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The No. 1 slot of the coveted Billboard Hot 100 chart hosted new faces and established forces alike throughout 2022. The final Hot 100 No. 1 of this year is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” a perennial holiday hit that also topped the charts dated December 25, 2021, and January 1, 2022. Carey was the bookend, as she’s been for the past four years, but there were 13 other songs that went No. 1 in between.

By mid-January, Adele’s “Easy On Me” reclaimed the No. 1 crown from Carey. The 30 single debuted at No. 1 in October 2021 and spent 10 non-consecutive weeks there. The chart dated February 5 found “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Disney’s Encanto making history with its No. 1 bow, and it stayed there before Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves,” an all-time Hot 100 record-holder, made its No. 1 debut.

But once Harry Styles decided to drop “As It Was,” it was virtually game over for everyone else. (Jack Harlow snuck in a No. 1 in April with “First Class,” though.) “As It Was,” the lead single from Harry’s House, became Styles’ second-career No. 1 on the Hot 100 but by far the longest-charting No. 1 at 15 total weeks — a record for a song with no features. Later in the year, Steve Lacy fulfilled his wish of dethroning “As It Was,” as Lacy’s “Bad Habit” hit No. 1 in early October.

Before Lacy, Future interrupted Styles’ historic reign in mid-May with “Wait For U” featuring Drake and Tems, followed by Drake and 21 Savage’s “Jimmy Cooks” and Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” in July. Lizzo was even rewarded with a bouquet of flowers from Styles.

Of course, Beyoncé’s Renaissance return netted a No. 1 with “Break My Soul” in August, her eighth career solo No. 1 and first No. 1 without a featured artist since 2008. “Break My Soul” enjoyed a two-week stint before Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” blew in for a quick one-and-done debut at No. 1 in late August.

All of September featured “As It Was” back on top until Lacy’s upset, and after three weeks of “Bad Habit,” October ended with Sam Smith becoming the first publicly non-binary artist and Kim Petras becoming the first publicly transgender artist to earn a Hot 100 No. 1 with their collaborative single “Unholy.”

Taylor Swift released her 10th studio album, Midnights, on October 21, and by November 5, Swift became the first-ever artist to occupy every top-10 spot on the Hot 100. “Anti-Hero” was No. 1, where it has logged six total weeks.

That brings us back to Carey. The 2022 “All I Want For Christmas” run began with the Hot 100 chart dated December 17 and is holding strong through this week. Which song will dethrone it in January and restart the cycle for 2023?

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

A Texas judge has denied a bond reduction request by Patrick Xavier Clark, the 33-year-old Houston resident accused of murdering Atlanta rapper Takeoff, according to Houston news. It was reported that at a hearing on Tuesday (December 27), Clark’s attorney Letitia Quinones requested to have Clark’s bond reduced from $1 million to $300,000 after previously having it dropped from $2 million. However, despite Quinones’ optimism that an appeal will eventually be successful, Judge Josh Hill has concerns — namely, that Clark could constitute a flight risk.

Those concerns are based on photos from Clark’s Instagram, in which he is seen holding large stacks of cash. He also had a “large amount of cash” on him when he was arrested, along with an itinerary for Mexico. This would seem to belie his family’s insistence that his job as a DJ couldn’t support the large bond amount; he also allegedly bragged on a jail phone that he could pay the larger $2 million amount. However, Quinones said that Clark complied with all of the judge’s requirements for a bond reduction, including securing a bonding service, completing an affidavit confirming his finances, and turning over his passport.

“We complied with every requirement that the judge asked of us, only to be told today that it will not be lowered,” Quinones said. “So yes, we are very disappointed, we disagree and we are surprised.”

Clark was identified as the potential killer after police found footage that appears to show him both holding and discharging a handgun at the bowling alley where Takeoff was shot in the head.

If you read the 2022 Uproxx Fall Travel Hot List, then you know that Mexico is a current hot spot for travelers of all kinds. I myself have visited twice in the past six months. My most recent visit was to Cancun to check out one of the city’s newest resorts: Garza Blanca Cancun. The five-star establishment celebrated its official opening in May of 2022, and it’s already well on track to be the accommodation of choice for influencers and honeymooners alike.

In a destination that’s chock-full of all-inclusive beachside resorts, it’s hard to stand out. But I believe Garza Blanca has made its grand entrance and will continue to grow in popularity among both seasoned and first-time Cancun tourists. If you’re planning a trip to the much-visited Mexican resort city, this spot is definitely worth your consideration.

