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Indie act Runnner (real name Noah Weinman, yes there are three “ns”) had an urgent message to share with music lovers. While his latest song snippet, “NYE,” may be a 47-second brain dump of his most intrusive thought upon further inspection, it reads more like advice to take into 2023. Listed as one of our top indie acts to watch in the new year, the Los Angeles-based songwriter’s new release proves why.

Coined the year of the introverts, social anxiety boomed in 2022 after nearly two years in lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic. So now, as many make plans to self-isolate to watch Dick Clark’s New Years’ Rockin Eve hosted by Ryan Seacrest or pop singer Miley Cyrus’ New Year’s Eve Concert Party, Runnner is questioning if this is what you desire.

On “NYE,” Runnner sings, “New Year’s Eve at home recording / Thinking: ‘how’d I get so boring?’ / And how I miss my friends, my loves / Am I choosing what’s important?”

As the momentum from the great resignation dies down, Runnner implores listeners to prioritize friendships and familial relationships rather than finances. A rather fitting message to broadcast on the heels of the new year. Ironically, the song wasn’t written with the holiday in mind.

“I didn’t actually write this song on NYE but pretty close to it,” said Runnner clarifying, “It was the last song I wrote for the record, and I had been in such a deep recording mode I felt like I was neglecting so many other parts of my life. I was diving back into the record one more time and feeling like I should probably come up for air.”

It makes you wonder, will an extended version of “NYE” make its way onto his debut full-length?

Like Dying Stars, We’re Reaching Out is out 2/17 via Run For Cover Records. Pre-order it here.

During the holiday season and the final days of the year, the news cycle tends to get a bit dormant, as most people pack it in, stop doing new things, and wait for the new year to begin. That’s especially true in the music world, but in case you missed it, Christmas Eve brought… something: On December 24, Ariel Pink (who was in DC during the Capitol riot) dropped a holiday tune called “Rudolph’s Laptop,” which seems to be about Hunter Biden: “Rudolph, what have you done?/ They found your laptop, it’s a smoking gun,” Pink sings.

The song’s below if that’s something you want to listen to.

Pink co-wrote the song with Winston Marshall (who left Mumford & Sons in 2021 because he didn’t want to “self-censor) and Two Door Cinema Club’s Alex Trimble. To promote the tune, Pink and Marshall decided to wrap up their year by taking to Fox News to guest on Tucker Carlson (with guest host Tulsi Gabbard filling in for Carlson).

During the interview, Marshall insisted Pink, a Tucker Carlson veteran who faced physical and sexual assault allegations in 2021, has been “cancelled for something that he didn’t even do,” which Pink said he’s “struggling” with while remaining hopeful for a “rebirth.”

Blaine Gabbert, the former first-round NFL Draft pick and current backup quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was part of a group of individuals on Thursday evening who helped rescue a family after a helicopter made an emergency water landing near Davis Islands in Tampa. According to the Tampa Bay Times, a helicopter carrying three family members from Philadelphia and a pilot went on a tour of Tampa and its surrounding islands before crashing.

It was at this point that Gabbert and his brothers, who were out on jet skis, helped assist in rescuing them — one of the individuals who was part of the crash estimated he was “underneath the water for between 45 seconds and a minute,” per the Times.

“I vaguely remember seeing two yellow life jackets,” Gabbert told the media. “It looked like they were in duress, we raced over there, the youngest kid had just came up and said he was pinned in there, and I asked if anybody else was trapped. And then I called 911, tried to remain as calm as possible, but it all turned positive, they were healthy – scared, nervous — but it was a pretty crappy situation that turned good in the end. I was just right place, right time, I guess.”

Gabbert said that the police and fire department were out to the scene within seconds, and that he and his brothers were able to get the family members out of there on their jet skis. All four individuals involved with the crash survived with on injuries.

