St. Vincent recently appeared on BBC Radio 2, where she shared her strong thoughts about the fact that people shouldn’t cover a favorite song of hers — especially if you’re auditioning for American Idol.
“Leonard Cohen‘s ‘Hallelujah’ is one of the best songs ever written, period,” St. Vincent shared. “It’s an absolute masterpiece, it took them however many years to write. The song itself is about the complication that it is to be alive, and the agony and the ecstasy and all of the inherent conflict therein.”
“You know how, for a period of time, it became a song that people would cover on American Idol?” she added. “They’d sing it and just be like ‘hallelujah, hallelujah.’ It’s just the worst thing in the world.”
“That is the worst thing in the world” Safe to say St Vincent isn’t a fan of people covering Hallelujah Listen to St Vincent’s chat with Jo Whiley on BBC Sounds #stvincent#hallelujah#hallelujahcover#jowhiley
Later in the interview, she talked to the show’s host about her upcoming album, All Born Screaming, which she announced back in February with a lead single. Her tour tied to it also kicks off next month with the release, and after this, she likely won’t be putting a cover of “Hallelujah” on the setlist. (Just in case any fans had been hoping to hear a crossover.)
Check out the clip of St. Vincent talking about Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” above.
All Born Screaming is out 4/26 via Virgin Music Group. Find more information here.
French Polynesia is one of the most spectacular places on the planet. Yes, it’s well-known for honeymooners, but forget all that. Speaking personally, I find it empowering to achieve your travel bucket list purely because it’s what your heart desires.
Among the many bungalows-on-stilts options found in French Polynesia — and there are tons — The Brando stands out due to its dedication to environmental stewardship through a partnership with an on-site ecological nonprofit. It doesn’t hurt that some of our favorite celebritie love visiting the remote luxurious private island in the South Pacific (30 miles north of Tahiti)… or that it’s mosquito-free due to a sterilization program.
I recently spent a week lapping in luxury with daily cultural and wildlife excursions around the Tetiaroa Atoll where The Brando is based and loved every moment — even the rainy ones, which I made the most of in my private outdoor bubble bath. Read my full review of the property below.
WHY IT’S AWESOME
Courtesy of Lola Méndez
Since its opening a decade ago, Beyoncé, Leonardo DiCaprio, Britney Spears, President Barack Obama, Margot Robbie, Pete Davidson, and more have visited The Brando. But this resort is so much more than an A-List celebrity’s favorite private island resort in French Polynesia — it’s one of the most luxurious eco-resorts on Earth. The Brando showcases how luxury tourism can foster research programs to protect endangered species without negatively impacting an opulent experience for guests.
Late actor Marlon Brando, who shot scenes for “Mutiny on the Bounty” in French Polynesia, leased the atoll for 99 years to create a sustainable haven. The property, named in his honor, opened in 2014 and does exactly that, with a core mission of sustainable hospitality. The Brando has a long list of eco-achievements including being the first resort in the world to obtain LEED Platinum certification. Other eco projects include airstrip solar panels for energy and hot water heating, as well as the Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) system which pulls frigid deep sea water from 3,000 feet below the surface for cooling purposes. These efforts have reduced the energy demand by nearly 70%. Wastewater is used for sustainable irrigation.
And there’s no room for greenwashing — the hotel’s efforts are verified by third parties such as Beyond Green, a global portfolio of planet Earth’s most sustainable properties.
Guests can join the complimentary Green Tour to see first-hand all of the green projects that make The Brando a global leader in sustainable accommodations. The tour is led by guides from the on-site Ecostation operated by the Tetiaroa Society — a non-profit with conservation, research, educational, and guided programs. Scientific scholars conduct research programs on the atoll including coral reef ecology, a green sea turtle conservation program, coral and fish replenishment in the on-site lagoon, an ocean acidification program, and mosquito population control. The Tetiaroa Atoll Restoration Program is an ongoing initiative focusing on the removal of invasive species, such as rats, to restore seabird populations in turn establishing the Tetiaroa Atoll as a sanctuary for seabirds, green sea turtles, and coconut crabs.
IN HOUSE FOOD + DRINK
Courtesy of Lola Méndez
As expected, the world-class resort has an exceptional food and beverage program. French Chef Jean Imbert fuses Polynesian and French flavors. There’s also a traditional Japanese teppanyaki grill at Nami, which also serves sushi. It’s a tiny restaurant with only select seats available around the grill so be sure to reserve your dinner here in advance.
Les Mutinés is a unique dining experience — the restaurant is set inside a ship-like building to bring to life the “Mutiny on the Bounty ” maritime adventure that Brando starred in. The fine dining tasting menu is inspired by the famed ship’s travels and is a multi-dimensional sensory experience. I loved the dessert of chocolates in a treasure trove. Have an after-dinner drink at the elevated Te Manu Bar.
