Category: Viral

Tucker Carlson has said a lot of offensive things over the years, like the time he praised a “brave” White college student for Photoshopping his face onto a cracker, but he may have reached a new low on Monday. During an episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight, the host described Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish, to not “be replaced until a new president is installed” in 2021, as “pathetic.”

Carlson’s remarks followed Donald Trump appearing earlier that day on Fox News, where he called into question of whether RBG said what she said (she did). “I don’t know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff or [Chuck] Schumer and [Nancy] Pelosi? I would be more inclined to the second. That came out of the wind, it sounds so beautiful, but that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe Pelosi or shifty Schiff,” the president said. Carlson, ever a loyal stooge, echoed Trump’s remarks.

“We don’t really know actually what Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s final words were,” Carlson bloviated. “Did she really leave this world fretting about a presidential election? We don’t believe that for a second. If it were true, it would be pathetic because life is bigger than politics, even this year. We wouldn’t wish final words that small on anyone so we’re going to again choose to believe that Ruth Bader Ginsburg didn’t actually say that, that in real life she was thinking at the end about her family and where she might be going next. Human concerns, not partisan ones.” He continued:

“She was not God. Yet according to the left, Ginsburg was all we had. We must obey her dying words as if they were a religious text. Her final wish supersedes our founding documents.”

Many on Twitter are responding to Tucker’s characterization of Ginsberg’s wish, with one user calling him “truly sick.”

Go back to talking to the cracker kid, Tuck.

(Via the Daily Beast)

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Of all the qualities that make a Fleet Foxes song instantly recognizable, Robin Pecknold’s voice is chief among them. So when their unexpected fourth album, Shore, opens with an unknown vocalist, the effect is almost shocking. The two-minute intro, “Wading In Waist-High Water,” is sung by relative newcomer, 21-year-old Uwade Akhere, and it’s nothing short of majestic; a sweet folk lullaby erupts into thundering, joyous triumph before winding back down again, a mythic emotional crescendo, like finding a baby in a river. It sets the tone for an album purposefully designed to warm and comfort the listener, immediately establishing that though Fleet Foxes may be back, the band is continually growing and evolving.

“Crack-Up was a super personal album,” Pecknold explained over the phone in an interview late last week. “I had a really specific idea of what I wanted it to be, and the songs were from a pretty specific emotional time. On this record, I wanted the first line I sang to be for someone else, like ‘For Richard Swift.’” So, that dedication to the late indie-rock icon is when Robin’s voice first appears, singing this lyric to open the album’s highlight, “Sunblind,” which also happens to be the single greatest entry into the Fleet Foxes catalogue to date.

Both an homage to the great artists who have passed before their time, and a distillation of the joy that fills one perfect day, “Sunblind” represents how grief and despair can double back and lead us toward the profound act of living simply with all our might. Despite this tender sentiment, there’s nothing naïve about Shore — a label that was perhaps correctly assigned to early Fleet Foxes material, and also part of what made it great — and these 15 tracks are the work of an artist taking in everything dark and corrupt about this year, and choosing to craft an artifact of hope. Though the majority of the music was composed and recorded in 2019 and early 2020 before the pandemic, nearly all of the lyrics were written as recently as June of 2020.

This means that musically, the album is as meticulous as Pecknold’s perfectionist streak has ever driven him to be, but lyrically, it has a new sense of openness. From the litany of invocations on “Sunblind” to the aching Neon Bible melodrama of “Can I Believe You?” and the loping determination of “Maestranza,” Shore is more aware of the current moment than any other Fleet Foxes album, but speaks to it with hard-earned wisdom and a sense of respect for the necessary dismantling 2020 ushered in. Recorded across five different studios, and engineered and mixed by Beatriz Artola, who Pecknold describes as “essential” to the record, this fourth album is a triumph from an artist who is rarely, if ever, satisfied with his own offering.

