Do you ever feel like you’re on an eternal quest for good sleep? Have you tried everything from sleep masks and white noise machines to weighted blankets and herbal supplements? If so, it’s probably time to reconsider the most obvious element of good sleep: your mattress. Of course, when it comes to mattresses, for years memory foam has been the top choice for comfort. But today consumers want something that is more sustainable and healthy. And for that reason, more and more are turning to the Peace Lily Latex Mattress, a game-changer in the world of sleep. This 100% organic marvel doesn’t just deliver superior comfort; it does so without using any of the toxic chemicals that are bad for your health and the planet. Want to hear more about how you can get a better night’s sleep and help the planet at the same time? Then let’s talk about why you should choose latex over memory foam.

The Problem with Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses, while cozy at first cuddle, come with a long list of not-so-cozy problems. Ever wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you’re sleeping on a radiator? That’s heat retention for you, a notorious trait of memory foam that turns your bed into a sauna. Do you often find yourself waking up with the morning sniffles or headaches that just won’t quit? You may assume that this is natural, but it’s often a silent signal of off-gassing—the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the synthetic materials memory foam beds are famous for.

But it’s not just about uncomfortable nights or mysterious sniffles. The environmental toll of these synthetic materials is hefty, contributing to our planet’s growing pile of non-biodegradable waste. As we become more aware of our ecological footprint, the choice of mattress becomes more than a personal comfort issue; it’s a health and environmental decision. Switching from memory foam to a more sustainable option like natural latex isn’t just good for your sleep; it’s a step towards a healthier planet.

The Peace Lily Latex Difference

Latex mattresses are in a league of their own when it comes to combining comfort, durability, and health. Unlike their memory foam counterparts, latex doesn’t trap heat. Instead, latex lets you enjoy a cool, serene slumber thanks to its open-cell structure that promotes air circulation. This means you can say goodbye to those sweaty wake-up calls. Plus, the inherent durability of natural latex ensures that your mattress remains supportive and sag-free, offering an unwavering comfort that lasts for decades, not just years.

Of course, while latex is fantastic, not all latex mattresses are created equal. What makes the Peace Lily Latex Mattress stand out is the fact that it is made of 100% sustainable, certified organic, non-toxic materials. We’re talking inner foam layers made from GOLS certified organic latex with sustainably sourced rubber sap; a cover and handles made from high-density organic cotton for a soft, cloud-like feel; and batting made from GOTScertified organic New Zealand wool for plush, breathable luxury.

To top it all off, Peace Lily is embarking on the world’s first regenerative latex program focused on recovering degraded soil using specialized agroforestry practices. With new estimates saying that in 60 years all of the topsoil in the world will disappear, this makes a real difference! Every single element and sourcing process is thoughtfully chosen for its sustainability, lack of off-gassing, and luxury comfort, ensuring you breathe clean air and reduce your carbon footprint while you sleep soundly.

The Greener Option

So what does sustainably sourced latex actually mean? The Peace Lily Latex Mattress is produced by tapping rubber trees in a way that allows them to continue growing, and thus continue absorbing carbon dioxide. In that way, every single mattress becomes part of a larger, greener cycle.

But the environmental benefits of this particular Peace Lily mattress don’t just stop at production. Sleeping on a mattress free from the toxic chemical cocktail found in many non-organic options means you’re resting in a cleaner, healthier space every night. The Peace Lily Latex Mattress boasts non-toxic, antimicrobial, and hypoallergenic properties, thanks to its natural latex and organic wool. These materials naturally resist dust mites, mold, and mildew, ensuring a sneeze-free, breathable sleep environment. With prestigious certifications like GOLS, GOTS, OEKO-TEX, and eco-INSTITUT® to back up these claims, you get the assurance that you’re sleeping on a mattress that meets the highest standards of environmental and health safety.

Peace Lily, Here for a Good Time and a Long Time

Worried that the Peace Lily Latex Mattress won’t be right for you? Don’t be. For starters, the Peace Lily Latex Mattress is a flippable mattress with two different firmness levels. One side is medium, the other is firm. And if you want something a little softer or firmer you can add a Peace Lily mattress topper for a fully customized sleep. But even if you try all that and you still don’t like the Peace Lily, that’s cool too, because they offer a zero-risk 100-night trial! Sleep on it, dream on it, and if you don’t absolutely love it, they’ll take it back and give you a full refund.

The Peace Lily Latex Mattress ships free, arriving at your doorstep compressed in a box, ready to expand into the bed of your dreams, all over the United States. No extra fees, no hidden costs — just pure, unadulterated comfort waiting to unfold in your bedroom. And it all comes with a 25-year limited warranty so you can feel confident investing in your sleep and health. This mattress is built to last and Peace Lily backs that up with this amazing warranty.

Better Sleep, Better Planet

If you’re looking for the perfect night’s sleep, ditch the environmentally disastrous memory foam and go with natural latex instead. The Peace Lily Latex Mattress offers 100% organic materials and customizable firmness levels, plus cooling sleep, unbelievable durability, and antimicrobial benefits, so you get better sleep and a cleaner planet. If you want to improve your sleep, general health, and contribution to the environment – this is the best investment you can make!

Click here to order your Peace Lily Latex Mattress today. From what we’ve found we think you’ve got nothing to lose, and the entire planet has something to gain.

Rui Gabriel is gearing up for a life-changing summer. Today (April 30), the Venezuelan singer announced his debut album, Compassion, due for release in June. Ahead of the album, Gabriel released his new single, “Summertime Tiger.”

On the song, Gabriel tells the story of a person who is feeling down on their luck, struggling to make the best of their circumstances. Joined by singer Stef Chura, Gabriel offers the person a message of re-assurance.

The song was inspired by Gabriel’s college days in New Orleans.

“‘Summertime Tiger’ is sung from the point of view of someone who is not qualified at all to advise on healthy living, but does it anyway,” said Gabriel in a statment. “The song title is taken from the concept of a ‘regional tiger,’ which is a period of intense growth that countries like South Korea and Ireland experienced at the turn of the 20th Century. Summer is the slowest time of the year for New Orleans and tons of service industry employees tend to both earn less money and work fewer hours, so the idea was that a ‘summertime tiger’ was the patronizing urge to encourage someone to work on themselves during a time when they’re practically unemployed.”

In the song’s accompanying video, viewers see Gabriel and Chura seated at a bar, speaking directly to the watcher. This is juxtaposed with footage of a young boy dressed as a tiger skateboarding through the town.

You can see the video for “Summertime Tiger” above and the Compassion cover art and tracklist below.