By day enjoy some of Marlon Brando’s favorite cocktails at Bob’s Bar — named after the bar where Marlon used to throw a few back. The ‘Dirty Old Bob’ is the signature cocktail made with whiskey, honey, pineapple, lime, mint, and egg whites. I loved the Polynesian Old Fashioned with rum, ginger, spicy honey, and chocolate bitters. The cocktails are included in your stay so make your way through the whole menu during your time at The Brando. As it’s a humid destination, stay hydrated with a daily fresh coconut.
You can have lunch at the bar or by the pool enjoying dishes like sandwiches, curries, and burgers. The casual Beachcomber Cafe is also open for lunch and serves South Pacific culinary staples. Additionally, you can order room service any time of day — I enjoyed breakfast in my private outdoor dining area each morning.
If you feel peckish during the day don’t worry, your room mini bar, which is included in the price, is restocked frequently with everything from coconut chips to mini bottles of Champagne.
AMENITIES
Courtesy of The Brando
The Brando is the epitome of barefoot luxury. I truly left my shoes behind while staying here — you can get anywhere on the motu (local word for islet) on foot by following the paved paths or walking on the sandy shore. But if you’re going to take one of the beach cruiser bicycles that come with each guest room, be smart and wear closed-toe shoes. Accidents happen, even in paradise!
Varua, meaning “soul,” perpetuates the wellness tradition established on the island by the royal family who would vacation here and undergo beauty and relaxation rituals. Varau Spa is surrounded by a tranquil lagoon and brings nature into all elements of the treatment experience from birds-nest-shaped changing rooms to open-air shalas and natural local ingredients to traditional Polynesian wellness experiences.
Treat yourself to a spa treatment in a private villa. It is as close to life-changing as spa treatments get.
ROOM TYPES
Courtesy of Lola Méndez
The all-inclusive resort features 36 villas equipped with a private beach area, a private plunge pool, a private outdoor tub, and a beach hammock tied between the palms making The Brando the epitome of luxurious exclusivity. Encircled by a coral reef, all villas are ocean-facing and have a house reef.
I stayed in a one-room villa that was larger than any apartment I’ve ever lived in. I honestly didn’t even utilize the separate living room, complete with a sitting area, a large desk, and a TV. I tried to be outside enjoying the beach and sunshine as much as possible. The massive one-bedroom has a dining area, a couch, and a separate bedroom with a walk-through dressing area that adjoins the bedroom to the massive bathroom with a waterfall shower, two sinks, and an outdoor private bathtub.
Throughout the villa, decor elements are rooted in nature from the dark wood bed frame to the exposed thatch roof.
BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALK
Courtesy of Lola Méndez
There’s an extensive program of complimentary Polynesian cultural experiences at The Brando and I strongly suggest folding as many of them as you can into your itinerary as it helps deepen the understanding and connection of this special part of the world. The cultural exchange program includes a hybrid Ori Tahiti dance and To’ere, and Pahu drum classes.
Prefer to use your hands? Book the ancestral coconut palm weaving demonstration or learn how to dye and tie a pareo.
Try to pull yourself away from your private dipping pool to get out in the ocean — you can snorkel right from the beach outside of your villa. Paddleboards and canoes are also available. Book the Archeological Tour to zip around the island by bicycle with a naturalist guide who will tell you about French Polynesia’s history as they show you sacred ancestral sites around the island including places of worship.
THE BEST THING TO DO/EAT/DRINK WITHIN AN HOURS DRIVE
Courtesy of Lola Méndez
Tahitian royalty used to vacation on the Tetiaroa Atoll which is easy to understand as the atoll still retains its pristine white sand beaches and crystalline waters. Included in your stay are several aquatic adventures. Don’t miss the Tetiaroa Ultimate Tour which stops at a natural bay where Polynesian queens once bathed and scrubbed their skin with the ultra-soft white sand — dubbed the “Billionaire’s Pool” by DiCaprio. There are also snorkeling tours to see marine life including black-tip reef sharks.
Most trips to the luxury resort include an overnight at the InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa due to the timings of international flights. Make the most of your stopover and stay in the only overwater bungalows on the island of Tahiti and attend the dinner show — you’ll be mesmerized by the cultural performance. Dinner is a buffet and not all that exciting but the performance is spectacular and it would be a shame to visit Polynesia without seeing traditional Polynesian dance.
BED GAME
Courtesy of The Brando
Would I sound too dramatic if I said it’s the best bed I’ve ever slept in? Comparing it to a cloud wouldn’t even do this bed justice — it was if it was specifically formulated for my body. You shouldn’t expect less for a bed that costs several thousand dollars a night to sleep in. I loved that when I woke up in the morning I could simply press a button to automatically raise the curtains and see directly out into the lagoon without getting out of the king-sized bed.
