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Drake Revealed What He’s Listening To At The Moment And SZA’s ‘Incredible’ Sophomore Album ‘SOS’ Made The List

It seems like the five-year wait has paid off for singer SZA. Rave reviews for her sophomore album, SOS, continue to pour in from fans (we really like it, too). Ditching the “sad girl music” label she had been bestowed. On the now-No. 1 album, SZA explores relationships with a fresh new perspective as a songwriter.

In a recent interview with the online casino Stake, rap superstar Drake shared admiration for the 23-track body of work. However, as the “Rich Flex” rapper peered through the live chat, he noticed one question continued to pop up. “I know one of the questions was ‘what have I been listening to,” said Drake.

The rapper then proceeded to list off a few artists, including Lilah and Baby Drill, before disclosing, “And I’ve been listening to the new SZA, listening [to SOS], [it’s] incredible.”

This should come as no surprise that Drake is a fan of alternative R&B, as he constantly refers to himself as a “certified lover boy.” But, given Drake and SZA’s history, some fans were taken back by his response. But fear not: after their brief fling ended in 2009, the former lovers remained cordial.

Recently, the singer shared that even though Drake “has a Regina George quality to him,” they are in good standing.

“We’re cool. And we’ve always been cool,” said SZA, “It’s never been weird. It didn’t come completely out of the blue when he let me know. I didn’t know it was a song with 21 [Savage] or anything like that. But anytime he’s ever mentioned me, it’s always been positive. He’s never said anything negative about me. I’m grateful for that. I think highly of him… He’s King Drake.”

SOS is out now via Top Dawg Entertainment. Get it here.

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NBA Power Rankings Week 9: The Raptors Are Spinning Out

After a one-year dip in 2020-21, the Toronto Raptors bounced back with 48 wins in 2021-22 and appeared to be on the upswing. In addition to Pascal Siakam and 2022 All-Star Fred VanVleet, Toronto landed 2021-22 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes and entered the 2022-23 campaign with real expectations. The season started in middling fashion but, rather than throwing things into high gear, the Raptors are spinning out. Toronto is on a six-game losing streak, dipping to 13-18 on the season, and are allowing almost 1.19 points per possession over the six-game downturn.

That stretch includes three home losses. With all due respect to the improved Orlando Magic, a pair of losses in Orlando kicked off the swoon in ugly fashion. Toronto did perform well in Monday’s road loss in Philadelphia before losing in overtime, but the team’s overall projection is middling at best. Amusingly, the Raptors have scored and allowed the exact same number of points (3,444) through 31 games, essentially profiling as the most average team in the NBA. Of course, Toronto would gleefully take average in the standings compared to 13-18, and that is one area to find optimism in that the Raptors probably should have a couple of more victories.

With that said, the Raptors have familiar strengths and weaknesses, but a few troubling trends are emerging. Toronto is very good (+4.4 per 100) with Siakam on the floor and pretty bad (-4.4) without him. Toronto remains excellent in transition, posting top-three marks in efficiency and frequency, but are No. 29 in the league in halfcourt offense, per Cleaning the Glass, while scoring only 0.90 points per possession. That is a hideous figure and, while the Raptors are elite in turnover rate and offensive rebound rate, it is tough to overcome that level of halfcourt impotence.

On defense, the Raptors are always fantastic at creating havoc, and that applies to this year’s sample. Still, opponent shooting has bitten the Raptors to the tune of bottom-five marks in effective field goal percentage on both offense and defense. In short, it is exceptionally difficult to sustain consistent success with that level of shooting on both sides of the floor, and the Raptors need improvement from players like VanVleet (46.7 percent effective field goal percentage) and Barnes.

Things don’t get easier anytime soon for the Raptors on paper, with the red-hot Knicks, Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, and Suns on the schedule over the next five games. Toronto does have 9 of the next 12 games at home, and given that the Raptors are 10-6 in Canada, that safety could be helpful. It could potentially get gross before it gets better, though, and the Raptors are staring at a potential play-in trip in the face if the ship isn’t righted soon.

Where is Toronto in this week’s DIME power rankings? Let’s find out.

1. Milwaukee Bucks (22-8, Last week — 2nd)

Milwaukee is closer to full strength these days and continue to really excel on the defensive end. The Bucks essentially inherited the top spot with Boston’s recent struggles, but Milwaukee was also impressive in a road win over New Orleans on Monday to clinch the No. 1 location.

