Open fire barbeque is having its moment. Cooking on an open fire – that is, cooking in the open air with wood logs or 100% hardwood charcoal – is the bbq version of circus performers doing the high-wire without a safety net. The line between bliss and complete failure is razor-thin. And for those ready to veer away from those rust-collecting Webers and ubiquitous charcoal briquette grills, this summer is the perfect time to start.

Why the summer of 2022? Because it’s fun to get your hands dirty, obviously. To be more specific, the primitive art of cooking your food without gas or electricity is a ritual that eschews convenience. Turn off the phones, the timers, and the open-to-the-recipe iPad. For BBQ lovers, precise temperatures, expensive cooking equipment, paint-by-number recipes, soulless wood pellets and Bluetooth meat thermometers are often the norm. And sure, they have their place, but open-fire cooking shifts focus away from pre-programmed formulas and encourages innovation and experimentation.

We’ve spent two-plus years indoors. This summer, it’s time to get outside and play with fire this summer!

The Francis Mallmann episode of Chef’s Table on Netflix uniquely captures the spirit of cooking with fire. Check the trailer below for some visual inspiration:

If you’re ready to venture into these rough and tricky waters, I’ve laid out everything you need to get started, below. I began using these methods years ago, well before quarantines and restrictions, and have leaned into them the past several seasons — creating food experiences and long-lunches for my pop-up – Open Fire Co – in both Australia and New Orleans.

PART I — FIRE

The boss is the fire. After years of cooking over an open flame, I’ve come to understand it is the fire that decides when food is finished, when it needs a little longer, and when it desires a blood sacrifice. In traditional BBQ in the US, the person looking after the fire is a position low on the ladder of the staff. “Pit B*tch” is the colloquial term often associated with it. On my crew, the fire manager is the most experienced of us in curating the balance between heat, flame, smoke, and source. This individual is communicating all day with the fire. Since there is no backup plan, the fire must be tended to with diligence and respect. For getting started, you likely won’t be doing big open-air fires. The best way to start is either with a small campfire or a charcoal grill (parrilla) that can contain your coals.

I like to use dried hardwood more than lump hardwood charcoal, just as personal preference. The best practice for wood logs is to build a separate “mother” fire. This is a campfire that will burn down the logs until they are hot enough for you to use them to cook. When they’re black and roughly 50%+ red with coal and ash you transfer them into your cooking fire. Conversely, if a log in your cooking fire is in danger of going out, returning it to the mother fire for several minutes can reignite it.

The goal of your cooking fire – whether on the ground, on an iron plate or in a parrilla – is to have fairly even, long-lasting heat. If it’s consistent throughout, you can move your food closer or further away depending on how long you need to cook it without hyper-focusing on the exact temperature. The weather can vary significantly from one day to the next, so I try not to over-analyze it. If you’re cooking in the summer in Louisiana, as I sometimes do, the 100+ heat will help you cook the food. In the winter, the cold air will fight you.

The general rule is if you can hold your hand over the flame for 5 seconds, that’s medium heat.

PART II — WOOD

Folks often ask what is my preferred wood. After all, in closed chambered barbeque, the wood imparts considerable flavor to the end product. I usually go with pecan, living in the South. In open-air cooking, my answer is a bit different. I’m after the driest, reasonably dense wood I can get. It could be hickory, oak, or pecan. In Australia, I used red gum, ironbark, or even dry stringybark on occasion. I just want it dry enough that it can stay smoky for hours on end. This is because the flavor I’m after is the campfire-like smoke itself, not the wood. There’s nothing worse than having even slightly wet wood go out time after time when it gets spread out.

All to say, there is no need to break the bank when you’re just getting started. The kiln-dried wood at your hardware store should suffice as you get your bearings. On a big hanging BBQ event day, I use 160 kilos but you can use as little as 2-3kg if just cooking a couple of steaks for the family.

PART III — EQUIPMENT

I started out with one of those suburban backyard firepits that you see at Lowe’s and a couple of replacement Weber cast iron grill racks that I set up on bricks (although they have sleeker ones now). This, combined with your regular arsenal of grill gear (tongs, fire gloves, etc) is more than enough to get you started. There are options to go fancier (like a half oil drum). If you want to campfire cook and hang food above the fire, get star pickets from the hardware store and some garden hooks to build a trapeze above your campfire. Here are some other unexpected things I’ve found useful.

