In Eden, Sydney Sweeney and Ana de Armas separately travel to a secluded island in the Galápagos. Based on the reviews for the Ron Howard film out of the Toronto International Film Festival, it sounds like their characters do not get along. But in real life, Sweeney and de Armas would have at least one thing in common: the same desert island disc.
While playing a game of “Recommendation Roulette” for Vanity Fair, the actresses named their current favorite movie soundtrack. At the same time, and with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm, they both said, “Mamma Mia!” Or more specifically, Mamma Mia! The Movie Soundtrack, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. It lost to Juno, but could The Moldy Peaches sing ABBA’s “Our Last Summer” with the burning passion of Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, and Stellan Skarsgård? I think not.
You can watch the video with Sweeney and de Armas here.
As for Eden, Sweeney told The Wrap that she was shocked it was based on a true story. “You read all these crazy characters, there’s no way that they all are real, and they all come together and they have all these experiences,” she said. “But then I went and I read Dora [Strauch’s] book, and I read Margret [Wittmer’s] book, and I found all the newspaper clippings of all their stories and it’s the most wild account of people just put together.”
Also wild: that a movie with Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law, and Daniel Brühl does not have a release date yet.
Frankie Beverly, best known for his work with the R&B band Maze (also known as Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly and Frankie Beverly & Maze), died on September 10. He was 77 years old.
Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience. During this time, as we are navigating feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance we kindly ask for privacy and understanding, allowing us the space to grieve in our own way. This period for is one of healing, and your respect for our need for solitude is appreciated as we honor the memory of our beloved Howard Stanley Beverly known to the world as Frankie Beverly.
He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better. He lived for his music, family and friends.
Love one another as he would want that for us all.
Howard Stanley Beverly aka Frankie Beverly
12/6/46 – 9/10/24
The Beverly Family”
Beverly formed Raw Soul in 1970, and at the suggestion of Marvin Gaye, the band changed its name to Maze. The group would go on to release seven gold-certified albums between 1977 and 1993, all of which were at or near the top of the Billboard R&B charts.
The band received renewed attention in 2019 when Beyoncé covered “Before I Let Go” on Homecoming: The Live Album. Beverly reacted at the time, “I feel bigger than ever! I feel like I have a huge smash out there. It’s definitely a blessing.”
Beverly and Maze went on a farewell tour earlier this year, wrapping up in July 6. Beverly shared a statement with Billboard at the time the run was announced, saying, “I want to share with my lifelong fans and associates that I’ll be going out on the road one last time, then retire. Thank you so much for the support given to me for over 50 years as I pass on the lead vocalist torch to Tony Lindsay. The band will continue on as Maze Honoring Frankie Beverly. It’s been a great ride through the decades. Let the music of my legacy continue.”
As Bridgerton approaches its fourth season, our young high society members are growing up way too fast. Several of the eligible singles have been paired up, much to the delight of fans, but poor Benedict Bridgerton hasn’t been able to find his own love story, even after seeing all of his siblings have their own romance arc. But all of that is about to change for the lad.
Season four of Bridgerton is finally shaping up and Dune: Prophecy actress Yerin Ha has joined the cast as Sophie Baek, a new love interest for Benedict, who’s own romantic endeavors have caused various fan theories over the years.
According to Netflix, Baek has been forced to spend much of her life working as a maid for a demanding client. But she orchestrates her own Cinderella moment and disguises herself in order to attend Violet Bridgerton’s masquerade ball, where she meets the very desirable Benedict Bridgerton. What could possibly happen next?! You’ll have to wait. Here is the official longline for season four:
The fourth season of Bridgerton turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict (Luke Thompson). Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down — until he meets a captivating Lady in Silver at his mother’s masquerade ball.
Netflix shared a short teaser featuring Ha prepping for her role. “What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles — something that she constantly has to overcome,” Ha told Tudum. “Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict.”
Season three of Bridgerton was released in two parts this year, with the most recent batch of episodes dropping at the end of June. Season four will consist of eight episodes, which are currently in production. No release date has been set.
What do we want from James Bond? He (I’m using the “he/him” pronoun because I’m with Jenna Ortega and think we need more female-led franchises, not merely a gender-swapped “Jamie Bond”) should be cool. Obviously. This is the most important attribute. The guys want to be him, the girls (and guys) want to be with him, etc. He should also be attractive, cunning, intimidating but not too intimidating, and in this modern Bond era, a little emotionally broken.
