On her TikTok profile, Katie Norregaard (aka Miss Katie) describes her brand as “if Mr. Rogers and AOC had a kid.” And it’s 100% accurate. The teaching artist has been going viral lately for her kid-friendly tunes that encourage kids to learn about other cultures, speak up for their values and be the best humans they can be.
Let’s face it, some kid’s songs are a tad abrasive with their cutesiness, to put it politely. A certain ditty about a shark pup comes to mind. Norregaard manages to bypass any empty saccharine-ness while still remaining incredibly sweet. The effortless warmth of her voice certainly helps with that. Again, she’s got that Mister Rogers vibe down to a tee.
“Miss Katie” has a treasure trove full of fun creations, such as her jazz version of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” but it’s her “Chinese Dumpling Song” that’s completely taking over the internet.
The “Chinese Dumpling Song” is all about how to—you guessed it—make a dumpling, which Miss Katie sings with her students in Mandarin. As you can see in the video, the kids absolutely love singing it.
Norregaard told TODAY that the song is normally accompanied by a little toy dumpling to visually explain what would go inside, depending on the culture. Her aim is to instill the importance of appreciating diversity through the two languages we can all understand: music and food.
The song has racked up nearly 90,000 views and an outpouring of well-deserved internet love.
Below is a video of Norregaard singing the song along with her mother, who makes all the gestures in her hand … just like when Norregaard was a child learning the song for the first time.
The overwhelmingly positive response to the “Chinese Dumpling Song” (both from kids and adults alike) was a huge surprise to Norregaard.
She told TODAY, “I didn’t expect that first off that all the students in my class would enjoy it already. But that then it would find a place publicly in the world where so many people were connecting with it.” She added that it instilled “even more confidence and appreciation” within herself for her heritage.
In her quest to “pursue music and mindful kids’ content full-time,” Norregaard has songs about more than just food, although there are a lot of those. Every topic can become a tune—from history, to wellness, to politics.
For example, in the video below, Norregaard teaches kids about protesting. Or as she puts it, “when a group of people come together to say ‘there’s a big problem and something needs to change.’”
She even has videos for parents, helping them to shape more open, productive conversations with their kiddos. In this one, she discusses the importance of telling children the mistakes of grown-ups so that they can “reimagine a better world.”
On her website, Norregaard writes, “I view making music for children to be truly radical, beautiful work.” That sentiment is evident; the amount of love she puts into what she does is truly remarkable. Her sense of purpose is what makes “Miss Katie Sings” so special. Norregaard is providing kids with vital tools to build connections, manage their feelings and better understand the world … making it a better place in the process.
If you’d like to hear even more from Miss Katie Sings, you can follow her on TikTok, Instagram and Patreon.
Madison Cawthorn may have lost re-election, but he’s still got another seven months on the job. That means the eventually ex-Congressman can still get into loads of trouble. And he already has: According to The Hill, the already embattled representative is being investigated over damning allegations that may make his life even worse.
Less than a week after Cawthorn lost his primary to state senator Chuck Edwards, the House Ethics Committee announced they were looking into at least two claims: that he engaged in insider cryptocurrency trading and that he had an improper relationship with one of his staffers.
The first issue involves him promoting the notorious crypto called Let’s Go Brandon, named after the trend late last year in which Republicans used the words as code for “F*ck Joe Biden.” (One fan of the term, you may recall, actually said it to Joe and Jill Biden personally, during a Christmas Eve call about Santa.) Cawthorn failed to report that he had a stake in the company, though he did post a picture of him partying with the crypto’s founder on Instagram.
The second involves the man seen in one of the more risqué videos disseminated by the PAC dedicated to ousting Cawthorn from office. (Having succeeded, they’ve vowed to turn their attention to fellow Ultra MAGA lawmaker Lauren Boebert.) No, not the one where he’s naked in bed dry-humping another man. It’s the one where a different man is groping his crotch, which Cawthorn has claimed was a joke. That man is a distant cousin he’d hired as his scheduler. Along with the suggestive video, Cawthorn is also accused of showering him with gifts.