1. “Dreamy Boys”
2. “Target” Feat. Kate Teague
3. “Church Of Nashville”
4. “Hunting Knife” Feat. Kate Teague
5. “Summertime Tiger” Feat. Stef Chura
6. “If You Want It”
7. “Change Your Mind” Feat. Kate Teague
8. “Eyes Only”
9. “End Of My Rope”
10. “Money” Feat. Kate Teague

Compassion is out 6/21 via Carpark Records. Find more information here.

LeBron James played things close to the vest in the aftermath of the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. While questions about his future were inevitably going to pop up after the team fell in the first round of the postseason — Denver picked up a 4-1 series win — James made it a point to stress that he is in no rush to make any decisions.

“I just want to get home to the family,” James said, per The Athletic. “Honestly, one of my boys is trying to decide if he’s going to enter the draft or go back to school. Another kid is playing AAU ball right now. My daughter is playing volleyball. My wife is doing so many great things. So it’s about family right now. Then, in a couple months, I got to go to Vegas for training camp. So I need to rest my body for (USA Basketball).”

James expressed that he’ll eventually sit down with everyone and discuss what’s coming next, and in a collection of tweets on Tuesday night that come on the heels of rampant speculation about what his next move to be, the future Hall of Fame inductee reiterated that he’ll figure things out after some time to decompress.

Unlike last year, when James winked and nodded at retirement after the Nuggets swept the Lakers, he’s taking a far more reserved approach this time around. He’ll have to figure out what he’s going to do with his contract, as he has a player option for next year worth $51.4 million.

YG Marley is making a lot of heat. Last December, the R&B and reggae singer released his debut single, “Praise Jah In The Moonlight.” The song garnered much popularity on TikTok and has reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100. Since then, YG has released another single called “Freedom.”

In the realm of music, the name Marley carries a lot of weight. And with so many Marley musicians, including Skip Marley, Selah Marley, and the family patriarch, Bob Marley, many listeners are fascinated by YG Marley, and curious to learn more.

Who Is YG Marley?

YG Marley is the grandson of famed reggae musician, Bob Marley. He is also the son of former college football and Canadian Football League, Rohan Marley and rapper and singer Lauryn Hill.

His sister is model Selah Marley and former NFL player Nico Marley.

During Coachella 2024, YG performed a set. On the first weekend of the festival, YG was joined by his mother, Hill, as well as Wyclef Jean, which made for a mini Fugees reunion.

While YG only has two singles available for streaming on DSPs, he is carrying his grandfather’s legacy with honor. His vocal and lyrical abilities, paired with his stage presence make him a promising act to watch.

You can see the video for “Praise Jah In The Moonlight” above.

Benny Blanco single-handedly owned the pop radio landscape in the 2010s, soundtracking wild nights for a whole generation. In constant demand, even his non-album solo single “Eastside” — featuring Halsey and Khalid — went 6x platinum. But despite an absurd number of plaques over the past 17 years, Blanco’s latest release is a new entry for him. It’s literary — a cookbook titled Open Wide, which acts as the star’s love letter to food and, more specifically, hosting dinner parties.

Sprinkled with pinches and dollops of minutiae and personal anecdotes, Open Wide reads as much like an engrossing coffee table book as a cookbook. It’s chock full of Blanco’s hilarious musings (as well as featured guests like Eric Andre and Lil Dicky) and serves as a resource for dinner parties of your own. The book holds nearly 100 recipes and it should be no surprise that Blanco is beyond jazzed about every little detail.

We caught up with Blanco to get the detailed rundown on one of his favorites from Open Wide, the crowd-pleasing, Pop’s Chicken — which he describes as the perfect fried chicken recipe, originating from Benny’s friend Pop, who is known for cooking soul food at his house every Sunday. (Side note: We all need friends like that.) Blanco also gave us the rundown on the one dining spot we have to try in Virginia, what’s on his rider, his ability to be DJ-like in taking cooking requests in the studio, and where his dream first food pop-up would be (sorry Angelenos, it’s not LA).

We also got personal and asked Benny about the origins of the “Chuck” bit from “Dave,” learned about the time he shaved his Unibrow way too much (haven’t we all?), and how that led to his commitment to his trademark look.

What’s the first step in getting started with Pop’s Chicken? Let’s start with picking out a chicken?

First of all, you need to get the freshest ingredients, so you want to get the freshest, fucking most delicious chicken. I would go to your local butcher because you don’t want something that’s been sitting there for days. By the time you get them, they’re three, four days old. You want a chicken that’s fresh, you want to be able to see little feathers that were just plucked off of it.

And then, as far as breaking down a chicken, let’s say you’re in a hurry, don’t even worry about it, just ask the butcher. You ask your butcher, you’re like, “Yo, can I break this down? Can you give me the breast meat? Can you give me the legs separate?” And they’ll do all the dirty work for you. They’ll even do it at most supermarkets too, if you ask.

That’s a good tip. I noticed Pop’s Chicken involves an extensive list of different spices and seasonings. Where are you getting your spices and seasonings? Is there anywhere you really recommend? And then are there any specific brands that people should be checking for?

I think even more so than brands and where I’m getting them from, I think the most important thing to know is that spices go bad after a little while. They don’t go bad in the sense that you’re going to get sick from eating them. When you first get them, they’re like a fucking line of cocaine, but after they’ve been sitting there for six months, they might not hit the same way.

So where are you getting these fresh spices from?

I really like a place called SOS Chefs in New York. I like another place called Sahadi’s in New York. If I’m in LA I go to Farmer’s Markets. In the Grove (in LA), they’ll have a lot of stuff in there from farmer’s markets. Specialty international stores have really good spices as well. Usually, when you go to an international store, they’re going to have really fresh spices and ingredients.

And is there any specific brand that you’re kind of partial to or is it just kind of spice by spice, you get what goes best?

I’m always looking at the color. You want it to be bright, vibrant. You don’t want it to look like fucking sawdust that’s been sitting there for a while. You know what I’m saying?

Yep, so after you get your chicken and your spices, your recipe calls for eggs. You mentioned that egg whites are a really important part of the recipe, so how are you picking out your eggs and where are you getting your eggs from?

I really like to go to the farmer’s market and get my eggs. Again, I know this sounds crazy, but you want look and see if there’s a little bit of chicken poop on the side, a little bit of a feather, because it’s really going to ensure the freshness of your eggs. If you’re getting your eggs at a farmer’s market, you never have to put them in the fridge.

Putting your eggs in the fridge is like a Western thing, they don’t do that in most other countries, eggs do not stay in the fridge. This is some weird thing that America did. And if I am going to a grocery store, there is a brand in LA and on the West Coast, I’m not sure if it’s on the East Coast yet, but it’s called Happy Eggs, they’re like these really good farm fresh eggs.