I’m basically describing Aaron Pierre in Netflix hit Rebel Ridge, which is why I think he should be the next 007.
Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier (who also made Green Room, one of the best horror movies of the 2010s), Rebel Ridge is about a former Marine named Terry (played by Pierre) who gets stopped by the cops in a small Southern town while riding his bike on the way to post bail for his cousin. They seize the $36,000 in cash he’s carrying via civil forfeiture, under the unjust belief that it was obtained through illegal means. Terry visits the police station, overseen by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson), and reports that the cash was stolen by his officers. This doesn’t sit well with the cops, so Terry offers a deal: let him have $10,000 back for the bail and they can keep the rest.
This is where I’ll stop describing the plot, because there are some surprises I don’t want to spoil. Besides, this isn’t a straightforward review of Rebel Ridge (if it was, my review would be this: Rebel Ridge rocks). It’s an appreciation of Pierre, who gives the kind of performance that makes you stop the film midway through — one of the few benefits of streaming over the theatrical experience — and see what else he’s been in. He was born in London (another important requirement to playing James Bond) and appeared in a bunch of British shows before making his breakthrough performance in Barry Jenkins’ astonishing The Underground Railroad series. Pierre was also in M. Night Shyamalan’s bonkers Old as Mid-Sized Sedan, a dad joke of a rapper name, and he’ll soon voice Mufasa in Disney prequel Mufasa: The Lion King.
Pierre’s stock is rising, but he’s still a relative unknown — like Daniel Craig when he was cast as Bond. It’s true Craig was in more pre-007 projects than Pierre, but no one was seeing Lara Croft: Tomb Raider or Road to Perdition for the future Benoit Blanc. It wasn’t until Layer Cake (and Elizabeth) that Craig showcased what would make him a great Bond. Rebel Ridge is Pierre’s Layer Cake.
Pierre told Men’s Health that he’s “a student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing” and “deeply in love with martial arts.” The recent Bond films have played up 007’s martial arts abilities (although it’s been in the character’s DNA since Sean Connery took karate classes), and it’s fair to assume that future titles will favor hand-to-hand combat over goofy gadgets. A balance of the two would be nice (bring back the alligator submarine!), but whichever way Bond 27 goes, Pierre possesses the physicality to pull it off. His 6’3 frame doesn’t hurt, either.
But Pierre is more than just a muscular dude (although he is that). In every interview I’ve read with him, I’m struck by his thoughtfulness for every decision he makes as an actor. Take a look at what he told The Seattle Times about playing Terry: “One of the many things that appealed to me about this character was his ability to regulate his emotions even in moments which are undeniably, blatantly unjust, and intentionally so. He does it in a way that’s so not demonstrative and so not braggadocious that even when he’s articulating how patient he’s being with you, you still might not quite understand.”
Bond is of course in “peak human condition,” as the hilariously detailed James Bond wiki notes, but he’s also someone who relies on his wits to get himself out of seemingly impossible situations. In Rebel Ridge, Pierre plays this well: Terry always looks like he’s five steps ahead of the cops, but even when he’s behind, you wouldn’t know it from his calm demeanor. There’s a rage bubbling underneath, however. When it’s released, look out. This tension between the two could make the next Bond movie more of a tight thriller, which would be a welcome change of pace following the bloat of Spectre and No Time To Die.
So, what are we doing here? Pierre is charismatic, handsome, commanding yet thoughtful, good with a one-liner, and everything he says sounds cool as hell. The search is over: we’ve found our next Bond, James Bond.
The split season for Darren Star’s newest fizzy series, Emily In Paris, means that, sure, some fan frustration did occur by making viewers wait for the year’s final five episodes. Still, that wait will make sense in retrospect because the season does meet a natural dividing point. Emily Cooper is now poised to take a few much-needed breaks from Paris, including a trip to Rome.
Who is Emily, if she’s not an American in Paris? You’re about to find out, but here’s the more pressing question:
When Does Emily In Paris: Season 4 Part 2 Stream?
The loathe-to-love-it (for me) series returns on Thursday, September 12 and will adhere to the usual Netflix release plan of dropping at 12:00am PST and 3:00am EST.
These episodes follow up on Emily’s decision to give Gabriel a real shot (Alfie, you knew that was coming, and you still walked into it), and viewers found out that Camille is actually not pregnant, although she hasn’t broken the news to anybody yet. She seems to be angling for drama with the show suggesting that she simply cannot be alone in the final moments of the most recent episode.