Rating: 10/10
SEXINESS FACTOR
People Magazine
Let’s just say that Britney Spears tends to get naked and frolic around The Brando and share pictures of herself enjoying the luxe hideout in her birthday suit on her currently defunct Instagram account. She also shot a recent People Magazine cover there. That’s how seriously they take privacy here. During my stay, there was only one time that someone walked past my villa on a beach stroll. French legislation is applied in the French territories so laying out topless is essentially legal and I felt comfortable doing so at my private pool. French laws being in effect in French Polynesia is also why the destination is considered queer-friendly as same-sex marriage is legal in France, and therefore in French Polynesia as well.
There’s also a private outdoor tub (that is fenced in) which is très sexy, if I may say so myself.
Rating: 10/10
THE VIEWS & PICS SPOTS
Courtesy of Lola Méndez
With endless stretches of aquamarine waters and silky soft white sand there aren’t many parts of the private island paradise that aren’t photogenic. I enjoyed capturing moments of the cultural exchange experiences mentioned above and the day tours. As the queens once did, I scrubbed myself with the silky white scrub — and asked my guide to take a picture of me doing so. I didn’t do as Kim Kardashian did and climb the tree that’s somehow stuck in the middle of the bay — it’s covered in aquatic life so it’s best to avoid touching it.
Rating: 10/10
BEST SEASON TO VISIT
Courtesy of Lola Méndez
I regretted not planning my trip around one of my dream bucket list experiences — to swim with humpback whales!
French Polynesia is one of the only places in the world where it’s legal to do so and I trust that The Brando would lead a tour that prioritizes the whale’s wellbeing. Learn from my mistake, if you dream of swimming with whales plan your visit between August and October. For a chance to see sea turtles nesting and the release of sea turtle hatchlings visit between September and May. I got to partake in a dawn release of sea turtles — something I’ve done dozens of times and still fills me with delight. Beyond wildlife, the best season to visit for the best weather is in the summer from July to October.
IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING
Courtesy of Lola Méndez
The food options are going to feel pretty repetitive if you have dietary restrictions like I do. For such a hefty-priced resort, it’s a shame they don’t provide more variety for plant-based eaters. But the dishes I did have were fantastic, even if I ended up eating some of the same things every day, a bit of a bummer when you’re on vacation.
BOOK HERE
Rates start at $4,910 per night for two guests and are all-inclusive. I know that seems astronomical but when you break it down per person and consider the ultra-luxury accommodation, all of the included tours, and the endless cocktails $2,455 a night per person seems understandable. There’s a two-night minimum and currently, if you book four nights, the fifth night is free.
Months after Nicki Minaj and Sexyy Red collaborated on the latter’s “Pound Town 2” song, Minaj hopped onto social media today with the hopes of getting back in the studio for the remix of “FTCU.”
“You got your verse for #FTCU?” Minaj tweeted. “Finna drop the remix @SexyyRed314_ Left #PoundTown to go #FTCU a remix for a remix.” Sexyy Red then responded a few hours later: “Song + Video.”
Here’s what to know about when fans can expect it to come out.
When Will Nicki Minaj & Sexyy Red’s ‘FTCU’ Remix Come Out?
Right now, there is not a clear release date for Nicki Minaj’s remix of “FTCU” with Sexyy Red. Now that Minaj and Sexyy Red are on the same page about doing a song and a music video together, it shouldn’t be too long until fans will be able to hear it.
“Miss lady, bring the kids & the stroller that’s all I got to offer right now. a play date,” Nicki shared. “Let somebody film us b*$h sexy know DANG well we on tour in #gagcity Barbz. send me that verse right away pls ma’am. It’s a superstar (or 2) on there as well. GET IT SEXY!!!!!!”
Check out Nicki Minaj and Sexyy Red’s Twitter convo.
It’s officially early spring and that means that there’s a whole new season of beers just waiting to be embraced. While you can’t go wrong with the late spring when it comes to beer choices, we prefer the early days because of the diversity of beers that are well-suited for the weather.
Some days it’s sunny and mild. Other days it’s rainy and uncomfortable. Either way, it’s a great time to be a beer fan!
We selected eight of the best new releases, annual favorites, and seasonal-appropriate brews to taste this month. Keep scrolling to see them all.
What better way to celebrate this beer’s 17th anniversary this month than to drink a few bottles or cans? Brewed premium 2-row barley, flaked wheat, Munich 10L malt, and Simcoe, Comet, Chinook, Centennial, and Apollo hops, this hoppy, crisp, beer is perfect for all weather.
Tasting Notes:
One whiff of this beer’s nose and you’ll be immersed in a world of tangerines, pink grapefruit, wet grass, fresh-cut flowers, honey, and dank pine needles. There’s more of the same on the palate with notes of mandarin oranges, grapefruit peels, wet grass, lemon peels, and floral, resinous pine. The finish is crisp, dry, and pleasantly bitter.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to classic, balanced, full-flavored IPAs, it’s difficult to beat the appeal of a Fort George Vortex on an April night.