2. Brooklyn Nets (19-12, Last week — 5th)

We went deep on the Nets a week ago, and it was a quiet week in a good way. Brooklyn won a pair of road games, and the Nets’ only loss in the last 11 games came against the Celtics. This is probably too high for Brooklyn, but they’ve earned it.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (21-11, Last week — 7th)

Cleveland now leads the NBA in net rating, out-scoring opponents by 6.5 points per 100 possessions. The Cavaliers also lead in defensive rating after a 4-0 week with wins over Dallas (twice), Indiana, and Utah. The Cavaliers don’t have an easy week coming up with games against the Bucks, Raptors, and Nets, but each of those contests is in Cleveland.

4. Denver Nuggets (19-11, Last week — 6th)

The Nuggets vault here on the strength of a nice win over Memphis on Tuesday. Denver has won four of the last five and Nikola Jokic had a triple-double with 40 points and 27 (!) rebounds on Sunday. Come on.

5. Philadelphia 76ers (17-12, Last week — 8th)

Joel Embiid’s MVP push is ongoing with 36.9 points per game over the last seven contests. Philadelphia is on a five-game winning streak behind Embiid and James Harden, and the Sixers are into the top five of the Eastern Conference with this latest run.

6. Boston Celtics (22-9, Last week — 1st)

Trouble in Boston? The Celtics just lost four of five, including back-to-back home losses to Orlando. Granted, Jayson Tatum missed one of those games, but it wasn’t great. It’s probably too early to actually worry, but the Celtics have some discomfort for the first time all season.

7. Memphis Grizzlies (19-11, Last week — 12th)

This is more of a market correction than anything. Memphis actually went 1-2 this week, but the Grizzlies absolutely bludgeoned the Bucks. The two losses were on the road. It’s really fine.

8. New Orleans Pelicans (18-12, Last week — 4th)

Right as the Pelicans were garnering contender buzz, they’ve lost four in a row. The last three of those losses came by single digits, with two on the road and a loss to Milwaukee. Those aren’t damaging defeats, but the Pels’ red-hot run came to a screeching halt.

9. Phoenix Suns (19-13, Last week — 12th)

Phoenix was going to jump higher after three straight wins and a 58-point outburst from Devin Booker. Then, the Suns led by double-digits in the fourth quarter on Tuesday before losing to the previously skidding Wizards. That’s only one result, but it wasn’t a good one.

10. New York Knicks (18-13, Last week — 13th)

The Knicks are scalding-hot with eight straight wins. It’s been a fairly soft schedule over that sample, but New York is also playing quite well and throttling opponents with a +17.3 net rating. The Knicks also have a two-game lead for the No. 6 seed and the defense has been locked in since rotation shifts leaned in that direction.

11. L.A. Clippers (18-14, Last week — 9th)

The Clippers haven’t played since Saturday. L.A. is 4-1 in the last five, though, and the Clippers are quietly 9-2 when Kawhi Leonard plays. He hasn’t played enough yet to make huge takeaways, but it’s a good indicator.

12. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-15, Last week — 17th)

The Wolves put 150 on the Bulls this week, and Anthony Edwards is picking up steam. Minnesota is on a three-game winning streak that was needed before a five-game gauntlet against the Mavericks, Celtics, Heat, Pelicans, and Bucks beginning on Wednesday.

13. Portland Trail Blazers (17-14, Last week — 14th)

Damian Lillard is now the all-time scoring leader for Portland, which seems fitting. Unfortunately, the Blazers lost on the night Lillard passed Clyde Drexler, but Portland has some very winnable games on the horizon beginning with a rematch on Wednesday against the Thunder.

14. Utah Jazz (18-16, Last week — 18th)

Lopsided losses to the Bucks and Cavs aren’t great, but they aren’t terribly worrying given where Utah is. The Jazz did beat the Pelicans to start the week and also walloped the Pistons on the road on Tuesday. Things are stable for now.

15. Dallas Mavericks (15-16, Last week — 11th)

Dallas has dropped five of seven and 10 of 16 with injuries mounting. The absence of Maxi Kleber is huge in that he unlocks defensive lineups for Dallas and the Mavericks don’t have great alternatives.

16. Sacramento Kings (16-13, Last week — 15th)

The Kings have flattened out to be sure, including a bad home loss to Charlotte on Monday. The profile remains solid, but Sacramento needs to take advantage of the next five games coming at home.

