Category: Worldwide

Maggie Rogers’ debut album Heard It In A Past Life catapulted the singer into stardom upon its 2019 release. The singer was floored when Barack Obama placed her hit track “Burning” on his 2019 Summer Playlist and a year later, Rogers’ music once again made the former president’s list — this time for the 2020 iteration of his Summer Playlist. On top of that, the singer was invited to perform a track from her debut effort at the Democratic National Convention.

Kicking off the first night of the DNC Monday, Rogers gave a soaring rendition of “Back In My Body” on the coastal shores of Maine. The singer was introduced by US Senate candidate Sara Gideon, who is running to represent the state. Gideon said Rogers is “reminding all of us to keep fighting through” and is one of the politician’s favorite artists.

Poised against crashing waves and a divine sunset, Rogers’ performance stunned fans. Joe Biden’s team was also captivated by Rogers’ set, tweeting out that they are “officially” a Maggie Rogers stan account.

Watch a clip of Rogers performing “Back In My Body” for the Democratic National Convention above.

Heard It In A Past Life is out now via Debay Sounds/Universal. Get it here.

With six minutes remaining in the first half of Game 1 between the L.A. Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks, talented big man Kristaps Porzingis picked up a seemingly harmless technical foul for arguing with an official after what he believed to be a clean block

However, that play would come back to bite Porzingis and the Mavericks at the 9:10 mark of the third quarter. Porzingis became involved in a back-and-forth with Marcus Morris that netted both players technical fouls and all kinds of reaction.

Because it was Porzingis’ second technical of the night, he was ejected from the proceedings. Given his importance to the Mavericks and the lack of a significant incident, the result was highly controversial. In fact, many high-profile figures around the NBA weighed in, with LeBron James and Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki among them.

The reactions continued to roll in from there, with active players pushing back on the ejection amid the circumstances, including the fact that Porzingis was stepping in alongside Luka Doncic.

Porzingis exited after 20 minutes of play, and he produced 14 points and six rebounds before his ejection. In his absence, the Mavericks’ frontcourt rotation is significantly hampered, with Maxi Kleber and Boban Marjanovic thrust into larger roles. Beyond that, Dallas was in a strong position to potentially steal Game 1 after a tremendous first half response and that becomes a tougher proposition without Porzingis available.

The United States Postal Service is in dire straits right now, with new Postmaster General — and noted big-time Trump donor — Louis DeJoy accused (even by Taylor Swift) of implementing changes that slow down the mail just in time for the nation to vote in the midst of an out-of-control pandemic. The situation is so scary that only fictitious mailmen can make us feel better. So here’s John Ratzenberger, aka Cheers’ know-it-all, beer-swilling mailman Cliff Clavin, recording what’s effectively a PSA for the USPS.

The video was picked up by The Hollywood Reporter, who noted that the actor recorded it for the personalized message service Cameo.

“The post office is in a bit of a pickle right now,” Ratzenberger said. While he didn’t go into specifics, he said it was “being bounced back and forth.” So he had an idea: Do all your holiday shopping at the post office store.

“Why not translate the dollar amount you’re going to pay for Aunt Tillie’s new hat and just buy that amount of stamps?” Ratzenberger suggested. “It’s easy to carry, easy to mail, easy to ship. And it’s worth something. And it’ll be worth something for a long time. How many times is Aunt Tillie going to be wearing that hat? Once? Twice? But how many times will she be using those stamps?”

Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi has demanded the House return from their two-week vacation early so that they can grill DeJoy, who has agreed to testify, about his actions. When you’ve pissed off Cliff Clavin — and his portrayer, who’s also, it should be noted, a longtime, outspoken Republican — you know you’ve screwed up.

(Via THR)

Fans are still mourning the death of Juice WRLD, who passed away last December at just 21-years-old. Even after the tragedy, the rapper’s music lives on. An array of his music was released after his death, including the posthumous record Legends Never Die. A video to his The Weekend collaboration “Smile” was released this week, pushing the track to eighth place on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. That marks Juice WRLD’s seventh Top Ten track this year alone, marking an impressive achievement.