There’s no wrong time of year to drink a lager. That’s why we’re so excited about the launch of 21st Amendment’s aptly named Amendment Lager. This sessionable, 4.4% ABV beer was crafted to be a classic, crushable, no-frills lager with a great balance between malts and hops. It’s crisp, refreshing, and highly memorable.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find cereal grains, honey, citrus peels, and floral, herbal hops. Drinking it reveals notes of freshly baked bread, cereal grains, candied orange peels, honey, lemongrass, and floral, piney hops. The finish is dry, and crisp, and leaves you craving more.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a fan of classic, fresh, easy-drinking lagers, 21st Amendment’s new Amendment Lager is for you.
Visiting Cooperstown, New York’s Brewery Ommegang is like stepping into a European brewery in the heart of Central New York. While you can’t go wrong with any of its offerings, we suggest its new Ommegang Farm Fresh Ale. It’s brewed with 2-row malt, white wheat, yellow cornflakes, as well as Hallertau Magnum and Mandarina Bavaria hops. It’s open-air fermented but gets a second fermentation with wildflower honey.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of freshly baked bread, funky yeast, wildflowers, clover honey, and floral, earthy, herbal hops greets you before your first sip. On the palate, you’ll find notes of yeasty bread, sweet honey, citrus peels, and floral hops. The finish is yeasty, sweet, crisp, and refreshing.
Bottom Line:
This is a very unique, sweet, yeasty beer that should appeal to anyone who enjoys Belgian or Belgian-inspired beers.
If you think that April is too soon for a porch beer or two, you must not have spent a winter trapped inside avoiding snow. One of the best choices for an April porch beer is the aptly named Jack’s Abby Porch Fest This golden-hued, citrus-filled, crushable brew is listed as a summer ale, but it hits shelves in March.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of lemongrass, orange peels, grapefruit, pineapple, freshly baked bread, and floral hops make for a welcoming beginning to this crushable brew. Sipping it reveals a lot of citrus character with tangerine, lemon, lime zest, and grapefruit all making an appearance. There are also notes of cereal grains, honey, and floral, herbal hops. The finish is sweet, citrusy, and crisp.
Bottom Line:
This is a great beer for citrus fans. If that’s you, you’ll want to stock up on this brew from now until the waning summer days.
Roadhouse Plasma Hazy IPA
Roadhouse
ABV: 6.9%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
April is a great month to enjoy juicy, fruity, hazy IPAs. One of our favorite new hazies is Roadhouse Plasma Hazy IPA. This unique IPA was brewed with some newer, lesser-known hop varieties including Elani, Pink, and HBC 1019 hops. The result is a juicy, cloudy, beer loaded with tropical fruit aromas and flavors along with a ton of hop character.
Tasting Notes:
Complex tropical aromas of mango, caramelized pineapple, guava, passionfruit, watermelon, and dank pine make for a great nose. The palate follows suit with a nice hint of sweet malts, honeydew melon, pineapple, mango, guava, stone fruit, and resinous, dank, prickly pine. The finish is sweet and hoppy but has very little overall bitterness.
Bottom Line:
This is like the hazy IPA equivalent of a tropical fruit cup. Every tropical flavor you could want (as well as a nice kick of hops) is on full display.
April is a great month for wheat beers. One of our favorites is Troegs Dream Weaver. This year-round, Bavarian-style hefeweizen is brewed with German wheat yeast as well as malted wheat, Pilsner, and Vienna malts. It gets its floral, earthy aroma and flavor from the use of German Northern Brewer hops.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is classic German-style wheat beer with a ton of yeast, freshly baked bread, ripe bananas, cloves, and floral hops. The palate is a mix of yeast, bready malts, bananas, cloves, and other gentle spices. The finish is sweet, spicy, and gently dry.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a fan of traditional German-style wheat beers, you’ll love Troegs’ take on the classic style.
New Belgium Chutney Sour
New Belgium
ABV: 7%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
New Belgium collaborated with Bira 91 (India’s most popular craft beer brand) to make Chutney Sour. This Belgian-style Dubbel is brewed with specialty malts, Belgian yeast, and Saaz hops and gets its unique, tart flavor from the addition of tamarind. The result is a beer that is malty and rich but also sour and fruity.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find notes of caramel malts, sweet yeasty aromas, gentle spices, and lightly floral hops. The palate only adds to the spectacle with notes of caramel malts, funky yeast, wintry spices, dried fruits, tart, sour tamarind, and floral hops. It’s a great mix of sweet and sour.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a sour beer fan or a drinker who likes to try something unique, this is the beer for you this April.