What makes a video game a surprise? For some, it can be that one game that came out of nowhere and dominated the conversation. For others, it’s a game that defied their expectations and maybe even proved doubters wrong. For this writer, it’s a game that did something I never expected. Most games we know about ahead of time now, although we do get the shock indie here and there, and I think you can find anyone out there who would say a bad game is good or vice versa. As such, a surprising game has to be something that, either through its gameplay or the conversation around it, was caught me off-guard.

To make it more simple, you know something is surprising when you see it, and if you didn’t think any of the games on this list are surprising, that’s okay, because what we all see as a surprise is different in our own eyes. So with that in mind, here are some games that were surprising this year.

Sonic Frontiers – PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC

When an open world Sonic the Hedgehog game was first announced, there was a mixed reaction. There was optimism over a world to explore. At the same time, there was confusion on how Sonic, in particular, was going to traverse that kind of environment. His games are about getting from Point A to Point B at high speeds with quick reactions rewarding skilled players with better rewards. An open world exploration game doesn’t exactly fit that mold, and when the first few gameplay trailers came out, there was definitely some concerned that SEGA was going to miss the mark big time here.

Instead, what we got was a perfectly fine, if not good, new direction for the franchise. The open world aspects were a little dull at times, and the high speed levels would sometimes lead to really frustrating deaths that feel out of the player’s control, but none of this took away from the enjoyment of the overall experience. It was a fun game and the reason this is a surprise is that it was starting to feel like Sonic was losing his way again. But against the odds, this latest game is just as fun as everyone wanted it to be and should be an exciting new step in the franchise.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin – PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin should not be a good game. Honestly, if you only watch the cutscenes, you might be inclined to believe that it isn’t one. Every piece of dialogue is nonsensical, the characters feel like they are just talking to say words instead of speaking to each other, and there are random large blocks of text to signify moments that at one point in development were definitely going to be playable. This is one of those games that, as you play it, you genuinely can’t believe what you are seeing on screen. Take this cutscene that is, without question, the best moment in video games this year.

Everything is like that, and yet smashed between all these cutscenes are some really fun action setpieces. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is a dungeon crawler with big bombastic boss fights and loads of customization options. It has gotten a lot of comparisons to Dark Souls gameplay but it’s actually closer to Nioh, which makes sense because Nioh and Stranger of Paradise have the same developer, Team Ninja. It’s a genuinely very fun game to play, and if you’re someone that likes games like Elden Ring, you might want to give it a try. Just be ready for one of the most bizarre stories you have ever seen. Stranger of Paradise is on this list because you can’t believe it’s real.

Madden NFL 23 – PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

I can hear everyone screaming now, but before you finish typing that angry comment, please allow an explanation. The Madden games have been largely and unfortunately bad for a very long time. Launch day has traditionally been synonymous with glitches, angry fans, and calls for the NFL to strip EA Sports of their exclusivity license. Things were different this year. Yes, there were glitches, and fans did review bomb places like Metacritic, but the usual outrage was quieter than normal. It wasn’t out of apathy, though. Fans and critics by and large acknowledged that for the first time in a long time, Madden got better this year.

The idea of Madden improving is such a surprise, so unusual from the expected status quo, that it is this lone writer’s opinion that it is one of the most surprising games of the year. This, like others on this list, does not mean Madden 23 is a great game, nor is it a sign that this year’s Madden has improved to the level that many of us fondly remember. But it’s one of the first positive steps the franchise has taken in a long time and one that, if the series does manage to turn around, fans can point to as a great step back in the right direction.

Lupe Fiasco announced in May that he was “going to teach rap at MIT.” More specifically, the multiplatinum-certified rapper is teaching at the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT) for the 2022-23 academic year as the recipient of an MLK Visiting Professorship, as explained in the YouTube description of his “Rap Theory & Practice: An Introduction” lecture.

“Let your conscience be free. You’re now rolling with the thugs from the MIT,” Lupe said at the beginning of the session, playing off of Jay-Z’s “Get Your Mind Right Mami” verse. “Not thugs, but you know, rappers.”

