Welles Crowther’s senior quote in his high school yearbook was the simple adage, “There is no ‘I’ in team.” As a lacrosse and hockey player, he lived that motto through sports. As a volunteer firefighter, he lived that motto through service. As as equities trader working on the 104th floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11, he lived that motto through selfless heroism that saved others’ lives and cost him his own.
Crowther was just 24 years old when the planes struck. From that tragic moment until the tower fell, survivors say he led others to safety, repeatedly returning to the 78th floor lobby where people were stranded and guiding them down the one working stairway to where firefighters could take the to a working elevator. He had the opportunity to save himself—if he had gone with the first group of people he rescued, he could have made it out of the building before it collapsed. But he kept going back to save more lives.
ESPN created a beautiful video highlighting Crowther’s heroism, told through the voices of his parents, teammates, colleagues, and even some whose lives he directly saved.
Beginning with the red bandana Crowther had kept with him from early childhood and ending with how that bandana ultimately helped uncover the unknown details of his final hours, the tribute is a moving tale of tragedy and courage, selflessness and sacrifice. While every loss on 9/11 should be remembered, Welles Crowther deserves to have his story shared far and wide as an inspiration for us all.
With many Americans spending more time at home and precious few live entertainment options to pass the time, sports ratings have climbed since games returned mid-summer. The NFL tends to always up the ante in terms of viewership, and NBC’s opening Thursday Night Football broadcast between the Texans and Chiefs blew away all its competition, peaking at 22 million viewers across linear and digital platforms.
The broadcast did, however, finish just below last year’s opener between the Packers and Bears.
From the NFL:
Despite the largest fourth-quarter deficit (24 points) in an NFL Kickoff Game in seven years, the Kansas City Chiefs’ 34-20 victory over the Houston Texans in the opening game of the NFL season last night averaged a preliminary* Total Audience Delivery of 20.3 million viewers across NBC TV, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL Digital platforms – making it the most-watched sporting event since Super Bowl LIV in February, according to Fast National data released today by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
With 20.3 million viewers, the NFL Kickoff Game is only the second show since the Super Bowl Sunday to average at least 20 million viewers (Academy Awards, 23.6 million on Feb. 9). Last night’s game faced unprecedented sports competition, as both NBA and NHL playoff games were contested at the same time.
This came on an unprecedented night in which every major American sport as well as golf and soccer were being played as a result of the pandemic’s effect on the sports calendar. Not only did the NFL retain its spot at the top of the sports world, it generated more attention across all platforms than even a typical football game would.
The sparkling beverage market is absolutely booming right now. And whether you’re crushing La Croixs, White Claws, or Trulys, if your go-to drink sparkles, comes in a can, and hovers comfortably between 0 and 100 calories, you’re probably at least a little more health-conscious than the person smashing through a sixer of IPAS and Coca-Colas. Seltzers already generally have less sugar than their alcoholic and traditional soda counterparts, so how do we level up our favorite sparkling beverages even further to make them all the healthier? By adding some CBD into those babies for an extra boost of anti-inflammatory, anxiety-reducing, insomnia killing goodness.
Luckily for us, we’re living in an age where CBD-infused beverages aren’t just some health-conscious hippie pipe-dream. They’re a reality and there are a lot of them currently on the market. Maybe too many! To help you cut through the dense forest of CBD-infused hemp powered sparkling beverages, we’ve picked out some of our favorite brands from a market that seems to get more flooded with each passing month. We’ve spent the last few weeks of summer binging on CBD drinks looking for the brands that are truly worth the time and money (and also pair well with booze, screw health it’s been a hard year).
Let’s dive into the best sparking CBD Seltzer Waters of 2020!
Unlike La Croix, when you pop open a can of Sparkling CBD, you aren’t greeted with a blast of fragrant fruit essence and there isn’t an audibly pleasing fizz to be found, but also unlike La Croix, Sparkling CBD actually has some flavor. Sparkling CBD comes in Lemonade, Cola, Ginger Ale, Black Cherry, Root Beer, Hibiscus, and Citrus, we’ve only tried the latter two, but we loved them both.
The Citrus water is the most refreshing of the two, but if we had to choose one we’re going with the Hibiscus water every time. The Hibiscus water, while not fizzy or particularly fragrant, tasted like someone left a bunch of hibiscus flowers in a vat of sparkling water… and it turns out that’s exactly how it was made! Each batch of Sparkling CBD Hibiscus water utilizes 40 pounds of organic hibiscus flowers, and you can really taste them.