Bale Breaker Crop Circles
Bale Breaker
ABV: 6.5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
Releasing on April 13, this New England-style IPA was brewed with 2-row malt, pilsner malt, white wheat, and flaked oats. It’s hopped with HBC-1019, Mosaic, and Citra hops. The result is a hazy, juicy, fruity, limited-release beer you’ll want to grab this month.
Tasting Notes:
Classic hazy IPA aromas of tangerine, grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, peach, and lightly floral hops make for a great start. The palate continues this trend with a ton of orange peels, lemon, guava, mango, peach, caramelized pineapple, and lightly piney hop notes. It’s sweet, juicy, and loaded with fruit flavors.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a hazy IPA fan and can get your hands on some of this UFO-influenced beer this April 13th, we suggest you do it.
I love soda but if I keep drinking multiple cans every day — and I don’t want to be dramatic here — I’ll f*cking die. Too hyperbolic? Maybe. But really, no one should be downing multiple Coca-Cola’s a day. Sorry.
The easiest way to break that habit is by supplementing your favorite full-sugar soda with its zero-sugar, zero-calorie counterpart. At least, that’s what I’m trying to do. But while navigating the no-calorie soda world I’ve been struck with a choice: Do I go for diet or zero sugar?
As a full-sugar soda drinker, I’ve always written off these options as differences in marketing. But since I’ve started looking for a substitute for Coca-Cola, I’ve realized that diet and zero-sugar sodas can taste incredibly different. Also, if these brands are willing to have different formulations of a zero-calorie sugar-free product, we’re willing to bet there are significant audiences for both.
So which resembles the real thing? We decided to put each brand’s diet and zero sugar options head to head in a blind taste test to determine which is the best from each brand.
Methodology
Dane Rivera
This test is a bit different than our usual blind taste test. Rather than a big ranking, we decided to put each brand’s diet and zero-sugar formulation against one another in a two-taste head-to-head. So think of this as four mini rankings. Here are the sodas we tasted.
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar vs. Diet Coke
Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar vs Diet Dr. Pepper
Pepsi Zero Sugar vs Diet Pepsi
Mountain Dew Zero Sugar vs Diet Mountain Dew
There are a few brands out there that didn’t have both a diet and zero sugar formulation, so we eliminated those brands. We’ll do a big diet and zero-sugar soda ranking soon, for now, we’re hitting the most popular brands.
For this taste test, I had my girlfriend pour me each brand’s diet and zero-sugar soda at random in unmarked glasses. I tasted two at a time, wrote down initial impressions in my notes, took another taste of both to solidify my thoughts and declared a winner. Just to be clear, I never knew what brand I was tasting, save for Mountain Dew, but I listed which brand I was tasting below just to make this list a bit easier to navigate.
Let’s drink.
The Zero Sugar Diet Blind Taste Test
Round 1: Dr. Pepper
Dane Rivera
Taste 1:
Dane Rivera
A nice initial sizzle with a strong sweetness that hits the palate immediately. The flavor is a bit earthy with a slight fruitiness to it that is really nice. But the aftertaste stains the tongue in this really off-putting way. I’m not loving the finish on this one.
Taste 2:
Dane Rivera
That sizzle from Taste 1 is about the same here, but there is a stronger burn on the tastebuds. This one has a little bit of bite to it that I’m liking. There is less of a fruit characteristic here than taste 1, but I’m getting a darker profile with a mix of sweet and bitter tones.
And The Winner Is…Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar (Taste 2)
Dane Rivera
Two things set this one apart from the Diet formulation for me. The bite and the aftertaste. This may just be me but I like a soda that has a kick to it, this has that along with some sweetness and an aftertaste that doesn’t stick to the tongue like no-calorie sodas tend to have.
The Bottom Line:
Overall, both have echoes of full-sugar Dr. Pepper in different ways, but I think Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar captures that magic better.
Round 2: Pepsi
Dane Rivera
Taste 1:
Dane Rivera
I’m getting some chocolate character here, but I’m disappointed in the lack of fizz. There is no bite here, it has an intense and strong sweetness at the onset that never lets up. No subtlety — kind of one-note and boring.
Taste 2:
Dane Rivera
Way more interesting than Taste 1, this comes across like an entirely different brand. I’m tasting a mix of cinnamon, sweetness, and a light bitterness here. There is more to latch onto and I found myself really enjoying my second taste. I ended up finishing the glass, I can’t say the same for Taste 1.
And The Winner Is… Diet Pepsi (Taste 2)
Dane Rivera
I’m not a Pepsi fan in general, I find that the brand tends to be too sweet and not fizzy enough. While I can’t say this one was particularly fizzy, I did enjoy the bouquet of shifting flavors a lot. I might even go as far as saying I prefer this to the full-sugar Pepsi.