Cawthorn has maintained his innocence in both cases.
In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy, “I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly.” At it’s best, Scotch whisky can be pretty great. Yet, as with anything in this weary old world of ours, there’s just as much out there that’s bad as there is good or even mediocre.
For a little clarity, these are all double-gold medal Scotch whiskies. However, these are the double golds that the judges thought had a chance of winning “best in class” in their respective categories. In this case, those categories are Best Blended Scotch — No Age Statement, Best Blended Scotch – 16 Years and Older, Best Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement, Best Single Malt Scotch – Up to 12 Years, Best Single Malt Scotch –13 to 19 Years, Best Single Malt Scotch – 20 Years and Older, Best Independent Merchant Single Malt, and Best Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. Of the hundreds of Scotch whiskies that were entered, only 18 bottles actually made it to the finals this year. That’s a pretty elite group of great whiskies.
I’m adding my tasting notes (or the distiller/blender/bottler’s where necessary) to all 18 bottles, below. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find a new scotch that makes you as excited as Ron Burgundy was.
Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
Master Blender Stephanie MacLeod really hits it out of the park with these blends. This one starts with 32-year-old barrels of both single malt and single grain whiskies. Then all the single malts are blended and re-barreled in an “exhausted” barrel (meaning the barrel has aged its last whisky and would otherwise be repurposed). MacLeod does the same with the grain whiskies. Those grain and malt whiskies are then blended and put into another exhausted barrel for a spell. Finally, those barrels are blended and filled into an ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry barrel for a final maturation.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a rich sticky toffee pudding full of black-tea-soaked dates, sharp cinnamon, nutmeg, buttery toffee sauce, and vanilla ice cream with hints of orange zest, wicker, and an old leather tobacco pouch. The palate largely delivers on the nose’s profile with meaty dates, figs, and prunes countered by woody spice, dark fruit leather, and a touch of honey barrel staves. The finish is shorter than expected with all that dark and dried fruit leaving you with a sweetened and wintry vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty killer whisky and one that’s worth getting excited about. This is on the rarer and spendy side but has a deep flavor profile that’s as rewarding as it’s accessible to the palate.
This blended scotch from Loch Lomond is as bottom shelf as you can get in the U.S. That said, this blend takes barrels of grain and malt whiskies from the famed Loch Lomond distillery and aims them towards a fruity and sweet nature before proofing and blending.
Tasting Notes:
A slight note of bourbon vanilla shines through on the nose with hints of citrus, almonds, and watered down honey — kind of like stirring honey into a tepid glass of tap water. The palate has a mix of dried fruits — raisins, prunes, and maybe dates — with more watered down honey syrup, a touch of Almond Joy, and a hint of mulled wine. The end leans into the dried fruit and mulled wine spices with a final note of what feels like smoked honey.
Bottom Line:
If you’re mixing whisky and Cokes or any highball, this is the bottle to get.
This is another Scotch whisky that’s blended and bottled for the Australian whisky market. The malt and grain whiskies are blended and then finished in barrels that held spice and peat-forward whiskies. That whisky is then blended, proofed down, and bottled as-is.
“NOSE: Creamy toffee, floral with citrus apples. PALATE: Rich campfire smoke with toffee apples, honey, and custard. FINISH: Medium with spicy, sweet mouthfeel and tingle from the campfire smoke.”
Bottom Line:
Since this is an Aussie release, it’s going to be pretty fleeting outside of that market. Still, if you’re heading to Oz anytime soon, keep an eye out for it.
This whisky was actually taken off the market in 2012 and people lost their shit. Diageo came to its senses and brought it back by 2016. The juice is a blend of single malts only, making it a “pure malt” and not a “blended scotch whisky” (that’s blended malts and grain whiskies). The juice primarily comes from Speyside, Highland, Lowland, and Island malts with a focus on a minimum of 15-year-old Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore, and Linkwood.
