Category: Viral

Just before kick-off of the 2020 SEC football season, the Florida Gators and the Ole Miss Rebels chose to kneel together as a sign of protest against the mistreatment of Black people in America.

The schools released a joint statement just prior to kickoff and chose to kneel as one in a show of unity against these issues. Both schools pledged to continue to support their student-athletes when it comes to the fight toward social justice as well as to support efforts across the SEC.

Marty Smith of ESPN reported that the idea for the demonstration pregame came from head coaches Lane Kiffin and Dan Mullen as a way for both teams to come together and make their stance known before beginning the football season.

Previously during this college football season, student-athletes from Stephen F. Austin had protested during game action by taking a delay of game penalty while kneeling on the field together with their fists raised. Their statement and demonstration were far more overt than what we saw from Florida and Ole Miss, but as more schools get back on the football field, it seems possible that we see all sorts of demonstrations, protests, and statements coming from players and programs all across the country.

Back in July, NBC Universal entered the increasingly cluttered streaming wars, bringing the corporation’s vast and varied catalogue to homes nationwide. Not everything they own — and they own a lot, from TV and movie classics to more modern fare like The Office — was made available right away. As per Entertainment Weekly, one of their biggest titles will finally be hitting their services: all 45 seasons of Saturday Night Live.

That’s a biggie, as the sketch show’s long and storied history hasn’t always been available in full. Hulu has only had Seasons 1 through 5 and 30 through 45 for years (and it still does). That means that while you’ve been able to watch episodes with Chevy Chase and Jane Curtin and John Belushi, you haven’t been to able to the ones with such luminaries as Eddie Murphy, Phil Hartman, even Robert Downey Jr., who appeared on a single, not-very-well-received season from 1985 to 1986. (You can, however, see the notorious episode hosted by Milton Berle, who was famously difficult and was paired, weirdly, with free jazz legend Ornette Coleman as the musical guest.)

SNL’s full catalogue will be made available on October 1, two days before its Season 46 premiere, which will be hosted by show vet Chris Rock. That airs October 3. In the meantime, feel free to continue streaming all 69 episodes of Columbo.

(Via EW)

Following the events of the past two weeks, in which he publicly voiced his frustrations with his recording deal with Sony and Universal, it appeared that Kanye West would refrain from releasing new music. While that fight is far from over, as he recently outlined new “recording and publishing deal guidelines,” Kanye surprised fans with a preview of a new song over Twitter.

Entitled “Believe What I Say (snippet),” the song finds Kanye begging his listeners to avoid conformity. “Just one time for the record / Don’t agree with the message,” he raps. “Don’t agree with the methods.” He only played 39 seconds of the song, which includes a hard-to-miss sample of Lauryn Hill’s “Doo-Wop (That Thing)” from her classic debut album, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, an album Rolling Stone recently crowned the greatest album of all-time. Accompanying the song was a video of him on a speed boat with a handful of friends.

The preview is also Kanye’s first new music since he teased the release of his upcoming album Donda, back in June. While the album failed to arrive on the promised July 24 release date, he did share its title track, giving fans an opportunity to see what Kanye has coming.

Sia will release her new Music project this month — her first full-length release since LSD, her 2019 joint album with Labrinth and Diplo. Sia previous revealed Music would be a music film that she wrote, produced, and directed, and that it would include guest appearances from Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom, Jr., and her dancing collaborator Maddie Ziegler. She dropped the project’s first single, “Together” back in May, and now he’s back with the second single, “Courage To Change.”

The track is yet another graceful effort, aiming to empower its listeners to be their most courage selves while pushing for the change they hope to see in the world. After a slow and steadily rising first verse, Sia explodes with the chorus, singing, “You’re not alone, I promise / Standing together, we can do anything.” The song also interpolates the chorus from Pink’s 2019 track “Courage,” which was co-written by Sia and appears on Pink’s Hurts 2B Human album.

The track arrives after Sia teamed up with David Guetta for their single “Let’s Love,” which joined a long list of collaborations between the two, including “Bang My Head,” “Helium,” and “Titanium.” She also released the single “Riding On My Bike,” which appeared on Atlantic’s compilation album At Home With The Kids.

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

On Friday, Tory Lanez broke his two-month silence following the shooting incident with Megan Thee Stallion, not releasing an apology but a new project, entitled Daystar. Tracks like “Money Over Fallouts,” for example, found the Toronto native claiming he was framed for the shooting, while “Sorry But I Had To…” saw him attempting to poke holes in the accusations. But less than a day after the project’s arrival came a new report that made the situation worse. According to a report from Complex, Tory allegedly told Megan Thee Stallion to “dance, b*tch” prior to shooting at her feet in July.