The Bottom Line:
Pepsi Zero-Sugar and Diet Pepsi couldn’t taste more different. Ultimately, Diet Pepsi had a more interesting blend of flavors that made drinking it a significantly better experience. Pepsi Zero-Sugar is downright undrinkable with how sweet it is.
Round 3: Mountain Dew
Dane Rivera
Taste 1:
Dane Rivera
Wow, is Mountain Dew f*cking weird. There is a sickly candy-like sweetness here. It’s so sweet that it straight up tastes like sugar, if you told me it was regular Mountain Dew, I’d believe you. On the backend is this interesting bitter rind flavor with a bit of a burn.
I’m struggling with this one.
Taste 2:
Dane Rivera
And I thought Taste 1 was bad! This is horrid. It’s a bit more citrusy than Taste 1 with a gentler finish that stays sweet.
And The Winner Is… Mountain Dew Zero-Sugar (Taste 1)
Dane Rivera
Make no mistake, I’m making this decision simply because I have to. I can’t say that I enjoyed either of these very much, but forced to choose, I’m going with Mountain Dew Zero-Sugar. That comes down, once again, to the burn. I just find this one more palatable, the Diet version was sweet to the point of being distracting.
The Bottom Line:
Mountain Dew has its audience, and I’m not it. If you like the intense sweetness of full-sugar Mountain Dew you might prefer the Diet version, but if you’re looking for something with a burn and a twist of bitterness, the Zero Sugar is the way to go.
Round 4: Coca-Cola (Taste 2)
Dane Rivera
Taste 1:
Dane Rivera
There is a mellowness to this one that is interesting. I don’t know how else to describe it other than to say it tastes soft. A quick hit of sweetness greets you and leaves the palate completely once you swallow. It’s elegant and gets the job done. It doesn’t taste like any soda I’m familiar with though, so if you’re a fan of whatever brand this one belongs to, I’m not sure if it works as a true substitute.
Taste 2:
Dane Rivera
This couldn’t be more different than Taste 1, so much so that I asked my girlfriend if there was some sort of mixup and I was tasting two different brands. I’m getting a mix of dark, rich, and chocolate-forward flavors with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla on the backend. It’s very interesting and kind of tastes like one of those high-end bougie cola brands they sell at BevMo.
And The Winner Is…Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
Dane Rivera
My all-time favorite soda is Coca-Cola so I was surprised to learn what I was tasting was from the brand. I have to give the winning slot here to Coca-Cola Zero. While I appreciate the clean flavor of Diet Coke, the Coca-Cola Zero just tastes more interesting thanks to its mix of cinnamon, chocolate, and vanilla tones.
The Diet Coke had none of that, though I stand by what I said when I called it “elegant.” At the end of the day Coca-Cola Zero Sugar offers a more interesting flavor. One I can see myself going back to.
The Bottom Line:
I won’t lie to you, if you like Coca-Cola, neither Diet Coke or Coca-Cola Zero Sugar taste anything like the real thing. They lack the bite, the harsh burn, and the deep flavor of Coca-Cola Classic. Having said that both are very interesting, with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar edging a bit closer to the real thing.
Parenting is the most important job that most people will ever have in life. Your decisions as a parent will be some of the most important determining factors in whether your child becomes a happy and productive adult or not. It’s a huge responsibility.
Parenting is a difficult and important undertaking, but many parents simply repeat the same strategies used by their parents. How often do we hear people rationalize their decisions by saying, “That’s what my parents did and I came out OK.”
This approach to raising children negates the fact that with every generation there are countless studies done on child development, many of which run counter to popular parenting wisdom from the past.
Dr. Kristyn Sommer, who has a PhD in child development, has received a lot of attention on social media because of her dedication to teaching “evidence-based parenting.” This expertise has made her an advocate for strategies that run counter to conventional parenting wisdom and have stirred up a bit of controversy.
Here are five TikTok videos where Sommer shares some of her evidence-based parenting strategies.
Three Things I Do Differently as a Mum with a PhD in Child Development
In Dr. Sommer’s first video where she references her degree she admits she refuses to sleep train, co-sleeps with her daughter, and never calls her “naughty” or “bad.” She delves deeper into her thoughts on discipline in the next video.
How To Discipline Your Child So They Actually Learn
Dr. Sommer uses positive reinforcement to discipline her child and as she said in the previous video, avoids the use of terms such as “naughty” or “bad.” If her daughter is doing something wrong she asks her to contemplate whether she’s making a good or a bad decision.
How to Handle Tantrums
Most people tend to think of a tantrum as naughty behavior. However, they are actually a combination of a bunch of little stresses that the child has experienced throughout the day that eventually overwhelm them. Once they hit the tipping point, all of their big feelings bubble up to the surface, resulting in a healthy expression of emotion.
Should You Spank Your Child?
Dr. Sommer is passionately against “spanking, corporal punishment, physical punishment, what ever you want to call it.” She says it needs to stop because it has little effect on behavior and can lead to antisocial tendencies in the future.
