Arjun Mahadevan gave the world a gift when he crowdsourced the best “life pro tips” from nearly 22 million people. He shared the top 20 in a Twitter thread that’s got over 619,000 views. Mahadevan sourced the tips from the Life Pro Tips subforum on Reddit, which has been running since 2010.
Mahadevan is the CEO of doolaHQ which he calls the “business-in-a-box” for LLCs.
Mahadevan labeled his advice “20 life tips you wish you knew when you were 20,” but they are helpful for everyone regardless of age. They’re useful for anyone who is in a relationship, has a job or wants to stay sane in an aggravating world.
Many ideas involve reframing how we judge others to see them with more compassion. Mahadevan also has some advice for professionals to prevent them from making embarrassing mistakes or wasting other people’s time.
Sometimes the simplest change in behavior or perspective can drastically affect our lives. Here are Arjun Mahadevan’s 20 life tips you wish you knew when you were 20:
u201cMost life hacks suck. n nSo I crowdsourced the best from 21.9 million people on Reddit.nnHere are 20 life tips you wish you knew when you were 20:u201d
1. “If you’re stuck on an annoying call, put your phone on airplane mode instead of just hanging up. The other person will see ‘call failed’ instead of ‘call ended.'”
2. “When you sign up for anything online, put the website’s name as your middle name. That way when you receive spam/advert emails, you will know who sold your info.”
3. “Always tell a child who is wearing a helmet how cool you think their helmet is. It will encourage them to always wear it in the future.”
4. “When you don’t have all the facts, try to give people the most generous reason you can for their behavior. Annoyingly slow driver? Maybe it’s a mom with a birthday cake in the back. This mindset will gradually make you less reactive and more compassionate.”
5. “Do not try to be the man your father would want you to be. Be the man you would like your son to be. It more clearly defines your own convictions, desires, goals and motivates you to be your best.”
6. “When a friend is upset, ask them one simple question before saying anything else: ‘Do you want to talk about it or do you want to be distracted from it?'”
7. “After a bad breakup, do 10 things that your ex would never do with you. You’ll feel better and realize how much of yourself was being held back.”
8. “Before you give your child a unique name, try it out first. Use it on food orders, reservations, appointments where applicable, etc. It’ll give you a glimpse of what they’ll deal with when they’re older and could prevent future issues.”
9. “If you need to cancel a hotel reservation but are unable to because of a 24-hour policy, call the company and move your reservation to a later date. Call back within a few days and cancel for no charge.”
10. “If you tell someone you need to talk to them, for the love of God give some indication of what you need to talk about, or at least that it’s not bad news.”
11. “Never send a work email when you’re emotionally compromised. Type it up, save it as a draft, and walk away. Ideally, sleep on it. You’ll make a smarter choice when you’re not heated.”
12. “Don’t just let kids win at games. You can slow it down, you can teach them strategy, but keep it real. Someday, they will beat you fair and square, and it will be a moment they always remember with pride.”
13. “When cooking things on aluminum foil, first scrunch the foil up, then lay it loosely flat again out on your baking tray. The juices will stay put—and the food will not stick to the foil half as much, if at all.”
14. “If you think of a good idea, write it down. Your brain will try to trick you into thinking you will remember it later, but it’s a liar! Therefore: Write it down!”
15. “It takes 4 minutes a day and almost no cost to maintain dental hygiene. It takes a lifetime and a lot of money to correct it. 2-minute brush and mouthwash in the AM, 2-minute brush and floss in the PM.”
16. “Don’t wait until you have ‘time’ to start a fitness program. Because then when you get busy again, you’ll stop. The best time to start is actually when you’re busy. Learning how to fit it in when time’s are tough means you’ll stick with it over the long haul.”
17. “When using text messages or IMs for business, say everything you need to say in the first message. Don’t just say ‘hi’ or ‘hey’ or ‘are you there’ or ‘are you busy.'”
18. “Instead of feeling that you’ve blown the day and thinking, ‘I’ll get back on track tomorrow, think of each day as a set of four quarters:
• Morning• Midday• Afternoon• Evening
If you blow one quarter, you get back on track for the next quarter.”
19. “Many problems in marriage are really just problems with being a bad roommate. Learn how to be a good roommate, and it will solve many of the main issues that plague marriages. This includes communicating about something bothering you before you get too angry.”
20. “Ask yourself ‘what does it matter to me’ the next time you find yourself judging someone for their clothing or hobbies. The more you train yourself to not care about the personal preferences of other people, the more relaxed and nicer you become as a person.”
Let’s get this out of the way — older bourbon isn’t always the best bourbon. But there is a sweet spot that a lot of bourbon can hit somewhere between six and 15 years that just works. It doesn’t really matter if it’s single barrels, bottled in bonds, or small batch bourbons — there’s a heightened sense to most bourbon whiskeys at these ages. Beyond 15 years and the bourbon can get very tannic (woody and bitter); while younger than six years and you’ll get more goopy porridge and plasticky vanilla.
