Now, according to Rolling Stone, Killer Mike (real name Michael Santiago Render) has filed a lawsuit against, S&S Labor Force, the firm supposedly responsible for his detainment.
Killer Mike has accused S&S Labor Force of false arrest and imprisonment, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence.
Read a portion of the filing below.
Render made multiple attempts to clarify his identity and purpose for being in that secured area. But was ignored by a security guard and restrained. Defendants then surrounded him with multiple security guards and wrongfully detained him and confined his movements through physical force.
Defendants used their position of authority to degrade, embarrass and physically hurt him in public view, subjecting him to emotional distress and public humiliation.
Although Killer Mike was eventually released and not criminal chargers were filed related to the incident, he was booked for misdemeanor battery.
Killer Mike has requested a jury trial and an undisclosed amount of damages. S&S Labor Force has not issued a public response to the filing.
Music festival season is peeking around the corner. Today (February 3), one of the largest Latin music festival, Sueños, announced its lineup and dates. With some many breakout stars across its subgenres, the 2025 Sueños Festival lineup has something for everyone.
This year’s headlining slot have been filled with Shakira and Don Omar. On Saturday, May 24, Shakira will close out Sueños’ opening night at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. The following day on Sunday, May 25, Don Omar will take over to wrap up the multi-day event.
Sueños Festival 2025 organizers confirmed Peso Pluma (May 24) and Grupo Frontera (May 25) as special breakout sets. Other notable acts featured on the lineup include Arcangel, El Afla, Gordo, Maria Becerra, Wisin, Tito Double P, Gonzy, and Sorry Papi.
Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour is set to kick off days prior to the festival. Due to the difficulty in securing tickets for the tour, many fans are willing to go to bat for Sueños tickets.
Given the star power featured on this year’s lineup music lovers are encouraged to join the waitlist to increase their odds of snagging tickets. The public sale date for Sueños Festival 2025 is scheduled for Thursday, February 6 at 12 pm Central.
Find more information here. View the official flyer for Sueños Festival 2025 below.
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight remains one of the most in-demand writers and executive producers in the streaming business. He’s currently got multiple projects going, including Netflix and BBC’s Peaky Blinders movie (The Immortal Man), which should arrive later this year. Knight’s House Of Guinness series will also surface on Netflix UK, but that’s not even close to the end of Knight’s projects due this year.
A Thousand Blows will focus on a different real-life historically reigning gang, the Forty Elephants, as well as the world of underground boxing in 1880s Victorian London. The London-based series will be “based on the lives of real people who lived extraordinary lives in extraordinary times,” but Knight is also known to tweak historical details if that approach makes for a better story. Let’s parse out what we can expect from this show created and written by Knight, who did cast a fan-favorite Peaky actor.
Plot
Hulu
Knight’s Peaky Blinders was known to dabble in boxing matches, and those fights will be both literal (and illegal) but also focus upon characters “embroiled in an epic fight for power in Victorian London.” Hulu shared the above photo of A Thousand Blows‘ Forty Elephants gang, an entirely female crime syndicate who shoplifted, blackmailed, and seduced their targets to gather loot, which they sold while amassing riches. The gang’s story will overlap with London’s underground boxing scene with Hulu providing the following synopsis:
Inspired by the true life stories of a group of characters battling for survival in the brutal East End of London in the 1880s. Hezekiah Moscow and Alec Munroe, best friends on the run from Jamaica, find themselves thrust into the criminal underbelly of London’s thriving bare-knuckle boxing scene. As Hezekiah finds fortune and fame through the art of pugilism, he attracts the attention of the infamous Queen of the Forty Elephants, Mary Carr, who sets about exploiting his talents to further her criminal enterprise. Meanwhile the menacing and self-declared emperor of the East End boxing world, Sugar Goodson, determines to destroy Hezekiah whose ambitions to fight in the West End threatens everything he has built. What ensues is a battle of the old world against the new.
For a Peaky Blinders connection, Hayden Stagg actor Stephen Graham will soon surface in A Thousand Blows as a very different character, the “seasoned and dangerous” Sugar Goodson, and Graham bulked up significantly for th role. As he told Empire magazine, he hit the training and diet aspects of this job “like a proper athlete” with “five meals a day, loads of protein and constant training. When he arrived on set, Graham barely knew his own body while observing his daily work:
“I’ve never been that big,” he recalls. “It changed the way I sat, the way I conducted myself. The first day of filming, the director went, ‘Do you want to look at the playback?’ And I remember going, ‘Is that me?!’ I couldn’t believe it.”