Perhaps he, too, can finally dig his feet into the sand: Shore is a fine epic, a mesmerizing continuation of a band who helped define the 2010s, and proof that, for many more decades, Pecknold’s voice will be an imperative entry into the American songwriting canon — whether he’s the one singing, or not. Along with the album and in lieu of formal music videos, a 16 mm road movie of the same name by Kersti Jan Werdal is available to watch here. Below is a condensed, edited version of a nearly hour-long conversation we had about the circumstances surrounding Shore and beyond.

You have such a signature voice that’s instantly recognizable. But on Shore, someone else’s voice opens the record. Why did you decide to make that shift?

I wanted the first lyric to be this outward looking thing. Then, I had this “Wading In Waist-High Water” song that I didn’t know how to sing. Because I had the lyrics and the melody I liked, but it felt wrong with my voice. Once a friend sent me a clip of Uwade [Akhere] singing, I was obsessed with the tone of her voice and how easy and textured it is. It felt like having someone else open it up, having someone else sing at the top of the album felt like an extension of the ‘For Richard Swift’ line. These other people at the very top to establish that as a theme or an overall feeling on the record.

How did you get connected with Uwade?

A friend of mine just sent me an Instagram clip of her covering the Fleet Foxes song, “Mykonos.” That was the first I’d heard of her, and then they said she was a Columbia student but doing a semester abroad at Oxford, and we happened to be recording in France. She was happy to take the train to come record with us for a day. She’s amazing, she’s a really cool person.

“Sunblind” is an homage to so many artists from the past, and it also feels fitting to have Kevin Morby singing on it with you because he’s another legend of our current time. When did you decide to have him involved in that song?

There was a moment when I thought it would be cool to have a gang vocal with a ton of people singing on it, but then that started to seem a little too “We Are The World” or something. But I really wanted Kevin on there, so I asked him just a few weeks ago. One of the small upsides of the lockdown situation is that everyone has the home recording situation pretty dialed in. And Kevin was really close with Richard Swift, Joshua Jaeger played drums on this song, and Homer Steinweiss plays drums on this song as well — and he played drums with Richard in The Arcs. I wanted to involve people who knew those guys, and that were a little younger than me. Mentioning a bunch of people that had passed that were our heroes, and then to include the guys that were younger than me, in a way keeping that memory alive.

Your lyrics are often so imagist or opaque, and this song with all the very specific name references felt different. Why was that important to you?

On Crack-Up, those lyrics meant a lot to me, but I was a little bit afraid of what I was talking about, so I was couching it and obscuring it. I thought for this time, I wanted it to be really specific lyrically. And I couldn’t get more specific than people’s names, and then use that as a jumping-off point for exploring different specific, clear themes.

Well I love the song, it’s probably my favorite song off Shore.

Me too! Thank you. It was the last one that came together and I was really happy that it did.

Really? It feels like the center of it.

I know. It totally is the center of it, to me. It was a huge question mark right up until a few weeks ago and I finally unlocked it. It was one of those things where we’ve been working on this album for a year and spending all this time and money, but this wasn’t there? And it’s so central to it, now. The same with “Featherweight,” that one came together super late too, and it was like wow, I can’t believe this was missing. We were excited about this album before but all these really key pieces were missing.

“Featherweight” was the first song you shared with fans and everyone off this record, in a livestream. Why was that the one you wanted to introduce the album with?

Part of it was it was just the easiest one to come across well with that limited setup. And I knew it was going to be easy enough to sing it in one live take and not go terribly wrong. That’s an important song for me on the record, too. Because of the melancholy nature of the music, I think the lyric could’ve gone that way, but to have the lyric be a little more about gratitude, or letting go of old personal battles, with all these descending melodies. I had a big roadblock with lyrics on this record because I wasn’t able to find the point of view, and that was the first song lyrically that I found the point of view for that bled into the rest of the lyrics.

I almost didn’t think it was you singing it. At least on the record, your vocals sound really different, even rhythmically, than you usually sing.

The lyric is so much about letting go of grasping for something and trying to find an ease. So I wanted the vocal to be completely affectless. I tried to sing it as quietly as I could and as easily as I could, and then layered that four or five times, trying to match it perfectly to each other. Not harmonizing, just singing in unison. It was a different character, trying to express no strife.

It reminds me of Elliott Smith.