Read on for my full review of the property–from why it’s awesome to a breakdown of its amenities to my one complaint.

ALSO READ:

• Hotels We Love: ME Cabo Is Like An Elevated Spring Break For Adults
• Hotels We Love: The Green Room Hotel Is An Oceanside, CA Oasis
• Hotels We Love: Surfhouse In Encinitas (CA) Is A Beach Lover’s Dream
• Hotels We Love: Hotel Maraica Is An Ecotourism Paradise
• Where To Stay, Play, Party, And Chill In Sayulita, Mexico

WHY IT’S AWESOME:

What I loved most about Garza Blanca Cancun is that it feels modern and luxurious yet still accessible, fun, and young. Between the vibrant design aesthetic, rooftop infinity pool, various dining options, decked-out spa, and incredible views, Garza Blanca Cancun does “classic resort” but makes it sexy and cool. And it doesn’t feel over the top, either. It’s understated luxury at its finest.

I also appreciate that there’s something for everyone at Garza Blanca. For young families with kids, there’s a giant blow-up obstacle course off the coast of the resort’s private beach. For honeymooners who want to avoid, well, those same kids, there’s the adults-only rooftop pool and bar that’s sure to put them in a romantic mood. Visitors can also opt for either an all-inclusive or room-only option, making your stay tailored to your specific needs.

Speaking of tailoring to your needs, Garza Blanca also offers a 24-hour on-call service. The staff is readily available, welcoming, and kind. They’ll help you get whatever it is you need or at least point you in the right direction–whether it’s finding sunscreen at a nearby gift shop or ordering a bottle of wine to your room at midnight. Not that I did that or anything…But overall, Garza Blanca is a resort that pays attention to the details that make luxury travel worth your buck.

FOOD & DRINK:

Garza Blanca Cancun has six different restaurants, from a casual beachside food truck to a luxurious steakhouse and contemporary Chinese. I loved Hiroshi, the property’s Japanese Fusion restaurant that serves all your fresh sushi favorites and more (and when I say fresh, I mean it. I literally watched them chop and prepare the tuna).

There are also two bars. One is called “The Snack,” serving poolside drinks and finger food. My personal favorite spot on the entire property was the adults-only rooftop infinity bar and pool. Here you’ll find craft cocktails and gourmet bites alongside sweeping ocean and jungle views. Dishes include meals like flank steak tacos, poke bowls, and seasonal salads. And if you want something seriously refreshing and sweet, order the “Watermelon Fresh” cocktail to drink.

AMENITIES:

• Personal Butler
• 24-hour Suite Service
• Pillow Menu
• Electric Curtains
• Balcony Hammocks
• Nightly turn-down service
• Adults-Only rooftop pool
• Family and kid’s pools
• Wellness Zone
• Kid’s Club

ROOM TYPES:

There are plenty of different room types to choose from depending on your budget and how many people you’re with. There are junior suites and one-bedroom or two-bedroom suites with a garden, sunset, or ocean view (you’re in Cancun, so you might as well go with the ocean view). If you really want to ball out, you can stay in a three-bedroom oceanfront luxury residence or in one of the penthouses (which have been frequented by some notable celebs).

Browse the room options here.

THE BEST THING TO DO ON-PROPERTY

This section of our “Hotels We Love” series usually includes the best things to do within a 15-minute walk and a 15-minute drive. The truth, however, is that I never actually left the property once. I don’t know whether to be ashamed of not venturing beyond the resort’s shiny lobby or proud of myself for actually relaxing while on vacation. I took the mornings slow, lay by the pool, ate good food, looked at the pretty views…and instead of feeling exhausted when returning home from my travels, I felt rejuvenated. So I think the best thing you can do on the property is enjoy the amenities to the fullest.

Of course, there’s no better place for some R&R than on the beach surrounded by crystal blue water and palm trees. Although the rooftop pool is definitely a close second. If you really want to relax, though, head to Spa Imagine. It’s the epitome of luxury and wellness, where you’ll find everything from classic massage treatments to HydraFacials.

Let me put it a different way in order to fulfill the assignment and not annoy my editor: The beach is the best thing to do within 15 minutes in any direction. That’s how it ought to be on any beach vacation.