Basically, you want the freshies, you want the big brown boys. Don’t ever buy the white eggs, unless you’re buying from a farmer’s market. I know the eggs are going to be good when they’re a little bit different shapes and sizes and colors. And although we’re not using yolk in this egg (for Pop’s Chicken), you want your yolk to be like radioactive orange. Yellow yolks are a thing that also doesn’t exist in a lot of other parts of the world. You go to Europe and you go to Italy, the yolks are like fucking ORANGE, they’re like radioactive orange yolks.

And so the reason we use the whites because it makes the bite. You know how when you bite fried chicken and you take off all the skin and it’s not with the chicken and it’s a little bit thick and crumbly; it just doesn’t hold to the chicken? The egg white helps it hold to the chicken so much better, it’s not like slipping around and sliding off the meat. When I’m at the last bite of my fried chicken, I still want it to taste like the first bite. You know what I mean?

The egg white helps you do that. And it gets it airy and crispy and crunchy.

What’s the first step once you get home? What’s next?

Another important thing is you need the perfect amount of time for buttermilk. And you don’t want too much time or then your chicken’s going to taste weird and sour and it messes with the science behind the chicken, and it’s mushy — you want your chicken to have bounce. And you want your fried chicken, when you bite into it, you don’t want some dry ass shit, you want that shit to be juicing out, like somebody injected water into the chicken.

If you’re going to be frying for a bunch of people, you can pre-dredge and flour your chicken and put it on a tray, (because) this batter and everything, it all holds pretty well. If you have people coming over, you can just prep it a little bit. If you want to do it 30 minutes or an hour before, that’s fine.

Tell us a little bit about the brining process, because it seems like you would be doing that before the dredging.

There’s so many ways to brine a chicken. For Pop’s Chicken, I put sugar and rosemary or some spices, I do it a little different every time. You can also totally brine in sweet tea, basically you just need the sugar and the salt to break down the chicken. A combination of salt and sugar always works, and water, because it’s going to help make the chicken juicier. I know it sounds like a lot of steps, but it’s really going to fuck it up if you don’t do this stuff. If I put a chicken that’s brined next to a chicken that is not brined, I can keep my eyes closed, you’re going to taste the difference.

So brine your chicken, it’s very important. And then for me, the dry rub is so important because you want your chicken to be seasoned. A lot of times when you bite a chicken, just the breading is seasoned a little bit, but you want it to penetrate and give the chicken the flavoring of the seasoning. It doesn’t need to be insane, but it’s just another layer; you’re just building layers of flavor.

What are some of your tips for creating and executing the dry rub?

Pat your chicken dry. I know it sounds like so stupid and that everyone’s like, “yeah, of course I do”, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to. And then if you don’t pat your chicken dry, you’re going to have a loose wet batter and it’s not going to hit the same way. You need it to really stick to that chicken.

I really love to use Bell’s Seasoning, it’s just like an old seasoning blend, it’s good. Poultry Magic is also such a good one to use. These are just staples, they’re in every supermarket and you’re going to be like, “oh, okay. I know that’s at least the right one”; they’ve been around for hundreds of years.

Once you got your dry rub going, what sort of hardware do you need in your kitchen to take the next steps? What are some things that you need?

You can fry in an industrial fryer, you can fry in a cast iron. Fuck, I’ve literally fried chicken in a bucket. Literally a trash can that we just poured (chicken) in and then put it on top of an induction burner and did it because we needed a bigger surface. You just need anything that can hold heat and just be big enough to put your chicken in.

You don’t want your chicken clumpy, you need your chicken to be spread out. You don’t want it to be too close together, you don’t want it to get attached, (the chicken) needs a little room to breathe, and you’re going to be flipping it and shit.

What are some tips on the dredging process? I know you said pat for the dry rub, but as far as doing the actual dredging, what’s the lay of the land there?

For my dredge, I need something tangy. I do stuff different all the time, but there’s always the three things I put in a dredge.

I don’t have the recipe in front of me, but I can tell you for sure I don’t even need to look – 1) I always put some sort of pickle juice in. 2) I’ll always put some sort of hot sauce. I like Crystal or Louisiana, anything that’s based out of Louisiana. 3) I’ll always put mustard, and I’m talking like shitty French’s Mustard, because there’s something with the tang, and that’s going to just give you another fucking flavor bomb.

Once you’re done dredging, what are some tips for the actual frying, and how do you know when your chicken’s done?

A lot of people fry their chickens and the outside will get done before their chicken’s ready. Don’t fry it too hot. Whatever you’re doing, always watch your temperature. Because when you put the chicken in, the heat’s going to go down. There’s so many different things, there’s so many different barriers.

So stay calm, always stay calm and make sure to just take your time. It’s not a battle, you’re not fighting to see who gets the best time. You’re making fried chicken, have fun, go talk to your friends, drink a beer.

How do you know when the chicken’s ready to go? What’s the telltale sign to be like, “okay, it’s good”?

After making it so much, I know the color and feel of it, but if you don’t know it, pull a piece out, put a little thermometer in the side and it’s going to help you (figure it out). Don’t be afraid to use tools to help you.

It’s going to take a while before you can really know. Also, always know, when you pull your chicken out, it’s going to get a little bit darker once it’s come out. So you have to just know that as it cools, it kind of browns up a little bit more.

With Pop’s Chicken what’s the biggest challenge or the easiest thing to mess up that takes a while to master?

Not taking your time. Some people skip steps and they’re like, ah, I don’t need to brine the chicken, oh, I don’t need to do this. Always, always, always lay your chicken on a wire rack when it comes out. If you lay it just on something flat that’s not porous, it’s going to steam the chicken more and then the bottom of your chicken’s going to get soft. You want to keep this crispy.

Afterwards I’m done frying, I put it in an oven at 150 or 200, just so it’s holding heat inside. It’s not going to cook anymore. If you’re making chicken for a bunch of people, sometimes I’m doing this for 30, 40 people, and you just want to put the chicken on a wire baking sheet and throw it back in the oven to hold the temp.

A lot of people are scared to fry things. They’ve never done it at their house, they’re frightened, they think it’s going to take over their house, burn their whole house down. It’s not, you’re going to be fine, just take your time. And don’t be afraid when you’re first starting, to pull a piece of chicken out, check it. Check it with the thermometer.

So in this food series that we’ve been doing, we ask a lot of musicians about their eating habits. We all know that musicians often have very unhealthy eating lifestyles just because of the nature of the times that you’re working and things like that. So first question is, when you’re performing what’s on your rider? Food, drinks and snacks.