Yeah, Elliott Smith, or Arthur Russell. Or honestly, like Billie Eilish, how those vocal productions sound.

Well I know that Beatriz Artola had a huge impact on the album as the engineer and mixer. I’d love to hear more about how you guys started working together.

She was essential. Absolutely essential. She worked on Crack-Up for one day when we recorded strings, but I didn’t know her before that. And then she mixed some live stuff from the Crack-Up tour, and I always thought it came out really powerful and strong-sounding. She was always so fun to work with and I just really liked her as a person. I wanted Shore to be engineered from the ground up by a professional. She ended up being a great sounding board for ideas and has an incredibly encyclopedic memory.

When we would record, she was taking notes of every tape we were doing of every musician we recorded. She has all of these notebooks full of her notes on the tapes, and which were the good ones and which one had minor differences. So this last month when we were mixing, we were able to refer to her notes and pull up old performances from eight months ago, and she knew exactly what performance I was talking about, and where it was in the session. We were on a similar wavelength all the time of wanting to work really hard, and what tracks were made where. It was a great experience.

The entire music industry is dominated by men, but I’ve interviewed some female engineers and mixers in the past about how that’s even more true on their side of things. Do you have any thoughts on that aspect?

One thing I want to address, whenever there’s a chance to tour again, is the kind of boys club nature of touring. Even if you love everyone on the tour, if it’s mostly men it’s just going to take on a certain tenor. It’s just a little fratty. So for me, when Beatriz would show up, sometimes she would come out to help with a livestream at a festival, it was always a breath of fresh air to see her on tour. I want to have a more diverse set of energies on tour. But for Beatriz, all of her technical abilities and even her personality, she’s the best in the world. That’s true regardless of her gender.

What was the significance of releasing the album on the Autumn Equinox? And without any notice?

It’s good to get a three-month lead sometimes, it’s good to get people’s attention. I’m hopeful that we can get the word out about the album in this short period of time. It just feels like a good moment to try a no BS “here you go” vibe. I feel sick of reading the news a little bit, and I’m keeping up with what’s going on, but it’s not the least exhausting part of my day. So I didn’t want to feel like I was trying to garner attention over a three-month album cycle. Especially when the album was ready… and it’s not really a winter album. It’s kind of a summer-to-fall album, and I would like to capture that moment of transition.

And I also didn’t want to sit on it for a year and wait until next summer. I was prepared to just Bandcamp it, and then Anti— was super supportive of the idea and came onboard to help with it and they’ve been awesome. The first line of the album is “summer all over” and the last line is “now the quarter moon is out,” and that’s the phase the moon will be entering after the equinox. And those were coincidences, but I was in this heightened period of taking coincidences seriously. So It became inevitable to me in some way.

Recording for this album began at Aaron Dessner’s Long Pond studio in upstate New York. Obviously he works with so many artists, but has been something of a catalyst for new albums from both you and Taylor Swift this year. How would you describe his presence in the music industry?

Yeah, and he makes such great music solo, and with Justin, and that whole team together. They’re really actualizing the promise of this post-genre internet world. Bridging gaps. Being from Seattle, every aesthetic choice was politicized. And it’s cool to see the benefits of not thinking in those terms, and how many different things he’s been able to have his hand in, and genres he’s been able to meld. He was super sweet to let us use the studio, I don’t know him super well but I’m very, very grateful to him for that.

Both this record and Folklore came with almost no announcement, and were finished in quarantine. I think it’s hard for anyone to talk about modern folk music without referencing Fleet Foxes. Do you think about the impact your music might’ve had on Taylor?

Oh, I wonder if any? I don’t know. I’m not sure, I wouldn’t presume to know she’s even heard it. And I love what they did. Because, listening to that album it’s this cool other thing. There’s something placeless about the tracks Aaron produced, and there’s obviously her perspective is very singular and no one can copy that. It’s cool, it’s a real meeting of the minds that created something totally distinct. Because it’s not just like a folk album, it’s something else.

People tend to have really strong feelings about orchestral folk or this style of folk music. Some have a very negative reaction that’s rooted in stereotypes, or often, not even listening to the music. What do you think is the biggest misconception about Fleet Foxes?