17. Atlanta Hawks (16-15, Last week — 21st)

After losing five of six, the Hawks won back-to-back games to close the week, and the team is healthier with the return of Dejounte Murray and John Collins. However, a bomb dropped on Wednesday morning with President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk taking an advisory role and Landry Fields taking an elevated position in his place. For a team perennially involved in trade rumblings, that shake-up could be instructive.

18. Golden State Warriors (15-17, Last week — 10th)

It isn’t rocket science, but the Warriors aren’t very good without Steph Curry. Golden State is just trying to hold on for dear life in his absence, but the Warriors got flogged in New York on Tuesday and Andrew Wiggins is still out as well.

19. Miami Heat (16-16, Last week — 20th)

Miami still ticks up in the standings, but a home loss to the scuffling Bulls on Tuesday wasn’t great. The Heat did win four in a row before that, and the next three games are manageable at home.

20. Orlando Magic (11-21, Last week — 26th)

It’s pretty rare to see a 5-20 team win six games in a row, but the Magic just did it. The run came to an end in Atlanta on Monday, but kudos to Orlando for making that spurt and doing it without Wendell Carter Jr. to boot.

21. Indiana Pacers (15-16, Last week — 22nd)

Reality is here for Indiana with a 3-8 mark in the last 11 games. The Pacers also project as underdogs in the next three games on the road, and the losses could keep mounting after the fun start.

22. Oklahoma City Thunder (13-18, Last week — 24th)

OKC stopped a five-game losing streak and won two games in a row to end the week. One of those wins spoiled a big night for Damian Lillard, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was responsible for the game-winner.

23. Chicago Bulls (12-18, Last week — 23rd)

The vibes are reportedly hideous in Chicago. The Bulls did win on Tuesday to stop the bleeding a bit, but Chicago is on the road for the next two games and clearly facing potential upheaval.

24. Los Angeles Lakers (13-17, Last week — 16th)

It’s not the fault of the Lakers that Anthony Davis is out, but Los Angeles isn’t the same team without him. He is reportedly going to miss at least a month and, with apologies to LeBron, the Lakers are pretty thin without Davis, who was dominating before the injury.

25. Toronto Raptors (13-18, Last week — 19th)

There is an entire rabbit hole to go down on whether the Raptors should blow it up or at least examine shedding a veteran or two in the coming months to retool on the fly. The next few weeks will dictate a lot of the direction.

26. San Antonio Spurs (10-20, Last week — 27th)

It’s hard to know what to make of the Spurs. San Antonio is obviously playing better with a 4-2 mark in the last six games. However, the losses came by double-digits at home, and the Spurs still have a hideous -10.0 net rating that is dead-last in the NBA.

27. Charlotte Hornets (8-23, Last week — 29th)

With LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward back, the Hornets have at least been more competitive. Charlotte did lose eight in a row, but a win on the second night of a back-to-back against Sacramento was nice.

28. Washington Wizards (12-20, Last week — 28th)

The Wizards snapped a 10-game losing skid with a road (!) win over Phoenix on Tuesday. If not for that result, Washington would’ve been No. 30 this week, but they pulled it out of the fire despite blowing a 17-point lead. The vibes are still ugly, but Washington avoids the total free fall.

29. Houston Rockets (9-21, Last week — 25th)

It was an 0-3 week for the Rockets and each defeat came on the team’s home floor. The ugliest loss was a 19-point drubbing at the hands of the Spurs, and that ensured a dip in the pecking order.

30. Detroit Pistons (8-25, Last week — 30th)

Detroit is 1-6 in the last seven games, including four home losses. The Pistons continue to operate with the worst win-loss mark in the league, and Detroit’s defense has been quite ugly, both on the broad and granular level.

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Weed Enthusiast Afroman Apparently Wants To Run For President In 2024 On An Obvious And Dank Platform

Once upon a time (specifically the early 2000s), rapper Afroman became a weed icon thanks to his album Because I Got High and the timeless title track. These days, he’s still out here fighting the good fight when it comes to the legalization of cannabis. Now, he’s gearing up to take things to the next level.

Over the weekend, at a concert in Poplar Bluff, Missouri (as TMZ reports), Afroman told his audience, “Can I make the biggest announcement I ever made in my life? I’m running for president for ‘twenty-twenty-‘fro.’ We’re gonna get legal weed everywhere, man.” In a follow-up video shared on Instagram, the rapper repeated his intention to run for POTUS in 2024 and declared his goal is to get “recreational cannabis legal in all states.”