I actually try to keep it healthy, you know what I mean? I actually don’t eat a lot before I’m filming or doing a show, it’s usually afterwards. Before, I’m probably just having carrots and dip and a coconut water or something, it’s not as exciting as it seems.

I usually have to take a shit right before I do anything, too. The nerves just come in and you’re like, uppp.

What about when you’re in the studio? What type of food or snacks do you like to have on deck?

I want to say I’m eating healthy because I don’t want to fall asleep while I’m working. But in reality, I mean sometimes you get nought, sometimes it’s who knows. Sometimes you open up, sometimes it starts with one skittle and then before you know it, I’m covered in crumbs and glazed doughnuts. I don’t even know.

So there’s nothing specific that is a go-to, you kind of just go with the flow?

No, I’m cooking a lot for people in the studio, so it’s like people’s favorite. I mean people want fucking banana pudding, lasagna, spicy rigatoni.

Oh, so you’re taking requests?

Oh yeah, I take requests, I’m like a DJ for food.

What are some foods that people might find gross or nasty but you think are amazing?

Sea urchin. Uni, it scares people. And caviar, I love.

And then what’s a snack or a food that most people like that you find unappetizing?

I don’t eat pork, so pork rinds maybe.

If you could own or operate any franchise of restaurant or food related business, what would it be?

You know what I would do? You know when you go to a basketball game or you go to a football game or a baseball game, I feel like we’re so slacking on the culinary experience at those.

I know they’re trying to get better, but I feel like if somebody just gave me one to take over, I feel like I could make it so much more special than what it already is. We’re so blinded, even having food at any game, we’re like, “whoa, we got nachos”, and you’re so stoked. But imagine if it was actually fire food.

So where are you popping up? Are you popping up at Dodger Stadium? Are we at the Staples Center? What are we doing?

I think I’d have to move back to New York just to… I feel like it’s got to be New York, we got to be at MSG or something.

And you’re selling Pop’s Chicken or what are we selling?

I don’t know what we’re selling. I mean, I’d have to get high and think up the whole little menu rollout.

And then being from Virginia, are there any foods native to Virginia, or restaurants, that people must try?

There’s these things that I’ve noticed I don’t see a lot on the West Coast, it’s kind of like a Southern thing. They have these things, they’re called Kitchens, there’s one, Virginia Kitchen, and basically you go in and it’s just the most delicious kind of diner, but it’s like soul food too. There’s biscuits and grits and gravy.

On the West Coast, the breakfast out here is so mid. There’s just no diners out here. So Virginia, I don’t know, Virginia has these really good, they’re almost like buffets, it’s hard to explain.

 

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Can you name one that the people should visit?

I don’t know if it’s still there because I haven’t lived there in a very long time, but I always loved Virginia Kitchen when I was younger.

I have to ask you a question about “Dave” and the “Chuck” greeting that you guys do. Did you guys get that from Peanuts and Charlie Brown?

No. We literally saw Peanuts, honestly like a week ago. We’ve been calling each other that for years, it has nothing to do with it. It started out because we used to call each other Buck, and then it was Suck, then it was Sook, then it was Book, then it was like Chuck, Chuck really kind of stuck. But we’ve had a like a million nicknames that evolved into Chuck, and it’s like we saw the Peanuts thing and we lost our mind.

Yeah, isn’t that weird?

I know. It’s so strange. There’s also, back when we used to call each other Buck, there’s also a thing called, there was a movie that Michael White made called Buck and Buck and we were like, “what the fuck?” It was crazy.

I was going to ask about your unibrow, but we can save that for another time.

I have a unibrow, you do not.

I used to though. In high school I started grooming my brows because I was very self-conscious about it. I’m probably 10 or more years older than you, so it was like a faux pas, and so I felt-

How old are you?

I’m 41. And I felt Like I had to, and so I started –

I’m 36. When I was younger, I used to do the same thing, I used to shave it. One time I messed up and I accidentally shaved my eyebrows so far to each side that it looked like I had two Hitler eyebrows, it was crazy. Because I kept trying to go more and more and it just…

Yeah, too much. So at what point did you settle into it and be like, “you know what? I’m just going to rock this unibrow for life”?

I think I was like 17 or 18, and I was like, “oh, this is me.”

Barbra Streisand is never one to mince words. Known for her strong vocals and iconic stage roles, Streisand is the ultimate diva. But like all of us, sometimes she has her foot in her mouth.

Today (April 30), Streisand caught a bit of heat for asking actress Melissa McCarthy if she had taken Ozempic after McCarthy had posted a photo carousel feauturing filmmaker Adam Shankman at the Center Theatre Group Gala on Sunday, in a comment which has since been deleted.

“Give him my regards did you take Ozempic?” asked Streisand in a comment.

Though it seems the comments weren’t mean-spirited, some accused Streisand of being intrusive. While asking someone about the medications they’re taking is a rather strange thing to do, Streisand insisited that she meant well.

She later took to social media today, explaining that she thought she was sending McCarthy a private message.

“OMG – I went on Instagram to see the photos we’d posted of the beautiful flowers I’d received for my birthday!,” Streisand said. Below them was a photo of my friend Melissa McCarthy who I sang with on my Encore album. She looked fantastic! I just wanted to pay her a compliment. I forgot the world is reading!”

McCarthy herself didn’t seemed bothered by the question. Today, when asked about it, she told TMZ “I think Barbra is a treasure — and I love her.”

It’s the end of an era. Today (April 30), Local Natives founding member Kelcey Ayer took to social media to announce his departure from the band.

Ayer has been a part of Local Natives for nearly two decades, keyboards, percussion, and guitar, in addition to singing. In an Instagram post, he revealed that the split from the band was amicable and he will be using his time away from the band to explore new creative avenues.

“I have my own music and my own interests that I’d like to see flourish, and while my bandmates have always been supportive, the reality is that time is finite,” said Ayer. “It came to a point that I realized my whole adult life I’ve been a part of one thing and I just yearn to explore. I don’t know what the future holds, but I just want to find out what that can be on a wide open road.”

But Ayer isn’t leaving just yet. He will continue to perform with the band on the ongoing tour for their album Time Waits For No One and its companion project But I’ll Wait for You.

You can see Ayer’s full post below.

Feels pretty surreal to be saying this to you all, but after 20 years of playing with these guys, I’ve decided to leave Local Natives. This isn’t a decision I’ve come to lightly. I’ve spent more time with this band than I’ve been alive without it. People ask me all the time what it’s like, and I have to pause and gather myself for the extensive list: we’re creative collaborators, business partners, live performers, sometimes arch rivals, most-of-the-time giggly teenagers, and despite not being blood-related, it felt as close to family as I think you can get. They are above all else my brothers. I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys. The highest highs and lowest lows, all dealt with compassion, camaraderie, awe-inspiring talent, humility, character, joy, and steadfast loyalty. I’d kiss them if I was more sexually attracted to them and my wife would allow it. I don’t think the Eagles can say that. You have a lot to learn, Eagles.