BED GAME:

As I said, visiting this resort helped me actually relax. I’m usually someone who likes to wake up early on vacation so I don’t waste a minute of my time traveling to a new place, but I slept in until about 10 am each morning. That’s basically unheard of for me, and a big part of that is how comfortable the bed was (and the blackout curtains helped).

These hotel beds are the right combination of plush and firm, which is perfect for all those post-pool, mid-afternoon naps.

Rating: 8/10 — nothing insane but definitely notably comfortable.

SEXINESS RATING:

Between the sleek design, private balconies, and pristine views, you don’t have to worry about a lack of libido when visiting Garza Blanca Cancun. That being said, it is a family-friendly hotel and there are kids running around. If you’re looking for a secluded and quiet space, most of the property just isn’t that.

However, the adults-only rooftop pool allows for some peace (complete with a cocktail, of course).

Rating: 7/10 — Our editor says that non-kid-free properties max out at 7 on this scale. So… that’s a great score!

THE VIEWS AND PHOTO SPOTS:

I’m a little ashamed of just how many photos and videos I took at Garza Blanca Cancun, but there really is a photo op around every corner! From the rainbow canopy atop the poolside hammocks to the sweeping ocean view from the rooftop bar, you’ll be posting Cancun pics to your Instagram feed for weeks.

Rating: 9/10 Doubt me? Check my own feed.

BEST SEASON TO VISIT:

Is there really a bad time to visit Cancun? I think not, but if you’re not good in humidity and heat, it’s best to avoid going in the thick of summer. The best time to visit Cancun is about December through April (or at least that’s the most popular time to go). It’s the perfect anti-winter destination, especially for East Coasters looking to escape the cold.

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:

I mean, when you’re on the beach at a brand new resort, there’s not a whole lot to complain about. I’m honestly having a hard time thinking of something to write down here. The seaweed that kept us from jumping in the ocean? The construction going on at the hotel next door? Sure, but none of that was in control of the resort.

I guess my one note would be, when compared to some other five-star resorts, Garza Blanca Cancun could probably offer more daily, free activities for guests to attend.

INSTAGRAM IMAGES TAKEN AT GARZA BLANCA CANCUN

Even though Courtney Love has a long history as a musician (and a short history as a meme-maker), she is also a pretty accomplished actress. After being nominated for a Golden Globe in 1996, Love won the part of Marla in the cult classic film among male college students between the ages of 18-21, Fight Club.

But shortly after she nabbed the part, Love got into a scuffle with co-star Brad Pitt and director Gus Van Sant, who was looking to make a Kurt Cobain biopic. “I wouldn’t let Brad play Kurt,” Love recently said on Marc Maron’s WTF Podcast. She added, “I went nuclear. I don’t do Faust. Who the f*ck do you think are?”

Love was married to Cobain from 1992 until his death in 1994, just a few short years before Fight Club. Love then claimed she was fired from the film after the fight, which should have made her more qualified for a movie titled Fight Club, right? The role eventually went to Helena Bonham Carter.

Van Sant did eventually make a Cobain-inspired pic, but Brad Pitt wasn’t involved. Before she was fired, Love allegedly told the actor, “I don’t know if I trust you and I don’t know that your movies are for profit. They’re really good social justice movies, but… if you don’t get me, you kind of don’t get Kurt, and I don’t feel like you do, Brad.”

Love was then told by Edward Norton, who she was dating at the time, that she had been fired from the fight club, a club that doesn’t exist anyway after all, so it all worked out in the end.

(Via Variety)

If you watched Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery over the holidays, it’s hard not to see the parallels between Edward Norton’s tech billionaire Miles Bron and embattled Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Those parallels feel particularly poignant following Musk’s recent purchase of Twitter, which has done significant damage to his reputation as some sort of wunderkind genius who will save the planet. However, according to Glass Onion writer/director Rian Johnson, he honestly didn’t mean for Norton’s role to hit Musk that hard. It just sorta happened.

When asked during a recent interview with WIRED if he’d ever make a movie about Twitter’s downfall, Johnson joked, “Didn’t I just do that?” before explaining that the Musk parallels were a coincidence because he wrote the film during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. That’s two years before Musk randomly tried to flex on the social media world by buying Twitter.