The report claims that after the shooting, Tory attempted to offer Megan hush money. Previously Megan’s lawyer Alex Spiro reportedly said Tory launched a “smear campaign” against the Houston rapper. “We have been made aware of manipulated text messages and invented email accounts that have been disseminated to the media in a calculated attempt to peddle a false narrative about the events that occurred on July the 12th,” Spiro said in a statement to TMZ.

In addition to refuting Megan’s claims on the album, Tory also took shots at Kehlani and Kaash Paige for their comments against him regarding the July shooting incident.

(via Complex)

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

2020 has not been a great year for encouraging news headlines, but every now and then one of them is actually and refreshingly funny. Last week we got one of those: The Doobie Brothers, the beloved rock band, are suing Bill Murray. Why on earth are they doing that? Because he’s been using one of their greatest hits, “Listen to the Music,” in ads for his line of golf shirts without paying them. Thus began the funniest rock band-on-movie star fight since Steely Dan sued Owen Wilson.

Now Murray, via his lawyer, has responded. And just as the Doobies’ cease and desist letter wasn’t exactly serious, neither was Murray’s attorney. “Your negative comments about their fashionableness are especially disconcerting to all of us–especially considering 75% of my wardrobe consists of William Murray polos, shorts and pants,” the letter, from attorney Alexander Yoffe, read. “Color me biased, but the consensus on this side of the table is that Bill and the brothers have some of the most clever and creative lifestyle wear available.”

It continued:

“Please provide us with the shirt size for yourself, Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, Michael McDonald, and John McFee, along with which of our client’s shirts you find the least offensive, and we will happily upgrade your wardrobes and hopefully win each of you over as new fans of the brand.”

The Doobie Brothers’ original letter can be read below:

Who will be the next ’70s rock band to sue a movie star? Our bet is on Seals and Crofts sending a cease and desist to Debra Winger.

(Via MSN)

Drew Barrymore has been reuniting with onscreen partners lately, but this is next level: On her new daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, the actress brought on a very special guest: her ex-husband Tom Green. The actress and comic — who had his own incredibly bizarre show from the mid-’90s to the early aughts, which eventually ran on MTV — were briefly married in 2001, formally divorcing the next year. The two decided to reconnect live on air, and it proved to be a warm and bittersweet reunion.

“I have always been attracted to visionaries, comedians and people who make me laugh,” Barrymore said when introduced her ex. “I was so attracted to our next guest I even married him!”

The two didn’t reunite over webcam, as is the style of the time. It was an in-person reunion, the two sitting several feet apart, Green armed with his new dog. The two admitted they hadn’t spoken or even seen each other in 15 years. But there was no animosity between them, just kind words.

“I’ve had two nights of great sleep in my life before my daughters were born. I don’t know why but sleep has been a weird thing for me,” Barrymore recalled. “I remember this night just being so content. I was at your parents’ lake house, and I remember hearing all their voices upstairs. I was by myself and going to sleep and I was like, ‘Yeah, this is what safety and contentedness feels like before you’re going to sleep.’ I love your parents, and I really love you and I celebrate you.”

Barrymore reflected on how much time had passed. “When you say it’s 20 years, sometimes it’s the blink of an eye and sometimes you’re like, Oh my God, we’ve lived so much in these last 20 years,” she told Green. “You’ve had a whole life and I’ve had a whole life and it’s just really nice to come together and check-in and talk about it,” Barrymore said. “I think the world of you. I celebrate you and I always have and I always will.”

Green became a major celebrity in the early aughts, not only from his galvanizing TV show but from appearances in films like Road Trip, Stealing Harvard, and Freddy Got Fingered, which he wrote and directed. Barrymore and Green appeared onscreen together in 2001’s Charlie’s Angels, with him playing her character’s goofy boyfriend.

You can watch Green’s appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show above.

(Via People)

On last week’s episode of Expression Session, we were lucky enough to taste some serious Irish whiskey from Tullamore D.E.W. This marked the first time we wandered into the world of Irish whiskey on the show and it was a delight for the senses.