Tasting Notes:
Cedar boxes full of sweet fruits lead the nose toward black peppercorns and vanilla pods with an underlayer of sweet green grass. That soft cedar leads the taste with support from grilled tropical fruits, dried roses, spiced malts, and chewy apple tobacco. The mid-palate sweetens with a honeycomb vibe as earthy smoke, singed cedar bark, dark cacao nibs, dry reeds, and an echo of sea spray round out the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is probably the most accessible and easy-drinking scotch on the list. You can find this pretty much anywhere. It’s not overly expensive. And, well, it’s just really good as a sipper or mixer.
This blended malt is made for the Australian market. There’s not a whole lot of information about it other than it’s a blend of the “finest” Highland malts.
“This whisky is approachable and accessible — fruity and framed by a great balance of spice and vanilla and finishes with a subtle smoky aroma.”
Bottom Line:
This is pretty much an “I’ll try it when I’m there” whisky. I’m not going to take the time to find this in the U.S. but will give it a shot the next time I’m Down Under.
This single malt from the famed Loch Lomond Distillery is all about the aging process. The hot juice is loaded into ex-bourbon, re-fill bourbon, and re-charred oak barrels for 12 long years. Those barrels are then blended and the whisky is proofed down with Highland spring water.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a mix of white summer flowers and a lot of fruit kind of like a fruit salad out of the can. The palate really amps up the fruitiness with overripe peaches, bruised pears, and plenty of grilled pineapple next to a rummy spiced cocktail vibe with a little bit of vanilla, allspice, and woody cinnamon. The finish keeps it easy with more canned fruit syrup, a hint of sweetgrass, and a bit of malty spice.
Bottom Line:
This is too fruity to really keep my attention. That said, I could see using this in a citrus-forward cocktail.
This Lowlands whisky is all about tradition and patience in a nearly-thousand-year-old abbey setting. The wash is made from Kingdom of Fife barley with an extra-long fermentation period. After distillation, the juice is loaded into ex-bourbon barrels, ex-wine barriques (casks from Bordeaux), and sherry butts. Those barrels are batched and blended before proofing and bottling as-is without filtration or coloring.
Tasting Notes:
A pile of grilled tropical fruits greets you on the nose with pineapple and mango being the most distinct alongside wintry spices, a touch of vanilla, old leather gloves, and a hint of sweet oak. The taste largely follows that path and layers in fresher orchard fruits, some dried-out dates, more dark spice, and a touch of dry vanilla tobacco. The end is a distillation of the sugars from the tropical fruits with a line of spicy malts tying it all together.
Bottom Line:
This is a fruit bomb from top to bottom. If that’s your jam, grab a bottle. If not, you can probably skip this one.
Port Charlotte Heavily Peated 10-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch
Bruichladdich really has fun with peated whisky. This expression keeps the peat phenols high, but not “out of this world” high. The casking is a mix of first and second-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill French wine barrels. That utilization of second-fill oak means there’s a very light touch of wood on this peated whisky.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine a dark chocolate orange drizzled in salted caramel and served on a wet leaf of seaweed and you’ll be on the right track for the nose. The smoke kicks in on the palate with a vibe that feels like those wet seaweed leaves thrown on a smoldering pile of pine to create a massive billow of smoke everywhere, as hints of buttery white wine and strawberry jam-covered scones linger in the background. The finish leans into the bready nature of the scones with a dry straw edge that is followed by a mouthful of the seaweed heavy grey smoke.
Bottom Line:
This is a peaty masterclass on the tongue. There’s a lot going on and it’s divisive yet, I think, enticing. The dark fruit jams, seaweed, and old smoke just work even though it sounds like they shouldn’t. Still, this is for a slightly more advanced palate that’s been exposed to some serious peat already.
This Viking whisky from high up in the Orkneys takes barreling one step further. Their 18-year expression is matured in casks made from American and European oak specifically for Highland. Those bespoke vessels are sent to Jerez, Spain to age sherry for three years. The same barrels are then sent back to Orkney to age this whisky for 18 years.