Here’s what Johnson told WIRED about Norton’s character, who was supposed to have a bit of Musk in him, but not this much:

There’s a lot of general stuff about that sort of species of tech billionaire that went directly into it. But obviously, it has almost a weird relevance in exactly the current moment. A friend of mine said, “Man, that feels like it was written this afternoon.” And that’s just sort of a horrible, horrible accident, you know?

So there have you it. Glass Onion is kinda about Elon Musk, but only because he leaned way too hard into being an evil tech bro billionaire right before the movie came out, which no one could’ve predicted, but probably should have.

In the meantime, you can see Twitter having an absolute field day with Glass Onion‘s (slightly) inadvertent takedown of Musk:

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is available for streaming on Netflix.

(Via WIRED)

As 2022 winds down, we’re all looking forward to the year ahead. Plotting, strategizing, dreaming… This might include professional goals, romantic goals, and even travel. And while we totally understand the importance of the first two, we’re most concerned with that the latter.

Especially when that travel surrounds beer.

We make it a goal to visit a few new out-of-the-way breweries and lesser-known beer cities every year. Sure, we also visit the hot spots as well. Taking a trip to Denver or San Diego means you’ll be immersed in beer culture you don’t see in most places. But part of the fun of visiting an underrated or up-and-coming beer destination is the excitement of finding something new and seeing beer culture grow and evolve.

To help us uncover the best beer cities to visit in 2023, we went to the professionals for help. We asked a few well-known brewers and craft beer experts to tell us their picks for the most underrated, up-and-coming, off-the-beaten-path beer cities. Keep scrolling to see all of their beer-drenched selections.

San Luis Obispo

Dave Ziolkowski, head brewer at Arts District Brewing Company in Los Angeles

The larger area outside of San Luis Obispo on the central coast is cleaning up right now on their critical recognition. The stretch from Pismo to Paso is packed with medal-winning beer that is relatively young but founded by royal institutions. Wild Fields Brewhouse and The Does Not Exist are the musts.

Other Breweries Include:

Antigua Brewing Company, Oak and Otter Brewing Company, Barrelhouse Brewing, and SLO Brew Rock.

New York City

Dave Lopez, founder of Gun Hill Publick House in Brooklyn, New York

I may be a little biased, but with so many creatives in the beer space, New York is without a doubt the most underrated and upcoming beer city. Because of intense competition from non-New York breweries, many of the extremely talented local breweries often get overlooked and are not given the time of day by many bars and restaurants. However, New York and New York City have done a tremendous job of allowing our breweries to expand via the addition of secondary tasting rooms that provide enhanced access to the end consumer.

Our expansion of Gun Hill is a great example. We joined a community of locally owned breweries and distilleries at Industry City on Brooklyn’s waterfront in Sunset Park. Included in that space is another satellite location for Big aLICe Brewing. Very few cities allow for the housing of a group of brewers and distillers offering up a mixed selection of spots to seek out locally sourced and creative beverages.

Other Breweries Include:

Alewife Brewing, The Bronx Brewery, Interboro Spirits and Ales, and Other Half Brewing.

Tucson, Arizona

Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing at Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, Arizona

Tucson is the Austin of Arizona. It’s a funky, artsy, weird, left-leaning enclave that feels satisfyingly out of place with the rest of the state. The city punches above its weight in both brewery quantity (18 last I checked) and quality. Pueblo Vida Brewing Co. does hazy IPAs (and label artwork) as well as any brewery in the country. Dragoon Brewing Co. has for a long while made what might be the most reliably awesome West Coast IPA in the state. Borderlands Brewing Co., Crooked Tooth Brewing Co., and Motosonora Brewing Co. are all likewise creating beers both intriguing and excellent.

Tucson’s also home to the Tap & Bottle, which deserves a spot in the beer bar/bottleshop hall of fame.

Other Breweries Include:

Barrio Brewing, 1912 Brewing, Firetruck Brewing, and Thunder Canyon Brewery.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Wes Burbank, head brewer at Flix Brewhouse in San Antonio

I love the Albuquerque beer scene. It has a really nice balance of bigger breweries making excellent beer (La Cumbre, Ex Novo, Marble, Bosque) alongside smaller places that are also producing some really quality beer lately. Gravity Bound is a standout, alongside Sobremesa, Canteen, and Flix Brewhouse (what’s better than a brewpub with a top-tier movie theatre attached to it?!). In particular, there are some really great IPAs and lagers getting produced by these and other breweries around town.