The biggest misconception? I think it might be easier for me to even discuss this idea of orchestral folk. That reminds me of listening back to Shore with Homer Steinweiss for the first time. He said “I love when an album sounds like a symphony but you’re just using rock instruments.” And I was like, “Oh yeah, that’s exactly what I’ve always wanted to do.” Because I haven’t really used strings, there’s some horns and voices, but there’s this fine line to walk. Once you ask a guy to do an orchestral arrangement and you hire the London Symphony Orchestra, then it’s just that. There’s something more charming and grounded or a bit more of a magic trick to pull that off without using those resources. Even if you could have access to them.

Even just a clip of Brian Wilson layering his voice seventeen times until it’s this whole world to escape into. That’s super egalitarian and it doesn’t cost a dime, there’s nothing bougie about that. Pulling off really complex arrangements or really interesting sounds, but not dropping fifty grand on some insane session is also slightly egalitarian to me. Music that felt accomplishable to me always resonated more. Accomplishable in terms of when I was a teenager, I could be good enough at guitar in my room to pull off Elliott Smith and learn these songs. I think being from the Northwest, that kind of thing will always mean more to me.

It was almost surprising to me when I realized this was only your fourth album. How are you feeling now about the entire Fleet Foxes discography and how Shore fits into that?

It used to seem like a flex to me if it was like a Talk Talk vibe. I used to think about it in those terms. After Helplessness Blues I was like well maybe that was my music career, and it was kind of an awesome experience. I’ll come back and think one day about this wild time where I made this. But now, I’m like “I can’t believe there’s only four albums, this has been my entire adult life and it’s like, three hours of content. I’m so lazy.” [Laughs]

I really do write a lot more than I’ve been able to release. After the first album, what I thought those releases needed to be really limited my output. I don’t really have that concern anymore, and it feels like I can move into the future in a much more productive, prolific way, and not have some of those same hang-ups I used to. And I think I’m young enough that I’m not delusional to think that I’ll still have some good collaborations and work left to do.

Shore is out now via Anti-. Get it here.

The hip-hop world can get contentious, as it was for Jay-Z in the ’90s. After Tupac’s release from prison and signing to Death Row Records, the rapper went after Jay-Z. Now Irv Gotti has explained when and why that feud began.

Guesting on Fat Joe’s The Joprah Show, Gotti was talking about Jay’s involvement in Notorious B.I.G.’s “Brooklyn’s Finest,” naming the track as the reason why Tupac developed an animosity towards Jay-Z: “That’s why ‘Pac was sh*tting on Jay, because of ‘Brooklyn’s Finest.’ […] Jay’s on the record with him, so now he’s like, ‘F*ck you, ain’t no n**** like me, f*ck Jay-Z,’ and he starts bombing on Jay.”

This mirrors what Napoleon, a member of Tupac’s Outlawz group, said in an interview earlier this year: “Biggie was on a Jay-Z album where Biggie was like, ‘If Faith [Evans] had twins she would have two ‘Pacs,’ get it, remember that? Like ‘Tu Pacs.’ So he was taking shots at ‘Pac on Jay-Z’s album. So, ‘Pac looking at it like, ‘I don’t give a heck, man. If you letting this dude on your album take shots at me, your my enemy now.’”

As for Jay, he didn’t just sit back and take it. In 2015, Jay-Z collaborator DJ Clark Kent confirmed the existence of a Tupac diss track from Jay, which was never released out of respect for Tupac’s death. Kent said, “It never came out, out of respect for the fact that he died. Jay did a record going at Pac, but right as it was about to come out, son died. We performed it, though, at the Apollo — the chip on Jay’s shoulder is so crazy that he had to perform it.”

Michael Jordan made headlines on Monday night when it was announced that he and Denny Hamlin were partnering to start a NASCAR Cup Series team, with Bubba Wallace signing on to be their first (and for now, only) driver.