Fair warning — bourbon also gets pretty freaking expensive when it’s over 10 years old. So hunting it down and purchasing it isn’t for the faint of heart. To that end, I’m going to lend my expertise via yet another bourbon blind taste test, with the goal being to help you spend your money on truly special bottles.
This time around, I’m picking mostly 12-year-old bourbons to find the absolute best. Since this is a narrow field, I also added two 13-year age statements to widen the pack a bit (also because there are even fewer 13-year-old bourbons on the shelf). It just felt right because — insider alert! — most of these 12-year-old bourbons have older barrels in the mix, some up to 15 years old. If you want to get really insider-y, Michter’s 10-Year Bourbon is mostly 15-year-old single barrels. So age ain’t nothing but a TTB-approved label number (in reality the label’s age has to be the youngest barrel in the batch).
The D12tance Puncher’s Chance Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels Aged 12 Years
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey 12 Years Old
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Years Old Lot “B” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Baker’s Single Barrel 13 Years Minimum Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Aged 12 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Knob Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 12 Years
Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat Recipe Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
George Dickel Tennessee Whisky Bottled In Bond Aged 13 Years
Since I’m tasting old bourbons on this panel, my ranking will go a little deeper than “Does it taste good, yes or no?” Bourbon has to be aged in new oak vessels. That fresh wood has a lot going on and imparts a lot of wood sugars readily (depending on a gazillion mitigating factors that we don’t need to get into right now). More time does mean more wood influence in the spirit though. Too much or perhaps more importantly not a deft enough hand at building a batch or finding a single barrel can mean an over-oaked and overly tannic or bitter product. And while some folks like chewing on kindling in their whiskey, it’s not generally ideal.
So I’m looking for balance in the spirit and wood that sings while tasting really f*cking good from top to bottom. Sound good? Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Part 1 — The 12-Plus-Year-Old Bourbon Blind Tasting
Zach Johnston
Taste 1
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of cherry Tums next to soft grains, dried sage and thyme, and a hint of smoked pork fat.
Palate: The taste leans into that Tennessee whiskey vibe with soft grains next to vanilla Necco Wafers, old cellar floors, and a good dose of sharp winter spices.
Finish: The finish lets the cherry chine with a hint of old glove leather, apple pie filling, and a sour sense of butter with a garden-center earthiness.
Initial Thoughts:
This is actually pretty dynamic all things considered. It’s clearly from Tennessee (that Tums’ vibe) but goes beyond that in great ways (that hint of smoked pork fat is really good).
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is creamy with deep notes of old boot leather, dark and woody winter spices, black-tea-soaked dates, plum jam with clove, and an underbelly of chewy toffee-laced tobacco.
Palate: That creaminess presents on the palate with a soft sticky toffee pudding drizzled in salted caramel and vanilla sauce next to flakes of salt and a pinch of orange zest over dry Earl Grey tea leaves with a whisper of singed wild sage.
Finish: The end leans into the creamy toffee chewy tobacco with a hint of pear, cherry, and bananas foster over winter spice barks and a deep embracing warmth.
Initial Thoughts:
This is f*cking fantastic. There’s a perfect balance between the wood and deeper bourbon-y notes that explode on the senses in all the right ways. This is a winner right here, folks!
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a throughline of a caramel apple with a slightly tart edge, sourdough apple malt doughnuts dusted with cinnamon and brown sugar, and a braid of old dry sweetgrass, cedar bark, worn leather, and dry tobacco leaves.
Palate: The palate adds some walnuts to apple pie filling with a hint of rum-raisin sneaking next to vanilla malts, salted caramel, and a dash of eggnog spice.
Finish: The end leans into the dried fruit and spent vanilla pods with a sweet sense of cinnamon and apple-spiced tobacco leaves folded up with old leather and cedar with a whisper of dark chocolate bitterness behind it all.
Initial Thoughts:
This is really classic bourbon. There wasn’t a lot of pop to the whole affair but it kind of didn’t need thanks to a crystal clear bourbon feel.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice sense of dried sweetgrass, salted ballpark peanuts, and old vanilla pods that leads to softer notes of marzipan, vanilla sheet cake, and mild cherry.
Palate: Soft winter spices and minty tobacco drive the palate toward smudging sage and roasting herbs with a sense of marzipan slowly building on the mid-palate with a minor key of orange and cherry.
Finish: The vanilla sneaks in on the finish with more roasting herbs and dry grassiness with a hint of menthol and peanut shell and distant oak.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very rye-heavy bourbon (all those herbs and grasses) but kind of light all things considered.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose hits softly with bruised peaches and old pears next to fresh wool sweaters, vanilla pancake batter, and moist marzipan next to orange oils, worn-out wicker deck furniture, and old Buffalo Trace leather with a faint hint of dried roses.
Palate: The palate kicks around cherry bark and apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks with spiced cranberry sauce over buttermilk biscuits and gingerbread.
Finish: The end leans into the sharp brown spices with a mild sense of vanilla cake with apple cider and cinnamon frosting, a touch of burnt orange, and more of that moist marzipan covered in salted dark chocolate.