Other Breweries Include:

Bow & Arrow Brewing, High and Dry Brewing, The 377 Brewery, and Rio Bravo Brewing Company.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Kaylen Gibbens, assistant brewmaster at Widmer Brothers Brewing in Portland, Oregon

I was in Charlotte, North Carolina earlier this year and definitely had some great beer. I think it gets overshadowed by Asheville in terms of being a beer city, but I really enjoyed Hopfly and Wooden Robot when I was there. Really nice beer and a cool ambiance at both spots. It’s an up-and-coming area with a mix of larger and smaller breweries springing up all the time. If you’re going to Asheville, make a detour to visit Charlotte as well.

Other Breweries Include:

Catawba Brewing, NoDa Brewing, Sycamore Brewing, and Birdsong Brewing.

St. Louis

Ryan Joy, lead brewer at Green Flash Brewery in San Diego

St. Louis. While there definitely are some well-known heavy hitters in the St. Louis area (Side Project, Perennial), some under-the-radar breweries are doing some great things too. Narrow Gauge plays heavy in the haze game but has also produced some solid lagers and complex and interesting mixed culture beers. The Italian food is awesome too. Head to Urban Chestnut for some great lager or Civil Life for classic English pub-style ale. While St. Louis has long been known for one big beer brand, the craft beer scene is on the rise.

Other Breweries Include:

4 Hands Brewing, Alpha Brewing, Blue Wood Brewing, and 2nd Shift Brewing.

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Garth E. Beyer, certified Cicerone® and owner and founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin

The Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) have to be the most underrated beer cities, at least in the Midwest. I lop them together because one is basically spitting distance from the other. Whether you hit up one or both (easy in a single day), you’ll leave thinking how amazing of a beer temple each is. The breweries in the twin cities win at both making incredible beers across every style imaginable and being gorgeous breweries to visit – from eclectic indoor taprooms to ridiculously spacious, dog-friendly outdoor patios. Here are a few that should be on your must-visit list: Lake Monster (St. Paul), Bad Weather Brewing Company (St. Paul), Lakes & Legends (Minneapolis), and Pryes Brewing (Minneapolis).

Other Breweries Include:

Dangerous Man Brewing, Modist Brewing, Surly Brewing Company, and Indeed Brewing.

Boise

Max Shafer, brew master at Roadhouse Brewing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Boise, Idaho. I cannot begin to tell you how underrated the beer scene is in Boise. With incredibly close proximity to Idaho’s hop-growing region, the brewers in Boise have access to hops that most brewers dream of. One of my go-to breweries in Boise is Boise Brewing Company. The team at Boise Brewing is making incredibly drinkable and well-balanced beers. Beyond the many other great breweries, you will find plenty of amazing beer bars, like Matlack’s, and great bottle shops like Boise Co-op.

Other Breweries Include:

Payette Brewing, White Dog Brewing, Lost Grove Brewing, and Edge Brewing Company.

Yakima, Washington

Jeremy Marshall, brew master at Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California

I wish I traveled more, but I go to Chicago frequently since we built our brewery there in 2014, and that market has really matured and exploded since then. However, when really considering a maturing and underrated market, I must shout out Yakima, Washington, home of the Bert Grant’s Yakima Brewing from 1982 and the magical valley of hop production. Us craft brewers descend upon Yakima for an annual pilgrimage, Over the past five years, the area has massively stepped up its beer game. Known as a predominantly blue-collar and agricultural landscape, it’s still true that the average beer drinker reaches for some sort of macro-brewed yellow lager, but there’s just too much access to amazing hops at a stone’s throw to not see this area explode. Recent additions are Balebreaker, Single Hill, Varietal Brewing and I would be unsurprised to hear of more coming. You could argue that this area doesn’t have the demand — but come hop harvest, they sure do.

When we show up thirsty, the super mature neighboring markets of Portland and Seattle are there to happily sponge up the rest of the demand.

Other Breweries Include:

Hop Capital Brewing, Valley Brewing, 5th Line Brewing, and Wandering Hop Brewery.

Baltimore

Judy Neff, founder and head brewer at Checkerspot Brewing Company in Baltimore

I may be biased, but the Baltimore craft brewery scene is up and coming. Over the next year, the development in the Baltimore Entertainment District is being finished and this will be the area with a concentration of new breweries (the Brewery District), in addition to venues like Top Golf, the casino, and music venues, and all right by Ravens Stadium and Camden Yards (where the Orioles play). It’s a great city to play as well as drink great beer.