Netflix hasn’t released a separate synopsis for the back half of the season other than “All roads lead to Rome…” while dropping the following trailer:
We do know, however, that Christmas is coming, and that Gabriel is working towards a Michelin star, and that Mindy is still somehow on that Eurovision quest. Do you (like me) wish that she would receive something slightly meatier to work with, even though this is not a show with consequential acts for any character? Fingers crossed for a spin off.
The trailer does show Emily in Rome with a personal tour guide/love interest, and Mindy making a “stamped your passport” joke. Nice. Additionally, Netflix has revealed descriptions of “new faces” on the horizon:
Eugenio Franceschini as Marcello: Originally from Rome, Marcello is direct, confident, and values simplicity. He’s substantive but never flashy — true to the roots of his family’s company.
Thalia Besson as Genevieve: Laurent’s 20something daughter from a past relationship, who’s just moved from New York City to Paris to start her career. Her bright, eager demeanor immediately endears her to Emily, who’s thrilled to have an American expat to mentor. But their similarities may end up complicating Emily’s life – both professionally and personally.
It’s nearly time to say “ciao” — see you on the other side of the pond soon.
“They don’t think I understand / ‘Cause I’m a child at 22 / And I don’t know who I am,” sings Keni Titus in the opening lines of “Think I Got A Bad Idea.” Taken from her new EP, Juliet, the track encapsulates the assured sense of self with which the Los Angeles songwriter carries herself.
That’s to say that you shouldn’t underestimate Titus. She’s young, yes, and has recently amassed a following via social media channels like TikTok and Instagram, but her songs speak for themselves. Pop-minded with a rock-ish edge, Juliet is a striking new entry from a buzzy new voice.
Following the EP’s release last week, Titus sat down with Uproxx to talk about Justin Bieber, her fear of the deep ocean, touring with Beabadoobee, and more in our latest Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Let’s get ice cream.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
Girl, that’s only 25 years away. I hope I’m not worried about being remembered yet.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
I’m not sure there is one person. I feel like I’ve absorbed so many people over the years. I love Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, Lana Del Rey, Bob Dylan, MGMT, and also just movies. Romance movies.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?
The most recent spiritual food experience I’ve had was a tuna sandwich from Bub’s and Grandma’s in Eagle Rock.
Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.
Justin Bieber’s Purpose tour. 2016.
What song never fails to make you emotional?
“Someone Like You” by White China or “What Do You Mean” by Justin Bieber.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
“Tony shalboub kids”
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
I have never been on tour, but I’m going on tour with Beabadoobee in September, which I am so excited about. Will update if I fall asleep anywhere weird obviously.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?
I have only performed in LA. I’m really excited to perform in New York and also Berlin eventually, hopefully, god willing.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
I would probably tell her to take pictures and do some research.
What’s one of your hidden talents?
I’ve been thinking for 20 minutes and I can’t think of anything. I swear there is one though in me somewhere.
If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?
Big Love Animal Rescue because save the animals.
What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?
It used to scare me a bit but I’ve come to the conclusion that you have to have a heart to make real art. I don’t feel threatened by the robots.
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.
This is a stressful question. Lana Del Rey for sure, I would probably say The Verve so I could hear “Bittersweet Symphony Live” once, One Direction, Oasis, Phoenix. These are my choices right now in this exact moment, in 5 minutes my mood would change everything.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?
Trisha Paytas.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
My first tattoo is an outline of a little guitar on my arm. I got it when I was 18 because I wanted a tattoo and I played the guitar. It’s really cute I think.
What is your pre-show ritual?
Drinking some tea and talking to myself in the mirror.
Who was your first celebrity crush?
Uncle Jesse from Full House.
You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?
I’m taking my best friends and my boyfriend. I would say either a perfect island where there is no possibility of getting a sunburn, like the Irish countryside or the south of France.
What is your biggest fear?
Being in the ocean where I can’t see the bottom and a shark coming up from below me and eating me.
Juliet is available now via BannerYeer Recordings. Find more information here.
For the past few years, fast food has been obsessed with the “chicken sandwich wars” — a race between every big brand to create a chicken sandwich as beloved as Popeyes. While most of that race was just fast food marketing hyperbole (there was never really a brand that could top Popeyes — or at least there hasn’t been one yet), we got a lot of great chicken sandwiches in the process.