• A large cast-iron pan and/or camp stove are indispensable. I love Staub cast iron because they have stackable pots and the ridges on the underside of the lids helps keep moisture in. Though I’m a sucker for enameled cast iron, getting matte black is probably best for direct fire.
• Welding gloves. Sometimes you have to pick up a flaming hot log and put it in just the right place. Baking gloves will not do. Insulated, leather gloves are the only way.
• Metal shovel. For moving around ash, coals, logs, and burning things.
• A massive cutting board. If you cook a lamb leg, you want all the space you can get.
• Stainless steel wire, wire cutters, pliers, stainless garden hooks, stainless screw loops, hammer, twine, and general tools for manipulating racks, grills, food suspension, etc.
• Extra replacement grills and grill brushes.
• Old newspapers, tumbleweeds, and kindling for fire lighting.

PART IV — RECIPES

The best part of fire cooking is experimentation, so I’m not going to overload you but there are a couple of classics to get you started.

4-Hour Chicken:

Chicken over the fire is a treasure and perhaps one the items that’s as good the next day as it is day of. All that smoky goodness just shines.

• Brine your chicken for at least 6 hours completely submerged in brine (3:1 at least water to salt ratio, mustard seeds, black pepper, bay leaf).
• On the day you’re serving it, rinse and dry chicken, stick half a lemon in the cavity, and then truss it using directions from my guy AZ.
• Next, cover it in olive oil and your choice of spice blend.
• When your fire is hot enough that you can hold your hand over it for 10-15 seconds or less, place your chicken hang above it using your star picket trapeze, twine, and a garden hook.
• Start with the chicken breast side to the fire for 1 hour, then flip it to the back for another hour and each side for 1 hour each.
• After four hours with consistent heat, check internal temperature with meat thermometer (or, if you feel confident, rip off a leg). If you need some extra time you can hang it from the top or bottom to give it some more eat.

Morrón con Huevo:

These bell pepper egg “boats” are a common sight at Argentine parrilladas. My BBQ partner Santi is from Mercedes, Argentina and takes special care to select four bulb capsicums so they lay evenly when cut in half.

• Halve each bell pepper lengthwise, through the stem. Carefully remove the seeds and ribs without piercing the flesh.
• Cook the pepper face down (so the boat is upside down) on your grill until the bell is warm and the rim starts to blacken.
• Flip the pepper and crack one egg into each, yolk remaining intact. Cook them until the egg whites are cooked through, roughly 15 to minutes.
• Top each with a piece of goat cheese, hot sauce or chimichurri and serve.

*this recipe appears in one of my cookbooks: the World Sauces Cookbooks, as does a recipe for chimichurri.

Lamb Leg:

Out of all of the variety of foods that one can smoke above a fire, nothing takes the smoke quite like lamb. This is one of the stalwarts of my fire-based cuisine. The most important part is ordering meat. A good butcher makes all the difference in sourcing and quality, which is essential for something as delicate as fire cooking.

In New Orleans, my butcher is Piece of Meat. I usually ask for a whole leg – meaning the chump (rump) and shank on. I also request for them to not touch the shank or knuckle (including the tendon) so there’s a natural loop from where to hang a S-hook. As well, I make sure they leave ALL the fat on, this is important as many butchers in the US will trim the fat (I sometimes get a chuckle from Leigh Ann at PoM because it means she doesn’t have to do much).

NOTE: what you’re looking for is #4800 on this chart.

One reason this is a great recipe to begin learning is the rump, fat and bone will protect the rest of the leg from burning. So even if you char or overcook it, the rest of the leg will still be perfect. And you’ll find some folks love that crispy burned part (or use it to make a banging stock). When the leg is finished you’ll have a range from cooked to rare, something smoky for everyone.

• Cover your 3-4kg leg lightly with olive oil as a binder and salt, pepper and any of your favorite spice rubs.
• Prepare a salmuera of water, salt (1:1), pepper, olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon, and herbs. Use a rosemary bundle to dip into the salmuera and brush on the lamb as it cooks (every hour or so).
• When your coals are hot and even, using an S-hook hang your leg from the knuckle a couple feet over the fire.
• Monitor the leg throughout, placing your hand on the side of the shank to make sure its getting heat.
• Allow the lamb leg to hang for at least four hours, up to six. The longer it stays the more smoke it will absorb so feel free to move it up and down depending on conditions eg heat, wind.
• When the internal temperature of the leg about mid-way up is 130-degrees it will be medium-rare. Note: NOT the bottom as that will not be a good indicator of the whole leg.
• Take the leg off the hang and grill each side on a grate or on the coals themselves for several minutes each side.*
• Let the leg rest 10 minutes, carve and serve.