Of the concert clip, TMZ noted, “When you see the video, it might seem like a joke, but we’re told he’s dead serious.” They also report Afroman will run as an independent candidate. The rapper has yet to file the proper paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission, but that is apparently in the works.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, Afroman’s Ohio home was raided by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Sergeant Brian Newland later said the raid was part of an “ongoing investigation.” Afroman wrote on Instagram, “Now here they are kicc-ing in my door looking for weapons of mass destruction and 100,000,000 pounds of weed.”

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Janelle Monáe Teased A New Album Amid Their Busy Film Schedule And It’s All Thanks Her ‘Clone’

Janelle Monáe stars in one of the biggest movies of the year. In Glass Onion, they’re one of the key players in the newest Knives Out mystery. While music might be their first love, Monáe is pretty damn skilled in the art of acting, especially with critically acclaimed films like Moonlight and Hidden Figures under their belt.

But even though they’re keeping fans fed through the big screen, Monáe’s fans are eager to hear new music. In a recent interview with NME, Monáe revealed they are working on a new album in tandem with shooting and promoting their movies.

Next year will mark five years since the release of their most recent studio album, Dirty Computer, and during the interview, Monáe was asked if fans can expect to hear new music soon.

“Actually, you will! You will get new music because I now have a clone,” Monáe replied, jokingly. “That clone does all of my music, and I have another clone for acting. I’m not going to tell you if it’s me or not. They’re in the studio right now!”

In the meantime, you can catch Monáe in Glass Onion on Friday, December 23, when it drops on Netflix.

Janelle Monáe is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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Neil deGrasse Tyson Picked A Really Bad Time To Defend Elon Musk, And He’s Being Mocked For It

Most of Elon Musk’s loudest fans on Twitter have about 47 followers (half of which are bots) and a Paris Hilton-approved bored ape NFT as their profile photo. But here comes notorious buzzkill Neil deGrasse Tyson, with his 14.7 million followers, to defend the world’s richest person… scratch that… the world’s second richest person.

“While casting shade on @elonmusk for what he’s done, is doing, or will do, try to pause & remember that he made electric cars a normal thing in society and he commercialized space — for cargo, satellites, & people,” deGrasse Tyson tweeted, days after Twitter blocked journalists for doing their job. “Count him among those who are inventing civilization’s future.” Leaving aside the fact that Musk has made Twitter five times worse since acquiring the social media platform (and it was already plenty terrible), what might humanity’s future on Mars look like if the SpaceX founder has his way?

Al Jazeera has some predictions:

For starters, workers’ rights would likely be nonexistent. Musk has already blissfully violated earthly labour laws, threatened workers wishing to pursue unionization, spied on employees, and been bombarded with allegations that his behavior encourages sexual harassment and racism in the workplace… Taxes would also likely be nonexistent – at least for multi-gazillionaires like him who have traditionally been loath to contribute even the tiniest fraction of their wealth to US government taxes ostensibly collected on behalf of the public good.

But hey, maybe we could put a Cinnabon up there.

deGrasse Tyson’s defense of Musk is going over about as well as the time he made a “Blues Live Matter” joke about Avatar. “So you’re okay with racism, sexual assault, apartheid, anti semitism, and thievery… For someone whose space aspirations have been over financed and under delivering while systemically trying to lessen the very diversity you supposedly represent?” @Blackamazon tweeted, while @swarmferal2 replied, “Paving the way for commodifying the cosmos… Sagan is rolling in his grave.”

Here’s more.

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Quitting vaping is hard – but you don’t have to do it alone

When McCall Mirabella was a freshman in high school, she began vaping nicotine. It seemed like everyone she knew was doing it— she felt like she saw more kids her age using e-cigarettes than drinking alcohol, and rationalized that it couldn’t be that bad for her.

Eventually, she decided to quit and shared her entire journey with the world, hoping to warn others about the dangers—and realities—of vaping. Mirabella often wished she had access to a program for people her age when she was struggling on her own quit effort. That’s why she is partnered with truth® to spread the word about This is Quitting, a free and anonymous text message quit vaping program that is helping more than 500,000 young people.


The truth campaign, which helped reduce youth smoking to historic lows, took on the topic of vaping when it was declared an epidemic among young people in 2018. At that time, Truth Initiative, the organization behind truth, saw how many young people wanted to quit and developed This is Quitting in response to that need. A first-of-its-kind quit vaping text program, This is Quitting is now part of truth.

