Over the weekend, Justin Timberlake appeared at the opening of Las Vegas’ Fontainebleau casino, where he gave the suspected first performance of “Cry Me A River” since Britney Spears dropped her memoir. Needless to say, parts of it had fans online talking.
At the start of Timberlake performing the track, which has long been suspected to be a diss track following his breakup with Spears, he added that he meant “no disrespect.” He then proceeded to make it a mashup, as he performed part of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Britney herself is also grabbing fans’ attention with her latest Instagram post, where she appears to be responding to the performance. “Psss I never mentioned how I beat him in basketball… and he would cry… no disrespect,” she wrote.
Since then, fans have been roasting Timberlake for the comment too. “I love that Britney had to open the doors in Vegas just for him to be there and ALL THESE YEARS LATER he STILL has to use one of his songs about her just for clout,” one user commented under the video.
I love that Britney had to open the doors in Vegas just for him to be there and ALL THESE YEARS LATER he STILL has to use one of his songs about her just for clout.@jtimberlake you are NOTHING. pic.twitter.com/XQFt6EzGqE
Spears, who released The Woman In Me back in October, had criticized Timberlake in the book — and claimed that she had an abortion during their relationship.
Check out the video of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River” performance above. Below, find some more reactions to it.
“I don’t think Justin realized the power he had in shaming me. I don’t think he understands to this day” – Britney’s own words in her memoir. https://t.co/5lYyH8guW0
Cher recently dropped by The Kelly Clarkson Show, where she did not hold back about her thoughts regarding being left out of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (so far). Specifically, the icon reminded people about the fact that she’s only the second artist to have a No. 1 song in seven different decades, behind The Rolling Stones. The latter was inducted in 1989.
“It took four of them to be one of me,” Cher told Clarkson. “And I’m not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!”
At this point, she is also not amused by her lack of inclusion — and would reject the invite if it was extended.
“I’m not kidding you,” Cher continued. “I was about to say sh*tting you! You know what, I wouldn’t be in it now if they gave me a million dollars… I’m never going to change my mind. They can just go you-know-what themselves.”
“Also, can I just say one other thing?” she added. “I changed music forever with ‘Believe.’” Cher’s 1998 hit turns 25 years old this year and was known as one of the first No. 1 songs to use auto-tune. Considering she’s been in the spotlight and just as present since it’s long past the time that Cher should have been inducted.
Check out the clip of Cher discussing the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame above.
Kelly Clarkson is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Playboi Carti dropped his new song, “2024,” just in time for the new year that’s approaching. The track is rumored to be the first preview of his upcoming project, I Am Music, which, according to Hypebeast, might drop in January.
“Yeah, yeah, you came back and you fell, uh / Second place, can’t be in my face, oh, nah / Deep pockets, they think I’m rockin’ Chanel,” he raps, according to Genius, as he points out his champion mentality and extravagant tendencies. “Fat wallet, lil’ b*tch, you know I got here / Out of pocket with your b*tch, Chanel / I’ma grow me some horns, baby, I’m from hell.”
Right now, as a surprise drop from the rapper, the song is only available to listen to on YouTube. However, the release came complete with a music video that matched the energies. It opens with Playboi Carti showing off his car collection and designer luggage, as he performs in his garage. He also unwinds on the hood of a few of the cars, as he throws some money in the air — all while maintaining his rap skills over an entertaining beat.
Later in the video, he dances around with some friends outside of a gas station.
Check out Playboi Carti’s new song, “2024,” above.
Winter is coming. To us, that means porter season is officially here. We love the style, especially during the winter months, for its roasted barley, chocolate, and sweet malt flavors. It’s a complicated style that has all of the roasted, bitter chocolate qualities of stout with an extra kick of indulgent sweetness. But while we love classic porters, it’s imperial porters that really put us over the top.
For those unaware, just like with other beer styles that have the moniker, “imperial” porters are bolder in roasted barley, chocolate, coffee, and malt flavors than their traditional counterparts. As the title would dictate, imperial porters are also higher in ABV. This is why the style is great for the colder months. Not only is it higher in flavor, but higher in warming alcohol content.