Initial Thoughts:
This is just good whiskey. It’s so well-rounded and delightfully bold while never overpowering any one note. This is a stand-up and start a “slow cap” sort of whiskey.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with clear notes of dark rum-soaked cherry, bitter yet creamy dark chocolate, winter spices, a twinge of a sourdough sugar doughnut, and a hint of menthol.
Palate: The palate leans into a red berry crumble — brown sugar, butter, and spice — with a hint of dried chili flake, salted caramels covered in dark chocolate, and a spicy/sweet note that leads toward a wet cattail stem and soft brandied cherries dipped in silky dark chocolate sauce.
Finish: The very end holds onto that sweetness and layers in a final note of pecan shells and maple candy.
Initial Thoughts:
This is deep Kentucky bourbon with a beautiful balance between well-aged and holding onto bright and fun bourbon vibes. This is another winner.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose feels like a slice of emmer wheat sourdough bread covered in seeds that you get in a very good bakery somewhere like Germany (I honestly cannot think of a U.S. analog for it) next to Nutella, fresh orange zest, and salted caramel with a hint of marzipan.
Palate: Bright orchard fruits pop on the palate as fresh honeycombs (with a hint of earthiness) vibe with more marzipan, deep sourdough bread notes, and a good bit of old oak in old rickhouses just kissed with falling leaves and soft rain.
Finish: That Buffalo Trace leatheriness comes through on the finish with more of that oak and warehouse vibe next to orchard bark, dark winter spice, and creamy honey kissed with rum raisin.
Initial Thoughts:
This is so bready that I can barely feel the age. If I didn’t know better, I’d peg this as a six-year-old crafty.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sour cherries, maple syrup, and pecan waffles mingle with dried apple chips, old leather boots, and winter spice with a hint of vanilla wafers on the nose.
Palate: The taste leans toward spicy apple pie filling with walnuts, plenty of cinnamon, and some raisins before malted vanilla milkshakes, blueberry cotton candy, and dark chocolate milk arrives on the mid-palate and lead toward a moist oatmeal cookie dipped in salted caramel.
Finish: The end has a dry woody spiciness with star anise, cinnamon, and allspice mingling with marzipan and cherry/cinnamon tobacco.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very Tennessee (vanilla wafers) that goes so much further in all the right ways. It’s just really good and has a great balance of age, Tennessee vibes, and old-school bourbon feels.
We finally have a brand-new Weller release from Buffalo Trace (at an incredible cost). The whiskey in the bottle is an experimental wheated bourbon made from Emmer wheat (an ancient Egyptian strain). That whiskey is then left alone to mature for 12 years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is so bready and grainy that it’s hard to find anything else in the pour. That said, I would reach for this when I was in the mood for something completely different. In the same vein, there are other crafty bourbons that cost a f*ckton less than this one and accomplish the exact same thing.
This is a pass from me. Don’t worry, folks, the good people at the Sazerac Company will be just fine.
7. Baker’s Single Barrel 13 Years Minimum Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 4
This brand-new re-release of Beam’s Limited Edition “Minimum 13 Year” Baker’s just dropped. The whiskey in the barrel is from single barrels that hit just the right mark for something special. Beyond that, there’s not much else to know besides this is Baker’s at a high age that shines bright.
Bottom Line:
This is good but the thinnest pour by far on this panel. I liked all the rye vibes on the palate — it truly felt unique and balanced. I just wanted more, which means that I’ll likely be using this for Manhattans and Sazeracs this fall/winter.
6. The D12tance Puncher’s Chance Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels Aged 12 Years — Taste 1
This sourced whiskey is a 12-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon whiskey. Those barrels are emptied and the whiskey is refilled into old Cabernet Sauvignon casks for a final maturation before proofing and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is good whiskey. It balances wood, Tennessee, and bourbon notes very well and delivers a fun sipping experience. It wasn’t as deeply hewn as the rest of the panel from here but that’s not a knock.
Brasstacks, if you’re a UFC or Bruce Buffer fan who likes a nice pour of good whiskey, this is a no-brainer purchase. I’d sip it over ice though to let it open up a bit more in the glass.
5. George Dickel Tennessee Whisky Bottled In Bond Aged 13 Years — Taste 8
Nicole Austin has been killing it with these bottled-in-bond releases from George Dickel. This release is a whiskey that was warehoused in the fall of 2008. 13 years later, this juice was bottled at 100 proof (as per the bottled-in-bond law) and left to rest.
Bottom Line:
This has a great balance of age and American deep whiskey notes. There’s a lot going on and it all works while adding that Tennessee dimension in the best ways. It’s distinct. That said, this still feels like a great cocktail base more than a neat sipper. So … make some awesome cocktails with this one.
4. Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Years Old Lot “B” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 3
This is an interesting wheated bourbon. The “Lot B” moniker means that these barrels were tested at 12 years and marked for “Van Winkle” batching, which means they weren’t going in the right direction to be batched into the “Pappy Van Winkle” line with more aging (which is 15 years and older). In this case, instead of aging further, the barrels are set aside, batched, and cut with that soft Kentucky limestone water to bring them down to a manageable 90.4 proof, then bottled.