With seven singles breaking the Top Ten on the Hot 100 chart, Juice WRLD has officially become the artist with the most Top Ten songs of 2020 thus far, according to Complex. This feat is thanks to Legends Never Die‘s immensely positive reception. Upon its release in July, the album generated the biggest posthumous debut in nearly 20 years, following Notorious B.I.G.’s Life After Death and 2Pac’s R U Still Down? (Remember Me), garnering 497,000 equivalent album units in its first week.

In a statement about his music, Juice WRLD’s mother, Carmela Wallace, thanked his fans for the support:

“The overwhelming love that millions of music fans clearly have for Jarad reminds us how much his poetic words, creativity, and bright light continues to shine throughout the world. This first collection of songs is a poignant reminder of his great artistic talent and emotional honesty. Music was his passion and recording gave him the outlet to share everything he was going through. […] We are incredibly grateful to the fans who continue to uplift him every single day and our hope is that his words touch your life in a way that helps you through any challenges you may be facing.”

Legends Never Die is out now via Interscope. Get it here.

While LeBron James is set to begin another quest for a championship on Tuesday night in the NBA Bubble in Orlando, his hopeful blockbuster Space Jam: A New Legacy is in the process of post-production after wrapping initial filming earlier this year.

On Sunday, TMZ offered some audio of James’ passionate speech to the cast and crew after wrapping filming, along with a photo of the apparent Tune Squad uniforms for the film’s reboot. On Monday, James confirmed the Tune Squad look in a video first released to families of his I Promise School in Akron, Ohio, and then put on Twitter by the LeBron James Family Foundation.

They are, well, certainly bright and colorful. I can’t say I’m a big fan, but then again, a new Space Jam movie is not being made for me or any other adults, and it may very well land with kids. It is, at the very least, a massive departure from the original white Space Jam uniforms and, given that this is James’ vision for the film it’s not wholly surprising that he would try something very new and different. As always, what matters is whether the kids are into it and if it works on screen, but expect plenty of groans and sighs from folks on social media about them.

While the absence of Ben Simmons looms over the series, the anticipation was still palpable for Game 1 between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers in Orlando. On Monday evening, the two teams matched up and, 48 minutes later, the buzz was still present for the remainder of the series after a close-fought battle. Game 1 went to the Celtics, however, with Boston outlasting Philadelphia by a final score of 109-101 behind a star-level effort from Jayson Tatum and strong contributions from Jaylen Brown and others.

The Sixers began the night in encouraging fashion, running their offense through Joel Embiid. The All-NBA center made his first five shots, scoring 11 points in the first eight minutes, and he punctuated that spurt with a wild, step-back three-pointer.

Boston hung around, however, and Philadelphia’s lack of ball security was key in allowing the Celtics to do so. From there, Brown enjoyed himself in the first quarter, leading the Celtics with ten points.

As the second quarter unfolded, the Celtics took control, leading by as many as ten points and clamping down on Philadelphia’s offense. Tatum also got loose for Boston, scoring 15 points in the second quarter (and 21 in the first half) to push the Celtics to a six-point halftime edge.

Philadelphia’s first-half offense was simultaneously encouraging and infuriating, fitting into the team’s overall ethos this season. On one hand, the Sixers shot 56 percent from the floor and flashed their upside. On the other, Philadelphia committed 13 turnovers and, after a strong start from Embiid, the offense scuffled in terms of efficiency.

Out of the halftime break, Tatum picked up where he left off, getting to his spots and finishing effectively, even when challenged.

After the Celtics built a 75-66 lead, the Sixers clawed back and they did so in a hurry. Philadelphia scored the final 13 points of the third quarter, fully erasing the deficit and taking the lead with 12 minutes remaining.

Embiid connected on a three-pointer to open the fourth quarter, giving Philadelphia their largest lead of the evening at 81-75. In short order, however, the Celtics knotted the game at 86-86, setting up for what promised to be a hotly contested stretch run.

