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Taylor Swift is officially Time‘s Person Of The Year. It was a hell of a year, which saw her embark on her critically acclaimed Eras Tour, re-record and re-release Speak Now and 1989, and begin dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

The news of Swift and Kelce seemed to arrive rather suddenly, which led to Swifties sharing theories as to when their romance began.

When did Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce start dating?

Swift revealed that she and Kelce began dating around the time Kelce shared on his New Heights podcast that he had attempted to give her a friendship bracelet during one of the stops of her Eras Tour. Kelce, however, was unable to talk to Swift before or after the show, as Swift prefers to save her voice for the 44 songs in her setlist.

“This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” Swift said in her new Time cover story. “We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”

The episode aired in late July, just weeks before the NFL season kick-off, and weeks before the two officially went public. It’s safe to say their secrecy worked out all too well.

As NFL fans have surely noticed, Taylor Swift has popped up at a number of Kansas City Chiefs games this season, to support Travis Kelce. It turns out she’s become a real fan of the game: The newly minted Time 2023 Person Of The Year said in her cover story, “Football is awesome, it turns out. I’ve been missing out my whole life.”

Of course, though, some football fans just trying to watch the game have been annoyed by broadcasts focusing on the pop star in attendance. That doesn’t seem to bother Swift in the slightest, though.

In her Time interview, Swift spoke about how TV broadcasts of games have been covering her, saying, “I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in. There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the-camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once.”

She added, “I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”

Swift also talked about the origins of her and Kelce’s relationship and her first NFL game, saying, “This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell. We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”

Read the full cover story here.

Taylor Swift just received one of the biggest honors in all of legacy print media: Today (December 6), Time named her their 2023 “Person Of The Year.” As part of a new cover story, Swift spoke some about her relationship with Travis Kelce, filling in some previously unknown details about their origins.

For one, she and Kelce are officially a “couple,” and they’ve been involved for longer than most people probably think. She explained:

“This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell. We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date. […]

When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care. The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other.”

Swift, by the way, is really into football now: “Football is awesome, it turns out. I’ve been missing out my whole life.”

She also spoke about how the media covers her when she turns up to Kelce’s NFL games, saying, “I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in. There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once. […] I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”

Check out the full cover story here.

Hip-hop in 2023 was largely a game of hard left turns and stylistic leaps of faith. From Doja Cat’s bridge-burning fourth album Scarlet to Lil Uzi Vert’s wildly experimental Pink Tape, hip-hop artists went out of their way to subvert expectations and push the boundaries of the genre — and their fans. Don’t get it twisted, though; none of this was provocation for provocation’s sake. Instead, it was these artists’ way of paying homage to hip-hop’s roots in its 50th year — the true foundation of sonic experimentation and musical play, not just mean-mugging and tough-guy posturing.

So, no, our list this year (which includes a few projects released after last year’s cutoff) doesn’t feature too much gangsta rap or elitist encyclopedia rap. But we feel that it captures the true breadth of hip-hop’s contemporary landscape, from rappers who sound more like rockers to the most popular radio mainstays and the future stars bubbling just under the radar. Here are the best hip-hop albums of 2023.

Aminé and Kaytranada – Kaytraminé

The term “album of the summer” gets tossed around quite a lot lately, but this joint effort from the Portland rapper and Canadian dance producer earns it with 11 breezy-yet-diverse approaches to the seasonal sound and its related topics. From the glitzy, mellow “Rebuke” to the funk-tinged Pharrell feature “4Eva,” the lively spirit of the warmest months of the year comes through in ways both unexpected and comfortingly familiar. – Aaron Williams

Blxst & Bino Rideaux – Sixtape 3

Blxst and Bino Rideaux stumbled upon their secret sauce with “Savage” from Sixtape in 2019, and the third installment, Sixtape 3, is the LA rappers’ most complementary offering yet. “Shaq and Kobe, it’s only right if we three-peat,” Blxst poses in “Road Runnin.” Blxst and Bino trade alley-oops, lyrically and thematically. The provocatively lustful “ Doin Yo Stuff” is balanced out by the romantic, slow jam-adjacent “Get Away,” and the groovy “Baccseat” brings the opposing emotions under one roof. The empathic dunk is “Blueprint,” where Blxst and Bino cleverly flex “boss sh*t.” No lies were told. – Megan Armstrong

Chika – Samson

Chika’s mental health struggles have been heartbreaking to witness. Instead of retiring from rap, with the guidance of trained professionals, her album, Samson reveals the kinks in her armor. Through the project, listeners learn that Chika is a mystery that even she herself is still figuring out. The unabashed biblical references sprinkled on Samson stress that both Chika’s bars and professional footsteps have been ordered by a higher calling. Samson is Chika emerging from the belly of the beast, ready to stake her claim in the rap scene. – Flisadam Pointer

Doja Cat – Scarlet

While Doja Cat and her antics have proven polarizing over the past few months, her ability to make hits is undeniable. On Scarlet, Doja prioritized lyrics and her hip-hop craft overall, showcasing her abilities on the confident and assured “Go Off” and the horrorcore-influenced “Demons.” Though she’s previously denounced her past pop hits, old habits die hard, notably with the infectious “Paint The Town Red.” – Alex Gonzalez

El Michels Affair & Black Thought – Glorious Game

Listen, you can go ahead and call me a stodgy old crank for continuing to value technically superior exercises in formalism in 2023. That’s fine. Black Thought remains the (read: THEE) finest bar-for-bar, straight-up rapper in hip-hop to this day and it’s worth honoring that — especially when he possesses the awareness to pair his prodigious talents with production worthy of the finest funk-soul excursions into ’70s Classicism this side of Adrian Younge’s Luke Cage soundtrack. – A.W.

Gunna – A Gift And A Curse

If I told you a year ago that Gunna, after the success of chart-topping success DS4EVER, would be releasing a “comeback” album in 2023, you’d probably call me crazy. However, that was the case for the Atlanta rapper this year. Gunna was one of many indicted in the ongoing YSL RICO, and his image with the public took a turn for the worse when he accepted a plea deal for a release 10 months after his imprisonment. Gunna was called everything from a snitch to a traitor, and while the facts proved otherwise, his fourth album A Gift & A Curse also proved that he wouldn’t let them hinder his career. So with it, Gunna delivered one that silenced his critics, set forth a summer hit with “F*kumean,” and etched itself into the conversation for album of the year. – Wongo Okon

J Hus – Beautiful And Brutal Yard

When most folks think of UK rap (at least here in the US), they primarily think of grime or drill, two categories that are great representations of Black diaspora culture in the island nation. However, that’s also a woefully incomplete and reductive understanding. Fortunately, more people are bound to get hip to J Hus’ unique fusion of Afropop and dancehall sensibilities with hip-hop swagger and flows, thanks in large part to the Drake co-sign he receives on “Who Told You.” But there’s also the cheeky takedown of phony tough guys on “Masculine,” the sly come-ons of “Nice Body” with Jorja Smith, and the overall counter geographical tropical vibe to recommend J Hus’ latest. – A.W.

Jack Harlow – Jackman

Jack Harlow heard the complaints about his last album, Come Home The Kids Miss You, and responded in kind with a 10-song salvo of tracks that saw the Louisville rapper revert to the hungry, intensely-focused artist he was as he freestyled and battle-rapped his way to the top. The highlights: “They Don’t Love It,” “Gang Gang Gang,” and “Blame On Me,” which saw his talent for conceptual songwriting flexed to a degree fans hadn’t seen for nearly two years. – A.W.

Killer Mike – Michael

Killer Mike has put out six solo albums and four as a member of Run The Jewels over the past 20 years, yet Michael could very well be his debut album. It’s certainly his most biographical; on songs like “Down By Law,” “Motherless,” and “High & Holy,” he introduces us, for what feels like the first time, to an adolescent Michael Render, detailing the trials, tribulations, and temptations that gave us the controversial, outspoken figure Killer Mike has become. With a Southern Baptist soundscape and show-stealing turns from André 3000, Fabo, Young Thug, and more, Michael gives us our clearest picture of the rapper yet. – A.W.

Lady London – S.O.U.L.

For the past few years, the Bronx, New Yorked-based rapper has been raising her profile with a stream of impressive freestyles, endearing herself to the internet’s community of hardcore hip-hop traditionalists. With S.O.U.L. (Signs of Universal Love, she finally delivers on their investment, offering a collection of songs that show she can stick to a concept and execute it at a high level. With samples of the classic hip-hop that influenced her style and guest appearances from some of R&B’s most vibrant presences, like Jeremih, Tink, and Capella Grey, S.O.U.L. solidifies London’s place as one of boom-bap rap’s strongest torchbearers. – A.W.

Larry June & The Alchemist – The Great Escape

The Great Escape is a portal to idyllic, immaculate bliss. It’s like the musical version of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations — taste-testing beats and flows — as Larry and Al traveled together while recording. The likes of Action Bronson (“Solid Plan”) and Ty Dolla Sign (“Summer Reign”) sweeten the pot, but the substance is found in June’s straightforward lyricism complementing The Alchemist’s trippy soundscapes. “I get impulsive, if I want it then I go and cop it,” June raps on the hazy “ 60 Days,” unintentionally causing an unshakable impulse for a fresh Larry June and The Alchemist joint album every summer. – M.A.

Lil Uzi Vert – Pink Tape

After almost two years of delays, Lil Uzi Vert’s sprawling Pink Tape finally arrived in July with a disarming array of styles and sounds to choose from, displaying the full range of dimensions the protean Philly rapper has always offered but rarely unleashed all at once. Paring down a list of 1,500 song ideas to the 26 represented here should be considered an accomplishment in itself, but for those songs to also represent such a diverse spectrum of musical influences from alternative and metal to something I can only call techno-rap is an exciting distillation of how much more territory hip-hop can explore. – A.W.

Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here

Is Lil Yachty’s experiment in psychedelia technically hip-hop? I think the point he makes with Let’s Start Here is: who cares? (We’re including him here because of how Yachty got his start, the mode of the music he primarily makes, and the fact that he spends as much of this rock-inspired effort rapping as he does singing.) Yachty’s always bristled at the thought that he could be limited to just one genre. Here’s the strongest argument in his favor. – A.W.

Luh Tyler – My Vision

Luh Tyler is like the perfect synthesis of predecessors such as Kodak Black and Lil Tecca, with the carefree confidence of pre-graduation youth and the poised, deceptively clever pen game of the frequently incarcerated gangster rapper. By combining his natural gifts with an easygoing, unpracticed charisma and subject matter centered more around teenage fantasies of luxury lifestyles than drug game-produced shootouts, Luh Tyler cleans up the typical Florida approach to hip-hop without losing his cool. – A.W.

Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains

Arguably the most dominant producer of the streaming era, Metro Boomin comes close to creating his magnum opus with this late 2022 compilation (which is after Uproxx’s cutoff for Best of 2022 consideration). His full curatorial superpowers go on display in Heroes & Villians as he assembles his own Avengers of rap titans — or a Legion of Doom if you want to see it another way. 21 Savage, Future, Migos, Travis Scott, and more help fill out the roster, but the star here is always his production, skillfully tying them all together. – A.W.

Noname – Sundial

Noname isn’t in rap to make friends but to platform important causes. On her latest album, Sundial, Noname uses the project’s brief run time to have an intense communal conversation, as she’s so militantly pointed out during her triumphant NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Nothing and no one is off limits. Sundial is sharply witted banter about politics, classism, racism, and more. Whoever said rap was in its flop era clearly hasn’t listened to Noname’s Sundial because the project is a lyrical masterclass and a brilliant display of what craftsmanship sounds like. – F.P.

Oddisee – To What End

Oddisee, one of the most consistent voices operating in the rap world for the past decade or so, has reached an impasse with himself about why he does what he does. And, in the spirit of true talent, he winds up using that as inspiration on this, his 10th studio album, which questions the nature of aspiration. To What End finds Oddisee wrestling with not just his goals and ambitions but what they might cost and whether it’s all really worth it. For us the listeners, it is. – A.W.

Offset – Set It Off

“I could’ve kept it to myself / They can’t be too upset,” Offset raps on “Blame It On Set.” We can’t blame him for letting three-plus years elapse between his 2019 debut solo album, Father Of 4, and October’s Set It Off after listening to the latter — a conceptual LP soaked in meticulous artistry. Not even tasteful Michael Jackson cosplay on the album’s cover overshadows Offset’s authenticity. He’s at total ease — equal parts playful (“Jealousy” featuring Cardi B) and vulnerable (“Say My Grace” featuring Travis Scott). Be thankful he didn’t keep these bars to himself any longer. – M.A.

Quavo – Rocket Power

It wasn’t the Migos reunion we wanted, but Quavo’s first solo album since 2018’s Quavo Huncho gave us something else we needed: An album of emotional growth from one of rap’s most stoic hitmakers. It’s his most adult music yet, expanding on the emotional fallout from the loss of Takeoff, yes, but also detailing how Quavo became Quavo — and how Migos became Migos. There’s a vulnerability in tracks like “Hold Me” and “Greatness” that deepens his usual boasts and gives dimension to the sharp-sighted trap bangers that have come to define Quavo’s career. – A.W.

Sexyy Red – Hood Hottest Princess

In this business, one of the dangers of getting too invested in what looks to be a promising young talent based on one compelling single is having that investment bust out when a full project lacks the magnetism of the song that got you invested in the first place. Fortunately, that didn’t happen with Sexyy Red, the sassy St. Louisan who captivated us with the delightfully disaffected “Born By The River,” followed up with the relatable ratchetry of “Pound Town,” and paid off our interest by not retreating a single step on Hood Hottest Princess, which turned out to be every bit as uproariously lascivious as her breakout singles. – A.W.

Skyzoo x The Other Guys – The Mind Of A Saint

A masterfully executed concept album inspired by the characters and events of the drug-game epic Snowfall, The Mind Of A Saint finds Skyzoo putting his feet in the shoes of the show’s principal criminal mastermind. Sky writes through the perspective of an older, wiser Franklin Saint who turned to the pen instead of the bottle — after all, he did finish the project before the final season had aired — but even with two layers of functionalization, the words and themes ring true. – A.W.

Teezo Touchdown – How Do You Sleep at Night?

“Maybe they were gonna be a painter until somebody said they couldn’t paint / Maybe thought they was the next Jean-Michel ‘til somebody yelled, ‘No, you ain’t,’” Teezo Touchdown sings on the unorthodox alt-rap “Impossible.” The other 13 tracks on his fiercely authentic and genre-defiant debut album, How Do You Sleep At Night?, confirm (at least) two things: Teezo didn’t listen to anyone who might have told him he couldn’t, and he’s not interested in becoming the “next” anything — unless it pertains to his entrancing individual evolution. – M.A.

That Mexican OT – Lonestar Luchador

Aside from having one of hip-hop’s most luxurious pseudonyms, Texas native That Mexican OT also had one of its most outstanding projects of the year. Although his native Bay City is an hour away from Houston proper, he fits right in alongside its continuum of throaty, laid-back rap stars (which also includes, in some circles, Bun B, despite his hailing from Port Arthur, similarly removed from the city itself). On Lonestar Luchador, the gravely baritone with which OT spits first catches you off-guard, then lures you in with its smoky texture, like the state’s best barbecue. The standout is “Johnny Dang,” but “Cowboy In New York,” “Barrio,” and “Groovin” are all well worth the spin. – A.W.

Travis Scott – Utopia

Five years removed from his last album and returning to the spotlight after a two-year absence, Travis Scott offers a view of Utopia that may run counter to our expectations but certainly illuminates exactly where the Houston rapper sees himself. While he goes back to what’s worked for him on tracks like “Hyaena” and “I Know?” he also blasts his way forward with the fan-favorite “Fe!n” and recaptures his and Drake’s charming chemistry on “Meltdown.” If Utopia doesn’t set the standard for the rap world around it as Astroworld did in 2018, it feeds Travis’ base, laying a sturdy foundation for the future. – A.W.

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

Norman Lear, who developed and produced some of the most popular sitcoms of all-time including All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and One Day at a Time, died on Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 101 years old.

Lear’s influence on TV can’t be overstated. As the New York Times wrote in his obituary: “The Jeffersons looked at the struggles faced by an upwardly mobile Black family; the very different Black family on Good Times dealt with poverty and discrimination. The protagonist of Maude was an outspoken feminist; the heroine of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was plagued by all manner of modern-day problems, not least her own neurosis.”

These weren’t the types of stories people were used to seeing on TV in the 1960s and 1970s. Even in recent decades, when he was in his 90s, Lear was still using his immense power in the industry for good: Netflix’s One Day at a Time was hailed for its authentic depiction of a Latinx family.

When Lear turned 100, he spoke to NPR about living in the present instead of fixating on the past. “You know, two little words we don’t pay enough attention to – over and next. When something is over, it is over and we are on to next. And I like to think about the hammock in the middle of those two words. That’s living in the moment,” he said. “That’s the moment I believe I’m living as I complete this sentence, and it couldn’t be more important to me.”

(Via the New York Times)

The average show during Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour is three hours and 15 minutes long. That’s 195 minutes of running, singing, dancing, and climbing up and down a cabin every night, sometimes six out of seven nights in a row. To prepare for the physically grueling tour, Swift, the Person Of The Year, told Time that she started training six months before the first show.

“Every day I would run on the treadmill, singing the entire set list out loud,” she said. “Fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs.”

A special program was created for her by her gym, Dogpound.

“Then I had three months of dance training, because I wanted to get it in my bones,” she said. “I wanted to be so over-rehearsed that I could be silly with the fans, and not lose my train of thought.”

Swift worked with choreographer Mandy Moore (who helped prepare Eras Tour attender Emma Stone for the dancing scenes in La La Land) since “learning choreography is not my strong suit,” she added.

The “You’re Losing Me” singer also made a major sacrifice for the benefit of the tour: she cut out drinking… mostly (see: Grammys night). “Doing that show with a hangover,” she said. “I don’t want to know that world.”

It sounds like Taylor can give Travis Kelce a few workout tips this offseason.

Taylor Swift is Time‘s “Person Of The Year” for 2023, it was announced today (December 6).

This post is being updated.

The Los Angeles Lakers are moving on to the In-Season Tournament semifinals in Las Vegas to face the New Orleans Pelicans after beating the Phoenix Suns 106-103 in a thriller on Tuesday night in the quarterfinals.

The game featured an incredible performance from LeBron James (with KD matching him on the other side) and some late game heroics from Austin Reaves, but the big talking point immediately after the game was a controversial call that helped seal the victory for the Lakers. After a KD layup cut the lead to 105-103, the Suns seemed to have forced a turnover by Reaves on the ensuing inbound, knocking the ball loose, but as the ball rolled across the lane, the Lakers were granted a timeout as LeBron jumped up and down trying to get one called seeing Reaves was in trouble.

That led to plenty of anger from Phoenix’s bench and fans, both of the Suns and just generally around the NBA, as the Lakers appeared to get a gift in the form of a timeout granted when they didn’t have possession. After the game, that sequence was debated by Charles Barkley and Shaq on Inside the NBA, with Shaq unsurprisingly being on the Lakers side believing it was the right call, while Chuck felt his Suns got robbed.

Barkley, never one to miss a timely reference, compared the Lakers being given that timeout to the College Football Playoff committee putting one-loss Alabama in over undefeated Florida State.

Now, it’s fair to wonder if the Suns would’ve gained possession before the ball rolled out of bounds had the whistle not blown (it looked very close to the baseline by the time Grayson Allen ran it down), but it certainly didn’t look like the Lakers had anything close possession when the timeout was granted.

Given it’s the Lakers, it naturally became a larger conspiracy than just being a bad call, and Chuck couldn’t help but stoke that fire by comparing it to the current controversy raging in college football, with Alabama fitting in the Lakers role in that sport of being the team the league and TV networks always love being involved for ratings.

The Los Angeles Lakers punched their ticket to Las Vegas for the semifinals of the inaugural In-Season Tournament, but it did not come without a good bit of controversy. Los Angeles picked up a tense, 106-103 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night in a tournament quarterfinal, which helped them extend their undefeated record in the event and set up a date with the New Orleans Pelicans in a few days.

The Lakers dominated in the first half, while the Suns were able to use the third quarter to get back into the game and eventually take the lead. Down the stretch, the two teams went back-and-forth before Los Angeles looked like it was going to get just enough breathing room, thanks in part to the brilliance of LeBron James and a three by Austin Reaves with 15 seconds left to give the team a 4-point lead. But after a Kevin Durant make on the ensuing possession, there was some major controversy as the Lakers were awarded a timeout as Reaves got swarmed off the inbound.

It looked pretty clear that Reaves lost possession of the basketball due to the defense by Durant and Devin Booker, and after the ball made it out of his hands, James (who was on the other side of the court) called a timeout that got awarded by the closest referee. The Suns were understandably furious at this, and a few NBA players watching from home certainly thought something weird was going on.

The Lakers will now head to Las Vegas, where they’ll square off against the Pelicans on Thursday in the second half of a doubleheader that also features the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Red Hot Chili Peppers have pulled out of KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas concert, which is set to take place this weekend in Los Angeles. The band announced the news via social media today (December 5), following an unforeseen injury.

“It is with deep regret that we will not be able to perform this weekend at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas,” read the post. “A band member was injured, preventing us from being able to perform for at least 6 weeks.”

At the time of writing, neither the injured band member nor the nature of the injury were disclosed. However, Red Hot Chili Peppers already have plans to make their absence from Almost Acoustic Christmas up to fans. Fans who previously purchased tickets will be able to attend another show early next year.

“RHCP and ​@KROQ are excited to make it up to you on March 2nd, 2024 at The Forum.,” the post said. “So, have a great time this weekend and hang on to your ticket.”

KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas will take place this Saturday, December 9 at The Kia Forum, with artists, like The Offspring, Garbage, Bleachers, and Bakar on the bill.

Red Hot Chili Peppers is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.