Bottom Line:
This is what I love about blind tastings and rankings. I like this whiskey a lot and probably would have ranked it higher given the label. At the end of the day, this is a really good sipping bourbon that’ll make an amazing cocktail, which is exactly what you’d expect from a $79 price tag (the MSRP).
3. Knob Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 12 Years — Taste 6
This is the classic Beam whiskey. The juice is left alone in the Beam warehouses in Clermont, Kentucky, for 12 long years. The barrels are chosen according to a specific taste and mingled to create this aged expression with a drop or two of that soft Kentucky limestone water.
Bottom Line:
This was dynamic and delicious. Over some ice, it’ll shine as a sipper. In a simple whiskey-forward cocktail, it’ll shine even brighter. This is a great high-end bourbon that just works while giving you a little age and fantastically quintessential Kentucky bourbon vibes.
2. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Aged 12 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 5
This Buffalo Trace wheated bourbon rests in the warehouse for 12 long years in the same barrels and warehouses as Pappy. The difference between this and Pappy 12 — good ol’ “Lot B” — is pretty simple actually. If the barrel doesn’t hit the exact flavor profile needed for a Pappy, it’s sent to the blending house to become a Weller (as long as it hits Weller’s flavor profile, of course). So, yes, this could have been a Pappy 12 had the flavor profile been slightly different in the barrel.
Bottom Line:
This is a cracking bourbon. You can feel the age but it never overpowers. This is a great pour to sip any old day or night any time of year. You can’t go wrong here.
1. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey 12 Years Old — Taste 2
The mash at the base of this whiskey is a mix of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye. Those grains are milled in-house and mixed with cave water pulled from an on-site spring and Jack Daniel’s own yeast and lactobacillus that they also make/cultivate on-site. Once fermented, the mash is distilled twice in huge column stills. The hot spirit is then filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal that’s also made at the distillery. Finally, the filtered juice is loaded into charred new American oak barrels and left alone in the warehouse. After 12 years, a handful of barrels were ready; so they were batched, barely proofed, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This is phenomenal whiskey. It’s aged but then goes so much further into beautifully rendered bourbon notes that all shine succinctly and build to a bigger whole. This is far and away the best pour of the panel and it’s not even close. This is a “holy shit!” pour of whiskey.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the 12-Year-Old Bourbons
Zach Johnston
Look, if you want the best 12-year-old bourbon, then buy Jack Daniel’s 12-Year. It’s far and away the best pour at that age statement. That’s it. Period. End of story. Good night, Tennessee. There will be no encores.
If you ever wanted to take a look into the mind of Lil Nas X, your chance is nearly here. The “Industry Baby” rapper will bring his talents, or at least a film centered on them, to the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Filmmakers Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel’s directorial undertaking, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, will debut globally at the esteemed festival starting September 9.
The documentary, filmed during Lil Nas X’s Long Live Montero World Tour, is described on the TIFF website: “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero offers a joyous immersion in the world of a game-changing artist and the fans who’ve joined him in that change. To watch concertgoers express what it means to share space with a Black, gay superstar, with their fellow fans, and with thousands of families brought into their world through the power of pop music, is to capture a precious image of how transformation happens.”
TIFF’s CEO Cameron Bailey spoke about the selection in a statement, saying, “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero is a triumphant ode to the extraordinary power of self-expression, music, and identity. In this groundbreaking documentary, we witness Lil Nas X challenging boundaries and reshaping the artistic landscape. The film’s captivating journey underscores the profound impact of Lil Nas X, who fearlessly brings audiences together through the universal language of music. We are thrilled to host Lil Nas X at TIFF this year.”
First poster for Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel’s ‘LIL NAS X: LONG LIVE MONTERO’.
The film follows Lil Nas X on an emotional odyssey through the creation & performance of his “Long Live Montero” show. pic.twitter.com/UURJ2q46RU
The 2023 Toronto International Film Festival is set to take place between September 9 and 17 at various venues. Tickets for the Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero screenings are on sale now. Find more information here.
Last week’s devastating Maui wildfire — which caused untold damage to the town of Lahaina and resulted in the death of over 111 people (and rising) — may be over, but recovery efforts are ongoing as the island rallies to put itself back together after what is being called one of the most devastating US wildfires in centuries. There are countless ways to help the many people who have lost their homes, whether you want to donate food or money directly to organizations with boots on the ground, but if you’re looking for another way to help while also showing solidarity and raising awareness, there are several foundations and brands that have begun selling t-shirts that mark the event with proceeds going directly disaster relief programs.
From the UFC to The Hundreds, brands are stepping up with bespoke designs that capture the aloha spirit. Here is a roundup of some of the brands offering aid.
Authentic Hawaiian surf apparel brand HIC (Hawaiian Island Creations) is currently taking pre-orders for its Maui Strong Relief t-shirt. This women’s t-shirt features a “Maui Strong” graphic in white and pink over black with a silhouette of the island. The sizing runs from small to 2-XL
100% of the proceeds will be donated to those impacted by the disaster. Pre-order the t-shirt here.