Speaking personally, I’m a pretty big Tullamore D.E.W. stan. It’s my go-to duty-free bottle of whiskey whenever I fly to England to visit in-laws. The one-liter bottle is always a bargain, and it’s never a bad idea to show up somewhere with a bottle of good Irish whiskey on hand. But while I’m very familiar with the “original” expression, I really hadn’t had much exposure to the other expressions in the mix besides random tasting events over the past five years or so.

We were lucky to have Tullamore D.E.W.’s brand ambassador for the eastern U.S., Gillian Murphy, join us. Murphy led us through a tasting of the Original, Caribbean Rum Cask Finish, 12-Year-Old, and Single Malt 18-Year-Old bottles of Tullamore. It was an educational half-hour — great whiskey and even better company. You can watch the whole tasting on Instagram.

If you don’t have time for that, here are my thoughts on the four bottles we tried.

Tullamore D.E.W. Original Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $28

The Whiskey:

This is a straight-up classic Irish whiskey. The juice is triple distilled — like almost all Irish whiskeys — and then it rests in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The whiskeys are then blended into a final product that’s as easy to drink as it is to mix.

Tasting Notes:

Clear fruity notes of apple mingle with a hint of bourbon-y vanilla. That fruit carries on through the very light (in a good way) sip as a hint of wood and citrus arrive. The vanilla peeks back in near the end as the sip quickly fades while warming you up.

Bottom Line:

This mixes very well with sharp ginger ale. I tend to drink it with mineral water these days, plus a squeeze of lime. It also works as a cocktail base.

Tullamore D.E.W. XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish

ABV: 43%
Average Price: $30

The Whiskey:

This is the same juice as above with one exception. The whiskey is transferred into Demerara rum casks from Guyana for a few short months to finish things off. That finishing barrel imparts a wholly different feel to this sip that’s both surprising and enticing.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear rum mustiness to the nose next to tropical fruits with a focus on bananas. A hint of spice meets that banana with a note of creaminess, caramel, and dried fruit. The sip lingers a bit longer with an almost banana’s foster buttery rum edge.

Bottom Line:

At $30 per bottle, this makes a fine sipper with a rock or just on the rocks. It’s also a solid base if you’re whipping up an old fashioned.

Tullamore D.E.W. Special Reserve Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a blend of three triple distilled whiskeys: pot still, malt, and grain whiskeys. The juices are then aged for 12 to 15 years in either ex-bourbon or ex-sherry casks before blending and cutting down to proof.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a definite spice next to oak on the nose with a pinch of nuttiness. The sip meanders through notes of praline, nuts, dried fruits, and spice, adding a Christmas cake feel to the sip. With a little water, I got a note of dark chocolate powder and amped up creamy texture. The sip fades slowly as the spice, chocolate, nuts, and oak dance on your senses.

Bottom Line:

This is an easy sipper with a little water or a rock to open it up. It’s also affordable enough to use in a Manhattan or maybe even a boulevardier.

Tullamore D.E.W. Single Malt Aged 18 Years

ABV: 41.3%
Average Price: $120

The Whiskey:

This Irish single malt spends 18 years aging in ex-bourbon barrels before it’s finished in former sherry, Port, and Madiera casks and pipes. After six months in the finishing barrels, the final product is expertly married and cut down to proof.

Tasting Notes:

Caramel apples, plenty of oak, and a malty base greet your nose. The sip is shockingly mellow-yet-complex with a spiced baked apple feel, creamy toffee, and a sweet biscuit roundness. The malts, spice, fruit, and oak all linger as the sip slowly fades and warms on the long finish.

Bottom Line:

This is too easy to sip. Make sure to add a little water or a rock to open it up.

Check out the full tasting below!

Going into Game 5 on Friday night, the Miami Heat had an opportunity to complete their unexpected postseason run and punch their ticket to the NBA Finals. They’d stunned the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals over the course of four games, proving once and for all that they were no anomaly.

And for the first two quarters of the game, it certainly looked like that might be the case. But after a furious second-half rally from a spirited Celtics team that finally found their rhythm, Boston was able to extend their season with a 121-108 in and force a Game 6 on Sunday, where they will try to even their series and replicate what the Nuggets were able to accomplish (twice) out West.

Here’s what we learned from Boston’s win in Game 5 with their season on the line.

A Tale of Two Halves

The Celtics were nowhere to be found in the first half. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker were a combined 4-of-17 to start the game, and Boston looked listless and disinterested, i.e. not at all like a team whose season was on the ropes. Credit the Heat for their stifling defense, as they pestered the Celtics into 3-of-14 from behind the arc through the first two quarters and sent Boston scrambling for answers, but the biggest issue by far was Boston’s lack of energy.