BOTTOM LINE: Pour it in a glass and enjoy the ruby red color with some ice — and then add some Tito’s Vodka or Espolòn Reposado Tequila with a twist of lime and let your stress melt away.
Recess comes in a minimalist moody-colored can that blends 10mg of broad-spectrum hemp extract with ginseng, l-theanine, lemon balm, and real fruit flavors, for a sparkling water that is as healthy as it is tasty (despite its mere 5g of sugar). Each can of Recess is just 25 calories, and while we would’ve loved a higher concentration of extract per can, its relatively affordable enough that you won’t feel bad for blowing through two cans in a single session.
Recess is available in six flavors that include coconut lime, peach ginger, blackberry chai, pomegranate hibiscus, black cherry, or blood orange.
BOTTOM LINE: Our picks are the pomegranate hibiscus and blood orange, both of which go great with an added shot of Gun Powder Irish Gin or Botanist.
Mad Tasty
Mad Tasty
CBD: 20mg Broad Spectrum Hemp Extract Price: Mixed Case 12-pack $60, Single Flavor 6-pack $30
Created by singer-songwriter Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic fame, Mad Tasty features 20mg of broad-spectrum hemp extract and packs a surprising amount of fizz and flavor, more than most of the seltzers on this list. The full line consists of three flavors which include Watermelon Kiwi, Grapefruit, and a mystery flavor dubbed Unicorn Tears.
I wanted to hate Unicorn Tears. Badly. But it’s f*cking good. I found myself blasting through a can of this stuff quickly, as I kept reaching for more trying to discover what the mystery flavor actually is, which played out in my head like this: Grapefruit, wait no, Mad Tasty already makes a Grapefruit flavor, maybe there is a hint of strawberry in there? Definitely… but something else. Wait a minute, is it Grapefruit, Strawberry, and Watermelon Kiwi? Can’t be.It’s kind of like a White Mystery Airhead. Wait, wasn’t White Mystery Airhead just a random pre-existing Airhead wrapped in a different wrapper? Oh look, I’m all out of Unicorn Tears.
BOTTOM LINE: Thanks a lot Mad Tasty, for making a CBD drink that actually stressed me out more. I killed that stress with a second can with some Boulevardier for a mythical whiskey soda.
The only sparkling seltzer water on this list to use Full Spectrum extract, there is something unmistakably different about Fountain in comparison to the other cans on this list — the calming effects of the CBD not only occurred faster, but lasted longer. Produced, canned, and labeled in a New York Brewery — where the brand also makes Hard Seltzers — the 20mg of Full-Spectrum CBD comes from hemp grown and processed in New York state and releases in three flavors which include Cucumber, Grapefruit, and Lime.
Our top pick is the Cucumber, as it offers a flavor other brands tend to ignore, which we can’t figure out because and the bitter and refreshing flavors of cucumber pair nicely with the dull flavors of hemp — they’re a match made in heaven!
A match that’s made even better when you pour it over ice with an added a splash of Monkey 47, and a sprig of mint.
Bimble is so damn tasty that if it didn’t cost $39.99 per 6-pack, we’d consider keeping a 6-pack of this stuff stocked in our fridge at all times, whether we were looking for a dose of CBD or merely quenching our thirst with a hearty meal. Each bottle of Bimble is made with sustainability sourced Vermont honey and infused with bright citrus, berries, and herbs that work to tamp down the overly grassy properties of the hemp, resulting in a flavorful and refreshing sparkling beverage with a nice 25mg of broad-spectrum hemp extract. To make things worse, both flavors of Bimble, the Blueberry Lemon Ginger, and the Grapefruit Basil Mint are so good that choosing between the two will have you reaching for the mixed flavor 12-pack which is an absurdly high $74.99.
BOTTOM LINE: Put this one on a Christmas wish-list or drink sparingly when you’re really needing that dosage of CBD. I never mixed this one with any alcohol because I loved the way it tasted so much on its own, but I imagine it would pair nicely with a mildly botanic gin.
The United States’ suicide rate was at its highest since World War II before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Lawmakers and health experts worry that the intense economic and social pressures that have resulted from the pandemic will exacerbate this problem even further.
One of the most effective ways that people suffering from suicidal ideation and psychological distress can get immediate help is by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). This call center provides free, confidential emotional support form trained experts and volunteers.
It’s an easy way to get help without having to wait. Ninety-seven percent of all calls are picked up within 75 seconds of the initial phone greeting.
