getting squeezed by the market by the time the moratorium period comes to an official end.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets had a clear plan coming into this summer and came very close to executing on it. They signed Fred VanVleet to a massive deal (but one with a third-year team option that makes it much more palatable) to bring some point of attack defense and a steady-handed veteran to run their offense. They signed Dillon Brooks to a descending 4/80 contract (via sign-and-trade) to bring much-needed wing defense. The problem was, the entire plan hinged on also landing Brook Lopez, which they failed to do as he returned to Milwaukee on a 2/48, spurning whatever it was Houston was offering. That left them to sign Jock Landale, a solid center but not the defensive anchor they needed to make this summer’s roster overhaul complete.

There are rumblings Houston isn’t happy with Lopez because they thought they had a deal done, which is why they made some of the trades they did to clear room, only to learn he was returning to the Bucks. However, in the NBA until you have the deal done, it’s never done, and the Rockets can’t be agreeing to those trades before having that agreement finalized with Lopez. The Brooks contract, in particular, is a lot of money for a guy it’s hard to imagine had much more than a full mid-level available to him. He will bring a defensive presence and edge they absolutely need, but as the second-highest paid player on the roster, will probably think he should be more involved offensively than is ideal for his skillset. Without Lopez patrolling the back line, they still don’t have the rim protection they need, which will limit how effective their new perimeter defensive duo can be. All told, the Rockets find themselves in the Losers column because they had bad process (trading TyTy Washington, Usman Garuba, and KJ Martin to clear room for a guy that didn’t come) and tied up a bit more long-term money than they wanted with Brooks. The team is undoubtedly better than they were, but the ceiling feels like the Play-In, and even that’s not a guarantee without considerable steps forward from their young guys.

Denver Nuggets

The defending champs won’t let a rough opening weekend of free agency dampen their spirits totally, but it wasn’t great seeing a key contributor in Bruce Brown leave to join the Pacers. Brown absolutely had to take the money, as 2/45 is too good to pass up and could see him get another crack at a big deal down the line. Denver was unlikely to retain him, but so long as the offers were the full mid-level, they had a chance at getting him to stay on a 1-year contract with the promise of long-term money in 2024. Unfortunately, Indiana came with an offer too good to pass up, and the Nuggets have had to circle around to Plan B.

Plan B was giving Reggie Jackson just over $10 million for two years to be the backup point guard, which is more than I think most anticipated for a guy who wasn’t in the playoff rotation. They also signed Justin Holiday, who is the Jeff Green replacement in the rotation as a solid veteran wing who can give them 15-20 a night come playoff time. That’s all fine, but they just don’t have a clear path to replacing Brown. My assumption is they’ll bump Christian Braun up to the Bruce Brown role, with Holiday taking Green’s place in the rotation and one of the young guys (Peyton Watson, in all likelihood) being moved into Braun’s minutes from last year.

Again, this wasn’t a disaster or something totally unforeseen — they’re still among the title favorites — but it still stings and leaves the champs with some things to figure out for next year, particularly come playoff time.

Young Thug came close to doing what only Taylor Swift has managed to (briefly) do since March 18: Unseat Morgan Wallen’s One Thing At A Time from No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

On July 8, Billboard released its latest albums chart, and One Thing At A Time notched its 15th nonconsecutive week at No. 1 as Wallen nears Adele’s record-most 24 total No. 1 weeks on the Billboard 200 with 21 from 2011-12. As it stands, Wallen’s One Thing At A Time already has the most No. 1 weeks by any album since the aforementioned run from Adele, as per the publication. Tthe only interruption was Swift’s Midnights on the June 10 and June 17 charts.

Young Thug will have to settle for a No. 2 debut (89,000 equivalent album units) for his album Business Is Business, which he released while he’s still imprisoned and awaiting trial. Young Thug and other YSL members were arrested in May 2022 on a 56-count indictment, including RICO charges.

Uproxx‘s Aaron Williams reviewed Business Is Business and its deluxe counterpart, both executive produced by Metro Boomin.

“Although incarceration isn’t the same as death, the album’s compilation of old verses and guest appearances makes it feel almost cobbled together the way some notable posthumous releases have been and raises the question of how much of this was what Thug actually wanted versus how much of it was just feasible over the past few months,” Williams wrote.

He added, “As it stands, the project is a testament to the value of sequencing and an emblem of what the music world might lose if Young Thug loses his case.”

As for Thug’s No. 2 debut, Billboard explained why he shouldn’t feel bad about it, noting that Wallen’s One Thing At A Time “has blocked” 10 prior albums from sniffing the No. 1 spot and forced a No. 2 debut, including Ed Sheeran’s – (Subtract), Niall Horan’s The Show, Jimin’s Face, and Agust D’s D-Day. If it stays at No. 2 or below, Business Is Business will become the 11th album on that list.