Other Breweries Include:

Flying Dog Brewery, Suspended Brewing Company, Union Craft Brewing, and Full Tilt Brewing.

Wednesday didn’t turn The Cramps into chart-toppers, like Stranger Things did with Kate Bush (feel free to blame Mariah Carey’s holiday dominance). But the psychobilly icons — who came up with wonderful song titles like “Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?” and “The Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon” — have received more long-overdue national attention since the Netflix series premiered than they did during their active years.

Jenna Ortega’s self-choreographed dance to “Goo Goo Muck” has even made it all the way to Russia, where figure skater Kamila Valieva recreated the viral scene during the Russian Figure Skating Championship. The 16-year-old “snagged silver for her performance,” according to Insider, which also notes that she “sported a black ruffled tulle dress that mimics the one Ortega wore in the show when she originated the dance. The look was complete with heavy black eye makeup and long, black pigtail braids.”

Ortega explained the origin of the dance while appearing on The Tonight Show. “Initially, they wanted a flash mob, but I thought, no, there’s no way Wednesday would be cool with dancing and encouraging a bunch of people,” she explained. Wednesday director Tim Burton suggested “Goo Goo Muck,” which Ortega loved. “The Cramps is one of my favorite bands ever, so I was super excited, super pumped,” she added.

You can watch Valieva’s routine above, which includes snippets of The Addams Family theme song and Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary,” which has also gone viral on TikTok.

Since Lil Uzi Vert unveiled “Just Wanna Rock” in October, the hit got its own rowdy video and it even soundtracked a jumbotron dance battle at a 76ers game. It helped that the song became popular on TikTok, being used for online dance trends.

Chart Data revealed on Monday (December 26) that “Just Wanna Rock” sold over 1 million units across the country. Lil Uzi Vert took to Instagram to celebrate, sharing a screenshot on their Instagram story and writing, “Never let them get in Your head BE YOU.”

They’re also prepping for their first tour in six years. They announced that they’ll be hitting 20 cities in a Live Nation-produced run starting in March of next year, though dates and venues are still yet to be revealed. Meanwhile fans are still impatiently waiting for the release of The Pink Tape after it was delayed in October 2021. They also hinted at collaborations with Grimes, Travis Scott, and Playboi Carti on the LP. Their last record was 2020’s Eternal Atake, which was supposed to be followed by a tour that was subsequently canceled due to the pandemic.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

One of the most compelling things about the G League are the engrossing and completely unique stories behind every athlete. There are players on two-way contracts, called up sometimes within hours of an NBA game to be available for their parent team’s roster. There are young athletes vying to forge a path into the league via alternatives to college like the G League’s own Ignite, veterans who’ve already had NBA careers opting to continue playing as anchors of G League rosters, players who’ve landed spots in open team tryouts, and so many other scenarios.

For filmmakers like Taylor Sharp, it’s a dream as much as it is a near impossibility to zero in and highlight every story the G League holds. Still, Sharp, along with his production partner Holland Randolph Gallagher, have been entrusted with these stories before and have joined with the G League again to showcase three different journeys in an attempt to paint a real-time portrait of the landscape of the league as a whole.

“The Break” is an eight part docuseries that follows three players — Mac McClung, Scoot Henderson, and Norris Cole — through the current G League season, sharing in their highs, lows, and hopes. So far, two of the eight episodes have been released.

While the G League, Sharp, and Gallagher were aligned on the cross-section of athletes they wanted to include to show “really different versions of a G League experience,” Sharp says, there were still major challenges.

“We had to wait until kind of the last second to make decisions,” Sharp recalls over the phone, just having returned from the G League Winter Showcase in Las Vegas. “Cause you don’t know exactly — is Mac gonna make the Warriors, or is he going to be in the G League? Which veterans are gonna decide to be in the league?”

That roving sense of possibility can be disorienting, as McClung eludes to in the second episode. In its opening scene, McClung is driving to the Delaware Blue Coats practice facility ahead of the team’s training camp.

“I hate when people are like, ‘Stay ready, he’s staying ready,’” McClung intones, one hand on the wheel and the other emphatically motioning to himself and what’s flashing by outside the car’s windows. “Like no, this is a part of my journey, like what I’m doing right now isn’t important?”