Every year, the lifeline helps over a million people, 25% of whom are in suicidal distress. Author Joel L. Daniels is one of the lifeline’s many success stories. His experience saved his life, so he’s created a video to let people know how it can save theirs, too.
Instead Of Killing Myself, I Called A Suicide Hotline
“I don’t use that phrase like it saved my life, um gingerly, but I mean that suicide hotline phone call, it saved my life,” Daniels says in the video.
Daniels was riding the bus in New York City when he began to feel “crazy.” He was in a panic, wanted to take his clothes off, jump off the bus, and was seriously considering harming himself.
He reached out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and immediately felt “affirmed” by his counselor.
“I just felt overwhelmed and busy between work, between life, between fatherhood, between not really knowing what I was doing and in that moment it felt like it was going to be easier to not be here,” he says.
The counselor listened to Daniels without judgment and told him he was going to be okay.
via Unsplash
“Listening without judgement, without bias, without prejudice,” he continued. “That suicide hotline phone calls saved my life and I wish I could remember the sister’s name, who I spoke to because she was so warm. She was so loving. She was so comforting. She sounded like a black auntie.”
The counselor allowed Daniels space to vent which was exactly what he needed.
“It was less questions and more affirming,” he continued. “It was just something I needed and I don’t know if anybody else does because there’s that level of shame you feel essentially when you’re trying to tell a person that you care about that I essentially want to harm myself because then it’s very easy, unfortunately, for people who do know you to start blaming themselves.”
He says he was able to make it through the episode because he was given the opportunity to speak his mind without worring about bias, fear, or judgment. The “the suicide hotline did that for me for sure,” he says.
Daniels is grateful that he was given the space to clear his mind during a traumatic episode and hopes that others in the same situation will take advantage of the opportunity the lifeline provides as well.
“I feel like it’s kind of my duty to kind of share that with other people,” he concludes the video.
If you are experiencing a suicidal crisis or emotional distress, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential emotional support at 1-800-273-8255 (Veterans, press 1).
Lovecraft Country (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — If you’re feeling this 1950s-set dark fantasy series at all (and why wouldn’t you?), you don’t want to miss this week’s payoff. There’s a devil’s bargain, a betrayal that sends Atticus into a rage (with Leti bearing witness) and the continuation of whatever the hell’s going on between Ruby and William.
The Boys: Season 2 (Amazon Prime series) — This season’s gone weekly from here on out while diving deeper, and Episode 4 takes the vigilantes on a road trip to track down a mysterious Supe called Liberty. There’s candy-bar and serial-killer lore afoot as well.
Coastal Elites (HBO special) — Dan Levy, Sarah Paulson, Bette Midler, Issa Rae, and Kaitlyn Dever star in a satirical take on our culture during these quarantine times. Each of them has a virtual session with Paulson’s new-age therapist, which sounds juicy.
The Duchess (Netflix series) — A fashionably messy single mom in London decides that she’d like to have another child with her greatest enemy, who happens to be the father of her first child.
The Killing of Breonna Taylor (Hulu series) — The New York Times investigates the life of Bronna Taylor and her police killing (following a no-knock warrant) on March 13 while the case still unfolds.
Unpregnant (HBO Max film) — A 17-year-old Type A student, Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson), deals with a never-taken-lightly decision by taking a 1000-mile road trip with her former BFF, Bailey (Barbie Ferreira), and it’s a wild ride that neither of them suspected was afoot. The value of renewed friendships with a dash of both Thelma And Louise and Fast And Furious make this an unexpectedly funny film with costars including Alex MacNicoll, Breckin Meyer, and Giancarlo Esposito, and Betty Who.
Black Boys (Peacock film) — While intersecting the realms of education, criminal justice and sports, this movie celebrates the experience of Black men and boys in America. It does so through intimate conversations and stories with NFL champions including Greg Scruggs, Malcolm Jenkins, Cris Carter, and Chris Long, along with rapper Vic Mensa, the NBA’s Carmelo Anthony, and former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. John King.
The Babysitter: Killer Queen (Netflix film) — Get into the Halloween mood now with a not-quite-as-fun sequel to the original, but it’ll do just fine. Starring Bella Thorne, the action picks up two years after Cole defeats the satanic cult, but old (and new) enemies are back for more.
Woke (Hulu series) — This show is the comedy series that Lamorne Morris (and the rest of us) deserves with a little bit of everything. It’s surreal, it’s funny, it’s serious, it’s got talking toast and trashcans, and it’s in good hands with director Maurice “Mo” Marable. The quest to “keep it light” never felt so real as Keef (based upon the life and work of artist Keith Knight) experiences a rude awakening and transformation to follow.