See more Billboard 200 chart statistics below.

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

Adele is making the most out of Weekends With Adele, her ongoing Las Vegas residency. Every performance showcases a different side of her dynamic personality, whether that means endearingly owning up to forgetting a lyric or cracking a joke about Spanx-induced “jock itch.”

This past weekend, the 20th weekend of her residency, Adele shared her opinion on what she thinks is the best karaoke song. If you think about it, being someone like Adele with a discography full of objectively karaoke-ready hits really narrows down the field, but the 16-time Grammy winner didn’t even seem tempted to choose one of her songs.

“Do you know what’s the best karaoke song to do?” Adele asked her Weekends With Adele audience, as captured in a fan video circulated by the likes of Gaga Daily and Pop Crave. “‘Bad Romance’ by Lady Gaga.” (“Bad Romance” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on December 5, 2009.)

The off-camera audience member agreed with Adele before the two launched into the famed “Bad Romance” hook, “Ra-ra, ah-ah-ah / Roma, roma-ma / Gaga, ooh, la-la.”

Another fan-captured video began circulating on Sunday, July 2, that shows Adele addressing the troubling concert trend of people throwing objects at performers like Ava Max, Bebe Rexha, and Kelsea Ballerini.

“Have you noticed how people are forgetting f*cking show etiquette at the moment? Throwing sh*t on stage? Have you seen that?” Adele said while carrying around a T-shirt cannon. “I f*cking dare you. Dare you to throw something at me. … These people have lost it.”

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

Donald Trump may be the current frontrunner for the GOP presidential ticket, but he’s also in deep doo-doo. Arguably the biggest legal woe on his plate is his alleged mishandling of classified government documents. He’s denied any wrongdoing — while basically confessing to the crime. But one of his press secretaries is claiming he was extra-reckless when it came to the nation’s biggest secrets.

As per Mediaite, Stephanie Grisham — who quietly served between the more flamboyant Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kayleigh McEnany, and who’s been a much more vocal critic of her former boss than others in the administration — went on MSNBC’s Alex Witt Reports to spill some more tea. When asked if it was likely that Trump was showing classified material to people, she said that the “short answer is yes.”

She went on: “I watched him show documents to people at Mar a Lago on the dining room patio. So he has no respect for classified information. Never did.”

Grisham also pointed out that it’s not easy to get clearance to look at the documents Trump was allegedly showing people willy-nilly.

“I don’t think people understand how hard it is to get your classified permission,” she said. “I remember when I was going through it to get get all of mine. I got held up because of a $13 kindercare bill that I did not know about, and so I couldn’t get it. They go through everything about it. It’s very difficult to get a security clearance.”

She added that “to be showing it to people who haven’t gone through the extreme vetting that you go through to get a clearance, it’s you know, it’s a disservice to the country, but it also puts people in danger potentially.”

Grisham elaborated on that point, saying that “there are sources and methods out there that could be put in danger. I think that, you know, I can’t stress enough how by being so loose with this stuff, he’s he’s potentially putting people in danger. And yeah, I had a top security clearance and it’s very, very hard to obtain. So it’s very important and it’s vital to our country and our national security. The only people with these clearances have access to any of these documents.”

(Via Mediaite)

It’s been nearly one year since Mozzy turned himself in to serve a one-year prison sentence for a federal gun charge. “Life comes at you fast. Sometimes sh*t gets real, and you gotta take that deal,” the CMG Records rapper told Complex for a report published July 29, 2022. “It’ll get slimy out here. Appreciate my loved ones. Chin up, chest out. Love you the most.”

Mozzy was released after serving 10 months this May, but he had another scare over the weekend.

According to TMZ, Mozzy attended an after party at City Nightz in Wichita, Kansas on Saturday, July 1, following his performance at a nearby venue, Wav. Mozzy had promoted the event online on June 30. It was reported that gunfire erupted during the after party. Seven people between ages 22 and 34 were reportedly shot and “a handful of people” were injured.

Law enforcement officials confirmed the shooting and Mozzy’s subsequent detainment to TMZ.

“TMZ has obtained footage of Mozzy being placed in handcuffs and led away — stemming from a traffic stop police initiated in the immediate aftermath of the incident, as our sources tell us cops were trying to vet as many people as possible in the area,” the outlet relayed. “While it looks like he’s being hauled off to jail, we’ve been assured Mozzy was only briefly detained here. We’re told Mozzy was cut loose and isn’t facing any charges in relation to the shooting.”

Someone “rolling in the same vehicle” as Mozzy was also “arrested in connection to the shooting,” as per the report. TMZ‘s unnamed sources stated that the Wichita Police Department “has reason to believe he may be a suspect.”