But in 2024, you don’t hear about the chicken sandwich wars anymore, and that’s less so because Popeyes dominated the conversation, and more so that fast food has become so prohibitively expensive that people are eating way less of it. These days fast food brands are going wild with the concept of a Value Menu Wars. And you know what? We’re going to let them.
If a Value Menu War means more fast food for us at a cheaper price, we are all for it. But who makes the best? We tried to answer that question a couple of months back, but at the time the “war” was just starting and there were only a handful of options. Now the amount of value menu deals has doubled, so we’re here to re-taste and re-rank ‘em all to get you the best bang for your buck.
Here are the best fast food value meals right now, ranked. But first…
A Note On Pricing
A few of the fast food restaurants advertise a price but the meals actually cost a bit more depending on where you live. I live in Los Angeles, so often I’m paying a bit more for value meals than the national average. In those situations, I will put an asterisk next to the price to imply that you might have to pay more.
I also factored that into my decision of where to rank each, so consider each ranking a balance of value and flavor. Okay, let’s eat!
10. Pizza Hut — My Hut Box
Pizza Hut
Price: Starting at $6.99*
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
A Pizza Hut meal for well under $10? Sounds too good to be true right? Well, it is. The Pizza Hut My Hut Box is incredibly frustrating. The deal “starts” at $6.99, unless you’re in California, like I am, in which case the deal starts at $8.99, once you add in a drink and tax, you’re spending well over $10. So this deal is designed just to get you in the door.
If that still sounds tempting to you, here is what you get: a choice between a personal pan pizza or half a melt as well as the choice of one side, either fries or a four-piece boneless wings order.
I went with the Personal Pan and the Boneless wings. The pan pizza is fine, it tastes like Pizza Hut’s full-size pan pizza. The sauce is too sweet, but the cheese, toppings (in my case pepperoni + extra cheese), and bread are tasty enough. I’m not mad at it. For the boneless wings I went with Buffalo, which had a nice tender texture and a zesty and sweet flavor with mild spicy notes.
Overall, this meal is fine but it doesn’t really feel like a deal. I’m sure you have a by-the-slice pizza joint somewhere in your neighborhood where you can pick up two big foldable slices and a drink for under $10. Get that instead.
The Bottom Line:
If you suspect it’s too good to be true, you’re right. This is a sneaky value meal that you’ll come away from feeling a bit ripped off.
I’m a little taken aback by the price here. Taco Bell is popular because the food is wonderfully indulgent and incredibly cheap, so $7 for a Taco Bell meal sounds like a lot, and I feel like there are probably better ways to spend your money here.
But, we’re here to rank value meals, so that’s what we’re going to do! $7 gets you a Chalupa Supreme, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Double Stacked Taco, chips and nacho cheese, and a drink. The Chalupa Supreme features a thick fried tortilla loaded with zesty ground beef, lettuce, cheese, and tomato. It’s great. A Taco Bell classic!
The Beefy 5-Layer is another classic and consists of a tortilla loaded with beans, beef, cheese, sour cream, and nacho cheese sauce. It’s beefy, cheesy, and delicious.
I’m less psyched on the Double Stacked Taco which is essentially a crunchy taco wrapped in a flour tortilla with a layer of nacho cheese sauce acting as a binding agent. If swapping this for a regular crunchy taco would save me a dollar, I’d gladly take that deal.
The chips and cheese sauce feel like a throwaway side. You’re already getting a lot of tortillas in this meal, so again, if dropping this item would save me some money, I’d love the option.
8. Carl’s Jr. More Bang Less Buck Value Meal (Bacon Cheese Jr. Double)
Carl’s Jr.
Price: $4.99
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Carl’s Jr’s More Bang, Less Buck menu is kind of funny. While the rest of the brands are giving you full meals for around $5, Carl’s Jr decided it would be smarter to just offer a bunch of different sandwiches for under $5. That’s fine, but none of these are meals, so unless you’re fine with eating a single burger or chicken sandwich, you’re going to be hungry if you opt for Carl’s Jr.
So I figured the best move here would be to order the biggest burger on the More Bang, Less Buck Menu — the Bacon Cheese Jr. Double. This burger consists of two charbroiled beef patties, a double dose of American cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, and mayo.