Family Business: Season 2 (Netflix series) — A kosher butcher’s son launches a weed business inside the, uh, family butcher shop. He calls the place a… “potcher.”
Mulan (Disney+ film) — After multiple setbacks, Disney+ is rolling the dice with a $30 premier-access price point for this live-action reboot. There are no musical numbers to be found, nor is there an animated, beloved dragon onboard, but the story is updated for the young-adult-and-above crowd. As our own Mike Ryan writes, the action scenes are impressive enough to climb onboard, since $30 is a bargain compared to what you’d spend for a family at the multiplex.
Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:
Room 104 (Friday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — The fourth season of the Duplass Brothers’ bizarre playground continues with a game show host who meets his biggest fan, who has nefarious plans for him.
Love Fraud (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — This critically acclaimed Sundance Film Festival limited series feels like the lovechild of Dirty John and Tiger King, as one prolific con-man leaves a decades-long trail of destruction, which now places him in Tennessee.
The Vow (Sunday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — NXIVM organization members strategize how to get one of their daughters out of the DOS branch, despite her never wanting to leave.
We Hunt Together (Sunday, Showtime 10:00 p.m.) — The murderous duo (a former child soldier named Baba and Freddie) finds themselves trapped in a remote cabin.
The XXLFreshman Cypher is often the most exciting part of the process for fans, and not just because of the opportunity to see the next generation of hip-hop superstars trade bars in a long-respected format. Often, the Cypher becomes the proving ground showcasing evidence that counters old head arguments that “nobody can rap anymore” or the jumping off point for a new wave of memes based on each artists’ performances — or their reactions to each others’ raps.
That’s what’s happening now with the 2020 Class, as Mulatto‘s Cypher verse has her name trending thanks to both a barrage of deft rhymes that impressed skeptics and one line in particular that’s set digital tongues wagging at the water cooler that is Twitter. Incorporating her co-star Fivio Foreign into her verse, she spits, “I ain’t even f*cked a rap n**** yet but if Fivio want to I ain’t going pass on it.” Of course, the line by itself is eyebrow-raising, but what’s really got fans amused is the camera angle, which catches Fivio’s reaction in the background as he hears the line. Let’s just say that he seems amiable to the proposition in question.
Naturally, Twitter launched into another session of humorous observations and sight gags playing off of Fivio’s delighted expression. Meanwhile, many fans took the opportunity to shoot down early attempts to pit Mulatto against last year’s standout, Megan Thee Stallion, rejecting the comparisons of one user who missed the memo that there’s now room for more than one female rapper in the limelight.
Mulatto & Chika having the best XXL Cyphers is incredible. 2019 & 2020 were ruled by women in terms of the Cypher performances.
Female rappers are only gonna keep coming stronger and it’s getting scarier how fast they can dominate the game. I’m extremely happy for them. pic.twitter.com/HnE4jvUNX9
The world of “craft beer” has come to dominate the beer conversation for a good long while now. But before there was great craft beer, there were more than a few great beers (all well crafted) from around the world (with Belgium and Germany often dominating that convo). Some of those top beers from around the world are made by big-time brewers while others were made in tiny Trappist monasteries most of us have likely never heard of.
The point is, there’s been a lot of great beer around for a long time. So we’re not going to pretend that any single list of ten beers is going to be correct, much less comprehensive. This list is just a look at what people like to drink around the world. And while a lot of these lists pulled from the masses tend to be very populist and Americo-centric, this one hits on some seriously good international beers.
Ranker asked the world what the world’s best beers are and 205,000 votes later a clear top ten emerged. At the end of the day, that’s pretty hard to argue with. Let’s dive in!
Style: Blonde Ale ABV: 6.6% Brewery: Stella Artois (AB InBev)
The Beer:
This is probably the beer that leaves me the coldest on this list. It’s fine. I’ve drunk a lot of it. But that was before I really go “into” Belgian beers. Or maybe my tastes just changed. Anyway, this Blonde is a solid example of the style and serves as a great entry-point beer for Belgium’s many beer styles.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a mild sense of wheat that manifests in what was once cloves and banana. The fizziness is cut with spice while the beer tends to stay full-bodied and refreshing. The sip carries a bit of the stainless steel vat and corn adjunct within it which makes you wonder what it was like when it was still made in an abbey.
9. Chimay Première (Red)
Chimay
Style: Dubbel ABV: 7% Brewery: Bières de Chimay
The Beer:
This was the first modern-day beer that was brewed at the Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey, hence the name. The beer is a Belgian Dubbel that amps up the flavors while adding depth to the beer that’s very enticing and welcoming.