He showed the class photos of him performing during his high school talent show and performing at MIT’s 2015 SpringFest to illustrate that “rap has always been a scholastic pursuit for me.” Over 90 minutes, Lupe dove into the educational root of rap and dissected the structures of Eminem’s “Stan,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Sing About Me,” and his own “Jonylah Forever.”

According to Lupe, “Stan” is “hands-down probably Eminem’s greatest record.” He laid out how Eminem brilliantly coined the term in fan culture, which was effective because he managed to pour universal, relatable macros into the song instead of trying to force “a bunch of details.” Lupe explained why he felt compelled to write “Jonylah Forever,” inspired by the tragic true story of a six-month-old girl named Jonylah Watkins who was shot dead in Chicago in 2013. Her father was the intended target.

“Destroyed the city. I was like, I need to make that a song right now,” Lupe told the class. “And the song was about Jonylah growing up, going to school, being really smart, going to med school, becoming a doctor. … She goes to open up a free clinic in the neighborhood in which she grew up in, and then one day, she’s in the office. She hears some gunshots outside, and then she runs outside to this van and gets this little girl. Triages her, stabilizes her till the paramedics can come, and eventually, she’s saved. She doesn’t realize that she just saved herself. Repetition, repetition, repetition, power. The twist, the power of that. The surprise.”

Lupe used Lamar’s “Sing About Me” as an example of when the surprise doesn’t fix everything — contrasting how he and Eminem blatantly said their plot twists where Lamar leaned more on evocative symbolism. Lupe promised to teach his students how to use “this particular frame” to learn about “a very specific type of surprise and how to utilize it and execute it” by studying stories from the simplicity of “The Three Little Pigs” all the way to Lamar’s intricate discography.

“You can talk about whatever you want,” Lupe said. “Just has to rhyme. That’s the only thing I ask. And it has to be to a beat.”

The course, per Lupe’s slideshow, will cover “fundamental rap primes” such as surprise, rhyme, metaphor, tone, and more. The full name of the class is “CMS.S60 Special Subject: Rap Theory & Practice.” Registration has begun for the 2023 spring semester.

Watch the full 90-minute introductory video above and learn more from Lupe’s tweets below.

For many, STARZ’s BMF is their favorite of all the series that 50 Cent has led and put out in the post-Power world. The show is loosely based on the rise and fall of the Black Mafia Family, the Detroit-based drug organization that was founded by brothers Demetrius “Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory in 1985. BMF’s success would go nationwide thanks to hubs set up in Los Angeles and Atlanta along with connections to drug organizations outside the country. Unfortunately for the Flenory brothers, the empire would come crashing down in 2005 with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) indicting them and over 100 members of BMF on drug charges. Meech and T would eventually be sentenced to 30 years behind bars.

Season one of BMF, which launched in the fall of 2021, displayed the early days of Meech and T. Viewers saw their wins and losses as hustlers trying to make a name for themselves as leaders of The 50 Boyz. We saw Meech and T’s life in the drug game interfere with and destroy the relationships between their parents and themselves. Loyalties were tested, and while some passed (B-Mickie), others failed (Kato) and they were left to pay the ultimate price for it. In the end, Meech and T were seemingly able to conquer their enemies (Lamar) and set out to reach the next level. The only issue is Meech and T were not on the same page at the conclusion of season one. Meech sought to expand his name and riches in the drug game while T desired an honest and civil life. With that in mind, here are a few things to keep in mind as we head into season two of BMF.

— When does the BMF era begin? We know that Meech and T launched BMF in 1985, so it makes sense that there’s no mention of that group — only The 50 Boyz — in season one as those events take place in the 1970s. Seeing that the timeline will certainly move forward as Meech at least has his eyes on expanding, we should expect BMF’s introduction to happen at some point this season.

— What will be the result of Lamar and Kato’s deaths? Two central characters — Lamar and Kato — were murdered at the end of season one. Lamar coerced Kato into working with him to trap Meech and kill him. Lamar’s 12th Street gang and Meech’s 50 Boyz were engaged in a street war over some Detroit territory, so the former’s death means some changes are on the horizon in Detroit. What kind of retaliation will Meech and The 50 Boyz receive? Will they take over the Detroit territory with ease? We hope season two will answer those questions.