The most recent truth campaign, Breath of Stress Air connects the dots between vaping and mental health, revealing that while it might seem like vaping helps you tolerate the stress of life (and the holidays!), the reality is that vaping nicotine can worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression and may increase stress levels. But the good news? Among young people who quit, 90% of said that they felt less stressed, anxious, or depressed.

Basically: vaping may not be chilling you out and it may be best to trade stress air for fresh air.

Like many young people who vape, Mirabella took a hit of nicotine first thing in the morning, before she even got out of bed. Vaping felt like it made her life better—her brain, which was seriously hooked on the nicotine she was inhaling, told her what she was doing improved her mood, alleviated her stress, and curbed her appetite. Why would she ever quit?

However, 4 years into her nicotine addiction, a friend bet her $3,000 that she would not be able to quit vaping for an entire year. While quitting felt intimidating, she took the bet (planning to donate the money to charity), and opted to document her entire experience via her YouTube channel.

“When I uploaded my quitting nicotine documentary on my YouTube, I hoped that by telling my story, I’d have the opportunity to also help others. That’s why I was so happy to learn about This is Quitting and have the opportunity to partner with truth to help others quit too,” said Mirabella.


Quit with McCall Challenge

www.youtube.com

Mirabella continues to pay it forward. In an effort this past November to help others quit she joined truth for a ‘Quit With McCall Challenge,’ which helped nearly 2,500 young people join This is Quitting. Additionally, nearly 800 of those who enrolled in the challenge joined Mirabella’s Discord channel, leaning on each other for additional support. One user commented, “Yes I was looking for someone to talk to about quitting and I [saw] McCall’s new YouTube video and she blessed me with this [gift, because] I felt veryyyy alone and not so much anymore.”

Overcoming addiction of any kind is an enormous undertaking, which is why support from friends and peers is so crucial. With that in mind, This is Quitting incorporates text messages from other quitters on their journey. truth also uplifts the voices of real young people through its ongoing “Quitters” series. One such story comes from Jordon, a young person who committed to escaping his nicotine addiction. Using This is Quitting, he has successfully been able to commit to a healthy, vape-free lifestyle.


How a 15 Year Smoker Turned Vaper Quit to Help Support His Family | Quitters Episode 3

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Mirabella knows better than anyone how important peer-to-peer relationships are when it feels like you’re at war with your body.

“I am so inspired by everyone who is participating and the community we’ve built. A lot of Gen-Z wants to quit once they know the risks, they just don’t know how. That’s why I stand behind truth and their amazing work to provide free 24/7 guidance,” said Mirabella. “I hope other aspiring quitters know there is a big supportive community out there that wants to see you succeed in quitting.”

By enrolling today, you’re joining a half-a-million other young people who are taking control of their future and rejecting vaping. Even if you’re just thinking about quitting, but aren’t sure you’re ready, you can still text the number anytime. Support is truly 24/7—you can text DITCHVAPE to 88709 to receive it instantly. What better way to begin a new year?

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John Mayer, Perhaps Unsurprisingly, Plays His Guitar Naked After Sex To Make It ‘Very Memorable’

When John Mayer was announced as this week’s guest on the former-Barstool-Sports-turned-female-empowerment podcast, Call Her Daddy, fans — both of the show and a certain A-list pop star — were outraged. The host, Alex Cooper, had previously been campaigning to have the star on a future episode… considering Mayer’s appearance was just as cringey as some suspected, it seems any chance of Taylor Swift coming on has been squashed.

During the episode, Mayer, who felt compelled to bring his guitar on a podcast, played “Dancing In A Burning Room” and “Why Georgia.” As listeners likely wanted more chaotic musings than music, Cooper delivered by asking the 45-year-old, “Do you do this before you have sex with someone?”

His answer might not come as a surprise to many, but he went on to double down, making it even weirder of a response than we ever suspected.

“No, I do it after sometimes,” Mayer replied. “No, you should never play guitar to have sex with someone, but a little naked guitar playing after is very memorable. With a little gut hanging over, sitting Indian-style on the edge of the bed. It’s nice! I like seeing the way people fold up all weird when they sit up. No matter who you are, you look weird when you sit up. And it’s cute.”

Mayer claimed he “doesn’t really date” anymore and hasn’t since 2016. This has partially shut down rumors after the musician was linked to 23-year-old Kiernan Shipka last month.