In less than a minute, though, the Celtics zoomed ahead, scoring nine straight points with the help of a flagrant-1 foul assessed to Al Horford. When that run came to a close, Boston led by a 92-86 margin, and the pressure swung back to Philadelphia. While the Sixers did stabilize things, the Celtics scored five quick points, capped by a three-pointer from Brown, to grab an eight-point edge with 4:28 to play.

With the help of offensive struggles from the Sixers, Boston increased its advantage to ten points, but Philadelphia wasn’t ready to roll over. The Sixers scored six straight points, slashing the margin to four with two minutes to go and putting the pressure back on Boston. After an errant mid-ranger from Tobias Harris, Kemba Walked poured in a pair of free throws to make it a six-point game but, right on cue, Josh Richardson buried a triple to bring Philly back within 103-100 with a minute remaining.

Tatum and Alec Burks then traded trips to the free throw line, but Burks missed one of his attempts, leaving Boston with a four-point edge and 31.1 seconds to go. After a timeout, Walker calmly made two more free throws, increasing the margin to six with 16.1 seconds left, and another empty trip from Philadelphia essentially ended the competitive portion of the evening.

For Boston, this was a solid showing, especially from Tatum (32 points, 13 rebounds) and Brown (29 points, six rebounds). Unfortunately, the stretch run was marred by a right ankle sprain for Gordon Hayward, putting his status in doubt moving forward, but the Celtics were able to snag the advantage in the series and take care of business as the favorite in a high-profile match-up.

The Boston Celtics found themselves in a dogfight with the Sixers in Game 1 of their first round series, but midway through the fourth quarter began to pull away, opening up a 10-point advantage with just over three minutes to play.

Right as they were looking to put the hopeful finishing touches on a win, they saw Gordon Hayward leave the game with a sprained ankle. Hayward landed on Daniel Theis’ foot as he was coming down after going for a rebound under the Sixers basket and rolled his ankle pretty badly. He would limp off the floor and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game with what is initially determined to be a sprained right ankle.

For those who, like many, immediately thought back to his gruesome ankle injury that sidelined him for more than a year, that was a left ankle injury so this is not the same one. What remains to be seen is how long he’ll miss with the injury, as the Bubble playoffs mean games are contested every other day, making it tougher to get players who suffer injuries extended rest without missing a significant number of games. Hayward had 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists in Game 1, and for a Boston team whose greatest strength is their wing depth, they’ll hope he can get back relatively soon.

Along with being the former president, Barack Obama is an expert playlist curator. Each year, America’s previous commander-in-chief puts together a number of playlists featuring some of his favorite songs from recent months. Inclusion on Obama’s list is oftentimes a dream for musicians, including Maggie Rogers, who screamed upon seeing her song on last year’s list. On Monday, Obama dropped his 2020 Summer Playlist, which included a few artists who are gearing up to perform at this year’s Democratic National Convention.

Sharing the playlist to social media, Obama said he’s been spending “a lot of time” listening to music with his family. “I wanted to share some of my favorites from the summer,” he wrote. The 53-track playlist includes an eclectic mix of songs new and old, including Billie Eilish’s “My Future,” Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage (Remix)” featuring Beyonce, Leon Bridges and Khruangbin’s “Texas Sun,” Rihanna’s “Work” with Drake, Jorja Smith’s “Be Honest” with Burna Boy, and many more.

A number of artists have already shared their excitement about landing a spot on the coveted list. Megan Thee Stallion and The Chicks called attention to their songs while Princess Nokia praised Obama as “forever our president.”

Check out Obama’s full 2020 Summer Playlist and see artists’ reactions above.

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

In the last few weeks, the furor surrounding The Ellen DeGeneres Show has ramped up, with people demanding change after reports of sexual misconduct, racial insensitivity, and other issues plaguing what was once thought of as daytime talk TV’s cuddliest member. Now, as per Variety, there’s this, at least: Three top producers have been given the boot in an attempt to overhaul a tainted production.