TMZ‘s graphic footage can be seen within its report.

Kansas City’s KMBC 9 News also reported that nine people were injured at City Nightz, specifying that seven were shot and two others “were hurt after getting trampled as crowds tried to leave the scene.” So far, there are no reported fatalities.

KMBC 9 noted that one person is in custody and believed to be one of the shooters.

See statements from Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas below.

Donald Trump talks a lot, and he talks pretty recklessly. Some of what he’s said in the past may even come back to bite him in the butt. For instance, he’s long (falsely) painted Hillary Clinton, his 2016 presidential rival, as a criminal who should be locked up. That claim, incredibly, may prove one of the keys to locking him up. He also once said that having a president who’s been indicted would be bad for the nation. Welp.

As per CNN, at a campaign rally on November 5, 2016 — shortly before his historic win — he mused to a Reno, Nevada crowd about what would happen if a sitting president was brough up on criminal charges, as he would be some seven years later.

“We could very well have a sitting president under felony indictment and ultimately a criminal trial,” Trump thundered. “It would grind government to a halt.”

The rally was held mere days after then-FBI director James Comey opened up an investigation into Clinton’s alleged mishandling of classified information — an investigation that ultimately put her in the clear.

Jump to 2023, and Trump has been accused of the same crime, only with more damning proof — including him basically confessing to the crime on national television.

It wasn’t the first time Trump warned about the dangers of a sitting commander-in-chief being brought up on criminal charges. A few days before, during a rally in Concord, North Carolina on November 3, he said much the same thing.

“If she were to win, it would create an unprecedented Constitutional crisis that would cripple the operations of our government,” Trump said. “She is likely to be under investigation for many years, and also it will probably end up – in my opinion – in a criminal trial. I mean, you take a look. Who knows? But it certainly looks that way.

“She has no right to be running, you know that,” he added. “No right.”

It’s worth noting those rallies were in big cities. Nowadays he tends to make appearances in small towns, possibly because he knows he can no longer summon the same big crowds.

(Via CNN)

Kenny Omega has spent the last four years since headlining AEW’s first pay-per-view scratching, clawing, and doing everything he can to remain in the conversation as the best pro wrestler in the world.

Omega put on a match of the year candidate against Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Title earlier this year, but with Forbidden Door around the corner, he felt the pressure to deliver in the rematch. Being on Canadian soil in an AEW ring, and with so many other great matches on the card, Omega says he wanted to be in the same conversation as guys like Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada, who were slated to main event the show.

So on a night where greats like Danielson, Okada, MJF, Jon Moxley, and CM Punk took their respective places across the Forbidden Door card, it was Omega, alongside a perfect dance partner in Ospreay, who did everything they could to set their match apart from the crowd.

“I feel that magic when I’m in there with Will. I feel that pressure to perform, to deliver, to give the type of performance that I guess I’m known for. So I’m thankful for people on the planet like Will who can awaken that part in me, that as time goes by, it is harder to summon,” Omega told Uproxx Sports.

“Will had his moment in the sun. But I’m proud of the performance. I’m proud of everything that I was able to do in preparation for the match, the sacrifices to keep my mind in a good place for that match. So I was firing on all cylinders. Before the match, during the match, and I’d say after it was all done, I lost this belt. You are that guy now, Will, I’m just going to kind of let it go.”

Omega also went in-depth on the move that drew visceral responses, the Tiger Driver 91.

“That’s what I do,” Omega said. “There were a number of things that were designed to elicit a response from people, whether it be positive or negative. But I wanted to take people on an emotional rollercoaster.”

Omega played into his injury background, spending more than eight months on the shelf in 2022, before making his grand return alongside The Elite late last year.

“Hopefully it leaves fans questioning is he okay? It’s all about the match. We’re battling in that ring and I want you to go along for the ride with us. If they thought everything else in that match was just the worst shit they’ve ever seen in their life, but that one moment, got them for a second, ‘He’s not going to kick out, he’s not going to get up, they better get the gurney, call in the fucking airlift,’ that’s perfect. And if I had a whole match of those types of reactions, even better,” Omega said.

“It’s all part of my job, it’s all part of my profession. These are things that I take a lot of pride in and I think that’s why when I went into this match, there’s a lot of physical and mental preparation that goes into it because I was really preparing myself to wow the crowd to this kind of level.”

Omega said he knew such an emotional response was coming specifically from that move, but he doesn’t think it’s from people looking out for his best interests.

“People that wanted to shit on something or people that want to frown upon something, or for people that want to say, well, if it were me, I wouldn’t have done that. I didn’t get to where I was by being able to do things that everyone else could do. I realized, and I recognized that I do have special talents that maybe not everyone else can do,” Omega said.