The reason I’m leaving is because Ryan tore a sticker off my kickdrum back in high school that I really really liked and I’ve been waiting for the right moment — k I’m sorry, I’ll be serious. Being in a band this committed and intense comes with a lot. It’s your entire life, and just doesn’t leave room a ton of room to build anything else. While I have cherished so so much that we’ve built, I’ve always wanted space and time to build other things. I have my own music and my own interests that I’d like to see flourish, and while my bandmates have always been supportive, the reality is that time is finite. It came to a point that I realized my whole adult life I’ve been a part of one thing and I just yearn to explore. I don’t know what the future holds, but I just want to find out what that can be on a wide open road.

I just want to say I feel so lucky to have been on this journey with my bandmates and with you. I want to thank you all for your support of this band; taking us into your hearts, rejoicing and grieving with us, and making us a part of your lives. I really wish the best for LN moving forward and am excited to see what they make in the future. Life is long, and who knows, maybe I’ll be LN’s John Frusciante, but for now I’ll say this is not the end of Local Natives or the end of me. I’m excited to celebrate this last year of shows with you all (I’ll be here for the last phase of touring/promoting TWWFNO & BIWFY, so the end isn’t quite here yet). And I hope you’ll understand that life is complicated. I can love them and love myself. And at almost 38 in one week, I want to see what it’s like to choose myself.

I love you all. I love you Ry, Tay, Matt, Nik, Sarah, Mara, Nada and Lindsey (and Mel duhhhhhhhh). And I’m excited for all our futures. All of us! Except the Eagles.

Love,
Kelcey

Steven Knight likes to write himself into trouble.

The man behind some of the streaming era’s biggest prestige hits – Peaky Blinders, See, Taboo, All The Light We Cannot See – never really knows how the stories he creates will end. He likes to build a maze out of hour-long episodes, then see if he can find its exit.

With his latest series, FX’s spy thriller The Veil, Knight keeps himself guessing as the story of two undercover operatives, on the road trip from hell, try to outsmart each other in a race to stop a deadly attack on innocent civilians. It’s Thelma & Louise if Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis were enemies and the cliff was a potential disaster on U.S. soil. Knight conceived the idea after a conversation with producer Denise Di Novi who told him some fascinating stories she’d heard over dinner in Paris. Their narrator had connections to the world of French Intelligence and Di Novi thought a TV show might be lurking somewhere in those brief bits of shared information.

She was right, and Knight found it with help from star/producer Elisabeth Moss, who plays Imogen Salter, an agent so good at her job that even the government agencies she works for don’t fully trust her. A shapeshifter with a muddied backstory and murky intentions, Imogen’s job is to earn the trust of a suspected terrorist played by Yumna Marwan as the two travel from Istanbul to London. All the while, competing intelligence groups led by Josh Charles and Dali Bessalah, scramble to regain control before the worst happens.

UPROXX chatted with Knight about his prolific career — including plans for more Peaky Blinders fare – his unique approach to storytelling, and why he wanted to avoid any James Bond comparisons with this spy adventure.

What was the genesis of this story? What was talked about at that dinner that made you want to write a spy thriller?

They were talking about the new challenges to intelligent services around the world, [how that] led to some friction between different organizations. So, the CIA and the DGSI, and MI6, all have their own different ways of doing things, but they’re all being forced to work together. And the fact that women in that world were treated in a particular way in different places. I just thought that was really interesting. So I went to Paris a couple of times and met some people in the French Intelligence Services, one retired, one still working, neither of whom wanted to be acknowledged. And we just talked about how things are and what the world is like. Obviously, the truth is always much weirder than anything made up.

So, I pieced together some things from what they told me. I’ve previously done research for another project with CIA operatives and a different project with MI5. And the difference between them… You go to Washington DC, you go to the Sea Catch restaurant, you have lunch and there’s a table full of CIA operatives telling you everything. Nothing that they shouldn’t, they’re telling you about experiences they’ve had in the field. It’s brilliant, and then you try that with the British and they don’t even acknowledge that MI5 exists. [They’ll say], ‘I work for a tractor company.’ The French are somewhere in between. So I found that really interesting and wanted to create this story out of the collage of bits that I was getting from people who’d done this in the real world.

Did anything shock you?

Everything. This is the thing that I think is important, I think one can get this idea that intelligence services or the state or whatever is this super-efficient, 10 steps ahead of everyone else, organization. Anything that happens, of course they planned that. [But] they’re just people doing what they can in these circumstances. I think it’s quite encouraging that they’re fallible. It’s not 1984, it’s not like everything’s been bolted down and they know exactly what’s going to happen.

You’ve got nine projects in the works at the moment. How do you prioritize the shows/movies you’re working on?

Well a few of those things, including The Veil, are things I wrote during the pandemic. The phone didn’t ring. There was no deadline. So, some of the things I came up with while it was going on. But I mean, people come to me with commissions and I also come up with stuff that I want to do. For me, the discipline is in stopping myself from doing it. Not making myself do it, because I have to get up and live a life. Everybody’s different in the way that they approach what they do, but I write what comes to me in that moment, when I’m doing it. It’s like dreaming – you just stop resisting whatever it is that’s coming.

So this is a story, there are two people in the car on the road. If I’m just getting to know who the characters are, I just let them talk to each other about whatever. And then it’s almost like I read it back and see where that’s going and often I find out things about the character from things that they’ve said. I know it sounds ridiculous, and I used to pretend that I planned everything out and had a treatment and pieces of paper, but I don’t. I’m not saying it’s a good idea. I’m not saying I recommend it, but that’s the only way I can do it. It keeps it enjoyable. Rather than writing the scene knowing what it’s going to be about, I’m finding out something I didn’t expect.

When you think of a spy drama, you think of something complex with heavy themes. The show has that, but there’s quite a bit of humor too. How did you strike that balance?

People are quite funny, usually when they’re not meaning to be. I think it’s just finding those moments of absurdity. What I like about a lot of these characters, especially Josh, is just that glimpse that they’re aware of their own absurdity. The way he delivers his lines is brilliant. They’re all brilliant. One minute somebody can be dead, dead, dead serious, and it’s all very dramatic, but as in life, something happens and it’s completely different. One of my favorite scenes is in the Charles de Gaulle airport where the American and the French meet and they all squabble over the phone. It’s just human beings being human, men being men. So I wanted to include that. These are people. This is not James Bond.