Tasting Notes:
This really feels like a classic scotch at every step. You’re greeted with notes of marzipan, dark berries, honey, and light lines of smoke on the nose. Those notes hold on as buttery toffee arrives with a dark chocolate counterpoint, leading towards ripe red cherries and floral honey. The end embraces distant billows of sweet smoke with a dry and earthy undertow on the slow, sweet, and berry-filled fade.
Bottom Line:
Highland 18 is one of those subtle masterpieces that might just hook you in for life. The peat is there but it’s so subtly layered in with more earthiness than anything else. Pour this over a single rock and you’ll be all set.
This is the most recognizable Lagavulin out there. The malts are smoked just down the road from the distillery at Port Ellen and the juice is crafted expertly by the sea at the famed and beloved Lagavulin Distillery. Finally, the whisky spends 16 long years mellowing in old American and Spanish oak before being blended and proofed with spring water from a creek just outside the distillery walls.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine a beach fire that’s using dried seaweed as fuel next to mugs of honeyed black tea and a clump of wet moss on the nose. The taste of this dram meanders through dried pipe tobacco smoke laced with hints of vanilla and tart apple while notes of briny caramel lead towards an oyster shell minerality. The finish is pure silk as the seaweed grows wetter and the smoke sweetens towards that caramel, vanilla, and apple.
Bottom Line:
This is the good stuff, folks. This is also a great gateway peaty that’s subtle and deep enough to really capture your attention without blowing out your palate on heavy and funky peatiness. That’s not to say this isn’t funky — it is. It’s more that it’s so much more than just its peated foundations.
Give it a shot, you might be pleasantly surprised by the depth of this one.
This Highland whisky is a supple stop between the brand’s entry-level 12-year and their bolder 18-year. In this case, the single malt spends 14 years mellowing in ex-bourbon before it’s transferred to French Limousin casks for a final touch of maturation.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a nice mix of fresh apple fritters with yeasty cinnamon rolls with a vanilla frosting trying them together as a quiet note of winter spice and old cedar planks mingle on the nose. The palate leans into the apple with a spiced apple cider with plenty of anise, clove, and cinnamon that’s countered by a svelte nougat, a touch of leather, and more of that old wood. The end is part of apple pie and part creamy nougat with a tiny whisper of fireplace smoke on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskies where you automatically say, “well, that’s nice!” There’s a bit of a bourbon vibe with all that stewed and spicy apple and vanilla, making this a good bridge between the two styles.
Glen Scotia Victoriana Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch
This Campbelltown whisky is a rarity, like most whiskies from the tiny region. This whisky spends a final 12 months maturing in 30 percent Pedro Ximenez sherry butts and 70 percent heavily charred American oak before bottling truly as-is — no proofing, no filtering, no coloring.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is thick with a lot of savory fruit — figs, summer squash — next to sweet oranges, overripe pineapple, and robust but fresh florals. On the palate, that floral nature takes in a nasturtium vibe with a layer of spice next to a thin line of saltwater taffy wax paper wrappers, rum-soaked cinnamon sticks, and a thin layer of creamy vanilla. The end has a vibe that’s kind of like malt-soaked tropical fruit next to spicy vanilla pudding with a whisper of singed apple bark lurking in the background.
Bottom Line:
This is just interesting. It’s fruity but so boldly so that it’s also intriguing. Though, I do recommend pouring this one over a single rock to calm down those ABVs a tad.
“The aroma of something powerful and fiery awaiting you. Thick, heavy woodsmoke. Rich, earthy peat. Extremes of spice and sweetness. Fresh lemon, zesty ginger, rich plum jam. An explosion of breathtaking peppery, peaty heat, soothed by honeyed sweetness before the smoke comes to the fore again. Exotic spices and a curious citrus tang of mandarin, both lulling you into a false sense of calm as the peat roars back to hit your senses again.”
Bottom Line:
This sounds “intense, brah!” For me, this feels like something I’d try a dram of at a trade show — there are so many of these types of bottles out there — and then… often forget it exists.
This new release from the much-lauded Great Drams — an independent bottler in the UK — is another winner. The Islay whisky in this case was aged in ex-bourbon casks before making its way to the Great Drams blendery where it was bottled as-is.