*Another method is to truss the leg and hang it for a while knuckle down. It’s not my preference but can have the advantage of a more even cook.

PART V — SAFETY

When cooking with open flames, you don’t have the guardrails often associated or assumed with barbeque. Your normal store-bought charcoal briquettes are chemically pressed to be uniform. Wood or lump hardwood charcoal is not uniform. Split wood especially can spark and send burning pieces into the surrounding area with even a small gust of wind. One should always take – at a minimum – the safety protocols associated with an open campfire. In the days leading up to an event for Open Fire Co, we always check the weather conditions.

Here are some other tips to keep you and your environment safe.

• Check local fire management services websites to see if they’ve issued any fire warnings.
• If planning a ground fire, call the local fire department to check on the regulations in your community.
• If you can, build fire near water: streams, rivers, lakes, or even the ocean.
• Have fire suppression methods at the ready: decently pressurized garden hose, buckets of sand, water bins.
• On the day, clear the ground of bramble, twigs, dry grass, tinder, and anything that could spark.
• Fill a large bin with water (also helps with periodically washing equipment). Be careful of wind strength and direction, particularly around forests. Having bags of sand on hand helps with containment.
• Have a fire extinguisher present and on hand (small versions can be bought at many hardware stores).
• Once you are done for the day, completely put out the coals with the hose.
• As always, leave places better than you found them.

Remember, there is no food worth cooking in dangerous conditions. If you are not completely comfortable with suppressing your fire, you should wait or work with someone who is.

PART VI — WHO TO FOLLOW TO LEARN MORE

Up until now, many who are keen on open-fire cooking most certainly can trace their interest back to that Francis Mallmann episode of Chef’s Table. He is the North Star of Argentine-style open-fire cooking. His new book is veggie and vegan-focused and offers some great insight. Here are some more folks to keep an eye on:

• Lennox Hastie wrote perhaps the most comprehensive book on the technical aspects of fire cooking (including at what heats different woods burn). His restaurant Firedoor in Sydney doesn’t use electricity to cook.
• Bente Grysbaek is a Danish fire cook living in Australia whose Instagram is filled with creative and wilderness-inspired setups. She’s the head chef at Pope Joan in Melbourne.
• Kaelah James is a wild food cook from New Zealand and her Instagram page Kaelah’s Wild Kai Kitchen is absolutely wild and fun.
• Steven Rinella of Meat Eater is a master of campfire cooking game meats and fish. Additionally, his book The Meateater has butchering tips and recipes.
• Jaret Foster and Mona Johnson of Tournant PDX are a great follow for elevated and cinematic fire events in the Pacific Northwest.
• Derek Wolf’s Instagram and blog Over the Fire Cooking has daily recipes and tons of fire cooking ideas, especially using a variety of equipment.
• Pip Sumbak of Pip’s Plate is an Australian fire cook who is a master of barrel cooking and who uses Pacific Rim flavors and recipes.
• I’m Mark C Stevens, my pop-up is Open Fire Co based in New Orleans and Byron Bay, Australia. My books (on spices and sauces, respectively) are found here.

PART VII — MORE PHOTOS

One of the ripple effects of Elon Musk’s (possible) acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion is the word “shadow ban” being thrown around.

“It’s almost as if Twitter employees lifted a broad anti-conservative, anti-Trump shadow ban, which we all knew was taking place anyway, in an effort to cover their tracks before the new boss takes over,” Fox News “talk show host” Sean Hannity theorized. “Now, Twitter claims that there’s nothing nefarious at play here, but they’ve said that all before.”

Hannity, of course, provided no tangible evidence, unlike Caroline Orr Bueno, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Maryland, who found that “conservatives added followers because people responded to the Musk news by joining Twitter, creating new accounts, or logging into old accounts that were long dormant.” There’s “no evidence of shadow ban” at play here, according to PolitiFact.

That didn’t stop Joe Rogan from theorizing on his podcast, however.

The Joe Rogan Experience host claims he’s gained 900,000 followers since the Musk news (there’s a 78 percent chance that Musk News will compete with CNN in five years) broke. He credits the increase to Twitter doing “something different.” Rogan’s guest, Feminist Current founder Meghan Murphy, agreed that he had been placed in a “box.”

“Well, Megyn Kelly said the same thing. Did you hear her say that?” Murphy said. “She gained a ton, like a hundred thousand or I don’t remember the number, but something’s going on, a lot. Like, it was really noticeable. And so she was like, I’m pretty sure Twitter was… messing around with my account.”