Now that we learned a little bit about imperial porters, it’s a great time to find some to stock up on. Lucky for you, we did all the work. We found eight of the best robust American imperial porters and we ranked them based on aroma and flavors. Keep scrolling to see if your favorite beer made the list.
This 10% ABV imperial porter was brewed to pay homage to the late “gonzo” journalist Hunter S. Thompson. It’s known for its balanced flavor profile featuring Caramel, Black, and Chocolate malts as well as Northern Brewer and Cascade hops. It’s fermented with two different yeast strains: American ale and English ale.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find heavy aromas of dark chocolate, roasted malts, and floral hops. It’s very inviting. The palate is a mix of roasted malts, bitter chocolate, vanilla beans, coffee, and a nice kick of bitter hops at the finish. The last sips are dry and a nice mix of bitterness and vanilla sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is a unique beer for a very unique character. It’s well-balanced with roasted malts up front and a kick of hops at the finish.
Lil’ B is a collaboration with the well-known brewery Westbrook. There’s not much information about the ingredients in this beer. But it’s known for its sweet, mellow, almost creamy flavor profile without much bitterness. It’s as mysterious as it is delicious.
Tasting Notes:
The nose of this beer is very chocolate-centric. There are also some roasted malts, but chocolate takes center stage. The palate is loaded with baked bread, dried fruits, molasses, licorice, and vanilla. The finish is smooth, sweet, and lightly bitter.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic American porter. It bridges the gap between sweetness and bitterness perfectly. It’s not overflowing with flavors and aromas, but it doesn’t have to.
With a name like Mocha Machine, you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re getting yourself into when you crack open one of these bad boys. Spoiler alert: there’s a lot of chocolate. This complex porter is brewed with a mix of German and British malts before being infused with locally sourced roasted coffee and then aged on Ecuadorean cacao nibs.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this beer’s nose. There’s a ton of cocoa powder, dried fruit, caramel, and freshly brewed coffee. This continues onto the palate where you are treated to flavors like dark chocolate, roasted malts, dried fruits, espresso beans, and butterscotch. The finish is dry and gently bitter.
Bottom Line:
This beer is called “Mocha Machine” but it’s absolutely a porter for coffee fans. There’s a lot of chocolate flavor, but more coffee.
As if we needed an excuse to drink a porter during breakfast hours. Regardless, the aptly named Pizza Port Bacon and Eggs gives us a reason to. This flavorful, robust porter gets its morning flavor from the addition of cold-pressed coffee from Bird Rock Roasters in nearby La Jolla, California.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find scents of dark chocolate, roasted barley, vanilla, and a wallop of fresh coffee. There’s more of the same on the palate as coffee beans take up much of the flavor. It’s not the only flavor as roasted malts, vanilla, dried fruits, and toffee also make an appearance. The finish is creamy, and sweet, and ends with bitter coffee beans.
Bottom Line:
Coffee seems to be the name of the game when it comes to flavored porters. This one is like drinking a cold brew in beer form in the best way possible.
4) Kane Sunday Brunch
Kane
ABV: 9.2%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
While some of the other breakfast-themed porters stop at coffee, Kane takes it one step further and adds maple syrup into the mix. On top of that, this brunch-like porter also has coffee, cinnamon, and lactose. It’s brewed with a mix of Pilsner and English Crystal malts.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a mix of maple candy, freshly brewed coffee, vanilla beans, and dark chocolate. The palate is a symphony of toasted vanilla beans, caramel, maple syrup, cinnamon sugar, chocolate, and bold, robust coffee. The finish is lightly smoky, and creamy, and has just the right amount of bitterness.
Bottom Line:
This beer was crafted to taste like a stack of maple syrup slathered pancaked or French toast and a cup of freshly brewed coffee. It accomplishes this.