Admittedly, this burger is pretty damn good. It’s meaty, with a nice charred beefy flavor joined by gentle smoked notes and sweetness from the bacon. Despite its small size, it’s a pretty filling burger. But, as I mentioned before, I live in California, so I could easily hit up an In-N-Out and pick up a Double-Double for less money and while I’ll miss out on bacon, I’ll get a way better quality, fresh, made-to-order burger. So while I like this option, it does feel like the value isn’t really there.
The Bottom Line:
A good and satisfying burger, but $4.99 still feels a bit steep for the lack of sides and the quality you’re getting.
$5 for an Original Recipe drumstick, mashed potatoes, and a biscuit is a pretty great deal in my opinion. The chicken is delicious and tender with a flavor that combines thyme, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, floral paprika notes, and a gentle hint of celery salt. It’s seriously addicting and tastes amazing when you dip it in mashed potatoes and gravy, which also serve as a great dip for the biscuit.
The only downside of this meal is the lack of a drink.
The Bottom Line:
A mix of KFC’s best foods for just $5. Can’t go wrong here.
6. Jack in the Box — Jack’s $5 Big Deal Meal W. Jr. Jumbo Jack
Jack in the Box
Price: $5
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
We’re happy to report that Jack in the Box’s $5 Big Meal Deal is exactly what it advertises itself as. For $5 you get a Jr. Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger, a Crunchy Taco, an order of small curly fries, and a value-size drink.
The burger is topped with cheese, tomato, lettuce, onions, pickles, ketchup and mayo. The burger is fine — not the best fast food burger, but certainly not the worst. You mostly taste the toppings here, the beef is more texture than flavor.
I can’t exactly call the Crunchy Taco good but if you’ve ever had a JiB Crunchy Taco, you’re aware that these things are strangely addictive and satisfying even though they sound gross on paper. The taco features a ground meat-like filling (pretty sure it’s made from soy), taco sauce, lettuce, and a slice of American cheese. Like I said, on paper it sounds disgusting, but it’s greasy and oddly satisfying.
The best part of this meal is the curly fries. They’re lightly breaded and seasoned with a mix of garlic and onion powder, and black pepper. The curly fries are definitely in the running for best fast food french fries.
The Bottom Line:
I’m torn on this one. I think it offers great value, but the quality of food you’re getting feels appropriately priced. If you already love Jack in the Box, the $5 Big Meal Deal is a no-brainer. But if you’re not a Jack in the Box fan, this probably won’t convince you to be.
As advertised, this meal is indeed just $5, which we love to see. The Your Way Meal allows you to choose between a Whopper Jr, Bacon Cheeseburger, or Chicken Jr. sandwich and is served with a four-piece order of nuggets, small fries, and a drink.
I chose the Whopper Jr, which had a nice, albeit slightly dry charred flavor, which paired nicely with the white onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo. The fries are good, but not great, and the nuggets feature a zesty and peppery flavor which tastes even better when dipped in some BBQ sauce.
There isn’t anything to hate about this deal, if you love Burger King, this is a great option.
The Bottom Line:
A greatest hits package of some of Burger King’s best menu options. Hard to complain about this one.
4. Del Taco — Del’s Real Deal$ (Bean & Cheese Burrito With Green Sauce)
Del Taco
Price: $1.99+
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
At just $2 per burrito, this Del Taco deal is one of the few on this ranking that actually feels like a steal. This burrito is better than every Taco Bell burrito, premium grilled burritos included. Inside a warm flour tortilla, you’ve got fresh, slow-cooked beans (rather than powdered like at Taco Bell), freshly grated cheddar cheese, and a hot sauce of your choice.
I’ve had both red and green, and I’m going to strongly suggest you go green. The green burrito features a mild tomatillo green sauce, it’s vegetal, tangy, and has a tiny kick of heat on the backend.
Now, straight up, one burrito isn’t enough to feel satisfied, but you can pick up two of these (or fries and a drink) and still spend less than $5. That feels like a true deal!
The Bottom Line:
A small bite, but a big deal. We’re digging Del Taco’s Del’s Real Deal$ for both the quality of the food and the value.
McDonald’s advertises its Meal Deal is $5 but in California, if you want a McDouble over a McCrispy, it’s going to run you $6. This means this deal is essentially just $6 because who the hell is going to order a McCrispy over a McDouble? I’m trying to eat not make myself sick.