No wonder that was the case:
Hulu
Cast
Stephen Graham headlines as boxer Sugar Goodson with Malachi Kirby as Hezekiah Moscow and Erin Doherty as Mary Carr, head of the Forty Elephants. That gang will be portrayed by Caoilfhionn Dunne (as Anne Glover), Darci Shaw (as Alice Diamond), Nadia Albina (as Verity Ross), Jemma Carlton (as Belle Downer), Hannah Walters (as Eliza Moody), and Morgan Hilaire (as Esme Long).
They will be joined by Susan Lynch (as Jane Carr), Francise Lovehall (as Alec Munroe), Gary Lewis (as Jack Mac), James Nelson-Joyce (as Edward “Treacle” Goodson), Daniel Mays (as William “Punch” Lewis), Robert Glenister (as Indigo Jeremy), Tom Davis (as Charlie Mitchell), and Adam Nagaitis (as the Earl of Lonsdale).
Hulu dropped so many images, including the following:
HuluHuluHulu
Release Date
Hulu’s A Thousand Blows debuts with a six-episode first season on Feb. 21. The series will also stream internationally on Disney+.
This year wasn’t a blockbuster one for Sundance. Even the film’s buzziest titles didn’t bring with them the bidding wars and jaw-dropping streaming deals we’re used to seeing from a fest that’s been a consistent temperature check of the film industry, predicting awards winners and heralding indie hits well before anyone else. But even a “quiet” showing at Sundance is a good one, and while plenty of the films that graced this latest installment might not dot the awards season landscape next year, they may just wind up sneaking onto your personal year end best of list anyway.
That’s because Sundance 2025 gave us a lineup chock-full of riveting, emotionally-compelling, small-scale indies, ones made by first-time directors and seasoned vets alike, all sporting magnetic performances and gripping storylines. They deserve to be seen, experienced, and enjoyed, which is why we rounded up our picks for the best showings at Sundance this year … so that you can keep an eye out for them in the months ahead.
Sundance
Atropia
War, as it turns out, is just one big production. That’s the unsexy truth at the heart of Hailey Gates’ bizarre and bloody Bush-era satire. Based on the real-life military training camps that dot the California/Nevada deserts, Atropia is a sick, twisted mindfuck, skewering the fanatical patriotism and dangerously ignorant stereotypes that fueled some of our worst militaristic impulses post 9/11. Alia Shawkat is magnetic on-screen, playing an aspiring actress named Fayruz who’s committed to honing her craft during this simulation exercise. She plays mustard gas chemists and Iraqi roadside merchants with vengeful gusto, serving as a living practice dummy for newly-minted soldiers too unaware and inexperienced to understand they are the real enemy here. The whole point of “The Box” – the fictional town teeming with actors bringing this foreign city-under-siegie to life – is to prepare these boys for what they’ll encounter when they’re eventually shipped overseas. Fayruz is both ridiculously earnest about her role in this fake hellscape, and hopelessly naive about the bigger picture she’s now a part of. And when a newcomer – Callum Turner as a field-experienced soldier filling an insurgent role in this wild farce – disrupts her grand plans of fame, their strange, kinky romance derails the proceedings.
Gates’ story shows plenty of teeth, chewing up the performativeness of Hollywood (and the United States military), the myth of American exceptionalism, and more than a few rom-com tropes, but it lacks enough bite to fully deliver on its premise. That said, it remains the most interesting and unique film to premiere at Sundance this year with both Shawkat and Turner delivering some fantastic performances as doomed lovers finding momentary bliss via sponge baths and shit-stained porta-potties. — Jessica Toomer
Sundance
Love, Brooklyn
A talky indie in the best way, Rachael Abigail Holder’s debut feature contemplates the soul of New York’s trendiest borough amidst a wave of gentrification and what it means for those who find meaning and identity in the cultural tapestry of Brooklyn. But those questions and that examination live largely at the margins, connecting to a story of change and choices led by a sublime André Holland, whose character, a writer, is wrestling with the state of his adopted hometown and whether he’s ready to take the next step in his personal life.