When did you learn Elisabeth Moss had signed on, and does that change how you write when you know who you’re writing for?

We got Elisabeth Moss after I finished the first one or two episodes. When you know you’ve got Elisabeth Moss, you are laughing. It’s like you’re stepping into a Ferrari. So yeah, it did make a huge difference knowing that she was playing Imogen. And the earlier you know, the better. It’s always good to, before you even start, know who you’re writing for.

You’ve worked with some of the greats – Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, now Moss. Is there anyone you’ve worked with who you knew, no matter what was on the page, they were going to add something extra to it?

I mean all of the above. It took me a while to learn this when I first started, because when you write something, you know exactly how it should be. You can hear it, the tone of voice, you know where the pause is, you know where the emphasis is, all of that stuff. And then in the early days you go, ‘Well, that’s wrong. That’s not how it should be.’ You realize that it’s different but better than what you had in your mind. So it takes a while to learn that. I’m sensitive about the words themselves being changed, but the way that the thing unfolds and the way that the actor deals with what’s going on — sometimes it’s a total surprise, and that’s what makes it great to watch. When you hand it over to the great actors… I’ve found that really good actors don’t change stuff on the day. There’s a sort of confidence about them.

At this point in your career, how long do you hold onto a project? Are you there from beginning to end, or do you hand over the scripts and get to work on something new?

Give the scripts and let it go. Stephen Frears said, ‘Get the best people and let them do their job.’ You’re handing this thing over as part of the process. The only thing that I want to be the case is that the script is a finished object. So when you pass it on, it’s not a blueprint, it’s not a suggestion. It doesn’t need to go through the system in terms of what the content is. It needs to go through the system in terms of how do you make that happen.

Has there been a story you’ve handed off that the final product was not what you expected – in a good or a bad way?

I mean, there’s nothing I can name, but obviously, especially early in one’s career, there are things that you hand over and then when you see them, they’re not what you expected. So you have to deal with that, but I’ve been incredibly lucky with the directors and actors that I’ve worked with where it’s a bloody good hit rate. Probably 85% I’ve been really happy [with].

For something like Peaky Blinders then, which has become its own universe at this point, how difficult is it for you to let go. I’d have to think that’s one you’re especially invested in.

It’s like handing your child over to somebody you trust. I’ve been working with most of the same people for 10 years, so I know they can do the right thing. But we’re shooting in September in Birmingham. So it’s all written, and I think it’s really, really good. It ties things up… and then leads to other things.

Back to The Veil, a big draw in watching is trying to suss out each character’s motives. Since you wrote them, do you think you’re good at reading people?

Depends on the people. People who believe what they’re saying is true, even though they sort of know it isn’t, but a part of them believes it — I imagine to be a good spy, you need to be able to actually believe that’s who you are. Maybe we’re all spies. I mean, maybe we all do that. In your life you’re sort of…

Playing parts?

Exactly.

FX’s The Veil stream on Hulu April 30th.

Seventeen days after Drake dropped “Push Ups,” his response to Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That,” Kendrick returned fire with disses of his own on his new record “Euphoria.” Kendrick’s response to Drake comes four days sooner than Drake’s own did, and the Compton rapper wasted no bars in the six-minute record. While Drake’s record took aim at Kendrick Lamar as well as took aim at names like Rick Ross, Future, Metro Boomin, Ja Morant, The Weeknd, Kendrick’s diss focuses solely on Drake. All in all, “Euphoria” is an excellently constructed response filled with double entendres that fire back at Drake in more ways than one.

Let’s break down all the disses and peel back the many layers that exist on the song:

“Euphoria” — the song title

The surface-level explanation for the song here is the feeling that Kendrick Lamar has as he puts out his response to Drake. As the artwork for the song reveals, “euphoria” is a “feeling of well-being or elation,” but it goes much deeper than that. Drake is an executive producer on Euphoria, a show centered on the experiences of high school students. Drake has been questioned by fans about his interactions with underage and young women all throughout his career. The most notable one came after Millie Bobby Brown, who was 13 at the time, gushed about her friendship with the rapper in an interview. “We just texted the other day and he was like ‘I miss you so much,’ and I was like ‘I miss you more!’” she said. Kendrick plays into these rumors and allegations with the song title.

“Everything they say about me is true…”

This line is said in reverse at the beginning of “Euphoria.” The audio is from the 1978 film The Wiz in a line said by Richard Pryor. The full line from the movie is “Everything they say about me is true, I’m a phony…” It’s the beginning of several lines in the song that question Drake’s character and authenticity.

“You not a rap artist, you a scam artist with the hopes of bеing accepted / Tommy Hilfiger stood out, but FUBU nеver had been your collection”

Kendrick continues to question Drake’s authenticity and even goes as far as to question Drake’s Blackness. Tommy Hilfilger was a prominent fashion brand in the hip-hop community during the 1990s, but by the following decade, Hilfiger was accused of being racist as he allegedly disapproved of hip-hop’s embrace of his brand. As a result, hip-hop artists dropped their support for Hilfiger in favor of supporting brands like FUBU. Kendrick casts doubt on Drake’s Blackness by alleging that Drake owned Tommy Hilfiger clothes as he believed it was needed to seem apart of the Black hip-hop community. However, as Kendrick alludes, if Drake was truly apart of the community, he also would’ve had FUBU in his closet, among other Black brands.

“How I make music that electrify ’em, you make music that pacify ’em / I can double down on that line, but spare you this time, that’s random acts of kindness”

Another reference to Drake’s interactions with underage and young women. Kendrick says his music gives people live, while Drake’s own calms people down and puts them to sleep, something a pacifier can help a child do. On the surface, this line is Kendrick’s way saying that Drake’s music is for kids, though he ackownledges a double entendre exists in the line. Despite that, Kendrick won’t go further on the topic, a moment of kindness that won’t be seen again for the rest of the diss track.

“The very first time I shot me a drac’, the homie had told me that “Aim it this way” / I didn’t point down enough, today I show you I learn from those mistakes”

Kendrick recalls the first time he shot a Draco pistol and admits that while he did not do it corrently back then, he eventually learned from those mistakes. Calling the Draco a “Drac,’” creates another double entendre, as it sounds like Kendrick is saying “Drake.” Kendrick is saying that his past jabs at Drake, weren’t good enough, but with “Euphoria,” he proved that he’s figured it all out.

Somebody had told that me you got a ring, on God, I’m ready to double the wage / I rather do that, than let a Canadian n**** make Pac turn in his grave”

Last summer, a report revealed that Drake purchased Tupac Shakur’s famed ring for the price of $1 million, three times more than the pre-sale estimate of between $200,000-$300,000. With this line, Kendrick says he ready to pay double for the ring as Drake possessing it is enough to make Tupac turn in his grave.