3) Cellarmaker Best Fiends
Cellarmaker
ABV: 8.2%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
This 8.2% ABV imperial porter comes from San Francisco’s Cellarmaker. It’s released in limited quantities a few times per year. If you miss it, you’re pretty much out of luck. It’s known for its bold, roasted malt aroma and flavor and balance. While it contains no adjuncts or added flavors, it’s beloved for its notable flavors of chocolate, dried fruits, vanilla, and graham crackers.
Tasting Notes:
A complex nose of roasted malts, dried cherries, fresh mint, toffee, and coffee beans greet you before your first sip. The palate has a ton of chocolate, graham crackers, vanilla, and raisins. But surprisingly, the finish is loaded with bitter, hoppy pine.
Bottom Line:
This beer is like a chocolate and roasted malt-flavored IPA. It’s a very unique beer, to say the least and we’re here for it.
There are very few imperial porters as well-known as Ballast Point Victory at Sea. This shipwreck, skeleton-adorned bottle (or can) contains a 10% ABV beer that begins as a simple imperial porter. Vanilla and locally sourced coffee beans turn the aroma and flavor up to eleven.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this beer’s nose. There are notable aromas of toasted vanilla beans, chocolate fudge, licorice, caramel candy, raisins, and a ton of freshly brewed coffee notes. The palate continues this trend with a nice kick of coffee surrounded by vanilla cookies, oak wood, licorice, roasted malts, candied almonds, and a pleasantly bitter, espresso finish.
Bottom Line:
There’s a reason this is one of the most popular imperial porters. The roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, and vanilla all work together in perfect harmony. The Boyz II Men of beers.
Massachusetts’ Jack’s Abby might be most well-known for its lagers, but it didn’t stop the brewery from releasing one of the best imperial porters on the market. Framinghammer is a Baltic porter known for its mix of roasted malts and bitter hops. It gets added flavor due to long conditioning before canning.
Tasting Notes:
Breathing in the nose, you’ll find notes of vanilla beans, oaky wood, freshly brewed coffee, roasted barley, dried fruits, and bitter chocolate. Sipping it reveals chocolate fudge, coffee beans, more roasted barley, toasted vanilla beans, sweet treacle, dried fruits, and a crisp, dry, semisweet finish that leaves you craving more.
Bottom Line:
Jack’s Abby Framinghammer is a complex, flavorful imperial porter. It’s the kind of beer that requires multiple samplings to find every aroma and flavor. We’ll gladly drink it all winter to find them all.
With just three weeks left in 2023, it looks like all the big releases are behind, but there are still plenty of new projects and singles skimming radar altitude, along with the usual assortment of late-year surprises. Those surprises have included the following:
Megan Thee Stallion teamed up with pop breakout Reneé Rapp for the disco-accented Megan Girls soundtrack single “Not My Fault“:
Lil Dicky gave fans an early Christmas gift: the official release of “Mr. McAdams” from season three of Dave:
And Lil Baby released two new singles to realign for a major comeback in 2024.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending December 15, 2023.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
ASAP Twelvyy — Kids Gotta Eat Da Deluxe
ASAP Twelvyy
If you missed the Harlem rapper’s original release back in June, have no fear. While rap fans wait for ASAP Rocky’s return, Twelvyy offers plenty of the same swagger, going from sunset cruisers like “Venetian Rose” to stripped-down boom-bap to the familiar sample-trap of ASAP reunion cut “Yams.”
Bas — We Only Talk About Real Sh!t When We’re F*cked Up
Bas
The Dreamville Lieutenant’s year-long rollout culminates in another soulful, introspective release full of Bas’ Queens-bred lyrical flourishes and intriguing sonic experiments incorporating tropical flair (“Passport Bros”), Jersey Club (“179 Deli”), and African sounds (“Khartoum”).
Gucci Mane & B.G. — Choppers & Bricks
Gucci Mane
B.G.’s only been out of prison for three months, but he’s already hit the ground running. Who better to match his prolific energy than Gucci Mane, who had a similar run upon his own release from prison six years ago. Their chemistry is impressive and the best could knock art off the walls.