— Will Meech and Tee reunite this season? With BMF being loosely based on real events, we already know that Meech and T don’t reunite fully after their initial split. Meech sets up shop in Atlanta for distribution, while T resorts to Los Angeles to handle incoming shipments from Mexico. Whether or not that’s how things play out in BMF remains to be seen, but at least for season two, we hope that the Flenory brothers can reconnect because two is certainly better than one.

— What lengths will the Flenory boys go to in season two to escape the law? In order to expand their empire, Meech and T (whenever he rejoins the crew) will absolutely have to go to extreme measures to escape and stay one move ahead of the law. However, Detective Bryant remains on their heels watching their every move in hopes of trapping them and finally taking them down. With his former partner Detective Lopez getting killed at the end of season one, Bryant has all the more reason to take down Meech and T. This means that the Flenorys will have to go to great lengths to stay out of prison. A life constantly on the run isn’t the best one, but for the circumstances at hand, it’s what’s required for Meech and T.

Season 2 of ‘BMF’ debuts on STARZ on January 6.

The year may be over but the pirate agenda still lives on forever.

Sailing seas across the globe, performing in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East for concerts and event appearances in the last year, the grind doesn’t stop for KQ Entertainment’s boy group ATEEZ. Closing the year off with a new EP titled SPIN OFF : FROM THE WITNESS, the eight-member ensemble released the music video to their lead single “HALAZIA” earlier today (December 30). The single’s lyrics “delivers the message of finding hope in the darkness,” according to a press release by Sony Music Korea.

SPIN OFF is a whole spin-off project from ATEEZ’s series “THE WORLD” that elevates the group’s music and concept storytelling. The EP consists of five tracks including “HALAZIA.” The press release from Sony Music Korea further states the “spin off that recounts their tales through a third-person witness account.” The EP is an “extended universe, a new perspective is explored, with more questions than answers given through the cinematic trailers and powerful delivery of their new tracks.”

Composed of eight members, Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho, ATEEZ made their debut under KQ Entertainment in 2018. The octet recently finished the US and Japan legs of their THE FELLOWSHIP: BREAK THE WALL tour, and will embark in the European leg in the first quarter of 2023.

Move over, Gwen Stefani: You’re not the only blond-haired, early-2000s pop culture icon looking to make a musical comeback. Although Amazon Music Live wrapped up its concert series for the year with 21 Savage, their streaming platform had one more treat to give subscribers. Reality TV star, DJ, and NFT investor Paris Hilton surprised supporters with a re-release of her chart-topping single, “Stars Are Blind.”

Initially released in 2006, the song produced by Garibay served as the launching pad for the socialite’s music career with her self-titled album. The newly recorded version of the song has a bit more refinement while showing Hilton has made some strides in her unique vocal abilities. The track recently covered by Kim Petras quickly became a cult classic at the turn of the millennium.

On Instagram, Hilton shared the announcement with a heartfelt message: “This song has always meant so much to me, it felt right to close out 2022 with a refreshed version. And seeing my face lighting up Times Square is so special. Thank you to everyone who has always supported my music career. I literally have the best fans on the planet and have loved seeing all of your posts about the new song,” adding “P.S. More new music to come in the new year.”

To listen to the song, click here. You must have an Amazon Prime or Amazon Music subscription to access the song.

With his long-sought after tax returns now out in the open, Donald Trump is attempting to get ahead of the presumably bad headlines that are heading his way. After the Supreme Court surprisingly ruled against Trump, who personally picked nearly half of the sitting justices, the returns were made available by the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday, January 30.

Within hours Trump released a statement, but not on Truth Social. The former president had his spokesperson Liz Harrington deliver the news on Twitter where people might actually read it. There was also an ominous tone to the whole thing as Trump vowed that “horrible things” will now happen. Considering this is a guy who spurred a literal assault on the U.S. Capitol, that’s probably not great.