“Yeah, Cole and Aubrey know I’m a selfish n**** / The crown is heavy, huh / I pray they my real friends, if not, I’m YNW Melly”

Kendrick doesn’t want to share rap’s crown, and being that Drake and J. Cole have been atop the rap game beside him for years, Kendrick says his hip-hop counterparts are aware of his selfishness. In the end, Kendrick hopes Drake and Cole are his real friends, because if they aren’t, he’ll have to do away with them both as YNW Melly allegedly did to his two friends.

“I don’t like you poppin’ sh*t at Pharrell, for him, I inherit the beef / Yeah, f*ck all that pushin’ P, let me see you push a T / You better off spinnin’ again on him, you think about pushin’ me? / He’s Terrence Thornton, I’m Terence Crawford, yeah, I’m whoopin’ feet”

Kendrick wasn’t a fan of Drake dissing Pharrell on “Meltdown,” so he’s stepping in to respond for Pharrell. Kendrick doesn’t want Drake to diss Pharrell, he’d rather see him deliver his long-awaited response to Pusha T. Furthermore, Kendrick thinks it would be better for Drake to diss Pusha instead of him. Pusha T is Terrence Thornton (his birth name), but Kendrick is like undefeated boxing champion Terence Crawford, whose record is 40-0 (could be a sly reference to Drake’s longtime producer OVO 40). Kendrick will be “whoppin’ feet,” LA slang for beating up someone out of their shoes, in his battle with Drake.

“I know some sh*t about n**** that make Gunna Wunna look like a saint”

Kendrick essentially says if you think Gunna is a snitch in the YSL RICO case, wait till I tell you what I know about Drake and others.

I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk / I hate the way that you dress / I hate the way you sneak diss, if I catch flight, it’s gon’ be direct / We hate the b*tches you fuck, ’cause they confuse themselves with real women / And notice, I said “We”, it’s not just me, I’m what the culture feelin’”

Kendrick hates everything about Drake: the way he walks, talks, dresses, and sneak disses other artists. Kendrick also hates the woman Drake’s has sexual interactions with because they are not “real women.” This could be another jab at Drake’s alleged affinity for underage/young women as a “real woman” could be defined as a woman over 21 years of age. Kendrick then says that it’s not only him who believes it, but the rest of hip-hop or music culture.

You gon’ make a n**** bring back Puff, let me see if Chubbs really crash somethin’

Kendrick recalls the 2014 club incident where Diddy allegedly punched Drake during a fight in LIV Miami. Kendrick considers bringing Diddy into the battle to really strike fear into Drake. This would mean that Chubbs, Drake’s bodyguard, would have to step in and defend Drake. The Chubbs mention is also a response to him calling Kendrick a “little boy.” In a post to his Instagram Story in response to a rumored Drake diss from Kendrick at that time, Chubbs wrote, “Tell That Little Boy Drop!!! But He Won’t.” Well. He did.

Yeah, my first one like my last one, it’s a classic, you don’t have one / Let your core audience stomach that / Didn’t tell ’em where you get your abs from”

Kendrick brags about having classic albums, something he says Drake does not have. He goes on to say that Drake’s fans need to stomach, or accept, the fact Drake doesn’t have a classic album. As if that wasn’t enough, Kendrick then mocks Drake for allegedly getting liposuction surgery in order to have a six-pack core, a fact he seemingly tries to keep hidden.

“Headshot for the year, you better walk around like Daft Punk”

An amazing double entendre!! Kendrick says his bars on “Euphoria” are the equivalent of Drake receiving a gunshot to the head. The head injuries will force Drake to hide his wounds and “walk around like Daft Punk,” the French electronic music duo known for wearing robot-lie helmets. Kendrick is also saying the “headshot” diss make Drake a “daft punk” dur to his brain injuries. Daft by definition is “silly; foolish” while punk means “a worthless person.” Thanks to “Euphoria,” Drake is now a silly, foolish, and worthless person according to Kendrick.

Surprised you wanted that feature request / You know that we got some sh*t to address

Kendrick suggests that Drake reached out to him for a guest verse (allegedly for “First Person Shooter“) despite their ongoing beef, a request that shocked Kendrick.

I’m knowin’ they call you The Boy, but where is a man? ‘Cause I ain’t see him yet

Kendrick is back to questioning Drake’s character, using the Toronto rapper’s nickname as “The Boy” to point to Drake’s inability to be a man.

“When I see you stand by Sexyy Red, I believe you see two bad bitches / I believe you don’t like women, that’s real competition, you might pop ass with ’em”

In recent months, Drake has been spotted with Sexyy Red on multiple occasions. Kendrick believes Drake wants to be like Sexyy Red and other female rappers. A line later, Kendrick goes on to say that Drake doesn’t like women and sees them as competition, enough to shake ass as some do in their videos, performances, and social media posts.

“Let’s speak on percentage, show me your splits / I make sure I double back with you / You was signed to a n**** that’s signed to a n**** that said he was signed to that n**** / Try cease and desist on the ‘Like That’ record / Hoe, what? You ain’t like that record?”

Kendrick responds to Drake’s claim that Kendrick was being extorted in his previous record deal with TDE and reminds Drake that once signed to Young Money under Cash Money Records which is under Universal Music Group. The “that n****” may be Birdman who was sued by Lil Wayne and accused of withholding profits and refusing to release his Tha Carter V album. Next, Kendrick accusses Drake of sending a cease and desist letter for Future & Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” which Kendrick appears on and used to diss Drake in his verse. This isn’t the first time Drake was accused of sending a cease and desist letter to another rapper.

“‘Back To Back’, I like that record / I’ma get back to that for the record / Why would I call around tryna get dirt on n****s? / Y’all think all of my life is rap?
That’s hoe sh*t, I got a son to raise, but I can see you know nothin’ ’bout that / Wakin’ them up, know nothin’ ’bout that / And tell ’em to pray, know nothin’ ’bout that / And givin’ ’em tools to walk through life like day by day, know nothin’ ’bout that / Teachin’ the morals, and take all the discipline, listen man, you don’t know nothin’ ’bout that / Speakin’ the truth and consider what God’s considerin’, you don’t know nothin’ ’bout that”

Kendrick shows love to Drake’s “Back To Back” record, which the Toronto rapper released in 2016 in response to Meek Mill’s ghostwriter claims against him, but explaining why he would never go on a search for dirt on Drake. Kendrick says fatherhood — something he believes Drake is failing at in multiple ways — occpuies too much of his time, making it impossible for him to find the dirt that would be useful for a diss. “Euphoria” proves that Kendrick didn’t need that dirt.