Jokes aside, I find this deal pretty disappointing. The McDouble isn’t great, there is an uncanny fake quality about this burger that comes across like an alien’s version of Earth food (I still rather eat it than the McDouble). The burger features two thin beef patties, two slices of American cheese, lightly grilled onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard.
The flavor is incredibly salty with a strange sweet aftertaste. What makes this meal work though is you also get a four-piece order of chicken nuggets (the perfect amount), an order of french fries, which less face it, is probably the best french fries in all of fast food (we’ve done tests), and a drink.
While I don’t completely love the burger, I can’t deny that altogether this meal is very satisfying.
The Bottom Line:
You’ll probably end up spending more than advertised, but you’ll get a lot of food for your money, so this meal still delivers some value.
Rally’s $5 Meal Deal is legit! For $5 you get a choice between a Double Cheeseburger or a Spicy Chicken Sandwich, a small order of seasoned fries, a small order of chicken bites, an Apple Pie, and a drink. That’s a lot of food for just $5. Fast food brands, take note, Rally’s knows how to do a deal.
Great price aside, what you get here is also pretty good. I went with a Double Cheeseburger, which features two meat patties sandwiched together by a slice of melted American cheese and topped with ketchup, onions, pickles, and mustard, with the ability to add bacon for just a dollar more. I didn’t do the bacon, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
The burger is beefy, with a salt and pepper seasoned patty which is elevated nicely by the briney pickles and sweet red onions. I would’ve preferred more cheese, but hey, if a single slice of cheese is what helps them keep this deal $5, I’m fine with it.
The fries are heavily breaded and seasoned with black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, and the chicken bites are a bit dry, but well-seasoned. I never ate the apple pie because I was full from the rest of the food. I consider that a win!
The Bottom Line:
A whole lot of food for $5. Nothing about this meal feels like a ripoff, you’re really getting a lot of bang for your buck here.
Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag will run you $7 dollars in California, but they’re still calling it the $5 Biggie Bag. That’s straight-up false advertising. But price aside, this was easily the best value meal we tasted.
The Biggie Bag will get you your choice between a Crispy Chicken Sandwich or Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, a four-piece order of nuggets, fries, and a drink. Honestly, you could go either way here, both the sandwich and cheeseburger are great, but I went with the burger because Wendy’s beef is fresh and cooked to order, and for that reason alone, this meal wins.
The burger here is so full of beefy, meaty flavor with some smokey notes courtesy of the best bacon in fast food. The meat practically melts in your mouth as you chew it. Add to that some spicy nuggets, and fries, and you’ve got a full-fledged, satisfying meal
The Bottom Line:
Even though it cost us more than $5, the Biggie Bag still feels like a great deal for the quality and amount of food you get.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
The Weeknd finally announced Hurry Up Tomorrow, his long-awaited sixth album, and shared its cover art. Additionally, Kehlani kicked off her Crash Tour while Sade announced her first song in years, one she’s releasing for a great cause.
Here are the new releases you need to have your eye on this week:
Queen Naija — “Good Girls Finish Last”
Queen Naija’s “Good Girls Finish Last” marks her first release of the new year and one that finds reflecting on a relationship that made them feel like they weren’t good enough. The record follows her 2023 EP After The Butterflies, the 10-track effort that featured NBA Youngboy, Monica, Ella Mai, and Eric Bellinger.
Nippa — “F.N.F.”
London singer Nippa keeps his hot-streak alive with his new single, “F.N.F.” The funky single is one Nippa uses to capture the burning desire that exists between him and a significant lover. Though they may be friends, Nippa is down to blur the lines for the sake of some late-night fun.
RINI — Lucky 7
RINI’s new EP Lucky 7, his third project in four years, gives an unfiltered look at his recent experiences with love. In a press release, RINI said the project captures “emotions of longing, reflections on the past, and hopes for the future.” Lucky 7 arrives with seven songs and no guest appearances.
Laila! — Gap Year!
Brooklyn singer https://uproxx.com/music/laila-thats-not-my-problem-video/ finally shared her debut album Gap Year! with the world. The 17-track project is an entirely solo affair as it arrives with no features and production completely handled by Laila! “This album is a collection of what I’ve made during this year of being out in the real world & doing what I love,” she said about the project in an Instagram post.