It was crucial to Sharp to include a player like McClung in the series. McClung, a former Georgetown and Texas Tech standout who went undrafted in 2021, had an opportunity within the NBA last season, quickly became a fan favorite, and opted to forgo lucrative contracts overseas to return to the G League this year in the event the opportunity arose to play in the NBA. So often the G League can be touted as a kind of catch-all or passive in-between rather than an autonomous and important choice, and McClung’s portion of the series gives insight into that decision, as difficult as it can be.

Similarly, the inclusion of Cole, a two-time NBA champion, inverts the traditional timeline of what it means to be a successful NBA player. Rather than retire or continue playing overseas, Cole made the decision to join the G League and become a veteran anchor in November. With so many athletes in the G League grinding to make it to the NBA, vets like Cole can offer the insight and advice as someone who’s not just been there, but went all the way. Cole — along with Emmanuel Mudiay, Jahlil Okafor, Shabazz Napier, Amir Johnson, and Denzel Valentine — are among the former NBA players who’ve chosen to play in the G League, some right from the NBA and others after stints overseas.

“For someone like Norris, whose episode in the series has not yet come out but we’re working on now, it’s like, you do have to think about it from on the human side of things of like, what if a player just wants to be back and in the States like closer to family? With a closer connection to the NBA world that they were first a part of?” Sharp notes.

No matter the reason, more former NBA vets opting in to the G League creates a greater collective resource for younger athletes who want to break in. That’s especially the case for guys like Henderson who aren’t taking the more traditional route of going to college for a year before jumping to the NBA.

There’s a reason “The Break” started with Henderson — the match-up between Henderson’s G League Ignite squad and the French side Metropolitans 92, led by Victor Wembanyama, in early October was one of the most exciting highlights of the basketball season, in any league.

“I think thus far, some of like the most exciting storylines and basketball have their ties to the G league this season so far,” Sharp says. “The entire basketball world was focused on that Scoot and Victor match up and that’s where we started the series.”

As a storyteller, Sharp is especially excited about getting to document so early Henderson’s career. “That’s been one of the treats of starting off with Scoot,” he says. “‘Cause I feel like it’s getting a jump on really documenting his story, which is gonna be unfolding for many years.

“I can’t wait for the basketball world to embrace Scoot when he gets drafted, when he joins the NBA,” Sharp says with a chuckle. “Go ahead and get familiar with him, cause he’s gonna be around for a long time.”

The most compelling element of the G League can also be the most difficult to reconcile. So many people’s hopes, hard work, and end goals hinge on the briefest window of opportunity, wherein the odds are so impossibly stacked.

“There are so many more reasons to be in the G League and it’s been interesting to hear different players speak on their motivations for being [there],” Sharp says. “Everywhere you turn, I feel like you just find this incredibly compelling backstory on a player and they’re especially easy to root for as so many of them are on the cusp of reaching this really remarkable moment in their career of making it to the NBA.

“I think the more people pay attention to G League, the more embedded in it they become,” he adds.

What “The Break” and some of Sharp’s other projects with the G League present is as close to a real-time distillation of optimism as pro sports can offer. Regardless of how these stories end, there’s a particular privilege in being invited to witness, real-time, how they’re meaningful beyond the win-lose/success-failure dichotomy basketball so often gets reduced to. Because behind those things, and the teams that play the games, are people.

The Avengers of SM’s girl groups are returning and kicking off 2023 for the SMCU (SM Culture Universe) next month.

What was once an unbelievable idea (to fans) of bringing some of the top K-pop female acts under SM Entertainment, and creating a girl group out of it, is now a tangible project that’s here to stay.

Officially confirming new music is on the way, GOT the beat shared the release date for their for their first EP, Stamp On It, alongside its album art. The project girl group will make their first comeback on January 16 but will do a pre-performance at SM Entertainment’s annual New Year concert, SMTOWN LIVE 2023.

No further information in regards to tracklist or possible member changes have been confirmed.

GOT the beat is SM Entertainment’s project girl group (similar to SM’s boy group SuperM) that debuted at the top of the year (January 3, 2022). The super girl group comprises of seven members including BoA, Girls’ Generations’ Taeyeon and Hyoyeon, Red Velvet’s Wendy and Seulgi, and aespa’s Karina and Winter – all of which represent a generation of K-pop, and are considered the aces of their respective groups for being the main vocalists, main dancers, or both.

Check out the video for their debut single “Step Back” below.