“Ain’t twenty-v-one, it’s one-v-twenty if I gotta smack n****s that write with you”

Since Meek Mill’s ghostwriting accusations against Drake in 2016, the Torono rapper has been unable to shake off claims that he does not write all of his music. So in response to Drake’s “What the f*ck is this, a twenty-v-one, n****?” line on “Push-Ups,” Kendrick corrects Drake and says it will actually be him against Drake and his ghostwriters if things get more violent.

“Am I battlin’ ghost or AI? N**** feelin’ like Joel Osteen / Funny, he was in a film called ‘AI’ /And my sixth sense tellin’ me to off him”

Kendrick responds to Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” which featured AI verses by Snoop Dogg and Tupac from Drake, by asking if he’s battling AI or a ghost, instead of a real-life rapper. He then likens himself to Joel Osteen, though he actually meant Haley Joel Osment, the child actor who starred in the films The Sixth Sense and AI: Artificial Intelligence. Our own Aaron Williams dove into the connection to Haley Joel Osment in his ranking of the disses on “Euphoria.”

“Yeah, OVO n****s is d*ck riders / Tell ’em run to America to imitate heritage, they can’t imitate this violence”

Kendrick disses Drake’s OVO crew and suggest that they all left Canadian and came to the US to appropriate the culture in the states. Probablem is, as Kendrick says, they’re unable imitate everything including Kendrick’s level of aggression and violence on “Euphoria.”

“Don’t speak on the family, crodie / It can get deep in the family, crodie / Talk about me and my family, crodie? / Someone go bleed in your family, crodie”

Kendrick warns Drake about dissing his loved ones as things will get violent if the Toronto native decides to ignore his warning. Kendrick also mocks Drake by using a Toronto accent and the word “crodie,” a crip variation of “brodie” that Toronto rapper and member of the crip Wassa gang, in these bars.

“Whoever that’s f*ckin’ with him, f*ck you n****s, and f*ck the industry too”

Drake’s friends and the overall industry won’t stop Kendrick from going to war, and he’s ready to battle anyone who wants to stand beside Drake.

I’ll admit that I’m pretty tough on Burger King. The fast food chain routinely ranks on the low end of our fast food rankings. Almost always. For what it’s worth, it’s not because I have some sort of weird agenda against Burger King. If anything, BK is the chain I have the most nostalgia for. It’s the one restaurant I always wanted to eat at when I was really young.

I was not a McDonald’s kid, I was fully a card-carrying member of the Burger King Kids Club. The BKKC as I like to call it. I’m not using the words “card-carrying” as some sort of turn of phrase, either. There was an actual card (the 90s were weird like that).

Point being that I want Burger King to succeed. Desperately. And here’s the good news — recent menu items show that a BK comeback might be in the cards.

So to help add some shine to the crown, we’re naming the five absolute best menu items at Burger King for a guaranteed great meal. These menu staples represent the best at BK, so you can order them in confidence. Let’s dive in.

Double Whopper

Why It’s Great:

Who doesn’t appreciate a big burger?

The Double Whopper is excessive in the way the best fast food is. A combination of two grilled beef patties and two slices of American cheese (optional, but get the cheese!), topped with tomato, lettuce, mayo, ketchup, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun, The beef has that charred flame-grilled flavor that BK is famous for, while the produce is cut thick and has a lot of texture and crispiness to it (the pickles are especially notable, with a nice brine-y tang).

The Whopper is BK’s flagship burger, and compared to something like McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder or Wendy’s Dave’s Double, it just feels like you get more here. My issue with the basic Whopper is that it’s too bread-heavy to really be enjoyable, so I think that extra meat patty really makes a marked difference in the experience.

If that’s still not enough for you, there is always the Triple Whopper.

The Bottom Line:

The burger that made BK famous.

Halfsies

Why It’s Great:

Apparently, Burger King calls this 50-50 mix of fried onion rings and french fries “halfsies,” when they could’ve just called them by the obviously superior name, “Frings.” But, I’ll try not to hold that against them.

I don’t have too much to say about this dish, French fries are delicious, and so are onion rings — thanks to BK for making it so that we don’t have to choose. More fast food places should have fried onion rings, and they should all allow us to order frings.

The fries are good, they aren’t McDonald’s, but they’re nicely salted and have a good crunch to them. The onion rings are the star here though, they’re greasy in the best way, and have the sweet subtle buttery flavor that’s characteristic of fried onions.

The Bottom Line:

Why have to choose between onion rings and fries when you can just have both?

Chicken Fries

Why It’s Great:

Chicken Fries are pretty unique. They’re not quite chicken nuggets (though they have that highly processed texture) and they’re certainly not chicken tenders because they aren’t whole cuts of chicken, so what the hell are they? They’re chicken fries! I’m not completely in love with the texture, but the breading on this stuff features the best blend of spices on the entire Burger King menu.

At first bite, these things are incredibly zesty, with notes of paprika, black pepper, and onion powder. Those flavors are a natural pair for BK’s BBQ sauce which adds a slightly spicy flavor to the breading, with some gentle sweet smokey notes.

The Bottom Line:

The meat-to-breading ratio makes this processed nugget snack a different experience than a chicken nugget. Thanks to a flavorful breading, eating these things is a joy.

Rodeo Burger

Why It’s Great:

Every fast food chain needs, what I like to call, a “decadent burger.” This is a burger that throws caution to the wind and stacks sodium on sodium, carb on carb, it’s a burger that doesn’t care if you live or die and while I wouldn’t recommend eating these things daily (or even once a week) giving in can taste delicious. The Rodeo Burger is that burger.

This thing is simple. You’ve got a beef patty smothered in BBQ sauce, and topped with fried onion rings on a sesame seed bun. It’s beefy, smokey, sweet, salty, buttery, savory, crunchy — it attempts to hit all five senses of taste and delivers a great texture. If this thing had a Shiitake mushroom in it, we could’ve hit umami.

The Bottom Line:

Burger King’s decadent masterpiece.

Fiery Buffalo Nuggets

Why It’s Great:

One of BK’s new menu additions, the Fiery Buffalo Nuggets is reason alone to take a trip to the BK drive-thru. These nuggets have a strong pungent buffalo sauce aroma. Because they’re tossed in sauce, they lose just a bit of the crunch you’d expect from a chicken nugget, but what you get instead is a tangy buffalo flavor complemented by some earthy black pepper.

What I like to do is dip these nuggets in BK’s ranch to add an extra savory herbal quality to the flavor profile.

The Bottom Line:

BK’s newest menu item. A tangy-saucy spin on BK’s chicken nuggets.