She Doesn’t Teach ABCs and 1,2,3s
Dr. Sommer isn’t worried about teaching her child her toddler alphabet or how to count. She says that it “doesn’t really help them with anything” but they should spend that time playing because that’s where they learn best.
Just when you thought it was going to be a chill week in hip-hop, here comes J. Cole with a surprise album release to upset the apple cart as he responds to Kendrick Lamar’s very loud call-out a few weeks before. This happened, of course, in the same week that brought us:
Latto putting the “L” back in “TLC” as she joined her fellow ATLiens onstage to perform their hit “Waterfalls“:
The official announcement of the return of NxWorries with “86Sentra“:
The long-awaited return of G-Eazy alongside Coi Leray and Kaliii (a true ally):
And GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion teaming up to affirm that the “girl rapper wave” still ain’t “dead”:
Whew, what a week.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending April 5, 2024.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Doja Cat — Scarlet 2 Claude
Doja Cat
Doja Cat adds seven new tracks to her table-shaking fourth album Scarlet. Again, she goes out of her way to avoid categorization, despite features from ASAP Rocky and Teezo Touchdown (who are also nominally known as rappers but have run the gamut of psychedelic sounds over the course of their respective careers). No, she doesn’t diss Cardi B on the new tracks but she does continue to take fans and industry frauds to task for their meddling in artists’ lives.
GloRilla — EhhThang EhhThang
GloRilla
Yeah, Glo! The Memphis rapper rediscovers her groove after a successful media run that once again endeared her to the fickle hip-hop audience. More homespun wisdom and elbow swinging trap realness bounds on her latest, which features appearances from Megan Thee Stallion, Moneybagg Yo, and more.
J. Cole — Might Delete Later
J. Cole
Hey, man, weren’t you just working on that album you’ve been teasing for the past six years? While the world has been waiting for The Fall Off, Cole’s been building a separate body of work, which he unleashed on the unsuspecting public with no prior warning. Accomplices in this act of audio terrorism include Dreamville mainstays like Ari Lennox and Bas, peers like Ab-Soul and Daylyt, and even inspirations Cam’ron and Gucci Mane.
LaRussell — Live From The 206
LaRussell
It’s been hard to keep track of the Bay Area distruptor’s output, mainly because there’s been so much of it. LaRussell doesn’t sit on anything; he just drops as he goes and lets the world catch on (case in point, this is his third in less than two months). LaRussell’s independent mindset may make it tougher to keep up, but it’s always worth checking out his latest work.
Reuben Vincent — General Admission
Reuben Vincent
I wasn’t looking for the 9th Wonder protege on my release radar but there he was on my Tidal this morning. I ain’t complaining; those who say “hip-hop has been boring” between bouts of high-school gossip would do well to actually, y’know, check for new hip-hop. Lots of good stuff out there… like this.
Singles/Videos
Concrete Boys — “Where Yo Daddy” Feat. Karrahboo
After officially launching his label, Lil Yachty has done a terrific job of supporting his new rap crew. Karrahboo is the obvious standout, as demonstrated by “Where Yo Daddy,” and it’ll be fascinating to see the Concrete Boys’ trajectory as they move out of the shadow of his old group Sailing Team to establish themselves in their own right.
Courtney Bell — “Word II Conway” Feat. Conway The Machine
Detroit wordsmith Courtney Bell has been on a bit of a hot streak this year. Following up January’s “Westside” with fellow Motor City motormouth Royce Da 5’9, “Word II Conway” sees him match wits with the Buffalo bully. Bell is exactly the sort of rapper who flies under the radar for a while but produces so consistently that one day you look up and he’s got a tremendous body of work, a fervent fanbase, and respected reputation among his peers, elders, and successors, just like the guys he’s been working with lately.
Lil Wayne & Wheezy — “Bless” Feat. Young Thug
I wish I could have sampled the sound my girlfriend made when Wayne suddenly popped up onscreen during our weekly watching of WWE Raw (she’s a big fan) and turned it into a beat. It was mind and eardrum-blowing. This is probably the song he’ll be performing at Wrestlemania this weekend (we’ll be watching, of course). Free Young Thug already, darnit.
ZelooperZ — “WOA!” Feat. Zack Fox
Zack Fox is a maniac. That is all.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Have you ever come across something online that instantly made you smile? That’s what happens when people see Locklan Samples pop up on their Instagram feed. The cute dimple-faced toddler has a rare condition known as uncombable hair syndrome, which results in locks that stick straight up no matter how you try to manipulate them. It also causes the hair to be extremely fragile, so frequent combing can cause it to break off. The syndrome is so rare that Locklan is just one out of 100 people known to have it.