Love, Brooklyn is a cozily told comedy that feels incredibly relatable and relevant, speaking to the slightly less romantic second phase of adulthood, how we might cling to the past, fear the future, and risk missing the good that’s in front of us. — Jason Tabrys
Sundance
Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)
The weight and urgency of adulthood come crashing down around Rico and Destiny’s ears in Joel Alfonso Vargas’ bitterly realistic story about the trap of young lust, innate toxic masculinity, and teen pregnancy. Largely set in the cramped apartment where this 19-year-old hustler with a good heart, big dreams, and bad judgment lives with his mother, little sister, and the 16-year-old he impregnated, Mad Bills To Pay is an arresting cautionary tale that sneaks into the upper echelon of Sundance 2025 entries thanks to it’s supernaturally gifted co-leads, Juan Collado and Destiny Checo, who deliver such naturalistic and ultimately heartbreaking performances. — Jason Tabrys
Sundance
Omaha
Starring John Magaro as the father of two young kids who is out of moves, on the road, and barely managing to tamp down all signs of terror so as to not stain his kid’s memories of him, Cole Webley’s Omaha qualifies as one of Sundance’s hardest watches. Still, while it may traumatize, Omaha is well worth the watch, standing out for its meaningful commentary on economic heartache, hopelessness, and desperation without vilifying a desperate man in the midst of a slow rolling tragedy. — Jason Tabrys
Sundance
Sorry Baby
If there’s only one film you’re desperate to see following Sundance, let it be Sorry, Baby. First-time director Eva Victor is so self-assured in the story she’s telling, so confident in her film’s calm, almost meandering pace, that, despite the trauma fueling its premise, Sorry Baby felt like the most refreshing entry of this year’s fest. Victor plays Agnes, an academic stuck in a kind-of social limbo following a sexual assault by her mentor and grad school teacher. She’s a ghost, haunting her own life, with Victor displaying the drudgery in quiet vignettes titled after babies and sandwiches and unanswerable questions. A lesser film might delight in showing the violence of Agnes’ experience but Victor draws the curtains on the terrible act, letting us do our worst imaginings. To hear how she experienced it instead of seeing it play out ourselves makes the whole thing even more horrifying and meaningful. And to journey with Agnes through the fallout – unsympathetic doctors and their probing questions, apathetic advisors desperate to place blame elsewhere – is to understand how such a seemingly brief moment in time can stretch over years, nearly half a decade in fact, impacting a person’s life in strange and subtle ways. It’s one of the more authentic and moving portrayals of sexual violence we’ve seen on screen, done with deft, observational humor and a sensitivity that suggests even bigger things to come from its creator. — Jessica Toomer
Sundance
Touch Me
Not your typical alien sex comedy, dabbling in mind control, fuck boi dance meditation, tentacle-wrapped cross-species intercourse, codependent friendships, deep trauma, and being addicted to feeling good. Written and directed by Addison Heimann and starring Olivia Taylor Dudley and Jordan Gavaris as besties and Lou Taylor Pucci as the maybe nefarious alien sex God they’re obsessed with, Touch Me feels like an homage to the cheesy and steamy B movies of the ’90s run through an Edgar Wright filter. — Jason Tabrys
Sundance
Train Dreams
Director Clint Bentley mines something extraordinary from the unremarkable life of his protagonist in Train Dreams. Billed as a turn-of-the-century introspective epic, the film follows Joel Edgerton’s Robert Granier as he navigates the triumphant and troubled waystations of his life. There’s a romantic haze to the film, not just when Robert – an orphan now settled in Idaho – falls for the confident and enigmatic Gladys (Felicity Jones), but whenever the camera lingers on a lush northeastern swath of pine or an intricately-erected railway bridging a natural chasm of granite and sandstone that’s stood for thousands of years. Bentley is aware of it all – the grand, immeasurable cycle of life and our own inconsequential, indelible part in it – and his characters are slowly wise to it too, men who destroy to build for a world that’s expanding even when their own lives seem to shrink and wither. There’s joy and tragedy, adventure and a bit of aimless wandering, reflections on tolerance and humanity’s interconnectivity. There’s even a whisper-quiet environmentalist war cry (courtesy of an almost unrecognizable William H. Macy) disguised as Americana-core nostalgia – a time when men actually built things with their bare hands, but then wondered at what they lost in the process. It’s gorgeous and quietly moving and likely too subtle to land with any blockbuster-sized audience but it deserves to be seen and appreciated anyway. — Jessica Toomer
Sundance
Twinless
“A twink with a twin fetish does a very bad thing” feels like the kind of Letterboxd review you’d stumble upon when searching James Sweeney’s latest dry comedy, Twinless. It’s apt, if a bit surface level, and it does nothing to prepare you for the wildly outrageous twists the director/star has in store. We refused to spoil them in our chat with Sweeney about the film, and we won’t break that covenant here. You’ve no doubt been assaulted by the NSFW GIFs of a mustachioed Dylan O’Brien that are littering the timeline at the moment. Said GIFs should have peaked your interest enough to Google just what the hell this movie is about. But go no further! Do no more research! Experience the shock and outrage raw, be flabbergasted by the title credits reveal, gasp aloud in a darkened theater (or your own living room) and marvel at Sweeney’s knack for observational humor, wry, thoughtful storytelling, and his fearless instinct to fuck with his audience by promising a quirky bromance and delivering so much more. — Jessica Toomer
The 67th annual Grammy Awards took place this past weekend, and one of the most impressive feats from the ceremony was Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” winning five Grammy’s for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
For this one, we’re going to highlight the most unique yet unbeatable whiskeys you can buy to toast to “Not Like Us,” securing a clean sweep. Trust us, all of these bottles are amazing in their own right, but they deserve extra praise for being unlike anything you’ve ever tried before.