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Tom Cruise’s Famous Holiday Cake That He Sends To All His Friends? He May Have Never Actually Eaten It

Here are a few things that Tom Cruise loves: movies, jumping out of planes, calling people p*ssies. Here’s one thing that Tom Cruise doesn’t love: cake. Every holiday season, the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun: Maverick star sends a cake to those lucky enough to be on his exclusive list, including Michael Bay, Kirsten Dunst, and Glen Powell. But according to James Corden, Cruise has never eaten the fabled cake himself.

“It’s unbelievable, I would say almost everybody he meets who works on The Late Late Show gets one of these cakes,” the late-night host (who probably thinks he can bake the cake better than the professionals) said on the Heart Breakfast radio show. “It’s like our head writers, Ian and Lauren, you know different people that he’s met, he’s just so gracious and generous. But here’s the most amazing thing. He’s never tried it!”

The Mission: Impossible actor, 60, is known for sending his pals a £38 ($50) White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake from Doan’s Bakery in Woodland Hills every year… Corden said he once gave Tom his review of the cake, explaining: “I said to him once, this cake is the most extraordinary cake I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

Cruise previously told Corden that although he loves sugar, he doesn’t eat the cake because “I’m doing all these movies. So I send it to everyone.” So, how did the sweet treat get on his radar? Diane Keaton introduced him to it while she was filming 2008’s otherwise-forgotten Mad Money with Cruise’s then-wife Katie Holmes. That’s putting a lot of faith in Diane Keaton. Honestly? Not the worst idea.

(Via the Daily Mail)

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Britney Spears Laments Instagram Cracking Down On NSFW Posts As She Shares More Topless Photos And Videos From The Shower

These days, Britney Spears’ creative output mostly consists of Instagram posts, and a notable number of those feature provocative pictures and videos of Spears showing off her skin. Now, based on what Spears is saying in her latest nude posts, it appears she’s noticing Instagram trying to limit her racy online activity.

Spears shared a slew of new posts yesterday (December 20), and while she’s naked in them, the photos and videos are framed more conservatively than usual. In one post, she wrote, “Instagram doesn’t like posts of people revealing their bodies anymore so here’s a selfie of me in Mexico !!! Mom and Dad … I crossed the border and I made it !!! After no coffee for 15 years … Mom we can go have coffee together now !!! I’m treated as an equal … let’s have coffee and talk about it !!!” She added in another, “I’m posting these from Mexico !!!! Honestly I have no idea why but I can see better !!!! I was in the shower for 2 hours but we can’t reveal our bodies now !!! There’s something about shooting in water !!! I wanted to see my eyes !!!”

This comes shortly after husband Sam Asghari defended Spears’ racy posts while also admitting something, writing, “The only person in the world that gets bullied for posting things like this. I personally preferred she never posted these but who am I to control someone that’s been under a microscope and been controlled for most of her life.”

Check out Spears’ posts below.

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Shortly After The Balenciaga Controversy, Gucci Faces Backlash For A Harry Styles Ad With A Child’s Mattress

Recently, Balenciaga found itself in some hot water after a controversial ad campaign, which CBS News describes, “The ads, which were said to be to promote Balenciaga’s plush bear bags, were part of the brand’s holiday campaign. The bears, however, are wearing BDSM gear and are being held by children that appear to be no more than 5 years old. In one of the pictures, a child is also surrounded by what appear to be wine and cocktail glasses.”

Now, Gucci’s promotion of their “HA HA HA” line is coming under similar fire thanks to a recent campaign featuring Harry Styles posing with a toddler-sized mattress. It was first shared back in November but has received increased attention recently.

Gucci called the campaign a “performance piece” and said (as NME notes), “Play is at the very heart of the collection, which uses menswear as a tool of the avant garde. Harry Styles showcase[s] the ‘dream wardrobe’ defined by the eccentric use of romantic accents, whimsical prints, vintage details, and the expressive emotionality of the individual. […] Harry Styles enacts a theatrical piece where classicism meets play, transforming the wardrobe into a liberated platform where the masculine can embrace vanity.”

Among those not pleased with the campaign is Alexandra Gucci Zarini, the great-granddaughter of Gucci founder Guccio Gucci. She tweeted, “Gucci was created to be the most elegant brand with the highest quality product. The direction it seems to be taking now is concerning. The protection of children should always come first and not be laughed at.”

Check out some more reactions below.