Paul Wall — The Great Wall
Paul Wall
The Texas fixture drops another album of easygoing braggadocio filled with appearances from both fellow legends and rising Lone Star talents. That Mexican OT has earned his spot on “Covered In Ice,” and makes the most of the local legend’s co-sign.
Trae Tha Truth — Slow Motion Director’s Cut
Trae Tha Truth
Another deluxe edition and another Texas legend. Something about Trae’s appearance here feels ordained. While all of the original solo Stuck In Motion tracks appear here, the highlight is hearing Trae’s nimble flow traipse along ably beside coworkers like B.G., Curren$y, and Jay Worthy.
Singles/Videos
Big KRIT — “My Sub Pt. 6”
You have to admire the consistency with which the Mississippi rapper has stuck to this bit over the past decade-plus. It has been a reliable source of creative inspiration and he’s kept up the motif of using his car’s subwoofer as a metaphor.
Luh Tyler — “The Grinch Freestyle” Feat. Latto
Luh Tyler recruits Latto for assistance on his holiday-themed single, “The Grinch Freestyle.” Their back-and-forth antics are matched by the erratic visuals of the accompanying music video, and Latto and Tyler continue to be among hip-hop’s hottest rising stars.
Reuben Vincent — “Fufu”
The 9th Wonder protege finds inpiration in both traditional African music and food for his latest single. Named after the West African pounded meal of cassava, plaintain, and yam, the single evokes the comfors of home and stresses the importance of staying grounded and how hard work pays off.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
A new camera developed at MIT can photograph a trillion frames per second.
Compare that with a traditional movie camera which takes a mere 24. This new advancement in photographic technology has given scientists the ability to photograph the movement of the fastest thing in the Universe, light.
The actual event occurred in a nano second, but the camera has the ability to slow it down to twenty seconds.
For some perspective, according to New York Times writer, John Markoff, “If a bullet were tracked in the same fashion moving through the same fluid, the resulting movie would last three years.”
In the video below, you’ll see experimental footage of light photons traveling 600-million-miles-per-hour through water.
It’s impossible to directly record light so the camera takes millions of scans to recreate each image. The process has been called femto-photography and according to Andrea Velten, a researcher involved with the project, “There’s nothing in the universe that looks fast to this camera.”
As any “X-Files” will tell you, mystery is a major part of the show’s intrigue. After all, Agent Mulder and Scully dealt with some new kind of paranormal phenomenon every episode.
But it’s usually not a mystery centered around the show itself.
That is, unless we’re talking about a catchy country song that appears during the 5th episode of season 6, titled “Dreamland II,” which premiered in 1998. During the episode, Mulder gets body-swapped with an Area 51 employee at a dive bar, where the song plays in the background.
It was a song “so good” that Lauren Ancona tried to use her Shazam app to find its title. Only nothing came up. So then she tried to look up the lyrics. Still nothing. Finally she decided to look up the episode itself.
That’s when she realizes she was stumbling upon a decades long puzzle that even the most high tier “X-Files” aficionado couldn’t solve.
Sharing this saga onto X, Ancona wrote, “apparently I’m not the only one that was like ‘dang that’s a good song’ because it’s mentioned on the IMDB page that nobody can find this silly song.”
just had the weirdest experience
was watching an X-files episode & there’s this country song playing in the background of the bar they’re in
& it’s so good it jars me out of my idle multitasking to Shazam it
Underneath her post she pasted a screenshot of a review where another person sought out this “lost song.” That was 25 years ago.
It didn’t take long for Ancona’s quest to blow up online. Tons of “X-Files” fans tried to sleuth their way towards answers with information provided by the episode’s end credits. They even tracked down a call sheet for the episode, a document which lists every single person behind a production for the episode that week.
Here’s a snippet of the episode in question, for reference:
Still, no real answers were found until the thread was eventually seen by a composer named Rob Cairns, who did in fact know the co-writer of the tune—Dan Marfisi.