Are we locked in? Step this way and enjoy the top 10 whiskeys to toast Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Grammy wins.
Crab Trapper Whiskey is a unique creation from Tamworth Distilling in New Hampshire, made from a bourbon base and steeped with a custom crab, corn, and spice blend. Created to find a way to fend off an invasive species (green crabs), this oddity is essentially for a good cause.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Crab Trapper’s nose is full of salinity, vanilla extract, and the nautical aroma of canned seafood. It’s not the most whiskey-heavy nose in the world, but it does deliver on the promise of being crabby.
Palate: The first sip opens with some spice, think Old Bay and black pepper, but then that fishiness comes in waves, which may or may not be your jam. It throws the whiskey out of balance, with the baking spices and some gentler notes of vanilla and caramel struggling to find breathing room behind that distinct top note.
Finish: The mercifully brief finish welcomes an uptick in the fishy taste, which is not altogether unpleasant, but it does need some of the baking spices found earlier in the sip, which has sadly dissipated by this point.
Bottom Line:
The rap game isn’t for artists with soft shells, and this delightfully weird whiskey is definitely “not like” anything we’ve ever tried. Kendrick’s hard-hitting diss track is full of pointed bars, and Crab Trapper Whiskey is the perfect companion piece. Bonus points: enjoying it helps to expel an invasive species from the rap game…erm, I mean the New England region.
What makes Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea Bourbon unlike anything you’ve tried before is that this whiskey was put on a ship and sent on a global adventure to mature. The resulting liquid picked up the influence of sloshing around at sea and some slight salinity from the ocean air.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose does have some light salinity, a subtle nod to its maritime maturity, but rich caramel, cacao nibs, rose water, and graham cracker notes help to bolster that base. In the end, that hint of salinity does a good job of elevating the overall aroma of this whiskey.
Palate: On the palate, caramel and graham cracker notes come tumbling out of the glass first, with that faint salinity standing out as perceptible but restrained while the flavor of honeyed wheat toast, black pepper spice, and oak take center stage.
Finish: The medium-length finish on this whiskey gently pushes the salinity further into the margins. It allows the base spirit to blossom as butterscotch and buttery croissant notes, along with a touch of tobacco leaf, come to the fore.
Bottom Line:
“Not Like Us” topped the Billboard Global 200 charts, so you might as well enjoy a whiskey that’s seen five of the world’s seven continents, right? That’s pretty much as close as you’ll get to having a global chart-topper in your glass.
What exactly is peated bourbon? It’s a bourbon that meets all the requirements to be called bourbon, but instead of using regular malted barley, Kings County uses malted barley that’s been exposed to peat smoke, imbuing it with some of that characteristic smokey flavor more commonly associated with Scotch.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is as-advertised, with a smokiness billowing out of the glass to greet the nose before partying and introducing the aroma of caramel chews, corn pudding, and wildflower honey. Vanilla extract and buttered biscuits can also be found if you really dip your nose beyond the rim of the glass.
Palate: The first sip of this whiskey is enchanting, with only a whisp of smoke greeting your tongue before a torrent of gooey caramel, dilute honey, lemon zest, and vanilla extract come raining down. There’s also a slight nuttiness, meaty and savory like Brazil nuts, that can be found as it transitions to the finish.
Finish: The brief finish holds an impressive infusion of black pepper spice and nutmeg, which helps to balance out the sweet and smoky notes found earlier in each sip for a satisfying conclusion.
Bottom Line:
At the outset of his feud with Drake, it became clear that Kendrick wanted all the smoke. To keep up, you’ll want to sip this unique peated bourbon from Kings County in Brooklyn, New York, that goes big on the smoky flavor with a taste that’s straight-up fire.
7. Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaboration Series Amrut
Bardstown Bourbon Company’s ethos of collaboration permeates the entire brand. As one of the more prominent contract distilleries, that spirit of collaboration is cooked into their modus operandi, and they put their pride in that ethos on full display with their Collaboration Series. This Amrut collaboration marks the first time a major American whiskey brand has been finished in Indian whisky barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich, well-defined oak, leather, syrupy black cherry, and sticky caramel make up this borderline decadent nose. There’s also a fair bit of cola nut and some restrained mocha as well.
Palate: Like a milk chocolate truffle on the palate, this medium-bodied pour features a lovely transition from sweetness to earthiness and then to spice. Black pepper and basil comprise the spice component, while the cola nut and oak notes at midpalate account for the earthiness.
Finish: The finish is where you’ll find notes of leather and more baking spices like clove and bay leaf. This whiskey has a medium-length finish that hangs around just long enough to savor but brief enough that it leaves you wanting more…which is what leads to repeat sips.
Bottom Line:
This surprising collaboration has produced stellar results, with the malt chocolate notes from Amrut’s casks lending themselves nicely to Bardstown Bourbon Company’s exceptionally clean liquid. Though this is the world’s first collaboration of its kind (making us reminisce on the “Poetic Justice” days) it’s one that has all eyes on Bardstown Bourbon Company as we anticipate the next entry in the series.
Barrell is one of the whiskey world’s premier blending houses, and while fans go crazy over their more traditional offerings, it’s fair to say that this wild blend really put them on the map. What’s in the bottle is a blend of American and Canadian rye whiskeys finished separately in Martinique Rhum, Madeira, and apricot brandy barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is about as much fun as you can have when nosing a whiskey, as the expressive layers of rum-sweetness, Madeira red berries with a hint of nuttiness, and the interplay of apricots and baking spices brought on from the rye whiskeys at its base all send a smile across your face.
Palate: Taking a sip of this whiskey rewards you with all that was promised on the nose. Citrus notes in the form of sweet blood oranges and apricots take shape at first, before a bit of white pepper, figs, and fennel seed form at the edges of the tongue. The ABV provides a big punch underneath the surface, which works to enhance the depth of each of those disparate flavors.
Finish: The lingering finish is surprisingly “clean” and serves up more of those balanced fruit and spice notes in distinct layers. Most impressive of all is the fact that none of those flavors come across as muddled, but instead, all stand tall, which makes it more enjoyable to pick apart.
Bottom Line:
What might at first sound like a freaky mix results in an incredibly smooth-sipping bottle of whiskey. You’ll want to fall down the rabbit hole with this one and see how deep the layers of flavor can truly go.
Widow Jane Decadence is a blend of straight bourbon whiskeys finished in maple syrup barrels provided by Hudson Valley’s Crown Maple, not Canada. Known almost exclusively for unfinished whiskey (whiskey that hasn’t been dumped into a second barrel to accentuate its flavor), this expression, which began as an experiment, has become a mainstay product for the Red Hook, Brooklyn distillery.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose begins predictably enough, with maple candy sweetness joining some apple strudel notes while thyme, cinnamon, rosemary, and vanilla notes slowly emerge from the glass to join them.
Palate: The palate surprises with a zippy effervescence that quickly recedes, think of making caramel on a stovetop. While the texture is at first bubbly, it soon mellows out to showcase the sweet maple syrup notes along with a pastry-like breadiness akin to baklava topped with freshly cracked black pepper. Fleeting flashes of vanilla, oak, cardamom, and allspice undergird all of this.
Finish: The lengthy conclusion of each sip is a protracted amalgamation of all that came before, with vanilla, maple syrup, and allspice featured prominently before it gently fades from the palate.
Bottom Line:
Widow Jane has long been one of the most innovative premium brands, blending bourbon from different states to create excellent products. Finishing one of their blended bourbons in maple syrup casks was a stroke of genius that has since won them even more industry awards.
4. Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection: Spirits Distilled from Grain and Hops
While technically not a whiskey, the 26th offering in Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Experimental Collection comes pretty damn close. It is unique because it takes Saaz noble hops and the American hop Zythos® and infuses them in the raw distillate for 30 minutes. The resulting liquid was then aged in charred white oak casks for eleven years and seven months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes in this spirit rise out of the glass to meet your expectations, with citrus, hoppiness, and herbal tea aromas swirling in the air along with camphor and allspice. It’s an interesting blend that beckons a cautious first sip.
Palate: Once on the palate, there’s a pronounced citrus presence as orange and lemon zest spring to life, while the hoppy herbaceousness is prominent but not overwhelming. A sturdy foundation of oak introduces a bit of honey and nougat to the equation, with black pepper notes rounding things out.