Rogan added, “I think there’s something — something was going on. I mean, I’m just guessing the other option could be the bots that I’ve gained 900,000 bots, but it’s like every time I look, it’s like another a hundred thousand, it’s crazy!”

Who could risk missing tweets like this?

You can watch Rogan discussing shadow-ban theory here.

(Via Mediaite)

Whether you credit it to Tyler The Creator, Brockhampton’s Kevin Abstract, or Lil Nas X, the floodgates have opened. Back in the 2000s, every publication that covered hip-hop seemed to have run a “Is Rap Ready For Gay Rappers?” piece and in 2022, the answer is a resounding “yaaasss” — although some institutions are clearly still behind the times.

In addition to the breakout of unapologetically out queer rappers like Lil Nas X, the doors have been opened for contemporaries such as Saucy Santana, who dropped his “Booty” video with Latto today, and Kidd Kenn, who also shared the video for his new single, “Body,” after performing the song for UPROXX Sessions last month.

At just 19 years old, Kenn has already accomplished plenty and is poised for his own takeover in 2022. Signed to Def Jam, the Chicago rapper has already turned heads at the 2021 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher, collaborated with fan favorites like Saucy Santana and Rico Nasty, and has performed at Pride events all over the country. His songs have also been synced for commercials for the likes of Target (“Good Day”), Apple (“Moves”), and Madden 22 (“Get Lit”). “Body,” meanwhile, is exactly what its title suggests: a body-positive single encouraging confidence and self-celebration. It’s rap for the next generation, less concerned with street cred than self-love, which is something much more valuable.

Watch Kidd Kenn’s “Body” video above.

A prevailing refrain of the playoffs in recent years is the importance of versatility. The constant desire to deem one style or team-building approach as the new wave surfed toward success is overwhelmingly incorrect.

Many paths lead to a title, not the most recent one that everyone may suddenly campaign or intend to emulate. Regardless of the philosophy, though, versatility is imperative. Holstering counters and adjustments when opponents reduce the magnitude of one strength or leading scheme can be the lifeblood of a profitable playoff run.

Achieving said versatility stems from rostering personnel who touts a multifaceted skill-set that empowers them to shapeshift across game-plans. You require different players to win in different settings. The Boston Celtics and their fearsome, league-leading defense are versatile.

Their two foremost creators, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, are distinct in their scoring ethos. Their big man rotation of Al Horford, Robert Williams III, and Grant Williams share only a few two-way qualities (though, Horford and Williams crossover somewhat, I suppose) — Robert Williams is especially contrasting among the three.

Yet the guard tandem of Marcus Smart and Derrick White enjoy significant overlap on both sides of the ball. They bring duplicative versatility and it’s helping power Boston toward a championship with particular utility in these Finals.

Smart, of course, is the Defensive Player of the Year, a 6’4 bulldozer who casts his shadow seemingly wherever necessary on defense. Although his offense toggles among maddening, spellbinding, and reliable, he’s an integral secondary and connective ball-handler.

White, meanwhile, is more delicate in his defensive approach, weaving around defenders as though he lets out an “excuse me” before doing so, only to always be fastened at his assignment’s hip. Every rotation is punctually fluid, fitting into Boston’s switch-heavy defense founded on timing.

Like Smart, he’s similarly a mercurial shooter who can get downhill and create for others, even if plagued by indecision at times. But instead, Smart’s bruising, shoulder-in-your-sternum slashing is replaced by methodical probing.

The abundance of their chief skills may be seen as a luxury, yet it’s not. Boston needs this, especially against the Golden State Warriors. Defensively, Smart and White’s most prominent communal ability is their screen navigation. In this series, the Warriors’ most popular form of offense for their top initiators, Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole, has been a high ball-screen, which the Celtics are typically answering with some form of drop coverage.

Ideally, Boston intends to dissuade the pull-up 3s and direct those dudes inside the arc. Curry’s certainly enjoyed some unbothered, off-the-bounce triples and is jiving as a scorer (31.3 points per game on 64.1 percent true shooting).

In general, though, Smart and White’s knack for limiting airspace on and off the ball around picks is contributing to Golden State’s offense failing to replicate its exploits of the first three rounds. Poole’s hesitancy to let it fly around screens stems, in part, from Smart and White’s unnerving auras. Even Curry’s occasionally been deterred by their expertise.