Tasting Notes:
Sweet apricots, dark spices, malty bread, and brown sugar greet you. The sip leans into the fruit and clove-forward spice with a small nutty edge and velvety texture. A faint hoppy bitterness arrives late on the dry yet full end.
8. Rochefort 8
Bevmo
Style: Strong Ale ABV: 9.2% Brewery: Brasserie de Rochefort
The Beer:
This classic Trappist ale is a great example of the style. The water comes from within the monastery’s walls and is mixed with malts and hops from Germany.
Tasting Notes:
Dried stone fruits, nuts, spice, and brown sugar verging on molasses give this brew a very Christmas cake feel. The taste carries on all of those notes with a clear alcohol edge that reminds you to take it slow. The spice and sweet linger the longest on the bold end.
7. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Style: Pale Ale ABV: 5.6% Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
The Beer:
This almost feels like a record-scratch moment after those three big Belgian beers. Still, Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale is an American craft classic and deserves a spot on any best beers list. This beer from Chico, California is still one of the easiest drinking craft ales on the market to this day.
Tasting Notes:
Those resin-laden Cascade hops shine through without overpowering the sourdough malt and light citrus notes. The sip leans in the malt with a well-balanced bitterness from the subtly dank hops as a little bit of savory fruit cuts in. The end is short, hoppy, malty, and just the right amount of dry.
6. Hoegaarden Witbier
Hoegaarden
Style: Wheat Beer ABV: 4.9% Brewery: Brouwerij van Hoegaarden (AB InBev)
The Beer:
The original Hoegaarden used to be spiked with coriander and orange peels during the brewing process, creating a unique wheat beer (or witbier). That history is why the beer is still often served with a sad orange wedge at bars in the U.S. to this day.
Regardless, this is a very popular wheat beer that goes down without asking too much of the drinker.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a bit of clove and banana up top but it’s slightly artificial. Notes of citrus and pear mingle with almost peppery wheat and a hint of grassiness. The dry end is slightly honeyed and pulls back to the fruit.
5. Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue)
Chimay
Style: Strong Ale ABV: 9% Brewery: Bières de Chimay
The Beer:
This Chimay has been aged in French and American oak. It truly feels like the progenitor of the barrel-aged beers that dominate the craft beer world today. It’s amazingly well-crafted at Scourmont Abbey and brings a real sense of place in every sip.
Tasting Notes:
Christmas spices, dried stone fruits, sweet figs, and a hint of vanilla open this one up. The sip carries on in that vein with a flourish of vinous notes that lean towards Cognac, but it’s really all that fruit and spice that marries the oak that lets this creamy brew shine to the last drop.
4. Rochefort 10
Bevmo
Style: Quadrupel ABV: 11.3% Brewery: Brasserie de Rochefort
The Beer:
This Quad is all about amping up ABVS and dialing in the flavors while emboldening the overall experience of the beer. It’ll also get you fall-down drunk if you’re not careful. Those Trappist monks are tricky that way.
Tasting Notes:
This is the perfect holiday season sipper. The Christmas cake spices, nuts, dried berries, and maltiness is accented by a molasses rum essence, dark cacao, and a very distant hint of bananas foster. The sip doesn’t shy away from any of those notes on the palate and adds a bit of creamy, almost burnt toffee to the mix. The end is reminiscent of drunken nights around Christmas.
3. St. Bernardus Abt 12
St. Bernardus
Style: Quadrupel ABV: 10% Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus
The Beer:
Speaking of drunk holiday nights, St. Bernardus is an abbey ale (that means it’s not made by Trappist monks) that will also knock you on your ass if you’re not careful. The ultra-strong ale is designed to carry a punch in both flavor and ABVs, and it doesn’t disappoint on either front.
Tasting Notes:
This one leans more into the toffee sweetness on the nose with minor hints of all those Christmas cake elements. The taste is fruitier, brings more vanilla, and keeps the sweetness closer to sugar cane to the point that it might slightly remind you of cream soda. There’s a nice lightness to the end that can be very deceptive given the alcohol in this one.
One of the best selling international beers of all time at number two? Yeah. That makes sense. The dark stuff is a classic for a reason. It’s also arguably the most quaffable beer on the list with the most flavor in the actual pint — thanks to the deeply roasted malts involved in the red stout.