The three are executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman as well as co-executive producer Jonathan Norman. Not gone are DeGeneres herself, as well as executive producers Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner, and Derek Westervelt, all three of whom have been with the show since its start in 2003.

The news was first delivered to Ellen staffers over a conference call from DeGeneres. As per Variety, the host was “emotional and apologetic” as she addressed the show’s over 200 employees, saying she was “not perfect” and that hearing word of the allegations was “heartbreaking.” She also admitted that the show had alienated some staffers.

“I’m so so sorry for what this has become,” DeGeneres told the staff, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve left this to be a well-oiled machine, and I realize it’s not a machine…its human beings.”

DeGeneres reportedly did not take questions from her staff.

That said, Connelly and Lassner claimed that, after conducting an investigation involving interviewing over 100 people connected to the show, they found there was no evidence of “systemic” racism. They did, however, admit they could do more for diversity and inclusion. Their solution? Holding diversity and inclusion workshops.

Reports of workplace abuse surfaced in stories posted by both Variety and BuzzFeed, the latter which singled out Glavin, Leman, and Norman as being involved in the allegations.

(Via Variety)

There’s a rhythm to the spirits year. Over the first half of the year, expressions are slowly released. The tempo builds throughout the spring, thanks to the big-drinking-energy (BDE) that summer brings with it. Then things really start to build in the fall, in anticipation of the holidays when people drink the most and give gifts (often bottles of booze). In the thick of all those releases, you have the awards community at work, mostly dropping accolades around sping and in the lead up to fall (right now).

All of which is meant to explain why we have yet another awards article today, expounding on the best bourbon and American whiskeys you can drink right now. The International Wine & Spirits Competition, as its name denotes, is worldwide. It also casts a very wide net when it comes to spirits and judges — utilizing industry experts for double-blind taste tests.

The eight bottles of bourbon and American whiskey below were each awarded a Gold Medal and Outstanding judgment. Some will be very familiar expressions while other bottles might be a little off-the-radar. Likewise, the prices range from easily obtainable this weekend to maybe once-in-a-lifetime buys.

Colonel E. H. Taylor Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $250

The Whiskey:

This is a true expression that honors its namesake, Colonel E. H. Taylor Jr. He was instrumental in the passing of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The juice is a classic bourbon that’s aged for exactly eleven years and seven months in an exact location in Buffalo Trace’s Warehouse C — a warehouse that was built under Taylor, Jr.’s supervision in 1881.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“A broodingly dark, intense nose of bitter chocolate, subtle rye, and balanced fresh fruit. Buttery smooth with elegant peach and touches of pepper, a nutty back palate, and refined spicy oak. Classical scotch typicity with an engagingly fruity finish.”

Bottom Line:

Unfortunately, this is a very limited expression due to it being a single barrel release with a long aging time (for bourbon). It’ll be hard to find a bottle. And when you do, it’ won’t be cheap. If you do get your hands on one, sip it with a drop of water or a single rock to truly enjoy the complexity of this single barrel.

High West Rendezvous Rye Whiskey

ABV: 46%
Distillery: High West Distillery, Park City, UT
Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

This Utah whiskey is sourced from MGP Indiana, and is a very high rye whiskey at 95 percent rye. The juice is also from Barton Distillery out in Kentucky, itself is a blend of a low rye and high rye mash bills. The rye that goes into the final product ages for anywhere from five to 19 years, giving this expression a serious depth of rye-ness.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“An expressively classic rye nose through a sweet outlook, imparting buttery ghee characteristics. Bold and peppery with complex dark chocolate, chili, and baking spice aromatics lifted by herbal high notes. Elegantly balanced with a lingeringly spicy, dry finish.”

Bottom Line:

I really like using this one as a cocktail base (price aside). It also works as a sipper on the rocks or in a highball.