Finish: The medium-length finish is surprisingly satisfying as vanilla, citrus, and herbal tea flavors pop on the back of the palate before gently sizzling away.
Bottom Line:
We thought this one would be hop, hop, hop, hop, hops all the way, but it actually does a great job of balancing those beer-like herbal notes to create something both familiar and “not like” anything we’ve tasted before. Sometimes, you’ve got to hop out.
3. Rare Character Exceptional Series Straight Malt Whiskey
First, what’s a “straight malt” whiskey? It’s a whiskey that has to be made from at least 51% Malted barley and aged for at least two years in a charred, new oak container. Most Americans are unfamiliar with the designation as only two prominent brands have tried their hands at it (to middling success) before Rare Character blew the doors off the category with this expression starting in 2023.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is full of hazelnut spread, French vanilla, cinnamon bark, and robust oak notes. Soon, there’s some fudgy dark chocolate and toasted almond notes that join the party, giving this whiskey a distinctly biscotti-like aroma, which I’m really digging.
Palate: On the palate, that biscotti call-out is spot on as toasted almonds, hazelnut, and dark chocolate lead the way before receding ever-so-slightly to fill your mouth with the flavor of toffee, sage, and tobacco leaves. The balance of earthiness and dark sweetness works really well here.
Finish: The incredibly lengthy finish continues the general impression as toasted almonds, oak, black pepper spice, and dark chocolate fudge make a last gasp before your palate is reset and ready for a second sip.
Bottom Line:
If you want a big whiskey with the look and feel of bourbon but a rare character that sets it apart, then these Exceptional Series Straight Malt offerings are right up your alley. With flavors as bold as some of the bars in “Not Like Us,” you’ll be nodding your head along to the song just as hard as you’ll be nodding it in approval of every sip.
WhistlePig’s Boss Hog expressions have become a breeding ground for some of the wildest ideas in all of American whiskey, and this year’s release pushes things still further by marrying the brand’s signature Canadian rye whiskey with the flavor of Thandai courtesy of unique finishing casks they created themselves, as Thandai is not traditionally aged in casks. Those barrels were seasoned with rye, saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, fennel, poppy, and black peppercorn to achieve the desired flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: It opens with incense, cinnamon bark, lemon zest, allspice, and menthol. After a few twirls in the glass, it also gives off the aroma of saffron, plums, and orange peels, with some growing honey and youthful oak notes becoming evident in the background.
Palate: The palate opens with a ton of Manuka honey, cinnamon bark, menthol, and plum notes, all of which hold true to the aromas in this whiskey. The mouthfeel is a tad thin, but the complex melange of disparate flavors in this one has more than enough intrigue to overcome that minor flaw.
Finish: The finish is slightly smoky, with toffee, cinnamon, spiced chai, and plum notes dancing on the tongue, giving it a moderate length.
Bottom Line:
WhistlePig has never been shy about swinging for the fences and delivering some of the wildest flavor profiles in the whiskey world with each Boss Hog release, and this one only furthers that reputation. But what good is being different for different’s sake? The Vermont-based brand perfectly toes the line between weird and wow with the series’ 11th release.
Not only is Stranahan’s Snowflake release typically unlike any other whiskey on the market, but it’s also never the same as previous releases. Each year, Stranahan’s Head Blender, Justin Alden, is tasked with creating a one-of-a-kind expression from the distillery’s well-aged American Single Malt whiskey stock. The latest release, “Redcloud Peak,” was aged in American charred oak barrels before being transferred to a variety of Portuguese, French, and Spanish fortified wine casks (Madeira, Port, Sauternes, Pedro Ximénez, and Oloroso) and Brandy casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The enchanting aroma notes open with honey-drizzled caramelized orange wheels, toffee, milk chocolate, and cinnamon. Further hints of milk chocolate, freshly cracked black pepper, and vanilla frosting add heft to the nuanced structure of the nosing notes.
Palate: Once this whiskey passes your lips, its richness immediately washes over your tongue. The caramelized orange wheel note rises to the fore along with Rainier cherries, cinnamon bark, and milk chocolate for an alluring melange that causes the edges of your tongue to start salivating as your taste buds welcome the deluge of decadent flavor. The mouthfeel is impressively viscous for such a modest proof point, which enhances your enjoyment of all those well-developed flavor notes.
Finish: The finish recedes slowly from your palate with bright red cherries, ripe raspberries, and allspice notes clinging to your tongue long after your last sip.