“Without revealing too much, I think a lot about my health. I think a lot about life after wrestling. I think a lot about my current life. I think about next week’s Dynamite and the week after that. I would never do something I didn’t trust myself in performing 100 percent.”

Omega’s life after wrestling is to be determined. But it wouldn’t be surprising to see him build off the successful launch of AEW’s first video game, Fight Forever, earlier this week. He was heavily involved in the game from ideation to execution, spending countless hours on business calls and creative meetings despite living in the Japan time zone. With his finger prints all over the game, it’s no wonder why it plays much like AEW’s presence in the current wrestling environment — something that feels different from other major promotions.

“I think that if [the game] can stand apart as something different, but something special and something that people enjoy and that is fun, then it’s kind of mission successful,” Omega said. “We had to build something new from the ground up and it was very hard to get everything that we wanted. You can only get what’s possible and what time and budget allow for.”

While the game was released last week, Omega admits there’s more to come.

“There is always going to be additions to this game. You haven’t seen anything yet. You’ve seen a little bit, but you haven’t seen a lot of things that I’m very excited for,” he continued.

“There’s something in particular coming up that, it’s sort of been leaked a little bit, so the Stadium Stampede mode I’m very excited for and I think people are going to have a lot of fun. It’s something so incredibly unique and I think it’s going to be great. The roster, we’re going to add bodies to the roster as well. Custom parts for create a wrestler, all that stuff. I can’t wait to share more announcements with people and to see more of the roster, more match types and see the videos turn up online for how people are enjoying it.”

Omega added that with the relationships AEW has with New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor, there are “a lot more possibilities for what we can include and what we can design for the game.”

With Forbidden Door and Fight Forever’s release in the rearview, there’s no slowing down for Omega. He’ll instead turn his attention to All In from Wembley in August, followed by All Out in Chicago a week later.

“When you go into the building, it doesn’t hit you until you actually arrive and you see the ring, and you see the empty chairs, and you see the setup and the ramp and the screens. I’ve been in front of 10, 20, 40,000 people, and I’ve been to arenas and stadiums all over the world. So, how is it going to be when we’re in front of 70, 80,000, possibly more people (at All In)? I don’t know. But I know that it’s going to feel really special when I walk into that stadium before all the fans are in the building,” Omega said.

“I feel like the atmosphere and those situations allow you to go to a place on the inside. And I think that Wembley is probably going to be very similar in that regard, where I will be prepared to a certain degree, and then being in that environment is going to allow me to ascend to an even higher place.”

Omega says this feels like a bit of an experiment for AEW while the promotion’s stadium show draws WrestleMania comparisons. He’s never taken part in an experience like this, with two shows connected across the ocean a week apart. How they differentiate All In from All Out remains to be seen, but Omega believes there should be a “heavy focal point on both shows.”

“Not to say that it should be a split roster and you see completely different people on both shows, but I do think that there needs to be matches that are featured and very special for one evening. And I think you need matches that are featured and are very special at the other one,” Omega said.

“I want every show to kind of have its place in history as a special moment. I do think that it helps to sort of spread the opportunities out. We have such a large roster of so many individuals that are very special in this business. If you’re just using the same 20, 30 guys over and over and over again you’re going to have a lot of these special athletes just sitting on the sidelines waiting for their chance to perform. But I think for sure you’re going to see some people on one show that aren’t on another. And I look at that in a positive way because I do want the AEW fans or just fans of wrestling to be able to see more faces.”

All In takes place live from Wembley Stadium on August 27 in London, while All Out takes place a week later on September 4 from Chicago.

Many people played sports growing up and some continue to play as adults on recreational teams in their cities. Usually teams are split between girls and boys, even as adults but there’s one team out there creating a safe space for transgender players. Team Trans is a hockey team made up of hundreds of people and they play competitively in LGBTQ tournaments across the country.

According to one of the players, Team Trans is an international collective of players that identify as trans or nonbinary. Recently there has been more and more legislation surrounding trans rights and issues, including the ability for trans youth and adults to play sports.

But with Team Trans, the members are able to create a safe environment for trans and nonbinary people to compete in a sport that they enjoy. There’s no one telling them who can and can’t play on their team based on someone else’s opinion. They make the rules and they’re having fun.

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When the team sat down with Good Morning America, some of the members discussed the importance of Team Trans and how it changed their lives.

“I actually stopped playing hockey when I began my transition. The first time I stepped back on the ice was in Las Vegas with Team Trans and it reignited my love for the sport,” Keira Wiele tells GMA. “It was a life changing experience for me and continues to be a life changing experience for me.”

“We’re doing this for joy. We’re doing this to have fun. That’s it. That’s all it is,” Sarah Antaya says. “We just want to exist and we want to do all of these fun things in our amazing world that all of us want to do.”

You can watch the entire interview below: