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Things have gone about as poorly as they could for the Los Angeles Clippers over the last few weeks. While the team won their first game in the immediate aftermath of the James Harden trade, Los Angeles has been unable to get back in the win column ever since, as they’re on a six-game losing streak and have lost all five games in which Harden has appeared.

Everything just looks like a mess right now, and apparently, Russell Westbrook wants to do something to try in an effort to jumpstart things. According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Westbrook approached the Clippers and requested a move to a role off the bench, with Terance Mann moving into the starting lineup in his place.

It’s a move that makes a ton of sense, as Mann is the kind of player who does all the dirty work and fits really well alongside Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George. Westbrook, meanwhile, can now theoretically take ownership of the second unit and bring the sort of pace and energy that just doesn’t exist when more meticulous players like Harden and Leonard are on the floor and dominating the ball.

Westbrook has almost exclusively been a starter in his NBA career. His longest stint of being a bench player came during his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Earlier this week, Jimmy Kimmel did what he does best: Ruthlessly mocked Donald Trump for his latest blunder. In this particular case, Kimmel commented on the news that the former president’s social media platform, Truth Social, had reportedly lost $73 million. However, later reporting revealed that the platform has only lost $31.6 million.

Sensing a petty opportunity, Trump Media and Technology Group fired off a letter to Kimmel and ABC threatening to sue unless Kimmel issues a retraction and an apology. According to Newsweek, the late night comedian clearly isn’t concerned and proceeded to dunk on the legal threat.

“We talk a lot about Donald Trump here at the show in the same way paleontologists talk about apes, right? We’re studying him but it’s easy to forget sometimes that he actually sees this stuff,” Kimmel said during his monologue. “He’s obsessed with himself and with what people say about him and because of that we have somehow found ourselves once again in the wisp-thin crosshairs of our crazy ex-president and his compatriots.”

According to Kimmel, when he and his team prepared the Truth Social monologue for Tuesday night’s episode, “several credible sources were reporting Truth Social had lost $73 million.” That number turned out to be incorrect, so Kimmel made sure to correct the record in the most backhanded way possible.

“In other words [and] in fairness, Truth Social isn’t a colossal failure, it’s only an abysmal failure,” Kimmel said. “And I would like to do the right thing and congratulate our balloon animal former president and his company on only losing $31.6 million. For you that’s pretty good, that’s one of your best performances yet.”

Naturally, Kimmel couldn’t help but note the irony of the situation.

“I have to say, demanding a retraction for reporting the value of his company incorrectly is pretty darn hilarious considering the fact he is on trial right now for reporting the value of his company incorrectly,” Kimmel joked. “Maybe he should sue himself.”

The late night host then gave Trump his apology, but you know the old saying: Be careful what you wish for.

“TMTG demanded an apology, so from the bottom of my heart, I want to say to Donald Trump and everyone at TMTG, I’m deeply sorry you’re so bad at running companies, I guess,” Kimmel said. “But doesn’t this guy have bigger things to worry about?”

(Via Newsweek)

It was exactly how I expected to find MJ Lenderman: Smiling backstage in a rock club with a beer in his hand. The lanky 24-year-old North Carolina native, whose lovably scruffy hangout album insta-classic Boat Songs was my favorite record of last year, was in Dublin earlier this month with the band Wednesday, for whom he moonlights as the guitar player. Later that night he was set to do double duty as Wednesday’s opener with a patchwork version of his backing group The Wind, effectively making his European debut as a solo act. And he was feeling jubilant.

“I wish the other guys were here,” he said with a goofy grin over Zoom, “but we’ll be back.”

When he hasn’t been on the road this year with Wednesday — who might have very well put out my favorite record of this year — Lenderman has been busy playing his own shows with The Wind. Their highest profile gig was this summer at the Pitchfork Music Festival, which was followed later that night with a more exclusive concert at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall. That show and another engagement at The Lodge Room in L.A. form the basis of a new live album out today, And The Wind (Live And Loose!), that functions as an ideal primer for Lenderman’s small but exceptional body of work.

While the bulk of Live And Loose! is made up of the slacked-up and witty country-rock tunes from Boat Songs, the most revelatory performances are of material that pre-date his indie fame, particularly the numbers from 2021’s Ghost Of Your Guitar Solo. Lenderman recorded that album by himself, and the songs are skeletal and rendered in bottom-of-the-barrel fidelity. On Live And Loose!, great tunes like “Catholic Priest” and “Someone Get The Grill Out Of The Rain” are transformed with extra layers of instrumental muscle, with Lenderman’s Crazy Horse-like band fleshing out their bones with sympathetic washes of lap steel and chunky guitars. Taken in tandem with the murderer’s row of stunners from Boat Songs — plus the fantastic recent single “Rudolph” — the revamped Guitar Solo tracks make Live And Loose! feel like something more important than a mere tour souvenir. It just might be Lenderman’s best effort yet, and the definitive document of this rising star’s 1.0 era.

After chatting about Live And Loose! a bit — as well as his next in-the-works album, which he says is only one song away from being finished — I asked Lenderman to count down his five favorite live albums. Which he did happily, though we ended up talking about more than five.

What makes a good live album?

I think it’s energy. A lot of energy goes into it. When I mean “energy,” I’m talking about, “Was the audience having fun? Was the band getting along?” Stuff like that. Because some of my favorite live albums are not necessarily played the best. The band’s not playing their instruments the best, or it’s not in tune. So I think it’s a lot of, “Does it sound fun? Do you wish you were there?” That kind of thing.

I noticed on your record that there’s barely any crowd noise. On some live records, there’s a lot of audience participation going on. Was that a conscious choice?

No. I think that was a combination of Alex Farrar doing a good job mixing, and maybe a considerate audience who doesn’t talk through the set. But I promise they applauded after the songs. [Laughs.] We only ended up taking two songs from Chicago at Lincoln Hall, because there was a guy standing right next to the only room mic and he was screaming along the entire show. And that room also was particularly dead. It sounded kind of like a studio. So The Lodge Room in L.A. ended up being better because there was some natural reverb in the room, and it sounded nice.

I think I need to hear the “screaming guy” version of this album.

He’s saying wrong lyrics and stuff. It’s funny.

I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but there is a Phil Collins’ live DVD from 1997 that’s also called Live and Loose.

Oh, shit.

So this was not a deliberate homage to Phil?

This is the first I’m hearing about it. Hope the label doesn’t get in trouble.

OK, let’s talk about the records you picked. All great choices.

Drive-By Truckers, Alabama Ass Whuppin’

They were the first band that came to mind. They’re my favorite live band I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen them more than any other band, probably. That one is really cool because it’s just a four-piece, and that’s a version of the band that I’ll never be able to see. They’re playing songs only from the first two records and the Jim Carroll cover, and there’s a couple songs that didn’t even show up on other records. But, yeah, it’s super punk. It’s the punkest I’ve ever heard the Truckers. Just super straight-forward, two guitars and bass and drums. They’re talking about not being in tune. And you can hear that the room they’re in doesn’t seem very big at all. And you hear the bartender calling for last call. At the end of the record, somebody is trying to kick everybody out of the bar. They were really roughing it at that time, I think.

The thing about Alabama Ass Wuppin’ is that I feel like those are the best versions of those songs. And in a way I feel the same way about your live album. A lot of the songs are transformed.

It’s been funny to listen back to the live album. While we were mixing it and choosing the right takes, I was learning a lot about what my bandmates were doing, and it helped me. We sound a lot better now after going through those takes and me being like, “Oh, I didn’t know you were doing this, don’t do that.” [Laughs.] But I’m glad we have the recording of it, even the stuff that I don’t love. That includes myself, too. But I think the album versions are maybe the best.

The Band, Rock Of Ages

This one I picked because it’s the live album that I’ve listened to the most. My dad got a new car four or five years ago, right when I moved. And I got his minivan, and that album was already in the CD player in the car. It was what first got me into The Band, and it stayed in the CD player for probably two years straight. I’ve heard that one so many times. And it’s got the brass section on it.

I also wanted to bring up The Band’s Woodstock performance. I discovered that a couple of years ago, and that one’s way rawer. It’s one of the few live versions I’ve found of “Tears Of Rage,” which is one of my favorite songs.

I love that album. It’s on the box set for The Band’s self-titled LP.

I think they didn’t release it because they left Robbie’s mic on, and he’s singing on it, and it doesn’t sound good. [Laughs.]. But I love how that one sounds super raw, and knowing where their heads were at with that whole festival in general, and not wanting to be filmed. I’m really thankful that they released the recordings. “Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever,” that track kills me.

I love the version of “We Can Talk About It Now.”

Yeah! There’s a huge flub in that song between the first chorus and the second verse. They flip the beat on accident and start singing the verse in the wrong place, but then they catch it really quickly.

How do you feel about The Last Waltz?

I like the movie. Seeing them play is awesome, and seeing them play with Neil and all their guests is awesome. But it’s not really one that I like to put on that much. It’s too long and there’s too many blues jams, and I’m not as into that side of things. But I love hearing “Acadian Driftwood” live. There’s certain pockets of songs that I like from there. I should just go through and make a playlist of the good songs on there.

Neil Young, Roxy: Tonight’s The Night Live

For some reason that tour is the only tour where they didn’t record every single show. Or maybe they lost the tapes or something. Also I know that that era, although it was full of grief for friends who had died, it was the first time in a few years post-Time Fades Away where it sounded like he was actually having fun making music, and the people around him were having fun being around him. That whole era sounds just generally way more positive than what was before.

What’s striking to me about that era is that it’s known for being sloppy and drunken. But that live album is totally on point. There’s a method to the madness.

Down to his outfit. It was all part of it, even the drunkenness. So you want to wear sunglasses inside? And grow a shitty beard? I guess that’s part of it. It was a little bit dark. But it just sounds way more enjoyable than Time Fades Away or anything after that.

I was going to say Massey Hall as well, the solo one. That was one of the first ones I heard. But I also love Year Of The Horse and Way Down In The Rust Bucket.

I’ve been on a Year Of The Horse kick. I love that late ’90s era of Crazy Horse. They were jamming so much.

Yeah! Fucking Brad Cook showed me the song “Scattered” on there.

Amazing performance.

It’s so good. I love that one. I always soundcheck with it.

Pharoah Sanders, Live In Paris (1975)

When it came out in 2020, that was peak Covid time. I just found it one day and put it on, and I listened to it probably every day for three months straight. I would just throw on some headphones and paint with that on. It’s really a positive force of an album. Just the song titles: “Love Is Here,” “Love Is Everywhere,” all that stuff. It made me feel good listening to it. It gets kind of far out and free jazzy, but it’s also really grounded, with just really pretty songs.

You stretch out a fair amount on your live album. Is that something you would like to do more?

I like the idea of it. Hopefully someday we can be good about doing that, not having to talk about it too much and just fucking jam, as funny as that sounds. We were listening to a lot of Grateful Dead on that tour. John, my guitar player, is a huge Deadhead, and I guess he would go on the archives, figure out what day it was, and then pick a Dead show from that day in an earlier year. So I guess jamming was on the mind. We were listening to other jazz stuff in the car. I thought having that kind of stuff on in the van would somehow make the band better. But the jam between “Rudolph” and “Toon Town” that ended up on the record has actually been something that we’ve been molding since then, and it’s turned into its own song now. It’s definitely the most improv we have in the set, but it has developed its own form and barriers.

Townes Van Zandt, Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas

That was my introduction to Townes, and it’s been a huge influence on the way I play the guitar. He outlines melodies and the bass at the same time and kind of mimics the vocal melodies, and I’ve picked that up and tried to do that. It just seems like it’s from another world.

I’m always blown away by how few people seem to be in the room as he’s playing these amazing songs. It’s like, “Here’s ‘Pancho and Lefty’!” and there’s crickets.

And they all probably know him and just don’t give a fuck.

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

Paul Walter Houser’s acting dance card is frequently full, to the point where Cobra Kai viewers grew alarmed when he was missing from Season 3. Fortunately, his character had not been written off the show, and he simply needed to film a little Disney film called Cruella. Fortunately, the now-Golden Globe winner (for Black Bird) made a Cobra Kai comeback, and Stingray became pivotal in Seasons 4 and 5 when Terry Silver used him as a (battered and bloodied) tool to put John Kreese behind bars.

That whole arc was one of the most intense and emotional parts of the entire series, and surprise surprise, Ralph Macchio and Billy Zabka also declared Stingray to be the show’s most likely real-life champion, even if it often doesn’t seem that way on the show. Well, Hauser put some of what he’s learned on Cobra Kai to make his pro-wrestling debut this week at the Revolver Unreal event in LA.

The crowd loved the I, Tonya scene stealer. Here is Hauser’s entrance, and yep, Cobra Kai got a shoutout. Via Fite TV over on Twitter:

He pulled out a crane kick, which you can see here. That generally isn’t the most practical fighting move since it’s essentially broadcast before it’s used, but Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid let it roll and do its cinematic thing. While fighting Matthew Palmer, Hauser also took the action outside the ring.