“Beautifully balanced, classic Islay peated whisky notes as well as lovely soothing vanilla and citrus fruit notes along with cinnamon and warming spice notes too.”
Bottom Line:
Great Dram releases tend to be some of the best independent bottles on the market. I can’t imagine this doesn’t live up to the brand’s great reputation. Though, you’ll need to act quickly as there are only 331 bottles of this one.
This expression from Ardbeg also happens to be their oldest expression (on their current lineup). The whisky is the epitome of peat on Islay. What makes this expression so special and extremely rare is that it was distilled and casked when Ardbeg was on its knees as a company, in the early 1990s. They simply weren’t making that much whisky back then and there’s hardly any of it left. That makes this a one-and-gone whisky with only 278 bottles, 90 of which were sent to the U.S.
Tasting Notes:
Heavy cream, smoked toffee, lemon pith, and ashes from last night’s campfire open this one up on the nose before veering toward soft sea-filled air, a touch of muddy bog, and old shovel handles from a well-worked farm. On the palate, there’s this deep sense of potting soil that’s still in the plastic from the garden shop next to uncooked smoked bacon rashers with plenty of black pepper and a slightly sour edge leading back to that heavy cream and smoked toffee by the mid-palate. Finally, hefty/spicy packed tobacco chewiness brings about a full-on head buzz — it’s a wild sensation.
Bottom Line:
I had this again recently at a tasting I was hosting and it was just phenomenal. While the Johnny Green might be the most accessible, this is probably the best overall, peated or not, on this list in my estimation.
Benriach The Twenty Five Four Cask Matured Single Malt Scotch
This whisky is a masterclass in maturation and blending by Dr. Rachel Barrie. The whisky spends 25 long years in sherry, bourbon, virgin oak, and Madeira casks before Dr. Barrie finds just the right ones to make this superior blend of single malt whisky.
Tasting Notes:
This feels fresh on the nose with caramelized apple mingling with leathery smoked apricots, espresso macchiatos, and brandied cherries dipped into very dark chocolate. Saffron-stewed pears lead the way on the palate as woody winter spices mix with burnt orange peels, a hint of oily vanilla, and a silky layer of smoked salted toffee with smoky almonds. The thin whisper of smoke leans sweet as the leather apricot and brandied cherries dominate the finish with a sweet and subtle dark fruitiness with a thin line of cherrywood smoke and a creamy hint of something medicinal.
Bottom Line:
This is hard to beat. Where the Ardbeg 25 brings the funkiness, this is all nostalgia and puppies. Moreover, don’t be afraid of the “peated” aspects of this. It’s almost exclusively tied to the sweet and lush dark fruit.
This Speyside distillery is for the whisky nerds out there. This particular release just dropped last summer with only 1,000 total. The whisky in those bottles was produced in 1981 and then spent four decades chilling out in old Oloroso sherry casks before going into the bottle as-is.
“Our first Benromach 40 Years Old displays rich ginger and stewed fruit aromas, Sevilla orange, red apple, and demerara sugar flavours before finishing with citrus zest and a subtle hint of charred oak.”
Bottom Line:
It’s not every day that you get to drink a whisky this old. If you’re lucky enough to come across this one (likely at a high-end whisk(e)y bar), pay for a pour. There’s no way it won’t be worth it.
Saturday Night Live‘s forays into the sports world for sketches can be hit or miss, but when Kenan Thompson is involved, there is usually a good chance it’s going to be a hit, best evidenced by him making a beloved recurring Weekend Update character out of LaVar Ball.
Thompson has also played Charles Barkley, but on this weekend’s episode he debuted a new former player turned sports media personality, as he took on the role of Kendrick Perkins opposite Chris Redd’s Stephen A. Smith in a First Take spoof that is honestly incredible work from all parties. Kenan nails Perk’s mannerisms and frequent use of “with all due respect” and “carry the hell on,” while Redd gradually warms up into a pitch perfect Stephen A. rant about going on a 10 city listening tour of America in the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile to determine if a hot dog is a sandwich — which he determines it is “for now and forever, amen.”