Wallace, who is the only Black driver on the top NASCAR circuit, announced plans to leave Richard Petty Motorsports earlier this year when his contract runs up after this season, and for Jordan, that presented an opportunity too good to pass up. The result is a partnership between the sport’s only Black majority team owner and the sport’s only Black driver, with Jordan noting in his statement his goal with the team is to provide more opportunities for Black people in racing.

Later Monday night, Jordan spoke with Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer to elaborate further on what led him to deciding to start a NASCAR team. Jordan offered some insight into things that are still yet to be finalized officially, such as a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing — who Hamlin races for — that all but assures Wallace will be driving a Toyota, and that it’ll be up to Bubba if he races in the currently vacant No. 23 or chooses a different number.

The Toyota-Joe Gibbs Racing note is an important one, because in racing the right equipment makes all the difference — something Jordan noted in the interview as a lesson from his time as an owner of a team in motorcycle racing. That seems to be all taken care of, as JGR fields some of the best cars in the sport and a partnership with them and Toyota would indicate the funding will be there from a manufacturer level as well.

That was what Jordan needed to get back into motorsports, because as he noted, he wants to win.

“If I’m investing, if I’m a participant, then I want to win! I don’t want to be out there to be just another car,” Jordan told Bonnell. “I feel like Bubba feels the same, and Denny (with six victories this season) has definitely done that this year. We’ve got the right people involved. Now, we need to get the right equipment. The right information and data. Give Bubba his best chance to win.”

Jordan would go on to say he believes Bubba is a championship level driver, something Hamlin echoed in his statement on starting the team, and as such the goal is to give him the equipment to compete at that top level and prove that.

“Luck has a lot of do (with winning) in a lot of sports,” Jordan said. “But if you feel you have the same knowledge and the same equipment, you give yourself a chance. Then, it’s all up to the driver.”

If that is the case and the partnership with JGR and Toyota provides the Jordan team with the best engines and chassis and equipment, then it will be an upgrade for Wallace over driving for RPM, where they simply didn’t have the funding or support to make consistent pushes to win in the Cup Series. Money makes a huge difference in NASCAR, as the gap between the haves and have nots is quite large. Jordan seems committed to putting a sizable investment into Wallace and this team, and that means ample opportunity (but plenty of pressure as well) for the sport’s rising star.

In our desire to highlight the best bourbons for you to spend your hard-earned money on, we often look to awarding bodies and experts. You know, the sorts of folks who get paid to pick the “best bottles.” Do we believe that the experts and judges are always right in their selections? Of course not. But they do often lead to at least some cool finds for aficionados seeking out new drams to love.

For years now, the fall whiskey season has kicked off with the release of the Jim Murray Whisky Bible. The book has grown considerably over the years, with 4,500 reviews from Murray on whiskeys from all over the world. This year’s Whisky Bible added another 1,000+ bottles to the list as the world of whiskey expands even further.

Does that make Murray the be-all-and-end-all of the whiskey reviewing world? No. No one is. The industry is rapidly changing and growing with more diverse voices than ever before. Murray — while being a big part of the growth of whiskey over the last decades — is failable. In fact, he’s particularly embattled this year, over allegations of sexism. He’s also prone to palate exhaustion, just like other whisk(e)y tasters (myself included). Still, the man has tasted over 20,000 drams — that’s a whole lot of context to bring to the table.

The eight bottles of bourbon below are the ones that Jim Murray called out as “the best” going into 2021. Some of them are still fairly accessible at your local liquor store. Others are quite inaccessible — unless you’re a collector with a near limitless budget for bottles of booze. Still, it’s fun to window shop and check out what this longstanding expert has to say.

Bourbon of the Year — Stagg Jr. Barrel Proof

ABV: 64.2%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This expression also won “Bourbon No Age Statement, Multiple Barrels.” So, this is a bit of a two-fer. This barrel-proof bourbon has been lauded all around the world over the last year. Don’t expect the price to stay this low for much longer.

Tasting Notes (from the distillery):

“Rich, sweet, chocolate and brown sugar flavors mingle in perfect balance with the bold rye spiciness. The boundless finish lingers with hints of cherries, cloves, and smokiness.”