Ye Ali — THJ Radio Vol. 1
Ye Ali put on his producer and curating hat for his new compilation project THJ Radio Vol. 1. The 14-track release rounds up some of R&B’s emerging stars like Reggie Becton, Ballad, Jawan.mp3, Larrenwong, Jahkoy, Dende, and others, as well as established acts like Tone Stith, Ant Clemons, and Eric Bellinger, for a diverse and very entertaining presentation of R&B’s future.
Mac Ayres — “She Won’t Stay Long”
Mac Ayres is back on the scene and he returns with his new single “She Won’t Stay Long.” The sweet and somber single is one Ayres uses to account for the moment he falls in love with her a girl that he also describes as “broken.” He knows she’ll eventually run away, but for now, he just wants enjoy his time with her,
Hylan Starr — Room To Grow
Hylan Starr checks in with his Room To Grow project, which has been years in the making. The newly-released EP features six songs and guest appearances from Wale, Eric Bellinger, and Chiae. Starr explained the project title in an Instagram post, saying the EP “is gonna help yall get to know me as a person and why I got room to grow.”
Gemaine — “War Cry”
Compton singer Gemaine strikes while the iron is hurt as he returns with his new single “War Cry.” The track is a triumphant and towering record that Gemaine uses to celebrate the wins he obtained, both in and outside of music.
Che Ecru — “Thirst”
Che Ecru’s active year continues with “Thirst.” The track follows his Pain Pack 14 EP and “Love Sick” singles and gives his growing audience another taste of his trademark sound: quivering auto-tune laced croons over bass-thumping production.
Ivory Scott — “What You Like”
Chicago singer Ivory Scott finds his groove on his new single “What You Like.” After calling on Kevin Gates for a remix on “Real 2,” Scott focuses his attention on a new relationship and he connected he feels with his partner.
ASTN — What A Night To Be In Love
Florida-bred artist ASTN delivers his first project since 2022 with What A Night To Be In Love. The five-track release celebrates love and the feelings it brings even in the shortest time span. The EP features on guest appearance from Thuy who can be found on the opening track “Two Truths And A Lie.”
Yesterday (September 10), Pharrell was hosting a screening of his new Lego-animated biopic movie Piece By Piece. At the event, he came face-to-face with a sign-wielding protestor, but he handled the situation calmly and confidently.
As Newsweek notes, the protester was there in support of PETA, and they had a sign that read, “Pharrell: Stop Killing Animals For Fashion,” presumably in reference to his position as Men’s Creative Director for Louis Vuitton. She was also heard yelling, “Stop torturing animals.” Pharrell kept his cool as he repeatedly told the person, “I know,” “You’re right,” and “I’m working on it,” before they were taken away.
He then spoke about what just happened to the audience, saying:
“Let me address that. You know, Rome wasn’t made in a day, and sometimes when you have plans to change things and situations, you have to get in a position of power and of influence, where you can change people’s minds progression. That’s not necessarily the way to do it, and sitting in my position, when I have conversations on behalf of organizations like that, unbeknownst to them, they come out here and do themselves a disservice. That’s OK: When that change comes, everybody in this room, will remember that I told you we’re actually working on that, and if she would have just asked me, I would have told her. But instead, she wanted to repeat herself.”
PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman issued a statement after the incident that says, “We would be happy to stop disrupting Pharrell’s appearances but despite a lot of lip service, he’s yet to ditch fur and exotic skins. Pharrell can decide in a heartbeat, today, to use his power for good and stop being complicit in cruelty — it’s quite easy to be kind.”
Until fall arrives later this month, it’s still (technically!) Brat Summer. So before it’s over, Charli XCX is releasing a remix of album highlight “Talk Talk” with Sweat tour partner Troye Sivan.
Dua Lipa will also be on the remix, although she won’t be doing any singing. Charli clarified her involvement on social media. “also thank you @dualipa for speaking french and spanish on the track,” she wrote.
The “Talk Talk” remix is out tomorrow, Thursday, September 12.
Charli XCX previously revealed on TikTok that “Talk Talk” (try saying “TikTok Talk Talk” five times fast) is about her fiancé, The 1975’s George Daniel.
“We were at the NME Awards [in 2020], we were both sat on different tables, and we were like texting each other, but we weren’t hanging out,” she said, according to People. “But we were both looking over at each other — it was very like, one of us would look, and the other one would look away, and then just vice versa. You know, when you just feel like someone is watching you, you can feel a hole burning in the back of your head or something like that.”
She added, “It was very much that moment.”
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