Chloe Fineman’s Molly Qerim captures the exasperation of dealing with these two perfectly, joking that they need to calm down because their audience of “unemployed dads” is still waking up, while Natasha Lyonne plays a wonderfully out of place Michael Rapaport, yelling about da friggin’ Knicks. Still, Redd’s Stephen A. and Thompson’s Big Perk are the stars here and I’m not kidding when I say I would watch a full First Take episode with these two filling in in character, because they really are incredibly on point.
Earlier this year, Kanye West’s Instagram page was a source of wildly erratic takes from the rapper/producer/father of four. Each new post brought a deluge of attention — not all of it positive — as he attacked his ex’s new boyfriend Pete Davidson, lamented the separation of his family, and generally made a bit of a nuisance of himself. The drama concluded when he deactivated his account, presumably to go away and get some much-needed counseling out of the public eye.
Today, he returned, revamping the page with just one post, a collaboration with Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa. Described by Bloomberg as “one of the world’s most influential designers,” Fukasawa has won multiple design awards over the course of a 30-plus-year-career, contributing to all sorts of consumer goods, from espresso machines to furniture. In Kanye’s new (sole) post, Fukasawa and Kanye offer a reimagining of one of the most ubiquitous products in the world: A McDonald’s cheeseburger. More specifically, they shared a conceptual redesign of the burger’s packaging, turning it into a square with translucent paper, similar to a candy wrapper.
There’s no information on what motivated this project or whether it’ll be used in any wider capacity yet, but fans are already celebrating Kanye’s return to Instagram; the new post has just under 1,000,000 likes in three hours.
After returning to a live event in 2021 and hosting a thrilling set at Coachella this spring, 88rising’s Head In The Clouds Festival now has dates for its 2022 event at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The groundbreaking label also announced Head In The Clouds Festival’s 2022 lineup for August 20 and 21.
It includes the label’s staples such as Jackson Wang, NIKI, and Rich Brian, as well as a wide-ranging collection of Asian artists including a joint set between Audrey Nuna and Deb Never(!), Korean-American battle rap mainstay Dumbfoundead, Seattle rapper Jay Park, Oakland singer-songwriter Mxmtoon, Japanese rap quartet Terikyaki Boyz, and a DJ set from Joji as Yebi Labs.
In addition, there will be activations from 626 Night Market, which will curate the festival’s food options, Magic Man and the Thunder Theatre, YEAR OF seltzer, and Joji’s Pop Up Shop. Tickets go on pre-sale Thursday, May 26, and general sale Friday, May 27. You can find out more information here.
In Uproxx’s April cover story on the label and its premier artist, Rich Brian, 88rising’s founder and CEO, Sean Miyashiro explained the importance of Head In The Clouds ahead of the group’s Coachella appearance. “Head In The Clouds Forever is so dope because that’s just a live, living, and breathing interpretation of what this company wants to be,” he said.
No really, that’s what Jason Douglas Owens did this week while facing charges for, among other things, assaulting Capitol Police officers during the riot on Jan. 6th in D.C. Owens and his son, who allegedly wielded a skateboard against police, were quickly outed following the Jan. 6th uprising thanks to social media photos with the elder man facing some serious charges. Apparently, though, the charges weren’t deemed serious enough to stall any vacation plans Owens and his family had.
According to court documents (via The Daily Beast), Owens was awarded a five-day getaway to Cabo Saint Lucas from his company Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals for being a top-selling rep. Owens became aware of the trip on April 21st, filling out a registration form that included questions about his shirt and shoe size, his alcoholic beverage preferences, and his dietary restrictions. (He’s “vegan but not too crazy strict.”) The next day, Owens asked his counsel how to proceed with the planned travel but he didn’t file the “emergency” motion until over a month later once he had already booked his flights and with the vacation just two weeks away.
Maybe it was just poor planning or procrastination, but whatever the reason for Owens keeping the trip secret until the last possible moment, the judge presiding over his case wasn’t having it.