After slapping down a playoff-best 116.1 offensive rating in the lead-up to the Finals, the Warriors’ offensive rating is at 110.5 over the past three outings. At all times, the Celtics keep a premier screen navigator on the floor; sometimes, they maintain two. Aside from playing someone for an entire game, few teams can boast that, especially ones that surround them with other All-Defensive talent. I’m not sure any other club in the league can currently, at least in tenable lineups, which is part of what renders this duo sensationally paramount.

Boston enjoys the flexibility of playing one or both without submarining their lineups. It’s an absolute rarity to pair non-All-Star, exceptional perimeter defenders who aren’t deadeye shooters and see the score trend in your favor. During the regular season, per Cleaning The Glass, the Celtics posted a net rating of plus-2.6 with both of them on the floor (685 possessions). In 484 playoff possessions, they have a plus-4.5 net rating with them. When only Smart is out there, Boston’s net rating has been plus-10.9 (regular season) and plus-3.9 (postseason). With White, those marks are plus-20.2 and plus-9.5, respectively.

Smart and White paper over their roller-coaster jumpers by serving as delightful linking players. Third and fourth options who are entrusted to put the ball on the deck and back up such credence is a necessary windfall for the composition of the Celtics’ roster. However, that sort of dynamic is a scarcity, let alone ones who craft the defensive signature they do.

Tatum and Brown are the ones predominantly tilting defenses. If a shot isn’t available for them once they do, another handler who makes dependable decisions is always present as an outlet. Smart is a bridge of a player whose rise in on-ball prominence was a key part of Boston’s offensive turnaround this season. Another version, albeit to a lesser degree, was something for which the Celtics could seamlessly find a purpose. White’s driving, hasty passing and proclivity to expose ill-equipped assignments as a scorer are all characteristics in line with Smart.

Boston staggers Tatum and Brown to ensure one is constantly playing. It does the same with Smart and White, who are offensive complements and defensive figureheads for the team’s stars. Usually, White replaces Tatum in the first quarter. Throughout this series, that’s diverted Smart off of Curry and into a roamer role, which is better suited for him to coordinate everything for the defense, where he’s masterful. It’s much harder to do so when you’re chasing a historic superstar around the hardwood.

White’s status enables Smart’s defensive malleability to flourish, just as their collective presence does for this Celtics squad. Superstardom isn’t the proper label for these two, but the concept of their coexistence feels about as remarkable as superstars are.

Just two years removed from the shooting death of Chicago rapper FBG Duck, another member of the FBG crew, FBG Cash was shot and killed in their hometown today at the age of 31, according to local news.

Cash, whose real name is Tristian Hamilton, was shot at about 5:30 this morning along with an unidentified woman while sitting in a vehicle in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. Another car pulled up alongside them and an unidentified man stepped out and fired multiple times before getting back into the car and speeding away. While Cash was hit several times in the body, the 29-year-old woman was also shot in the left arm and upper back. Cash was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. The woman was also admitted to the hospital in serious condition.

Two years ago, another member of the “Fly Boy Gang,” FBG Duck, was also killed in an especially violent shooting in the Gold Coast neighborhood by four masked shooters, who left 38 bullet casings behind. According to Chicago Sun-Times, four members of a street gang faction were charged with his murder. FBG Cash denied involvement in the murder in a YouTube video. Police are still investigating today’s shooting.

LeVar Burton dropped by The View on Thursday where he was greeted with an overwhelming standing ovation by the audience who was palpably thrilled to have the iconic TV personality in the studio. The crowd was so pumped that Ana Navarro couldn’t help but quip that she hopes the “people at Jeopardy!” are watching.

As a beloved fixture in children’s television thanks to his work on Reading Rainbow, which is featured in a new documentary, Burton was asked his thoughts on the recent increase in banned books as conservative groups target “critical race theory” and LGBTQ representation. A fired up Burton called it exactly as he sees it. Via The Wrap:

“Bulls—,” he replied bluntly. “I’ll be absolutely candid and honest, it’s embarrassing that we are banning books in this country, in this culture, in this day and age. We have this aversion in this country to knowing about our past. And anything that is unpleasant, we don’t want to do deal with.”

Burton then added that, just because something’s unpleasant, doesn’t mean it should be ignored. In fact, ignoring it only allows it to persist.

“This is not going away. Nothing goes away, especially if you ignore it,” he added. “So read the books they’re banning. That’s where the good stuff is. If they don’t want you to read it, there’s a reason why.”

Despite The View censors working quickly to bleep the word “bullsh*t” for daytime audiences, Burton quickly started trending on Twitter as some people couldn’t believe his choice of words. However, he stood by his remarks later that evening.