Bottom Line:
No two diss tracks during Kendrick’s 2024 OVO onslaught were alike, and similarly, no two Snowflakes are alike. There are truly no other premium, allocated American Single Malt whiskey releases that hold a candle to this one, making it ideal for toasting the heater that Kendrick is on.
According to US Weekly, Chicago rapper Vic Mensa has joined his good friend and longtime partner-in-rhyme Chance The Rapper in the fraternity of rap dads. Vic welcomed his son with girlfriend Melanie into the world eight months ago, keeping the birth under wraps until now.
Vic landed on the name Mansa Musa Mensa, taking the name of the historical Mali kingdom emperor who ruled from 1312 C.E. to 1337 C.E. and is known for being one of the wealthiest rulers ever. “Mansa Musa is just a very well-known figure in African history and amongst African people of the diaspora all across the globe, primarily for his wealth,” Vic explained. He says that he wanted to honor African history, saying, “The history of Africa is diminished and devalued as a tool of oppression of African people as a justification for the enslavement and continued exploitation of African people in the African continent.”
Considering certain people are trying to end the observance of Black History Month, he might be onto something.
Becoming a father could explain Vic’s relative radio silence since releasing his album Victor in 2023. Likewise, the reveal may mean that he’s ready to begin working on new music again, so perhaps there’s a follow-up in the works.
Petey USA has a lot going on right now. He dropped a new song, “Model Train Town,” last month, which comes from a new album that he hasn’t officially announced but has said he’s working on.
As far as upcoming endeavors that are confirmed, Petey just announced a new solo acoustic tour, a joint run alongside Medium Build that spans a couple weeks in late April and early May.
For tickets, there’s an artist pre-sale starting February 5 at 10 a.m. local time, followed by the general on-sale on February 7 at 10 a.m. local time. More information is available on Petey’s website.
Check out Petey’s tour dates, including previously announced shows, below.
Petey USA’s 2025 Tour Dates
02/04 — New York, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount Theater *
02/07 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway *
02/09 — Dublin, Ireland @ Whelan’s !
02/10 — Glasgow, UK @ Saint Luke’s !
02/12 — London, UK @ Electric Ballroom !
02/13 — Leeds, UK @ Brudeneil Social Club !
02/15 — Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique !
02/17 — Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefährlich !
02/18 — Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega !
02/19 — Berlin, Germany @ FRANNZ Club !
02/21 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso Small Hall !
02/22 — Cologne, Germany @ LUXOR !
02/23 — Paris, France @ Le Bellevilloise !
03/01 — Donnelly, ID @ Snowfort Music Festival
04/28 — Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall $
04/29 — Wayne, PA @ 118 North $
04/30 — Providence, RI @ Fête Lounge $
05/02 — Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall $
05/03 — Brattleboro, VT @ The Stone Church $
05/04 — Portland, ME @ One Longfellow Square $
05/06 — South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showcase Lounge $
05/07 — Manchester, VT @ Billsville House Concerts $
05/09 — Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm Studios $
05/10 — Lancaster, PA @ West Art $
07/25 — Columbia, MD @ Chrysalis at Merriweather Park #
07/26 — Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony Summer Stage #
07/27 — LaFayette, NY @ Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards #
* supporting Hippo Campus
! with Liam Benzvi
# supporting Rainbow Kitten Surprise
$ with Medium Build
GloRilla and Latto lead an all-girl bank heist crew in the Set It Off inspired video for “Procedure,” their collaboration from GloRilla’s debut album, Glorious. It even features one that film’s stars, Vivica A. Fox, in a cameo role.
The video reimagines the two rappers as employees at a big-box store (the blue vests suggest Walmart), getting off their shift and complaining about their jobs. Glo falls asleep on her couch watching a heist film on TV, leading to the events of the video’s main plot. The two rappers trade their boastful verses while posing atop a vintage muscle car between clips of their bank heisting exploits.
“Procedure” is just the latest in a long list of collaborations between the two Southern belles, who formed their working relationship when Latto appeared on the remix of Glo’s breakout hit “FNF (Let’s Go).” Later the same year, they collaborated with one of the region’s pioneers, Gangsta Boo, on “FTCU.” The next year, they appeared together twice: on GloRilla’s remix of Latto’s “Put It On The Floor,” and in the video for Sprite’s Hip-Hop 50 campaign, remaking “Rapper’s Delight.”
They linked up again last year during Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer Tour, getting into a twerk-off that highlighted their burgeoning chemistry. While “Procedure” marks the first time they recorded a song together since 2022, it’s clear they had a lot of fun making it, and that their chemistry is only growing.