George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 58.5%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $500

The Whiskey:

This expression from Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection is a yearly release that keeps racking up awards. That limited availability and lauding means this one is going to both a) hard to find and b) very expensive.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“The epitome of elegance, with a defined and focused palate. A rich and rounded character with delectable flavors of banoffee, chocolate, and sweet baking spices. Great complexity with a bright citrus finish.”

Bottom Line:

This is a classic bourbon — don’t get me wrong — but I can’t imagine ever paying that much for it.

Eagle Rare 17 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50.5%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $600

The Whiskey:

This is released along with George T. Stagg above every fall on the Antique Collection line. Like that expression and the Colonel further above, these barrels are stored in very specific spots in the Buffalo Trace warehouses for 17 years, imparting a distinct flavor profile into the spirit.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“A complex character of cedar, vanilla, and citrus, punctuated with hints of fresh peach and strawberry notes. Interesting and complex, the palate is focused and well-rounded. A strong, lingering finish of oak and candied fruits.”

Bottom Line:

Buy the Eagle Rare 10. If a rich relative or friend breaks the 17 out, drink as much as you can with a drop of water or a single rock.

The Notch Nantucket Island Single Malt Whisky Aged 15 Years

ABV: 48%
Distillery: Triple Eight Distillery, Nantucket, MA
Average Price: $300 to $500

The Whiskey:

This single malt from Nantucket utilizes the island’s water and Maris Otter malts (a much sought-after ale malt). The result is a stellar entry in the American single malt scene that has been winning awards since it hit the market.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“Appealingly, rich sherry cask aromas are elegantly echoed on the palate to reveal an abundance of rounded, stewed, and dried fruits. Engagingly robust, with upfront dark chocolate and vanilla balanced with drizzled honey, coconut and spicy highlights.”

Bottom Line:

I’ve never bumped into anyone outside of the industry trade shows who have heard of this or tasted this bottle, and that’s a shame. This is a quality and unique whisky that’s just too damn expensive and limited to ever make it on the wider market.

American Eagle Aged 4 Years Tennessee Bourbon

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Halewood Wines & Spirits (Sourced)
Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

This Tennessee bourbon is made in Tennessee but bottled for the UK market. That means you’re not finding this branding in the U.S. Although they haven’t released their source, it’s likely you’re already drinking this Tennessee bourbon under a different moniker (cough, cough, George Dickel, cough, cough).

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“A classical nutty bourbon with a timorous nose of sweet fresh apricots, delicate honey, and vanilla butteriness. Abundant corn on the palate in balance with gentle oak and appealing texture. Luscious and nut-rich with an engaging marzipan finish.”

Bottom Line:

We guess … buy some George Dickel and mix up a nice old fashioned?

American Eagle Aged 12 Years Tennessee Bourbon

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Halewood Wines & Spirits (Sourced)
Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

We’re in the same spot with this expression. This is still only made for the U.K. market and doesn’t spill the beans on the source.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“Sensationally poised with attractive fruit, complemented by a complexity of rye spices. Balanced with a depth of rich licorice and cloves on the palate. The vibrant peaches and cream intensity carries right through to the appealingly dry finish.”

Bottom Line:

If we ever get to travel again, this might be worth a try when in the U.K.

Uncle Nearest 1820 Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey

ABV: 54.3%
Distillery: Nearest Green Distillery, Shelbyville, TN (Sourced)
Average Price: $100

The Whiskey:

These single barrels from Uncle Nearest are gems in their own right. Yes, they’re sourced for now. Still, the juice goes through the maple charcoal filtration before bottling that the namesake of the brand, Nathan “Nearest” Green, helped make standard in Tennessee whiskey, setting it apart from Kentucky’s bourbon.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“Bold with abundant dark, dried fruits on the nose, underpinned by appealing vanilla and sweet nut clusters. Complex and rounded with luxurious dark chocolate and rich praline. Highlights of red fruit and lifted oak culminate in an alluringly long finish.”

Bottom Line:

This is the Tennessee whiskey that’ll help you understand how much more refined (and delicious) the Tennessee tipple can be compared to bourbon. Drink it with a little water or with a single rock to really open it up.