“I said what I meant and I meant what I said!” Burton tweeted along with a clip of the now viral moment.

While others clutched their pearls over Burton saying a “bad word,” others rushed to his defense and said the iconic TV personality was right on the money. Even Wonder Woman jumped in.

We’re with Ana Navarro. Jeopardy! let a real one slip through their fingers here.

(Via The Wrap)

Remember “The Middle,” the classic 2001 Jimmy Eat World single that was top-5 in the US? That was an era-defining song, for sure, but it’s also not completely representative of the band, as since then, they’ve continued to consistently pump out well-received albums. Their latest was 2019’s Surviving and now they’re at the start of a new chapter, opting to self-release new music instead of being tied to a label. (More accurately, new music comes out via their own Exotic Location Recordings, which has co-released their last few albums.)

All of that is to say that today, the band has a new single, “Something Loud,” a straightforward and melodic emo-rocker that sounds both fresh and (this is a compliment) like it could have been made at any time in the past 20 years.

The band’s Jim Adkins says of how the song was inspired by the feverishly anticipated When We Were Young festival, “While I thought I made the most of the early band days, I realize now I missed some stuff. You’re in such a hurry to grow out of the formidable years. Like sh*t-togetherness is going to magically arrive when you hit some age you thought ‘grownups’ were. Yeah, it doesn’t work that way. But maybe the thing age and experience do reveal is that pivotal moments are hard to grasp when you are in them.”

Listen to “Something Loud” above and find the band’s upcoming tour dates below (all of which are with Charly Bliss). Also revisit our ranking of the group’s best songs here.

09/08 — Cleveland, OH @ Rock Hall Live
09/09 — Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live!
09/10 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Four Chord Music Festival
09/11 — Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew’s Hall
09/13 — Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
09/14 — Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
09/16 — St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
09/18 — Chicago, IL @ RiotFest
09/20 — Richmond, VA @ The National
09/21 — Wantagh, NY @ Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall
09/23 — Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
09/24 — Providence, RI @ The Strand Theatre
09/25 — New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
09/26 — Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
09/28 — Albany, NY @ Empire Live
09/29 — Toronto, ON @ History
10/01 — Ocean City, MD @ Oceans Calling
10/22 — Las Vegas, NV @ When We Were Young
10/23 — Las Vegas, NV @ When We Were Young
10/29 — Las Vegas, NV @ When We Were Young

In a recent interview with The Guardian, I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu opened up about the appalling racism he experienced while taking a class at the prestigious drama school, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Essiedu’s co-star Michaela Coel, who also went to Guildhall, has been open about her experience in the past.

Essiedu described an incident where an improv teacher shouted the N-word during a class, and also said he didn’t enunciate clearly. The actor said the comment was “loaded.” He added, “It so clearly shows a lack of respect and understanding of what the experience is of someone who is in that position, in that skin, in that institution.” Essiedu graduated from the university in 2012 and noted that the syllabus was focused entirely on white actors.

After the incident, the actors didn’t know how to respond. “That was a real ‘time stops’ moment,” Essiedu said. “It was like, surely this can’t be happening. We were so shocked we just stayed in the improvisation, so we were like: ‘No we haven’t got anything behind us.’ We were shellshocked by what had happened and shocked that it had come out of the mouth of a teacher.”

After the telling interview, the school sent a statement to The Guardian, apologizing to the Emmy-nominated actors:

Guildhall School apologises unreservedly for the racism experienced by Paapa Essiedu, Michaela Coel and other alumni whilst they were studying at the school. The experiences he shares were appalling and unacceptable.We have since undertaken a sustained programme of action to address and dismantle longstanding systemic racism within the acting programme, including commissioning an external report into historic racism and a comprehensive and ongoing process of staff training and reflection

We have also undertaken a significant redevelopment of our acting curriculum, including a departmental staff restructure, so that our teaching and learning culture prioritises inclusivity, representation and wellbeing. We understand that this work is long-term and will require sustained commitment to build a culture that is inclusive and equitable for everyone.

Coel had previously opened up about her similar experience at the acting school, where she also experienced blatant racism. “I was called a [N-word] twice in drama school. The first was by a teacher during a ‘walk in the space’ improvisation that had nothing to do with race. ‘Oi, [N-word], what you got for me?’ We students continued walking in the space, the two Black boys and I glancing at each other whenever we passed.”

Hopefully, this will actually inspire schools to take responsibility for their offensive actions.

(Via The Guardian)

Ah, June. The month of graduations, weddings and summer break. Definitely one of the top three months of the year for joy.