Tasting Notes:
Those roasted malts come through with a little hint of coffee bitterness and a distant note of grassy hops. The roasted malts continue to be the star of the sip as the bitterness sweetens from coffee to dark chocolate and very, very subtle sourness arrives. A bit of toffee sweetness arrives and helps usher in a full-velvet end with a return hit from the coffee bitterness.
1. Stella Artois
Stella Artois
Style: Lager ABV: 5% Brewery: Stella Artois (AB InBev)
The Beer:
With all the lagers available in the world, Stella continues to dominate. Just last year, Stella won the World’s Beer Award distinction as the world’s best international lager. And that’s because Stella does what it says it will. It’s easy-drinking, refreshing, and affordable.
Tasting Notes:
There is a note of floral hops when you pop this open. The malts feel there while the bitterness from the hops balances out the beer. It’s light, dry, and tastes like a solid lager that neither offends or wows.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
This week, Usher delivered a music video for his latest single “Bad Habits,” Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos put on for small business with their collaborative track “If You Want Me To Stay” and Janelle Monae got introspective with her inspiring cut “Turntables.”
Usher – “Bad Habits”
The time is prime for Usher to start releasing new music and visuals as he readies for his Las Vegas residency next summer. This week, the celebrated R&B singer shared the Chris Robinson-directed music video for his song “Bad Habits” which features him serenading a woman with his classic dance moves.
Ari Lennox & Anthony Ramos – “If You Want Me To Stay”
Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos linked up with Crown Royal to recreate Sly And The Family Stone 1970 classic “If You Want Me To Stay” in an effort to help save small businesses, such as live music venues, all over the country. One dollar will be donated towards the cause for every stream, up to $500,000. The vocal energy between Ari and Anthony make this one a worthy play, plus it’s for a good cause.
Janelle Monae – “Turntables”
Janelle Monae‘s “Turntables” is the uplifting number the world needs right now. “This song is to keep us motivated,” Janelle said of the song in a recent interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music. “This song is to lift up and keep us galvanized when we’re fatigued. And this song is really for the people”.
Eric Bellinger — “Solo’n”
Grammy-award winning R&B singer Eric Bellinger is planning to release his Optimal Music release with Eric B for President: Term 3 on October 30 and this week he’s sharing a pick from the project titled “Solo’n.” Produced by Smash David and Lowky, the visual also stars Bellinger’s wife La’Myia Good as his muse. “‘Solo’n’’ is definitely one of my personal favorites on the album,” Bellinger said in a statement. “Nursery rhyme melody vibes on the hook make sure you know the words by the time the 2nd chorus comes around, and it’s stuck in your head after the song is done playing.”
MarMar Oso — “Ruthless (Remix)” Feat. G-Eazy and Quando Rondo
MarMar Oso revamped his already viral hit song “Ruthless” with a music video for the remix featuring G-Eazy and Quando Rondo. While maintaining the pop-R&B vibe the original, G-Eazy and Quando add their perspective on love and heartbreak.
June3rd — “Wait 4 It”
Two years after the release of his fan favorite “Thirsty,” Florida’s own June3rd has dropped off his new single “Wait 4 It.” The track is set to live on his forthcoming debut project Jemeni.
Alex Mali — “Good Good”
In lieu of West Indian Day Parade in NYC this year (because of the pandemic), Brooklyn native Alex Mali is sharing her music video for “Good Good” to celebrate her Trinidadian and Jamaican heritage. “It’s such a downer that many of us, including myself, will not be attending the Labor Day Carnival or any Carnival this year,” she said in a statement. “I truly hope everyone has as much fun at home as we did on set and that it encourages those who haven’t to attend when the world is back in service.”
Check out this week’s R&B picks, plus more on Uproxx’s Spotify playlist below.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
In theory, this is the last week that AEW Dynamite and NXT will be on different nights, at least for a while. On the other hand, rumors persist that USA may move NXT to Tuesdays permanently. If that happens, we’ll cross that bridge, but for now, Wednesday Night’s Alright lives. So let’s get down to business.
Exciting Arrival: Miro
At last, the wrestler formerly known as Rusev is in AEW. I wrote last week about how wrestlers who leave WWE for other companies can benefit from the narrative that WWE held them back, and I’m not sure that’s more true for any single performer than it is for Miroslav “Rusev” Barnyashev, who for years just kept finding ways to get over with fans that WWE would immediately put the kibosh on.
Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t care for the segment itself, and the last thing I really wanted to see Miro doing outside of WWE is a wedding angle. For now, my excitement at seeing him in the company is enough to overcome those concerns, plus I’d honestly rather see him come into AEW is a smiling gamer guy with bleach blond hair and a pink Gucci Mickey Mouse shirt than as another big built-up monster guy who just gets fed to one of the champions inside of a month.