He “seemingly assum[ed] this Court’s approach to nonessential foreign travel by defendants facing federal felony charges would be, like defendant’s adherence to veganism, ‘not too crazy strict,” Judge Howell wrote. “While the Court does not begrudge defendant’s apparent business success while on pretrial release, his international travel to harvest the bounties of such success will need to wait until he is no longer facing felony charges arising from ill-advised domestic travel in January 2021.”
That’s a burn, and not the kind this guy was likely to get on a Mexican beach.
While there haven’t been many notable rappers who shined on the big screen through the years, there have been a few. 2Pac was a masterful villain in Juice and Above The Rim, DMX made an iconic performance as Tommy “Buns” Bundy in Belly, and you just can’t say enough about how spot-on Method Man was as Melvin “Cheese” Wagstaff in The Wire. But it could really go either way (I’m looking at you, Common), because the transition isn’t always fluid and not every rapper has legit acting chops.
If the trailer for Down With The King indicates anything, it’s that Freddie Gibbs can act and he’s ready to rise to the occasion as a multi-talented artist. The film, which is Gibbs’s film acting debut, is about a big-time rapper who gets sent to live in a rural farming community by his manager (played by David Krumholtz), in order to get away from the hoopla of celebrity culture and the music industry for a while.
Gibbs’ palpable range as an actor comes through immediately in the trailer. There’s a balance between pensive moments, well-delivered lines, and even the comic relief of Gibbs corralling pigs in his Timberland boots. To his and the film’s credit, it’s already gotten hat tips from a number of film festivals, including Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Diego Ongaro, it’s out digitally and on-demand June 28th.
Watch the trailer for Down With the King above.
Freddie Gibbs is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
With just four teams remaining in the postseason (and soon to be three), the NBA Draft is the main focus for many teams and fans as we approach the end of May. The Draft Combine last week offered a chance for teams and fans to watch some of the draft hopefuls go through drills and scrimmages, and even more get measured and sized up.
This year’s Draft features what seems to be a consensus top-4, with Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, and Jaden Ivey occupying those four positions on most every draft board in some order. Beyond that, though, there’s some serious variance and in drafts like that, there is always considerable potential for movement on draft night, as teams will fall in love with prospects and want to move up, while others will be looking to back down the board or out of a pick completely.
There are plenty of candidates in the lottery to look to trade their pick, but Portland sitting at 7th overall is widely expected to trade the pick, with Jerami Grant — who was connected with the Blazers at the deadline — among the anticipated targets, per John Hollinger of The Athletic.
The pick that seems even more certain to be on the move is Portland’s at No. 7, with sources saying the Blazers will push to immediately put a competitive team around Damian Lillard rather than start over. Detroit’s Jerami Grant has been the hot name here, but the Blazers could look at other options.
Portland spent the second half of the year actively tanking trying to land a top pick and when they found themselves 7th on lottery night — somewhat ironically getting leapt by the Sacramento Kings, who they purposefully got behind in the standings — it all but guaranteed Joe Cronin would be shopping that around. As Hollinger notes, there will not be an extended rebuild in Portland, rather a quick effort at a retool around Damian Lillard, with Anfernee Simons stepping into a prominent role this past season.
Grant is a popular choice to go to Portland given how he would provide them with a much needed wing scorer and defender, but it’ll be interesting to see what other names pop up between now and Draft night as potential trade targets for the Blazers as they look to flip a mid-lottery pick into someone that can help them vault right back into the playoff hunt next season.
HBO and HBO Max just released their June lineup, and there’s plenty to be excited about for streaming fans. Westworld is back for more madness and mayhem as a human revolution goes against a robot army (lead by Tessa Thompson, of course). Academy Award winner Alicia Vikander plays a woman blurring the lines between fiction and reality in terrifying ways in the limited series Irma Vep. And for comedy fans, Andy Garcia is reviving the Father of the Bride plot for a new generation.
Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) HBO and HBO Max this June.