Streetwear brand The Hundreds has remixed their old school Hang Loose Hawaii tee into a graphic t-shirt that reads “Hang Tough Maui,” and features a double-needle sleeve with bottom hem, and puff print. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this shirt will be donated to the Grants Central Station Maui Mutual Aid Fund.
In the event the t-shirt is sold out (they’re moving fast) you can donate directly to the Maui Mutual Aid Fund here.
UFC is selling a simple classic fit black t-shirt that reads “UFC Loves Hawaii” in the organization’s iconic font. The sizing runs from extra small to 6-XL and is currently on pre-order, expected to ship during the last week of August.
100% of the profits* from the sale of this shirt will benefit Hawaii Relief efforts (come on UFC, make it 100% of proceeds — you have plenty of $$$). Pick up the t-shirt here.
The Wyland Foundation, a non-profit organization that tasks itself with promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s ocean and waterways has produced this beautiful unisex t-shirt with a humpback-whale silhouette. The t-shirt is available in a size run from small to 2—XL and will donate proceeds to the Maui Disaster Relief.
From now until August 19th, the Hawaii-based brand Aloha Modern is donating 100% of profits from online sales directly to the Maui Strong Fund and Maui Mutual Aid. There isn’t a special design that references the events in Maui but several of the products celebrate the Hawaiian spirit.
The brand sells everything from apparel to bags, headwear, and home goods. Check out Aloha Modern here.
Aloha De Mele is a Hawaii-based brand that offers lifestyle pieces inspired by the beauty, culture, and people of Hawaii and is currently taking pre-orders for its Aloha De Maui t-shirt, made in collaboration with Mahalo Shoots.
The T-shirt is available in both black and white with sizes that run from small to 7-XL. The shirt features a 100% combed cotton build and a digital illustration hand drawn by JT Ojerio, the artist behind the Aloha de Mele brand.
All profits from the t-shirt will be directed to nonprofit organizations including Aloha United Way, Maui United Way, Maui Humane Society, Hawaii Community Council, and the Maui Foodbank. Pre-order the t-shirt here.
Hawaiian-based skatewear label In4mation is currently accepting pre-orders for its Come Together For The Island Of Maui, and United Maui Relief & Support t-shirt. Featuring a size run from small to 3-XL, the Come Together tee features a simple white graphic back-printed over a black base and sports a standard fit with a 100% cotton build.
The Unity shirt features the same fit with a white-on-red colorway and a ‘United Maui Relief & Support” graphic back printed.
100% of the profits from the t-shirt will be donated to the Hawaii Community Foundation, Maui Strong Fund, and the Maui Humane Society. Pre-orders end on August 24th.
Aviator Nation is currently selling a Hawaii Relief unisex boyfriend tee in an XS-2XL size run that is hand sewn in Los Angeles and features a trig-blend fabric of cotton, polyester, and rayon. The shirt features a simple design with a small heart and Hawaiian island graphic at the breast and minimal Aviator Nation branding.
100% of the proceeds from the t-shirt will go to the Red Cross. Pick up the shirt here.
Sustainable luxury brand Cariloha is currently selling a t-shirt made from sustainable bamboo in three colors and an XS-3XL size run. The t-shirt features a Hawaiian island graphic and is available in navy, white, and Caribbean blue in both men and women’s fits.
100% of the proceeds will go directly to support the community, with Cariloha matching all donations as it works with local organizations on the ground in Maui.
Lifestyle baseball brand Baseballism is currently taking pre-orders for a special edition ‘Maui No Ka ‘Oi Ali’i’ t-shirt. The shirt is made from a 50-50 blend of cotton and polyester and sports a form-fitting cut in an XS-3XL size run, a back-printed graphic, with minimal branding at the front. The brand suggests you size up if you’re looking for a more comfort-focused fit.
All proceeds from the sale of this t-shirt will be donated to the Maui Food Bank. Pick up the shirt here.
The likelihood of Donald Trump showing up to the first GOP debate was already slim to begin with. The former president has been at odds with Fox News and there’s been a growing consensus that he’s afraid of getting on the stage with Chris Christie. Trump’s closest challenger, Ron DeSantis, will also be there, but the Florida governor has continued to fall behind in the polls thanks to his flailing campaign, so his presence isn’t really an issue.
However, Trump has reportedly put a nail in the coffin for showing up to the debate. According to The New York Times, Trump will sit down for an interview with Tucker Carlson on the same night as the debate. The move is being called a “major affront both to the Republican National Committee and to Fox News” after each entity attempted to sweet talk Trump into attending the debate.
The timing of the interview with Mr. Carlson remains unclear, but if it goes ahead as currently planned, the debate-night counterprogramming would serve as an act of open hostility.
The chairwoman of the R.N.C., Ronna McDaniel, has privately urged Mr. Trump to attend the debate, even traveling to his private club in Bedminster, N.J., last month to make her pitch in person.