And Hauser unloaded an explosive one-inch punch (infamously used by Bruce Lee) to win the match. Who knew?

Hauser was clearly jazzed before the fight while teasing whether “an actor can indeed be a wrestler.”

Well, well. Paul Hauser might have found himself a little side career, not that he needs it now that the actors’ strike is finally over. Now, is Stingray going to be in Cobra Kai Season 6? Fingers crossed.

On his new EP, For All The Dogs: Scary Hours Edition, Drake has a song called “Stories About My Brother” in which he raps several lines describing the various attributes of someone he calls his brother. Some examples include: “My brother make your ace disappear like a sleight of hand” and “My brother put some holes in your top, you a Air Force.” Naturally, this might have some fans wondering whether Drake has an actual brother.

As far as public record goes, though, Drake has always been an only child — the sole son of Dennis Graham, a drummer from Memphis, and Sandra “Sandi” Graham, a Canadian teacher and florist. Drake was raised by Sandra in Toronto, spending summers with his father in Memphis.

Any references to a brother are most likely metaphorical; Drake refers to his close friends as his brothers to highlight their bond, strengthening the examples of having friends who’d do anything for you (including, apparently, shooting at people) by comparing their closeness to that of blood brotherhood. Of course, the violent threats are likely metaphorical and hyperbolic, as well.

Drake’s new project also features his latest collaboration with J. Cole, a shout-out to Taylor Swift, and his latest collection of putdowns for rivals Joe Budden and Pusha T.

The holiday season is supposed to be a time of peace and tranquility. However, Drake had other things in store. Today (November 17), the rapper gifted fans with new music. His latest album, For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition, is a spicy clapback at his biggest critics. So, did Drake diss Pusha T on Scary Hours 3?

According to the fans, the answer is yes. In the Alchemist-produced song “Wick Man,” Drake seemingly aims at his longtime rival. During the first verse, Drake raps, “Man, I remember n****s was jokin’ ’bout some tick, tick / And now that rapper broke as f*ck / That boy a statistic / Empty clips, yeah.” To drive home his point, the last line repeats throughout the track.

He continues in the second verse, saying, “Play ’bout the fact I was born a perfectionist / Still can’t even wrap my mind around the success of this / Point me to your boss, n****, you a receptionist,” seemingly as a shot at Kanye West.

Listeners believe Drake’s latest project is filled with other subliminal and direct jabs. Some of the other folks in his scope include Joe Budden. Hell, even Black Americans received a lyrical shot.

Spectators will be on the lookout for Pusha’s response. But last year, when asked how he feels about Drake continuously dissing him, Pusha replied, “It just lets me know how deep it hurt him.”

Listen to “Wick Man” above.

For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition is out now via OVO/Republic. Find more information here.

In Thursday morning’s (November 16) trailer announcing what he then referred to as Scary Hours 3 and has since released as For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition, Drake said, “I did those songs in the last five days. I didn’t have one bar written down for those songs on the night that For All The Dogs dropped.” With that timeline established, all evidence suggests that Drake dissed Joe Budden, who slammed For All The Dogs upon its October 6 arrival.

About 50 seconds into the Scary Hours Edition track “Stories About My Brother,” Drake raps, “Imagine us gettin’ our validation from an ex-musician searchin’ for recognition.”

Now, the backstory. Or, at least the latest chapter in the years-long Budden-Drake beef, which includes an accusation of liposuction in 2016 (as chronicled in full by Complex): Budden used an episode of The Joe Budden Podcast to roast Drake for “rappin’ for the children” with For All The Dogs. “Yo, dog, I had to look up how old this n**** was when I finished listening to the album,” he said (as per Billboard). “You are 36. Your birthday is in 20 days. I Googled that, too. You’re going to be 37 years old. Get the f*ck away from some of these younger n****s. And stop f*cking these 25-year-olds. […] I want to hear adult Drake rapping for adult people. […] He’s rapping for the kids, the streams, the accolades. He ain’t trying to rap for me. I accept that.”