Locklan’s parents spoke with People magazine about how they discovered he was living with this ultra rare condition. Katelyn Samples, Locklan’s mom, explained that when he was born he had a head full of jet black hair, but eventually it fell out and was replaced with peach fuzz. A newborn baby’s hair is often completely different than the hair they end up with by the time they’re toddlers. It’s not uncommon for their hair to fall out in one spot or another, but it’s also not unheard of for their whole head to end up bald while their second sprigs of hair grow in.
Hair can grow back coarser, curlier or a completely different color. In Locklan’s case, his hair went from being jet black to platinum blonde peach fuzz, which eventually grew into hair that stood on end. Locklan’s parents said the color of his hair matched his brother’s hair, so it wasn’t a surprise, but the texture threw them for a loop.
When Katelyn posted pictures of Locklan on Instagram, a stranger messaged her asking if he had “uncombable hair syndrome.” This started Katelyn on a journey to find answers to what was going on with her infant’s hair, and if the condition was something she needed to be concerned about health-wise. Katelyn told People, it sent her into a “tailspin on Google.” Eventually, after climbing out of the Google rabbit hole, Katelyn called her son’s pediatrician to get answers. This turned out to be the first step toward an accurate diagnosis.
Locklan’s pediatrician had not heard of the condition and referred them to Atlanta’s Emory Hospital to see a specialist. It was there they got the diagnosis. Katelyn explained to People, “We went to see her and she said she’d only seen this once in 19 years.” The doctor “didn’t think it was uncombable hair syndrome because of how rare it is, but they took samples and a pathologist looked at it under a special microscope,” and confirmed the diagnosis, she said.
He joins the very small club of people with the syndrome. Thankfully, this condition only affects the toddler’s hair and he is developing normally in all other aspects of his childhood. Katelyn revealed she hardly ever has to wash his hair unless it gets visibly dirty as it doesn’t collect oils at the scalp. Everywhere they go people are fascinated by Lock’s locks and ask to touch his soft tresses.
The family documents their journey on their Instagram account, and have found a support group via Facebook, where Katelyn says “it’s cool to see how other kids’ hair has changed over the years—for some people it does not go away, and for others it becomes a little more manageable.” For now, Locklan enjoys the attention he gets from strangers, and he continues to bring a smile to people’s faces wherever he goes.
One of music’s biggest artists just pulled a Beyoncé, quietly dropping a new album without warning in the middle of the night. No, it wasn’t J. Cole, whose mixtape Might Delete Later has been dominating social media discussion today as a result of his “7 Minute Drill” call-out of Kendrick Lamar. While y’all were arguing about whose entry in the Burn Book was more vicious (smh), Pharrell Williams released Virginia:Black Yacht Rock, Vol. 1 —City Of Limitless Access for his 51st birthday. It sounds exactly as its title suggests.
Of course, it’s fair if you didn’t realize such a thing happened. I myself didn’t catch on until Pharrell superfan Tyler The Creator posted about it on Twitter, at which point, I scrambled through the DSPs (yes, all of them, music writers can write off all those memberships on our taxes — this is me reminding myself to actuall do my taxes) only to find out that its only available on its own website. Hit up blackyachtrock.com to hear it. Feel free to throw on a linen suit first, make yourself a tropical drink. You can also download it and take it on a yacht with you laters. Whatever… ahem… floats your boat.
caged bird free by virginia black yacht rock, great song
Pharrell’s new album arrives, strangely enough, after news of friction between him and his former production partner, Chad Hugo, over the name of their production group, The Neptunes. You can read about it here.
Virginia: Black Yacht Rock, Vol. 1 — City Of Limitless Access is out now via blackyachtrock.com.
The following news is big for me, personally, as a Clippers fan since the raggedy Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena days of the 1990s. The “other” LA basketball team is finally getting their own venue for the first time in 25 years after sharing Staples Center — fine, “Crypto.com Arena” — with the Lakers. The Intuit Dome’s grand opening has been set for August 15 and 16, with opening shows by none other than Bruno Mars. The Las Vegas fixture — who is NOT $50 million in debt to MGM — is returning to the City of Angels for the first time in six years.
The Inuit Dome project broke ground in September 2021 after being approved by the City of Inglewood for a new arena just for the Clippers. It’ll actually be the first time the Clippers had full ownership of one of its arenas. It’s also the planned site of the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and the 2028 Summer Olympics. As for why Bruno Mars was chosen to be the arena’s first-ever performer, he explained in a video announcement. “I moved to Inglewood, California when I was 18 years old,” he recalls. “Opening up this arena is a full-circle moment and I can’t wait to celebrate.” Watch that below.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Bruno Mars is performing Intuit Dome’s Grand Opening on August 15th and 16th! Don’t miss these 2 special nights.
Bruno Mars is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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Listen to St Vincent’s chat with Jo Whiley on BBC Sounds
#stvincent #hallelujah #hallelujahcover #jowhiley