Over on social media, Trump is getting absolutely roasted for the cowardly decision. The former president dominated the 2016 debates, and some users are suggesting that Trump now lacks the “confidence” to repeat that performance. There was also repeated use of the word “chickensh*t.”
You can see some of the reactions below:
If you don’t show up for the debates you shouldn’t be on the ballot, but this chickenshit party is scared to death of this loser.https://t.co/rhSPgIrrQu
Trump is a coward. He is afraid to ever stand on the same debate stage with Ron DeSantis.
Tucker Carlson is enabling that cowardice by doing a competing interview during the debate…..and we all know Carlson won’t ask Trump a single tough question.
Last year, Britney Spears and Sam Asghari celebrated their wedding. As far as spending the rest of their lives together, that isn’t going to work out as hoped: Asghari confirmed yesterday (August 17) that he and Spears are getting divorced.
While the marriage lasted 14 months, their relationship goes back farther than that. So, let’s take a look at how it came to be and what happened along the way.
October 2016
The two first met while making Spears’ video for “Slumber Party,” which was filmed at a Beverly Hills mansion (per US Weekly). Asghari later told Men’s Health that he and Spears exchanged numbers on set. He said of meeting her, “I was excited that I get to meet one of the biggest artists of all time. I had butterflies.”
2017
The two appeared to hit it off after meeting on the “Slumber Party” set. On New Year’s Day 2017, Spears shared a photo of herself and Asghari enjoying a nice dinner. They were spotted together multiple times throughout that year, including at Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy gala in February, at Michael Costello’s Art Hearts show during Los Angeles Fashion Week in March, in Japan in June, at Disneyland in September, and courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game in November.
February 2021
Getty Image
The two remained an item for the next few years, and in 2021, at the height of the #FreeBritney movement, Asghari spoke out against Spears’ father, Jamie Spears. He wrote in a social media post, “Now it’s important for people to understand that I have zero respect for someone trying to control our relationship and constantly throwing obstacles our way,” he wrote. “In my opinion Jamie is a total dick. I won’t be going into details because I’ve always respected our privacy but at the same time I didn’t come to this country to not be able to express my opinion and freedom.”
September 2021
Months later, the two announced that they were engaged. Asghari’s manager said at the time, “The couple made their long-standing relationship official today and are deeply touched by the support, dedication and love expressed to them.”
April 2022
The pair planned to grow their family in 2022 when Spears announced she was pregnant with her and Asghari’s baby. About a month later, though, she revealed she had a miscarriage, writing on Instagram, “It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that we lost our miracle baby early in the pregnancy. This is a devastating time for any parent. Perhaps we should have waited to announce until we were further along. However we were overly excited to share the good news. Our love for each other is our strength. We will continue trying to expand our beautiful family. We are grateful for all of your support. We kindly asked for privacy during this difficult moment.”
Spears later wrote of the big day, “Wow !!! Holy holy crap !!! WE DID IT !!! WE GOT MARRIED !!! Gggggeeeeezzzzz !!! It was the most spectacular day !!! I was so nervous all morning but then at 2:00 pm it really hit me … WE’RE GETTING MARRIED !!! I had a panic attack and then got it together … the crew who created our home into literally a dream castle were fantastic !!! The ceremony was a dream and the party was even better !!! So many incredible people came to our wedding and I’m still in shock !!! [Drew Barrymore] my girl crush and [Selena Gomez] who btw is way prettier in person if that’s possible both came !!! I was speechless … I kissed [Madonna] again [winking emojis] and we danced into the night with [Paris Hilton] … Thank you [Donatella Versace] for designing my dress … I felt so beautiful … Thank you also to [Stephanie Gottlieb] [Charlotte Tilbury] and [Sofia Tilbury] for my jewelry and makeup !!! I think we all fell on the dance floor at least 2 times !!! I mean come on … we were all VOGUING !!! [Asghari] I LOVE YOU !!!”
August 2023
Things apparently soured from there, which brings us to present day: Reports that the two were getting divorced after 14 months of marriage surfaced a couple days ago, then Asghari confirmed them yesterday (August 17), writing, “After 6 years of love and commitment to each other, my wife and I have decided to end our journey together. We will hold onto the love and respect we have for each other and I wish her the best always. Sh*t happens. Asking for privacy seems rediculous [sic], so I will just ask for everyone, including media, to be kind and thoughtful.”
A neo-Nazi defender f*cked around and found out — by getting f*cked up.
Natan Levy, a “UFC fighter from Israel” (as his Twitter bio reads), posted a video this week recapping a fight between him and a far-right Twitter troll. The beef started earlier this month, when Levy tweeted that white nationalist Nick Fuentes was “built like a chopstick.” One of Fuentes’ followers, some schmuck named Ben, quote-tweeted back at Levy, “I’ll drive to Vegas any day of the week to spar you on behalf of Nicholas J. Fuentes and America First. With no formal MMA training should be easy right?” Challenge accepted.