We’ve all seen how AEW likes to do things, and there’s definitely a world where, like, Nikita Koloff came out in a suit and warned that Jon Moxley’s days as AEW World Champion are numbered because the Beast From Bulgaria is coming for him. After contemplating that option, I’m happy to see Miro goof around with Kip Sabian for a while, have some good tag team matches, and then find his way into the main event organically over time. Miro no longer works at the whim of an easily-distracted old man who dislikes him. In other words, there’s no need to rush.
Runners Up
Kushida returned to NXT after a few weeks away, for an attack on Velveteen Dream. On the one hand, everyone is in the mood to see Velveteen Dream get beaten down by a babyface. On the other hand, it seems like most people would be thrilled to not see Velveteen Dream at all. Whether you believe the allegations about Dream or not, the tide of public opinion has turned on him in a massive way, and I’m not sure there’s any getting past it.
Tay Conti made her in-ring debut on Dynamite this week, in a losing effort against Nyla Rose. Hikaru Shida was there to help Tay to her feet and protect her from further beatings at the hands of Nyla, which is obviously meant to build to another Shida/Rose match. It also seems to put Tay in an interesting position, looking very much like the babyface here while possibly getting recruited into the Dark Order by her friend Anna Jay. It would be nice to think this is all part of a story that AEW has mapped out, but let’s be honest, it seems doubtful. In any case, Conti always seemed to have a lot of potential in NXT, and it will be fascinating to see how she fares as a relatively larger fish in a much smaller pond.
Best Elevation: Sonny Kiss goes toe-to-toe
Sonny Kiss and Joey Janela fought Chris Jericho and Jake Hager, and I began to wonder if Sonny Kiss was going to be Jericho’s next personal project, now that he’s made a hero of Orange Cassidy. I don’t think that’s where this is going, but making Sonny look good (despite eventually taking the pin) was clearly one of the secondary goals of this match.
Seeing a guy like Jake Hager sell for Sonny Kiss feels like a big deal, and it makes Sonny feel like a more legit competitor who can believably fight more of the roster. As a queer wrestling fan who really likes the way Sonny represents and carries himself, this means a lot to me. I’m glad we’re seeing more of him on TV, and I hope that trend continues.
Runners Up
Shotzi Blackheart found herself side-by-side with NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai in a confrontation with Robert Stone and Aliyah. That led directly to one of those “Ooooh, I’m touching your title belt!” moments, which in turn is leading to a match between Io and Shotzi next week. Shotzi’s come pretty far pretty fast in NXT, and this is the next big step.
She’s not going to win the championship anytime soon, but in the long run it’s not unlikely, and this feud leads down that path. It looks like next week is a non-title match, so hopefully she can win it and then lose the title match it earns her. Then later, when she’s up for another title shot down the road, everyone can be like, “Shotzi’s legit. Remember when she beat Io Shirai?”
Best Promo: Tully Blanchard and FTR
So apparently Tully Blanchard’s still got it, promo-wise? This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard him talk in the last year of AEW, but it’s the first time I remember thinking, “Damn, that’s a Tully Blanchard promo!” Working with FTR, who so clearly view themselves as spiritual successors to him and Arn, has really brought out the best in Tully.
After Tully preached about Fearing The Revelation for a bit, Dax and Cash did that fun heel thing where they ran down the tag team division to their faces. I loved the bit with SCU where Cash was saying “We grew up watching you! Imagine if we’d gotten to fight you in your prime!” while Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian just looked at each other like “Can you believe this punk right now?”
Pretty soon they picked a fight with Jurassic Express and things descended into a brawl, but by then they’d already established he kind of champs they’re going to be, and the kind of promos we can expect from them, and it’s all very exciting.
Runners Up
AEW Dynamite started with a really funny bit where Tony Schiavone simultaneously interviewed Chris Jericho and MJF, who insincerely put each other over, then they turned and walked away in opposite directions, and in a split screen they immediately put each other down. It’s always magic when Jericho and MJF interact, and I’m glad they only let it happen occasionally.
Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page each had interview segments to talk about their loss and the rift between them. It’s obvious that story is still just getting started, which I realize sounds funny considering they’ve been hinting at it for like a year. Jake the Snake and Lance Archer also had a weird promo where hey stood in the rain, and Jake talked about getting wet in an unsettlingly suggestive manner.