Brad Stevens got so desperate that he even inserted Enes Kanter into the lineup in the second quarter to try to breathe some life into his team, and Kanter did just that, going 4-of-4 in the period to keep Boston within striking distance.

After halftime, it was a completely different story, with the Celtics racing out to a 20-3 run to take their first lead of the game as Miami went cold. The Celtics finally found their rhythm in the third quarter, attacking the defense and not settling for tough three-pointers, where they had been ice-cold in the first half.

As in the previous contest, Tatum came alive in the second half. He was much more aggressive at attacking the paint and drawing fouls, getting to the line eight times in the period. He had 17 points in the third quarter, and the Celtics took a 92-83 lead into the final frame and never let up.

@jaytatum0 is in his bag right now pic.twitter.com/gEr8R2IzCv

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 26, 2020

They kept pouring it on from there, with six players in double figures for the night, led by Tatum with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, while Brown finished with 28 points and eight rebounds and Walker chipped in 15 points and seven assists.

Celtics Bigs Came Up…Big

Kanter was the story of the first half for the Celtics’ front line, giving the Cs a much-needed jolt off the bench when he subbed in for Daniel Theis. After playing sparingly this postseason, Kanter made four straight baskets for Boston in the second quarter and helped keep the deficit under double digits.

Enes Kanter making an immediate impact pic.twitter.com/o6pk8J4wSj

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 26, 2020

That would be the extent of his contributions for the night, but apparently it was enough motivation for Theis, who had a huge second half. Theis did a little bit of everything on Friday night on both ends of the court, as he put up 15 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks.

THEIS SENDS IT BACK pic.twitter.com/gvHKHAU20B

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 26, 2020

For the Celtics, it took an all-around effort from up and down the roster, which is what they’ll need from here on out if they want any chance of taking the series.

We Got Robbed Of The Duncan Robinson Game

On Wednesday, Tyler Herro gave us one of the all-time great playoff performances by a rookie with his 37-point explosion in Game 4, cementing his status one of the most exciting up-and-coming players in the NBA. And for a while there in the first half, it looked like we might get treated to another one, this time courtesy of Duncan Robinson.

Robinson was absolutely on fire to start the game, scoring 17 points in the first half on 3-of-6 from downtown and slashing his way into the lane for easy layups.

17 point 1st half for your shooterpic.twitter.com/ykn05JoXhA

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 26, 2020

Unfortunately, he would cool off from there as Boston seized control of the game. Robinson would finish 3-of-11 from three with 20 points, spoiling what initially looked like it might be a scoring explosion from the young sharp-shooter, who has already established himself as one of the NBA’s best marksmen.

It was a rough night overall for the Heat in this one. Goran Dragic led the way with 23 points but fouled out with just under five minutes left in the fourth. Jimmy Butler was plagued by foul trouble as well. He finished with 17 points. Miami was frigid from long-range, shooting just 7-of-36 for the night and 45 percent as a team overall.

The Heat will now look ahead to Game 6 on Sunday, where they will try to avoid letting the Celtics even the series. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

XXL Freshman Class member Rod Wave dropped his Pray 4 Love (Deluxe) album back in August. The deluxe effort gave fans a handful of bonus tracks, including the Lil Baby collaboration “Rags2Riches 2,” a follow-up to the album’s “Rags2Riches” with ATR Son Son. Now, the two team up once again to share a reflective video to their joint track.

The visual places Lil Baby and Rod Wave inside an opulent mansion. Trading verses in front of thick stacks of cash, the two rappers chart their success without forgetting to first pay homage to where they came from. “No silver spoons, we had plastic utensils / He just came home, he still packin’ his pistol / Die in these streets or get saved by the system / Or get you some millions, my lifestyle is vicious,” Lil Baby raps.

While the “Rags2Riches 2” visual debuts several weeks after the original collaboration dropped, the song recently saw an uptick in popularity thanks to TikTok. The app released the song on its platform, which catapulted the collaboration higher in the charts, leading to the lavish video’s production.

Rod Wave was able to secure a feature from Lil Baby but it definitely came with a price tag. Earlier this summer, Lil Baby revealed how much it costs for him to feature on a track — and it’s not cheap. The rapper said he asks for at least $100,000 before even considering hopping on a project.

Watch Rod Wave and Lil Baby’s “Rags2Riches 2” video above.

Pray 4 Love (Deluxe) is out now via Alamo. Get it here.