It’s also a month to celebrate liberation, as Juneteenth and Pride remind us that all humans deserve to be free from oppression and that the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness belong to each and every one of us.

June means outdoor fun as well. Barbecues. Picnics. The weather in June is usually delightful as the days get longer and stretch well into the evening. By summer solstice, we’ll still see the sun’s rays at 9:30 p.m. where I live. All of that light makes bedtime a little tricky for the kids, but who cares. Long summer evenings are the stuff childhood memories are made of.

Yes, June is good.

This week’s roundup reflects a bit of June’s joy. We have heartwarming graduation stories, some delightful dancing, some cute doggos (of course) and some humans being hilarious. So whether you’re heading out for a weekend of fun or holed up in COVID isolation (yes, we’re still spreading that stuff around), take a few minutes and enjoy these snippets of delight.

1. High school grads showed up at their kindergarten teacher’s house to surprise her.

@kimhamilton15

#kindergartentograduation

They were the last class she taught before she retired. She was so proud. We don’t deserve teachers. Read the story here.

2. Speaking of pride, check out this sweet mama doggo and her new pups.

u201cThis dog just gave birth to 2 puppies , this is her proud face u2764ud83eudd70u201d

— Happy Dog (@Happy Dog)
1654203556

That wink, though.

3. And speaking of PRIDE … and doggos … introducing Riley the accidental ally.

u201cThis is Riley. He fell asleep on some chalk and woke up an LGBTQ+ icon. Not washing it off all month. 14/10u201d

— WeRateDogsu00ae (@WeRateDogsu00ae)
1654532959

“This is Riley. He fell asleep on some chalk and woke up an LGBTQ+ icon. Not washing it off all month. 14/10.”

We Rate Dogs is nothing but joy, BTW. And speaking of joy…

4. These gentlemen each doing their own two-step can just be played on repeat all day long.

@ceceredqueen01

Everyone don’t 2 Step the same ya dig 👑 #gala #mendance🕺😁🤣 #2022 #footwork #fyp

The suits. The hats. The smooth, expressive enjoyment of it all. All day, all day.

5. And in a whole other dance genre, these text tone dance moves are just tight.

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Clever and well-executed. (Popcorn and Anticipate are my faves.)

6. Apparently, it’s possible to use Instagram only as an ice cream flavor checker.

u201cwhen he found out I had been making tiktoks he opened tiktok profile and watched each of my tiktoks one by one, said, “these are really great babe” and then went back to never looking at or thinking about tiktoku201d

— Rachel Feltman (@Rachel Feltman)
1654194253

While we all struggle to not constantly get sucked into social media, Rachel’s husband is out here living a whole life, only checking ice cream flavors on Instagram once a month.

How, Rachel’s husband? How???

7. Try not to smile while watching babies smile at Borzah’s smile.

“White Smile Borzah” making babies smile

​Nah, don’t try. Just go with it. No sense in resisting. He even got one kid to go from crying to smiling in 10 seconds! (Read the full story here.)

8. Master storyteller Elyse Myers shares a hilarious tale about “edible” wedding plates.

@elysemyers

Turns out, it was as weird as I thought it was. 🍮 #coffeetalk #ecofriendly

No one tells a story like Elyse Myers, but this one is particularly hilarious. How did she not just die? Read more about her here.

9. Dad drove halfway across the country to surprise his son for his fifth grade graduation.

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Oof. This one’s a doozy. So much love.

10. Let’s all pocket a bit of whatever this tee-baller’s got.

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Is that his jam or what? I love that they basically had to turn it off to get him to pick up the bat. And then he went straight back to ballin.’ Total icon.

Hope that brought some happiness to your heart. Come back next Friday for another roundup of smileworthy finds from around the internet!

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Hit-Boy, Sada Baby, Rubi Rose and more.

We know some big albums are coming over the next few weeks, so it seems the major acts took a beat this week. Still, there’s plenty of gems to dig into. Hit-Boy dazzles lyrically, Sada Baby brings the energy, and Big Jade and Kali hold it down for the women.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending June 10, 2022.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

YGTUT — In My Head

YGTUT’s In My Head combines a lot of different sounds. “Dolla Sign$” featuring Michael Da Vinci is a flex, “Conceited / Ego Talk” is moody, and “Smile” is a ballad loaded with hearty, soulful vocals and uplifting bars. Whatever doubts you have may very well just be in your head.