Marfisi shared with NPR that Cairns reached out to him and said. “He said, ‘You might want to check out this Twitter thread, and if you jump in, you will be a hero,'”
“So I went and got my cape, and I logged on, and it was a party,” he quipped.
And now, finally, here’s the answer to this decades old riddle.
The song, written by Marfisi and Emmy winning Glenn Jordan, was titled “Staring at the Stars.” And the reason why no one could find it was because Marfisi and Jordan wrote the song specifically for that scene.
“We had a directive to write something that would fit both an alien and a human being,” Marfisi told NPR. “And we kind of looked up in the sky and said, what’s up there besides aliens? And we found stars … that was our brainstorming session.” The song was then produced in around four hours.
And now, thanks to the collective efforts of fans, combined with the power of the internet, all have this newly recorded version of the song to enjoy.
The “X-files” always taught us that the truth is out there. Guess that wisdom still holds up.
Forcing a kid to sit on Santa’s lap, even when it makes them clearly uncomfortable, might have been a holiday tradition once upon a time. But today, in an age where many, if not most parents advocate for their child’s boundaries, it’s an automatic naughty-list move.
And that’s why people are applauding one Santa’s perfect display of respect for a little girl named Adley, who gave him a firm “no” after he asked her if she wanted to sit in his lap. Their viral exchange became a simple, but effective lesson in consent.
Katie Love, Adley’s mom, was so impressed with what Santa told her that she asked him to repeat the message so she could record it, according to Today.com.
“I said, ‘This is her body, and she’s in control of her body,’” Santa explains. “I asked if she wanted to sit on my lap, and she said, ‘No,’ and I said, ‘Way to stand up for yourself. And way to say what you believe is true.’”
He reiterated that the rule goes even for Santa Claus. No means no.
The clip quickly amassed 2 million views on TikTok, with hundreds praising this Santa for his thoughtfulness.
“We love an educated Santa,” one of the top comment read.
Another person wrote, “he’s meant for this job. He’s a good one.”
Others chimed in with agreement of his sentiment.
“I love this. No reason to pressure her to feel uncomfortable for a picture,” one person said. So true. And odds are, you won’t even get a good picture as your kid is traumatized, anyway.
Speaking of uncomfortable, several folks wondered if poor Adley was still not very happy, judging by her awkward look in the video. Some thought she didn’t like Santa’s hand being on her shoulder.
As Love explained to Today.com, it actually had more to do with wondering if she’d still get the purple bike she asked for since she didn’t sit in Santa’s lap.
“But you can see her start to smile when he reaffirmed her reaction and told her that it was OK to say no,” she said.
Santa is, by all intents and purposes, a figure created for children’s enjoyment. A benevolent character who instills good values. This new-age version is doing just that—perhaps even more so than his predecessors—since he honors their agency, and therefore, their wellbeing. May he receive extra blessings this Christmas by instilling the power of consent into all the kids he’s interacting with.
Over the past few years, one of the most significant contributors to the increase in the cost of living in the U.S. has been skyrocketing rent and housing prices. A big reason for the rise is the lack of housing supply. Estimates show that Americans need to build around 6 million more housing units for supply to meet demand.
If we are going to build more housing units, About Here’s founder urban planner Uytae Lee, suggests that the U.S. and Canada focus on building more non-market co-op units.
He lays out his theory in a video entitled “The Non-Market Solution to the Housing Crisis.”
To illustrate his point, he highlights two apartment buildings side by side in the up-and-coming Olympic Village neighborhood in Vancouver, Canada. In one building, the average rent for a 2 bedroom is $4,500. However, in the building across the street, a 2-bedroom unit only costs $1900 a month.
“So how is this building so affordable? Well, it’s really quite simple. It doesn’t make money,” Lee says. “This building is owned by the Athletes Village housing co-op, a non-profit cooperative. Like the name suggests, the co-op isn’t trying to make a profit from this building. So it sets rents that only cover the building’s operating costs, things like heat, water, electricity, taxes, mortgage payments and maintenance.”