Then of course there was Matt Hardy in the ring addressing his injury last week. He never said the word “concussion” or any other specific description of the nature of his injury, but he did make it sound like he might be out for a little while recovering. And maybe when he comes back, he doesn’t need to leap off of any scissor lifts … oh, who am I kidding? He’s a Hardy, of course he needs that.
Best Match: Mercedes Martinez vs Rhea Ripley in a Steel Cage
This was actually a really good week for matches, but the one I was the most excited to see lived up to its hype. Mercedes Martinez hasn’t even done all that much in NXT since she signed, but we already knew she was a killer when she got here, especially after her Mae Young Classic 2018 performance. Rhea Ripley, on the other hand, has long since proven herself the toughest woman in NXT and NXT UK. She came out of her feud with Charlotte Flair a bit bruised, but she’s been on the rise again.
There are rumors that Mercedes is on her way to Raw to be part of Retribution, which would explain why she was kicked out of the Robert Stone Brand after this match. I do worry about how the call-up’s going to go, because, you know, pessimism, but I can’t deny she’s more than ready for the big leagues. And if she is leaving, Martinez/Ripley in a steel cage is one of those things you want to make sure you do while you have the chance.
Despite Rhea’s theme song, some of the brutality in this match definitely belonged to Mercedes. I loved how she came out and immediately went for weapons before getting in the cage. This is a woman who knows what she’s about. Another great touch was Robert Stone getting knocked out while attempting to climb into the cage, and spending the rest of the match draped over the top of it, oblivious to everything else going on.
I’m sure this isn’t the last time we’ll see these two paired together, but if they’re about to go to different rosters, it may be a while. In the meantime, we’ll have this match to look back on fondly.
Runners Up
On Dynamite, Brodie Lee vs Dustin Rhodes made me really happy because I love both of those guys, and I love seeing them in the main event slot fighting for a title and being treated like a big deal. And if you’re open to big hossy middle-aged ex-WWE guys, it was a really good match too.
Adam Cole and Finn Bálor had the other big match on NXT, resolving last week’s Fatal Four-Way for the NXT Championship that went to a tie between them. Bálor got the win here, which was the right choice for sure. Both of them have had long NXT Championship runs already, but Finn’s was years ago and Adam’s only ended this year. If Cole had won the belt here it would have felt like “Oh, we’re doing more of this now?” whereas Finn is a completely different character than when he was champ before.
Orange Cassidy and Angelico had a nice little match that mostly served to remind us that Cassidy is a hell of a wrestler and can easily beat guys who seem to be working way harder than him.
Finally, Bronson Reed beat Austin Theory in a good showing for both of them. I’m really enjoying Reed’s gradual build into somebody that matters, although I am a little sad that they seem to have stopped referring to Bronson as “a Thicc Boi” in favor of “Colossal.” To be fair, I feel like a I probably preferred “Thicc Boi” for the exact same reasons NXT got rid of it as soon as somebody got online and saw what it means.
That’s all for this week. I’ll be back next week when both shows will (hopefully?) be back on Wednesday night!
While attending a 9/11 memorial service in Shanksville, Pa. on Friday, President Donald Trump stirred up yet another controvery by failing to say the words “under God” during the Pledge of Allegiance. In a C-SPAN video tweeted by The Recount, Trump visibly stops speaking when it’s time to recite the words “under God” and resumes the pledge immediately after.
In any other circumstance, Trump’s omission would be an innocent faux-pas. However, in late August, the president amplified false accusations that the Democratic Party refused to say the words “under God” while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance during its national convention. The claim was easily debunked with footage of the words being spoken during all four nights of the DNC, but that didn’t stop the president from tweeting the following (and often repeating it publicly):
The Democrats took the word GOD out of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democrat National Convention. At first I thought they made a mistake, but it wasn’t. It was done on purpose. Remember Evangelical Christians, and ALL, this is where they are coming from-it’s done. Vote Nov 3!
As with all things Trump, the president trapped himself in a controversy of his own making. You can watch the video of him not saying the words “under God” below:
President Trump recites the Pledge of Allegiance at this morning’s 9/11 commemoration in Shanksville, PA. pic.twitter.com/KZPWjai9ye
With the president’s apparent hypocrisy on clear display, it didn’t take long for the reactions to start rolling in on social media:
Why does Trump refuse to say “under God” during the Pledge of Allegiance? Wasn’t he rage tweeting about this 3 Sundays ago from the golf course? pic.twitter.com/RUhf48gXCI
Either his mental state is in question or Trump purposely left out “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. Which one is it, republicans? https://t.co/TCQ8g9CljG
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