Sada Baby — Skuba Sada 2.5

Sada Baby has a special charm, which makes Skuba Sada 2.5 an easy choice to listen to. He always has something funny to say, and a myriad of fun guest stars add to the experience: Snoop Dogg, Hit-Boy, Big Sean, and Nicki Minaj for the popular “Whole Lotta Choppas” Remix.

Since99 — Punch-Ins & Parlays

The title alone captured me here. As a creator, I can relate to doing what I love to do but trying to make some extra bucks through FanDuel. Since99 opts to use no features here, rapping with aggression on “Mine 2” and even paying homage to former NBA Champion Norris Cole. If you can get past the funny voice, there’s some quality here.

Lil Darkie — The Small Dark One

Lil Darkie keeps things short on The Small Dark One but captures the ears right from the beginning with “Go!” If you have ever sought out a different type of rap than what is popular today, here are some screamo bars for you. “Bam!” is especially jarring.

Singles/Videos

Hit-Boy x Dom Kennedy — “Corsa”

Hit-Boy has been on the run of a lifetime, and certainly, his hotline continues to bling for beat requests. However, the multi-talented producer has also been trying to further his own rap endeavors. “Corsa” finds Hit returning to a familiar place, joining forces with Dom Kennedy to flex their jewels, eat a fancy dinner, and enjoy the company of beautiful women. Doing the most isn’t so bad when you’ve got it like them.

B-Lovee ft. Coi Leray — “Demon”

Coi Leray wants a man from New York and admits to being a demon while B-Lovee is chained up. Yep, the song is aptly named. However, B-Lovee can’t stay tied down for long. He gets his moments of freedom to spit his verse and inform people that he is, in fact, a sav age.

Rubi Rose — “Wifey”

Rubi Rose’s “Wifey” video opens with two women hating on her OnlyFans content only to be starstruck and request a selfie when the artist ends up on the same block as them. As if being a woman of the people isn’t enough, the rest of the visual is Rubi washing a car with a few twerk breaks spaced throughout the activity. People get married for less, she can claim “Wifey.”

Mike Dimes ft. JID — “Home” Remix

Mike Dimes and JID are the perfect storm on “Home.” Dimes takes a more laid back approach to the triumphant beat, while JID picks up the pace in the middle of his verse with a myriad of fun rhyme schemes. You’ll come for a calm flex, and stay for the lyrical gymnastics. You can’t lose.

27Delly ft. Cash Cobain — “Super Bizzy”

27 Delly has a knack for fun music videos and reinventing himself. In “Super Bizzy,” he plays a successful businessman attending the stock exchange. He raps about shots of D’usse and Ace Of Spades, displaying the duality within the New York rapper. Cash Cobain adds in a confident verse as well.

Ron Suno ft. Rowdy Rebel — “What They Gon Say”

It sounds like Ron Suno and Rowdy Rebel were watching Spongebob and challenged themselves to rap over a random sound from the show. In “What They Gon Say” the disjointed violin behind their rapid fire bars create a chaotic yet fun experience. This is genuinely some of the best rapping from Suno and Rebel.

Cochise — “Turn It Up”

In case it is unclear, Cochise wants you to “Turn It Up” here. A hair-raising drum pattern and extension of his vocals with the autotune backing makes this something perfect for the car ride to a pregame. Not to mention, Cochise has some shape-shifting flows here. Pretty impressive. The traffic light that appears here and there showing the walk sign is a nice touch.

Yung Gravy — “Betty”

Yung Gravy samples “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley for this bright track. “Betty” has a tinge of soul to it, but is also a bit humorous just due to how well the sample is executed. Those in the know are aware he has a knack for this, but “Betty” in particular of as fluid is Yung Gravy’s name.

Ease The Don ft. Steelz and Nikeboy — “Gotta Rep”

This week’s West Coast offering comes from Ease The Done, Steelz, and Nikeboy. “Gotta Rep” is anthemic, with the guys denouncing broke women, rejecting emotional attachment, and avoiding drama. There are bigger things to focus on for the trio.

Big Jade ft. Peso Peso — “Pesos”

You can’t have too many get money anthems. Big Jade and Peso Peso flaunt their earnings inside and outside of the trap. Their haters don’t matter as long as the dollar signs keep multiplying on this upbeat bop.

Kali — “FNF Freestyle”

It’s an FNF (F*ck N**** Free) Summer according to Glorilla and Hitkidd and many are joining the movement. We have seen Erica Banks and Renni Rucci take on the frantic beat, and this week it’s Kali’s turn. The video opens with a man being lambasted for women contacting his partner about what he’s been doing, and then the ladies form like voltron to live their best lives. Fellas, be smart and be safe.

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