Just two days later, Ben arrived at the Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas and signed waivers to make it official. “I saw one on his posts come across Twitter,” Ben said in the video. “It was critical of somebody who associates himself with America First and the political values that I value. As a defender of that and a former martial arts-experienced, trained person myself, I thought it’d be fun to come spar.”
Less fun: getting his ass whooped by Levy. “Why were you talking shit about Jews on Twitter? Why were you defending Nicholas Fuentes?” Levy asked Ben before the fight. He replied, “I think because of what he says is right. You can layer that behind a mask.” Levy interrupted, “He denies the Holocaust.” Ben believes Fuentes is more of a “revisionist,” whatever that means.
Before they stepped into the ring, Ben was feeling cocky. He boasted that he’s practiced a mix of karate and taekwondo for eight years, and although he’s never done a five-minute round before, “I play UFC 4 a lot.” Levy promised to not “hurt him too bad,” but “a lesson needs to be taught here about trolling.”
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
“Escapism is better livin’ than this,” Noname chants on the second song from her new album, Sundial, adding, “Better be honest, baby / We better when we admit.” This juxtaposition is the crux of Noname’s political beliefs, for better or worse. Sure, it exemplifies the beating heart at the center of Sundial‘s intricate web of incisive social commentary and cutting self-recrimination, but it also captures who Noname is as an artist, and ultimately as a human being.
This is the Chicago rapper who first rose to prominence on a wave of support from fellow Chicago rising stars like Chance The Rapper and Saba, only to threaten multiple times to leave the music industry behind entirely. She changed her original name from Noname Gypsy upon learning one of the more negative interpretations of the second half of her nome de guerre. But she wasn’t above sparring with North Carolina fan favorite J. Cole when he seemingly called out her prickly online demeanor in his 2021 throwaway “Snow On Tha Bluff.”
She’s quick to call out Black celebrities like Jay-Z and Beyoncé for embracing the master’s tools in the pursuit of dismantling the master’s house — even here, where she critiques them in the song “Namesake” — but just as swift to refuse to apologize for including a potentially offensive guest MC in Jay Electronica on “Balloons.” She, like many, is a living contradiction, a person whose impulses clash with her beliefs, who falls short of her own standards, but pursues progress over perfection as often as she can.
Throughout Sundial‘s 11 tracks, she excavates and explicates this idea in ways that often seem just as paradoxical as her personality. The production, provided by a list of longtime collaborators and jazz revivalist like Daoud, Slimwav, and Yussef Dayes, offers lullaby-like coos and chords, with soothing strains more suggestive of a cozy night in with a mug of hot chocolate and romance fantasy than fiery anti-capitalist diatribes. Likewise, Noname’s singsong delivery and poetic pen maneuvers hide the points and edges of the acid-dipped darts and daggers deliberately placed across these delicate soundscapes like intellectual booby traps.
The softness of the sounds lulls listeners into sedate comfort before pricking and prodding them to wakefulness like the pea did to the princess. So, when Noname snips, “You could squabble in the comments, bitch, you are a comet,” on “Afro Futurism,” the dualism couldn’t be clearer. She has to jolt her listeners every so often so they might consider the words rather than let them wash over them. A quote that springs to mind comes from an equally enigmatic and controversial woman in rap, Lauryn Hill, via her verse from The Fugees’ “Zealots”: “And even after all my logic and my theory, I add a ‘motherfucker’ so you ignorant niggas hear me.”
That’s why it’s certainly worth considering that Jay Electronica is far from the first or worst rapper to embrace the teachings of the Nation of Islam or the Five-Percent Nation in his rhymes — or why Noname should receive a far greater backlash than any number of others who’ve featured such subject matter throughout rap’s 50 years of existence. Or that Noname, despite embodying so many of the attributes “real hip-hop heads” claim they prefer in women rappers over the more aggressively sexualized postures of MCs like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, that she receives no more support from those hip-hop heads than the women they pit her against.
Noname considers it not just her job but her duty to point out these discrepancies — even when it makes her the villain in her own story. She’s quick to accept that label herself here from the outset; on album opener “Black Mirror,” she calls herself a contrarian. She’s an avowed socialist/anarchist who must embrace some of the principles of a capitalist system to survive as an artist and continue her liberation efforts such as Noname’s Book Club, which sends such texts to inmates (which they are often barred from receiving).
And while many of her choices can be off-putting, such as including the aforementioned Jay Elec or jotting off cynical-seeming dismissals of perhaps sincere inquiries on Twitter, or rhyming in that off-kilter spoken-word flow which isn’t likely to resonate with the folks who need to hear her message most, it’s all honest. Noname herself has already told us; more than anything else, it’s better to be true than to be loved. Ironically, that’s why she’s so beloved in the first place.
Sundial is out now via Noname, Inc. / AWAL Recordings. You can get it here.
Jon Batiste‘s new album World Music Radio is out now. The highly anticipated record has tons of features, such as “Be Who You Are” with JID, NewJeans, and Camilo, as well as the closing track “Life Lesson” with Lana Del Rey, who unveiled her new album Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd earlier this year.