Bourbon of the Year Runner Up — William Larue Weller, 2019 Release

ABV: 64%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $700

The Whiskey:

Okay, we’re already in inaccessible territory. This expression from the illustrious Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is one of the harder to find and more expensive bottles of bourbon out there. Still, the wheated bourbon is a masterpiece of craft and you can still score a similar version from Buffalo Trace’s W.L. Weller line at a much more affordable price.

Tasting Notes (from the distillery):

“Fragrant scents of caramel corn, new leather, plums, light toffee, and pipe tobacco. The palate tastes of marshmallow, salted almonds, nougat, figs, and dates. This whiskey finishes smooth, composed, and flavorfully sweet.”

Bourbon No Age Statement, Single Barrel — Elmer T. Lee, 100 Year Tribute Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $800

The Whiskey:

Buffalo Trace continues to dominate with this special release Elmer T. Lee. The bottle commemorates what would have been whiskey legend Elmer T. Lee’s 100th birthday with a special high-proof version of the standard Elmer T. Lee the distillery puts out.

Tasting Notes (from the distillery):

“The nose brings notes of clove, vanilla, and old leather. The flavor balances fruit, honey, and vanilla with a light spiciness. A long and warm finish.”

Bourbon 9-year & Under — Bib & Tucker, Small Batch Bourbon 6-Year-Old

ABV: 46%
Distillery: Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits (Sourced)
Average Price: $52

The Whiskey:

This high-rye bourbon wins a lot of awards. The juice is over 26 percent rye and is aged in a very low charred oak barrel, which lets the spirit shine a bit brighter than the wood.

Tasting Notes (from the distillery):

“Bib & Tucker leads with a scent of strong vanilla and sweet hay. And is accented by a whiff of sandalwood and mace. With a smooth entry, the bourbon is nicely balanced with a hint of pecan pie sweetness. It fulfills the promise of its nose before evolving into a warm, rich, spicy sensation. Bib & Tucker coats the palate with a complex, yet balanced and long-lasting chestnut finish.”

Bourbon 10-12 Years — Michter’s Single Barrel 10-Years-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 47.2%
Distillery: Michter’s Distillery, Louisville, KY
Average Price: $130

The Whiskey:

This is one of those bourbons you’re still able to find for a somewhat reasonable price. That’s about to change. This bottle keeps winning big awards, getting heavy press, and is very limited each year. So, the price of this well-aged juice is going to climb higher very soon.

Tasting Notes (from UPROXX’s Expression Session):

“That oak comes through with a fresh maple syrup sweetness. There’s a sense of bourbon vanilla but it’s dialed back as the sip edges more into the bitterness of the charred oak with a rich toffee creaminess. The maple syrup, oak, and toffee carry the sip towards a warm, yet curt end.”

Bourbon 13-15 Years — Knob Creek 15-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%
Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory)
Average Price: $115

The Whiskey:

Knob Creek 15 released this expression over the summer, and it’s been a hit with bourbon lovers. The juice is a 15-year-old bourbon that’s hand-selected from barrels in various parts of the rickhouse which have the exact right nuances according to the master distillers. The result is a well-aged bourbon that, while expensive, doesn’t break the bank.

Tasting Notes (from the distiller):

“After a decade and half of maturation, Knob Creek 15- Year-Old will entice the nose with delectable caramelized oak and luscious vanilla. Our bourbon will further soothe the palate with smooth caramel and toffee perfectly paired with toasted oak and light leather. Lastly, Knob Creek 15-Year-Old will finish with a warming spice joined by a slight floral bouquet.”

Bourbon 16-year & Older — Michter’s 20-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 57.1%
Distillery: Michter’s Distillery, Louisville, KY
Average Price: $1850

The Whiskey:

This bourbon has already hit that “unattainable” level. Spending nearly $2,000 on a bottle of any booze is an investment, not a party favor. Still, this juice from Michter’s is among some of the most beloved out there (with the awards to boot).

It’s no wonder it’s reached Pappy-level prices.

Tasting Notes (from the distillery):

“Intense notes of black cherry, rich molasses, honeysuckle, roasted pecans, charred oak.”