“The Democrats should have never done it, the Supreme Court should have never approved it, and it’s going to lead to horrible things for so many people,” Trump said. “The great USA divide will now grow far worse. The radical, left Democrats have weaponized everything, but remember, that is a dangerous two-way street!”

Trump continued to blast the Democrats for taking America down a “dangerous two-way street,” which definitely isn’t a threat. Haha, why would you think that? The former president also made sure to note that he’s very successful even though his tax returns will probably suggest otherwise. He’s great at business, you guys.

The radical, left Democrats have weaponized everything, but remember, that is a dangerous two-way street! The “Trump” tax returns once again show how proudly successful I have been and how I have been able to use depreciation and various other tax deductions as an incentive for creating thousands of jobs andmagnificent structures and enterprises.

You can see Trump’s full statement below:

(Via Liz Harrington on Twitter)

Ja Morant told the world last week that he wasn’t worried about any team in the Western Conference, signaling his belief that his Memphis Grizzlies are ready to chase a title. His performance this season mostly backs that up: 27.1 points per game and career highs in rebounds and assists. As of this writing, Memphis is 21-13, third in the West standings and second in net rating among West teams.

There is, however, a question that needs to be answered: Are the Grizzlies on track to rise above the squads on the other side of the Mississippi and make good on Morant’s fighting words?

Since Morant’s viral quote, the Grizzlies have losses to Golden State and Phoenix despite being at full health. That’s not to mention a double-digit L in Denver on national TV just before Morant gave his interview. The only game during that stretch in which he didn’t put up at least 34 points came on Thursday, when he had a career-high 17 assists to go along with 19 points against Toronto.

These aren’t outlier performances: Morant’s usage and assist rates this year would be, by far, career highs. We don’t know yet what type of player Morant will be at his peak, but considering the ways in which he can control games when he’s feeling his jumper and manipulating passing angles, his destiny seems more evolutionary Jason Kidd than Russell Westbrook. That means he needs to find the right supporting cast, like Kidd did in Phoenix and New Jersey. This season, despite a slight dip in efficiency (especially at the rim), he is backing up his bravado with incredible production.

As for the supporting cast, Memphis’ front office has chosen to be patient in the early part of Morant’s career, surrounding him with versatile, raw prospects to play Morant’s preferred physical, up-tempo style. They’ve gotten great value on those mid-to-late first round picks, from Brandon Clarke at No. 21, to Desmond Bane at No. 30, to Ziaire Williams at No. 11, to this year’s intriguing tandem of Jake LaRavia and David Roddy. The downside to this kind of slow build is it leaves them in a position in which nobody in their rotation is older than 30 — the exception is Danny Green, who is hurt — and most of the bench is made up of players on their first NBA contract.

Of course, this team-building strategy also gives the Grizzlies a higher ceiling. Before missing a month with a toe injury, Bane was playing out of his mind, averaging 24.6 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 45 percent from deep to go along with 4.8 assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. has reached an even higher ceiling as a defender in 2022, ranking first overall in Defensive Effective Plus-Minus and gobbling up nearly six (!) combined steals and blocks per 36 minutes. The Grizzlies’ defense is 9.2 points better per 100 possessions when Jackson is on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass, and lineups with both Jackson and center Steven Adams allow just 100.7 points per 100 possessions, nearly 10 points better than the top defensive rating in the NBA. If Bane and Jackson can stay healthy (and in Jackson’s case, avoid foul trouble), they are the perfect co-stars — on both ends of the floor — to help lead the Grizzlies where Morant wants to go.

But even in a world where he is healthy for a full postseason run again, Jackson is still developing on the offensive end. The tools are all there, he’s just 23, and he’s having one of the most efficient offensive seasons of his young career. Having said that, Jackson’s high-level scoring touch and ball skills (for a 7-footer) aren’t a huge difference-maker for Memphis yet. Most of the time, his scoring chances come via spot-up threes, attacking closeouts, or quick post-ups against mismatches. More than half — 57.4 percent — of his field goal attempts come without dibbling first, per NBA.com. He’s a solid offensive player who is still dependent on other players to help him score.