Watch GloRilla’s video for “Procedure” featuring Latto above.
Glorious is out now via CMG/Interscope Records. You can listen to it here.
Last week, one of the best indie groups from the 2000s — made up of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre De Reeder and Jason Boesel — announced their first concert in over 15 years. Thankfully for everyone who is desperate to hear “Paint’s Peeling” live (me), it’s not a one-night-only event: Rilo Kiley has revealed headlining North American dates and festival performances, all of which are on the western half of the US and Canada. Hopefully more to come!
“It’s going to be wonderful for us, like going back to the purest version of yourself, that early ’20s place where everything is possible,” Lewis (the proud mother of Bobby Rhubarb) said in a statement. “You’re in a van and Jason’s got the map, Pierre is behind the wheel, and I’m on the shitty acoustic guitar on the bench seat working out a new song with Blake. I don’t think it’s ever been as good as that, when it was just us against the world.”
Tickets for the tour, dubbed the Sometimes When You’re On, You’re Really F**king On Tour, go on sale on February 7 on the band’s website. Additionally, Rilo Kiley is releasing a reissue of 2002’s The Execution Of All Things on 4/25 via Saddle Creek. You can find more information here.
Check out the dates for Rilo Kiley’s reunion tour below.
Rilo Kiley’s 2025 Tour Dates: Sometimes When You’re On, You’re Really F**king On Tour
05/05 — San Luis Obispo, CA @ Fremont Theatre
05/07 — Ojai, CA @ Libbey Bowl
05/10 — Pasadena, CA @ Just Like Heaven
05/12 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
05/14 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
05/16 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Block Party
05/17 — Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Fest
05/19 — Jackson, WY @ Center For The Arts
05/21 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
05/23 — Portland, OR @ McMenamins Grand Lodge
Waxahatchee was perhaps the biggest indie artist of 2024, if the results of the Uproxx Music Critics Poll are any indication, thanks to her album Tigers Blood. She had a bit more in the tank there, it turns out, as today (February 4), she shared “Mud,” an outtake from the album’s sessions.
Aside from that, Waxa also has a bunch of tour dates coming up, including some newly announced shows with Outlaw Festival (also featuring Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, and Sheryl Crow).
Meanwhile, Crutchfield is fresh off a major career milestone: her first Grammys as a nominee, as Tigers Blood was up for Best Americana Album (Sierra Ferrell’s Trail Of Flowers won).
Listen to “Mud” above and find Waxahatchee’s tour dates below.
Waxahatchee’s 2025 Tour Dates
02/21 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum *
03/14 — Spicewood, TX @ Willie Nelson’s Luck Ranch #
03/29 — Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Festival
04/26 — Tallahassee, FL @ Adderley Amphitheater at Cascades Park ^
04/27 — North Charleston, SC @ High Water Festival
04/29 — Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore ^
04/30 — St. Augustine, FL @ The St. Augustine Amphitheater ^
05/02 — Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company ^
05/03 — New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre ^
05/04 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (Lawn) ^
05/06 — San Antonio, TX @ The Espee ^
05/07 — Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^
05/09 — Nashville, TN @ The Pinnacle ^
05/10 — Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park ^
05/11 — Chattanooga, TN @ Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium ^
05/13 — Wilmington, NC @ Live Oak Bank Pavilion ^
05/14 — Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center &
05/15 — Charlotte, NC @ The Amp Ballantyne ^
05/16 — Asheville, NC @ Asheville Yards Amphitheater ^
06/01 — Denver, CO @ Outside Festival
06/06 — Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
06/08 — Glasgow, SCT @ Barrowland Ballroom $
06/09 — Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall $
06/10 — Bristol, UK @ SWX $
06/11 — London, UK @ Hammersmith Apollo $
06/13 — Porto, PT @ Primavera Porto
06/20 — Nelsonville, OH @ Nelsonville Music Festival
06/21 — Lafayette. NY @ Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards %
06/22 — Greenfield, MA @ Green River Festival
06/23 — Shelburne, VT @ Shelburne Museum on The Green =
07/29 — Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion ~
07/30 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden ~
09/05 — Bangor, ME @ Maine Savings Amphitheatre +
09/06 — Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Theatre +
09/07 — Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center +
09/12 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion +
09/13 — Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center +
09/19 — East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley Music Theater +
* with Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Iron & Wine
# with Lucinda Williams and special guests
^ with Wilco
& with Cameron Winter
% with MJ Lenderman and Hurray For The Riff Raff
= with Kevin Morby
$ with Merce Lemon
~ with Lord Huron
+ with Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, and Madeline Edwards
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