US Micro Whiskey of the Year Single Barrel — Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey Private Select

ABV: 45%
Distillery: Woodinville Whiskey, Woodinville, WA
Average Price: $36

The Whiskey:

Woodinville Whiskey is a local, independent, grain-to-glass whiskey distillery that wins award after award for their spirits. It’s also a small-time Pacific Northwest institution that has yet to really capture the country’s attention as a great, cornerstone whiskey maker. That’ll change soon as this stuff makes its way around the country and people fall in love with the fine bourbon made in Woodinville.

Tasting Notes (from the distillery):

“This meticulous process yields a truly hand-crafted spirit with aromas of crème brûlée and spice cabinet, as well as notes of rich caramel, dark chocolate, and vanilla bean on the palate with a sweet, lingering finish.”

It’s been over 15 years since The Killers arrived on the scene with their debut album Hot Fuss, which boasted songs like “Somebody Told Me,” and, of course, the indelible track “Mr. Brightside.” It’s only on rare occasions that the band performs the latter on stage, but they decided the Raiders playing a game in their Las Vegas hometown was reason enough. So they took over a rooftop in the city and gave an explosive rendition of the song.

Before diving into the performance, vocalist Brandon Flowers welcomed the Raiders to town. “Hello. We’re The Killers and it’s our pleasure to welcome the Raiders to fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. I think we’ve got just the song for the occasion,” vocalist Flowers told the crowd.

Along with performing on ESPN, The Killers have already set their sights on another record. In a recent interview with NME, Flowers said they plan on sharing a follow-up to Imploding The Mirage in less than a year:

“You know when people just say that? Every time someone makes a record they say that they have 50 songs and they’re going to release another record. We really are. We’re going to release another one in about 10 months. We’ve already gone back into the studio with [producer Jonathon Rado] and [producer Shawn Everett]. We did a week in Northern California. I had a lot of time on my hands. Before, I’d normally be gearing up to tour, all of that time has gone back into writing more songs. It’s been pretty fruitful.”

Watch The Killers perform “Mr. Brightside” on ESPN above.

Imploding The Mirage is out now via Island Records. Get it here.

It’s a big day for the Las Vegas Raiders, as the organization opened Allegiant Stadium in style with a clash against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. While the early going wasn’t kind to the Raiders in falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter, Jon Gruden’s team showed signs of life and, with 1:44 left in the first half, Derek Carr found Zay Jones for a 15-yard touchdown to slash the deficit to 17-14.

That was a positive for the Raiders by any description but, after Jones scored, he led the team in a COVID-themed touchdown celebration by seemingly breaking out the (imaginary) hand sanitizer for himself and his teammates.

In the world of pre-planned touchdown celebrations, this certainly isn’t the worst, and one wonders if this was assigned only to Jones or if the entire team was planning to use it at some point. This was the first catch of the night for Jones, who had not scored a touchdown since 2018, but he picked a good time to do it and perhaps informed others about the use of hand sanitizer. Given the state of the pandemic in the United States, it certainly isn’t a bad thing to bring awareness to while scoring an important touchdown.

Blac Chyna is an actor, makeup brand founder, and star of her very own TV show, The Real Blac Chyna, whose second season is currently in production. But that’s not all. As of 2017, Chyna is also a rapper. Having released her debut single this past summer, she shared her song “My Word” this week alongside an opulent video.

The video finds Chyna tapping Too Short, Keak Da Sneak, and makeup mogul and YouTuber Jeffree Star. Chyna flaunts her wealth, cars, and Birkin bags while delivering verses about enjoying the finer things in life. “I’m rocking sh*t you b*tchеs never evеn heard,” she raps.

Ahead of the video’s release, Chyna sat down with Uproxx to discuss her semi-recent pivot to rap. While she’s put out a handful of singles so far, an album is not yet in the works:

“No, I’m not going to do an album right now. I’m just focusing on singles because I want people to understand that I’m serious about this and I want to put out visuals with each song that I put out so they can get used to my sound and they know, ‘Okay. Chyna’s taking it serious and she’s not just doing this because she’s old Blac Chyna,’ or anything like that. I’m just taking the proper steps to let people know, ‘Hey, I’m serious about this and this is something I want to do and I’m passionate about it.’