More likely this season is that Bane, who will be 25 come playoff time, rises to meet Morant as a championship-level second option. There are few players in the NBA whose development means more than the dead-eye shooter. Bane is getting to the rim more this season and has more than doubled his free-throw rate from last season. He’s also taking 3.9 pull-up threes per game compared to just three last season. These are signals that he is ready to be more of a shot creator for Memphis as opposed to someone who feeds off the gravity Morant creates.

Add in Bane’s very good defensive chops and he is the perfect backcourt mate for Morant, particularly when the postseason runs around and the ability to win games on both ends of the floor becomes all the more important. Lineups featuring both Morant and Bane are outscoring opponents by 17.9 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. If Bane is ready to go toe-to-toe with other elite second bananas like Jamal Murray, Paul George, and Brandon Ingram, the Grizzlies can win multiple playoff rounds without much change.

If there’s one thing Morant’s comments illustrated, it’s that the West truly is wide open. There’s nobody he needed to make an exception for because there’s no obvious favorite. That makes it all the more intriguing to imagine what could be if the Memphis front office shifts into attack mode.

Assuming the Grizzlies get the best out of Morant, Bane, Jackson, and Adams come playoff time, it’s tough to find a fifth player to complete their closing lineup. Dillon Brooks is a dogged defender and never lacks confidence, which is why he’s earned the starting spot as of today. While he is foul-prone and streaky on his worst days, Brooks has come in with better shot selection this season playing the most minutes of his career.

But Memphis can improve upon that spot in the lineup in the short-term, and in the long-term, Brooks will be a free agent in 2023. If Memphis could rely on Williams, who turned 21 in September, to be the player he was after last season’s All-Star break, he’d be a logical option, but he’s 3-for-26 from deep this year and has a sky-high turnover rate. Green is a cagey veteran, but he’s recovering from a torn ACL, so it would be hard to project him being a crunch time player in four months. LaRavia and Roddy are probably too young. John Konchar is solid too, but elite opposing scorers can beat him off the bounce.

Could Memphis, which is flush with young players, draft capital, and contracts they can use to make these sorts of deals feasible, become a logical buyer as the trade deadline nears? They were a fashionable choice to pursue Kevin Durant, even if that seemed to be more of a plausible landing spot based on what Durant wanted than a thing that ever had legs. Local Grizzlies host Chris Vernon has been vocal about wanting OG Anunoby on the team, but Toronto rarely trades its homegrown talent away and Anunoby’s apparent desire to have a bigger role might not mesh with being on the same roster as Morant and Bane. And for all the things they possess in their war chest of players and picks, other teams could outbid them for Durant, Anunoby, and other big-name trade targets, unless they put a player like Bane or Jackson on the table, which runs the risk of upending what is being built.

Still, Memphis is in a position to do something if they so choose. Could they stack the salaries of Green or Brooks plus someone like Clarke, along with some combination of picks, for Kyle Kuzma? Maybe they deal Brooks/Green, a less-heralded youngster like Xavier Tillman, and a pick for Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic? Neither is a perfect fit, but it would at least give Memphis a more reliable rotation option for the biggest moments of the season.

In a bad recent home loss to Phoenix (without Devin Booker), the Grizzlies scored just 83.5 points per 100 possessions in the halfcourt, a mark far worse than Houston’s league-worst scoring rate. Memphis is 25th in halfcourt offense overall. At the very least, Kuzma or Bogdanovic would perk up the offense when it struggles in slower-paced moments. That might be all they need to match the Nuggets, Warriors, and other top West teams who’ve bested them lately.

Morant is ready for those moments. He’s out here telling us as much. The Grizzlies are getting there, too. Core players can use the rest of the season to build on strong starts, and if healthy, the team can finally gel after years of injuries. But perhaps most importantly, Memphis’ front office could absorb Morant’s signal and act aggressively, catapulting them from up-and-comers with a shot to the favorites to make it out of the West.