The piano-driven ballad finds the singers trading off verses. Lana sings of a relationship complicated by a power imbalance and subsequent resentment: “I read an article about a star who said that standing / In the shadow of her husband felt so dark / Reminded me of you and I because / That’s very much the way our story was.”
The two collaborated earlier this year for “Candy Necklace.”
Batiste also recently covered Taylor Swift’s “Sweet Nothing.” “I just went to the Taylor Swift concert and it would be fun to do something with Taylor,” he said. “She was nice enough to invite us and give us tickets to one of her MetLife Stadium shows over Memorial Day weekend, and I’d love to work with any of the living legends, you know, any folks that I can learn something from — even if we don’t put it out.”
Listen to “Life Lesson” above.
World Music Radio is out now via Verve/Interscope. Find more information here.
(WARNING: Spoilers for this week’s The Chi episode will be found below.)
This week on The Chi, it’s time to party! Emmett and Keisha went through with the purchase of their new home, and to celebrate, they threw a house party and invited friends, both new and old, to come by. There’s a lot of dancing and good food, but also plenty of tense moments as well in this episode. Bakari and Lynae get into an argument about the former’s work with Douda, Nina is frustrated with her kids’ current relationship with her, Victor and Douda still don’t see eye to eye, Tiffany gets into an argument with Emmett and Keisha after EJ uses a cuss word, and a gift from Douda to Emmett leads to a tense moment between Douda and Darnell. Despite this all, there are plenty of good moments as well. Victor and Fatima take a big step forward in their relationship and Papa’s patience with Kenya seems to be paying off.
The aforementioned events in the third episode of Showtime’sThe Chi season six, titled “House Party,” are soundtracked by songs that help to accentuate the emotions behind each scene. You can find a list of them below as well as details about the scenes that the records played behind.
Modre — “Better Man” Feat. Freewill
We hear this record around the 5:20 mark as a frustrated customer yells at Kenya for his order not being ready at his designated pick-up time. Papa hears the upset customer and steps in to handle things. He addresses the customer’s frustrations and also makes them apologize to Kenya for yelling at her, something that impresses her.
Brian McKnight Jr. — “Mi No Neo”
Around the 8:15 mark, this record plays as Keisha and Malaysia meet for the first time in the former’s new house. The two have an awkward conversation about money, rent, and Emmett’s loyalty.
Gavin Turek — “The Distance”
Gavin Turek’s “The Distance” plays around the 14:15 mark as Keisha’s mom Nina and stepmom Dre give her an air fryer as a gift for her new house with Emmett. This then turns into a conversation where Nina expresses concerns about Keisha’s decision to get a house with Emmett, despite them not being married yet. Nina also expresses her frustration over her current relationship with her kids as both Keisha and Kevin seem a bit distant from her.
Ossaiofficial — “Tik Tok”
This song plays around the 21:13 mark when Rob and Nuk are outside smoking and talking. Rob offers Nuk some of his new weed, and Nuk approves of it and even inquires about where he got it from. Rob keeps the info close to himself as he assumes that Nuk is hiding information about Q’s death.
Jai’Len Josey — “Take Me Higher”
We hear this record around the 23:09 mark as the party begins at Emmett and Keisha’s house. People are enjoying food and talking to each other and more folks come in like Victor and his girlfriend Fatima. Emmett and Keisha also hear EJ say “b*tch” and Keisha instructs Emmett to talk to Tiffany about the words their son hears and which ones to and not to use.
V.I.C. — “Wobble”
Around the 25:36 mark, the party continues as everyone in attendance gets up and gets loose to do the Wobble dance. Shaad also arrives and quickly gets situated to join the fun.
Beau Blaise, Elizabeth Caseley, Alex Nova — “Got Me Creepin’”
The song plays around the 30:19 mark as Fatima and Keisha admire a piece of art that Emmett bought for Keisha and their new home. Through their conversation, Fatima and Keisha learn that they are both fans of home decor and go on to schedule a day that they can look at new art pieces for each others’ homes
Frank Famous — “Round Me”
Frank Famous’ “Round Me” plays around the 39:35 mark after a tense conversation between Douda and Darnell. Douda gifted Emmett a gun for his new home and though Emmett opened the gift in private, Darnell knew something was up with the gift. Darnell ends up taking the gun from Emmett’s room and warns Douda that he will kill him if anything happens to Emmett or his family.
Brian McKnight Jr. — “Should’ve Gotten To Know Me”
We hear this song around the 46:25 mark as Rob and Tiffany are driving home with EJ in the backseat after an argument with Keisha and Emmett. The couple originally plays a rap song during their ride, but when Tiffany sees EJ bobbing his head to it, she changes it to this Brian McKnight Jr. record. Though Tiffany told Keisha not to comment on how she raises EJ, it seems like at this moment, Tiffany acknowledges that Keisha was right.
New episodes of ‘The Chi’ are available through the Paramount Plus With Showtime plan on Fridays at 3am EST/ 12 pm PST. Weekly episodes also air Sundays on Showtime at 9pm EST/PST.
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