“The building next door is a condo that is owned by an individual or corporation who very much wants to make some money from their housing,” Lee continues. “So they can rent it out for well really whatever price they can get. Any money they make on top of their operating costs is the profit they can pocket for themselves.”
Co-ops are often owned by charities, churches and nonprofit organizations that understand housing is a need and want it to be part of their larger mission. There are co-ops for various demographics, whether seniors, refugees, or college students.
If a private building owned by a landlord were constructed simultaneously, their rents would be similar. However, a co-op can lower rent over time while market pressures and profit motives drive the private building upwards.
As market value in a neighborhood increases, landlords raise rent. However, co-ops keep rent at the same level as long as costs remain stable. Further, after the mortgage on the co-op is paid off, its expenses are drastically reduced so that the rent can be lowered.
“Non-market housing promises a home at a stable price right now and an affordable price in the long term,” Lee says.
When there is an abundance of co-ops in a given area, they also have a positive effect on market housing. Lee cites Vienna as an excellent example of non-market housing keeping market rents low. “Private landlords have to compete with non-market housing for the same tenants. They can’t afford to inflate the rents because people will apply for the non-market housing next door, where rents can be as low as €551 a month.”
Just as there are barriers to building large private housing projects in North America, building non-market housing also has its problems. The first is cost. Finding non-profits or government agencies willing to fund an entire apartment building is tough. It’s also hard to get housing projects approved when co-ops have to go up against NIMBYs and housing zoning regulations.
“I think first and foremost we need to change these rules and make it easier to build housing in general,” Lee says.
In the end, Lee believes co-op housing isn’t a magic bullet that will solve all our woes. But it should be an integral part of a larger solution. “I think we should be treating all market housing as an important counterbalance,” Lee says. “Something that limits people’s ability to exploit the housing shortage in two key ways: adding more supply and setting rents that help to stabilize the overall housing market — sending a reminder to all of us that housing is ultimately for people, not profits.”
Forcing a kid to sit on Santa’s lap, even when it makes them clearly uncomfortable, might have been a holiday tradition once upon a time. But today, in an age where many, if not most parents advocate for their child’s boundaries, it’s an automatic naughty-list move.
And that’s why people are applauding one Santa’s perfect display of respect for a little girl named Adley, who gave him a firm “no” after he asked her if she wanted to sit in his lap. Their viral exchange became a simple, but effective lesson in consent.
Katie Love, Adley’s mom, was so impressed with what Santa told her that she asked him to repeat the message so she could record it, according to Today.com.
“I said, ‘This is her body, and she’s in control of her body,’” Santa explains. “I asked if she wanted to sit on my lap, and she said, ‘No,’ and I said, ‘Way to stand up for yourself. And way to say what you believe is true.’”
He reiterated that the rule goes even for Santa Claus. No means no.
The clip quickly amassed 2 million views on TikTok, with hundreds praising this Santa for his thoughtfulness.
“We love an educated Santa,” one of the top comment read.
Another person wrote, “he’s meant for this job. He’s a good one.”
Others chimed in with agreement of his sentiment.
“I love this. No reason to pressure her to feel uncomfortable for a picture,” one person said. So true. And odds are, you won’t even get a good picture as your kid is traumatized, anyway.
Speaking of uncomfortable, several folks wondered if poor Adley was still not very happy, judging by her awkward look in the video. Some thought she didn’t like Santa’s hand being on her shoulder.
As Love explained to Today.com, it actually had more to do with wondering if she’d still get the purple bike she asked for since she didn’t sit in Santa’s lap.
“But you can see her start to smile when he reaffirmed her reaction and told her that it was OK to say no,” she said.
Santa is, by all intents and purposes, a figure created for children’s enjoyment. A benevolent character who instills good values. This new-age version is doing just that—perhaps even more so than his predecessors—since he honors their agency, and therefore, their wellbeing. May he receive extra blessings this Christmas by instilling the power of consent into all the kids he’s interacting with.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.