Drake didn’t wait until “Stories About My Brother” to acknowledge Budden. He left a very long comment on DJ Akademiks’ Instagram clip of Budden’s podcast, as written below:

“@joebudden you have failed at music. You left it behind to do what you are doing in this clip cause this is what actually pays your bills. For any artist watching this just remember you are watching a failure give their opinion on his idea of a recipe for success…a quitter give their opinion on how to achieve longevity…you switched careers cause the things that pop into your brain had you broke living cheque to cheque and the raps you write had 450 men showing up to your shows in dusty Enyce jeans to screw up their face to Mood Muzik 29 and pretend you are the goat…pls to any artist that’s doing what they feel is right don’t let these opinions affect your mindset after the fact…

This guy is the poster child of frustration and surrendering. You retired and we never hung up your jersey we don’t even remember your number. We know you for doing this…you withdrew from rap not cause you accomplished all you need to it’s cause it wasn’t working for you. I never want anybody in the generations to think that the whole ‘everybody’s entitled to their opinion’ is a real thing…this is a man projecting his own self hate and the fact I did and continue to do everything he wanted to do for himself. If you need it put in simpler terms I own a 767…he owns a modest house in the 973 and flies first class on special occasions.”

Listen to “Stories About My Brother” above.

For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition is out now via OVO/Republic.

What are some words you would use to describe Nathan Fielder? “Awkward,” perhaps. Or maybe “stiff,” as the New York Times did in a review of the new Showtime and A24 series, The Curse, with Emma Stone. Well, you’re wrong. That’s Nathan Fielder doing a character. The real Nathan Fielder is a cool dude who wears little sunglasses, a beret, and all black.

Fielder and Emma Stone dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday to bewilder a studio audience seemingly unfamiliar with Nathan for You and The Rehearsal. There is nervous, confused laughter throughout — it’s great.

At one point, Fielder pulled out the aforementioned New York Times review and made host Jimmy Kimmel read it. “Yeah, man. It’s like, I don’t think they know really, uh, get what acting is,” Fielder said with mock indignation. “They don’t seem to get, they call it ‘limited range’ and ‘stiff,’ but that’s the character, my brother. They don’t get that I’m playing a stiff, nerdy guy, which as you can see is very different from the real me.”

Stone (who is excellent in Poor Things) had Fielder’s back. “He’s an amazing actor. It was really incredible. The whole time we were working together… I was texting him all the time, I was watching dailies, these things, and I was just kind of blown away by everything.” Fielder then made Stone show Kimmel the text, and demanded that the host call the New York Times and read a pre-written statement (“…and a hardcore lesbian”). You can watch the clip above. Be sure to stick around for the Trump joke near the end.

Yesterday (November 16), Snoop Dogg shocked the world with the following announcement shared on social media: “After much consideration & conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time.”

Is Snoop, perhaps the biggest cannabis icon of all time, really done with smoking weed? Who knows. His specific phrasing of “give up smoke” may be a little suspicious. Maybe Snoop’s generating viral attention to later introduce a line of edibles on the way? Whatever the case may be, his words have had a clear impact, and that includes on some fellow rappers, who saw what Snoop said and decided to give up weed.

After Snoop shared his announcement, Meek Mill re-posted it on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “Ima go to Dubai and completely stop smoking … ima follow snoop, my doctor said I got a lil bit emphysema in a chest if I don’t stop smoking it cuts my lifeline in half, I was addicted to the nicotine and this new weed got too many chemicals and too risky to play with my mental!”

Coi Leray was also moved by Snoop’s post, as she declared in an Instagram Story that she plans to stop smoking after Thanksgiving next week.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith had quite the reaction, too.

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

Steven and Ian took a victory lap at the start of today’s episode upon the news that Air is reuniting for a Moon Safari tour next year, right after they talked up the album in last week’s Best Of 1998 episode. Can they take credit for actualizing this? Probably not. But they did anyway.

From there, they talk about one of the weirdest album release days of 2023. First, you have the new Andre 3000 flute album, New Blue Sun. Second, you have Dolly Parton‘s 141-minute”rock” album, Rockstar. Steven and Ian didn’t get the chance to hear these albums before recording, which is just as well. It might be better to just imagine what they sound like. After that, they discussed the apparent anointment of Boygenius by the entertainment business — they were just on Saturday Night Live and then they garnered more Grammy nominations (seven) than Taylor Swift. Is it safe to call them the biggest act in indie music? In the mailbag, a listener asks about the new album announcement for The Smile and what this means for the future of Radiohead.

In Recommendation Corner, Ian shouts out the new book about ’90s music by Rob Harvilla and Steven recommends the great new live album by MJ Lenderman.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 164 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.