Watch Blac Chyna’s “My Word” above.

All-star script readings have become all the rage during a time when actors can’t create new content in which they, you know, share the same space. Round up a bevy of name performers (do a reunion, if you can!), have them all read a TV episode or a movie script live, and…well, it’s not the same as a typical sitcom or movie, but it’s something. But this one is next level: As per The Hollywood Reporter, Gabrielle Union is organizing an all-black cast to read a classic episode of Friends.

The episode in question? “The One Where No One’s Ready,” one of the most theatrical of Friends episodes, set entirely in Monica and Rachel’s apartment and featuring the entire sextet together at the same time for the entire time, and mostly in real time. (And they’re not even hanging in Central Perk.) A Season 3 favorite, it finds everyone supposed to be heading to a function at Ross’ museum, only for, well, no one (but Ross) to be ready to go.

Union herself will not be playing one of the main roles, handing the role of Ross and Rachel to real-life marrieds Ryan Bathe and Sterling K. Brown. Meanwhile, Kendrick Sampson (How to Get Away with Murder) will read for Joey, Jeremy Pope (Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood) for Chandler, Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black) for Phoebe, and Aisha Hinds (9-1-1) for Monica. The production team will include such luminaries as Cynthia Erivo, Tessa ThompsonKerry Washington, Rashida Jones, Issa Rae, and Ava DuVernay.

An all-black Friends is a smart move, especially as the show has been criticized, then and moreso now, for painting an unrealistically over-white depiction of New York City. Among its critics? Former Phoebe Lisa Kudrow, who said a potential reboot would be much more diverse. Meanwhile, David Schwimmer, the erstwhile Ross, has said that he pushed the production to include supporting players of color, including multiple girlfriends (who weren’t his on-and-off, Rachel, that is).

As with many cast readings, the Friends one will encourage donations to a charity, in this case Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote initiative. A date for the live reading has yet to be announced, but perhaps it will arrive before HBO Max’s delayed official Friends reunion.

(Via THR)

Bubba Wallace has emerged as a rising star in NASCAR for what he’s done both on and off the track. The Cup Series’ lone Black driver used his voice in a sport that has long pushed back against change and led to some long overdue new policies in the sport, such as banning confederate flags from events, and getting his fellow drivers to speak up on issues of racism and racial injustice as well.

Wallace has driven for Richard Petty Motorsports and the No. 43 car since arriving in the Cup Series, but announced earlier this year that he will not be renewing his contract with RPM. That led to plenty of speculation about what team he will join next, but the answer to that question is something no one saw coming.

On Monday night, Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin announced that they would be starting a one-car racing team in the NASCAR Cup Series, with Bubba Wallace being their driver.

It takes a tremendous financial commitment to compete with the biggest teams in NASCAR, but Jordan isn’t new to the motorsports scene — he previously owned a motorcycle racing team. As he noted in a statement, he sees this as an investment not only in NASCAR but in bringing more opportunities to Black people in racing at its highest level.

“Growing up in North Carolina, my parents would take my brothers, sisters and me to races, and I’ve been a NASCAR fan my whole life,” said Jordan. “The opportunity to own my own racing team in partnership with my friend, Denny Hamlin, and to have Bubba Wallace driving for us, is very exciting for me. Historically, NASCAR has struggled with diversity and there have been few Black owners. The timing seemed perfect as NASCAR is evolving and embracing social change more and more. In addition to the recent commitment and donations I have made to combat systemic racism, I see this as a chance to educate a new audience and open more opportunities for Black people in racing.”

As for Hamlin, he will continue to run in the No. 11 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, and more details are to come about the car manufacturer — Wallace currently drives a Chevy with RPM, while Hamlin drives a Toyota for JGR and the expectation is it will be a Toyota team — as well as the number and official team name. For those curious, the No. 23 is not currently running in NASCAR and it’d be fairly stunning if that wasn’t what Wallace is running as in 2021. Still, what we know for sure is that NASCAR’s lone Black driver will race for the first Black-owned racing team since Wendell Scott raced for his own team in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and that’s pretty cool.