Westworld: Season 4 (HBO series streaming 6/26)
The mind-bending sci-fi series kicks its fourth season off with a human revolution and the return of Evan Rachel Wood. Despite Dolores dying in season three, Wood is back as some form of the park’s most notorious host as Maeve hunts for her daughter, Caleb leads the resistance, Charlotte Hale builds a robot army, and Bernard searches for the Sublime. So yeah, we’ve got a lot of territory to cover this time around.
Irma Vep (HBO limited series streaming 6/6)
Olivier Assayas directs this limited series based on his ’90s flick. This time, Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander plays his muse, a young actress named Mira who’s become increasingly disillusioned with fame and her lackluster artistic career. She reinvents herself by signing on to play Vep under the direction of an eccentric auteur, but the lines between actress and character begin to blur in disturbing ways.
Father of the Bride (HBO Max movie streaming 6/16)
This remake of the beloved ’90s film series sees Andy Garcia taking on the title role of a Cuban family patriarch struggling to come to grips with his daughter’s impending nuptials. The regular hijinks ensue as relationships amongst the large and loud brood are pushed to the breaking point in hilarious ways.
Everything Coming To HBO And HBO Max This June
Avail. 6/1 13 Going on 30, 2004 300, 2006 A Star is Born, 2018 Abduction, 2011 (HBO) Across the Universe, 2007 (HBO) The Adventures of Mark Twain, 1944 The Amazing Panda Adventure, 1995 Angels & Demons, 2009 The Ant Bully, 2006 Assassination Nation, 2018 (HBO) Babylon A.D., 2008 The Bank Job, 2008 Beach Rats, 2017 (HBO) Bee Movie, 2007 (HBO) Blue Bayou, 2021 (HBO) Border, 2018 (HBO) Colossal, 2016 (HBO) Caro Comes Out, 2019 (HBO) Chef, 2014 (HBO) The Con Is On, 2018 (HBO) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2000 Damsel, 2018 (HBO) Dark Passage, 1947 Day Breakers, 2009 (HBO) The Da Vinci Code, 2006 Domino, 2005 (HBO) Extraction, 2020 (HBO) The Firm, 1993 First Blood, 1982 The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014 (HBO) Gridiron Gang, 2006 Guess Who, 2005 Hairspray (Musical Remake), 2007 The Harvey Girls, 1946 Highlander, 1986 Horsemen, 2008 How Do You Know, 2010 How They Got Over, 2017 How to Survive a Plague, 2012 The Holiday, 2006 (HBO) I Know What You Did Last Summer, 1997 I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, 1998 I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, 2006 I’ll See You In My Dreams, 2015 (HBO) The Importance of Being Earnest, 2002 (HBO) The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, 2013 John Grisham’s The Rainmaker, 1997 Klute, 1971 The Last Movie Star, 2017 (HBO) Life Partners, 2014 (HBO) Macbeth, 2015 (HBO) Major League II, 1994 Major League: Back to the Minors, 1998 The Mask, 1994 McQueen, 2018 (HBO) My Boss’s Daughter, 2003 (HBO) My Days of Mercy, 2017 (HBO) My Dead Dad, 2021 The One I Love, 2014 (HBO) Papi, 2020 (HBO) Paris Is Burning, 1990 Rambo III, 1988 (HBO) Rambo First Blood Part II, 1985 (HBO) Religulous, 2008 (HBO) Remember Me, 2010 (HBO) Ride Along, 2014 (HBO) Ride the High Country, 1962 Sabotage, 2014 (HBO) Sleepers, 1996 (HBO) Soul Surfer, 2011 Stepmom, 1998 Suite Francaise, 2014 (HBO) The Taking of Pelham 123, 2009 Total Recall, 1990 (HBO) Unfinished Song, 2012 (HBO) Un padre no tan padre, 2016 W., 2008 (HBO) Watchmen (movie), 2009 What Happens In Vegas, 2008 (HBO) (Extended Version) The World According to Garp, 1982 (HBO) The Vanishing of Sidney Hall, 2017 (HBO)
Avail. 6/3 On My Way with Irina Rimes, Max Original Documentary Nudo Mixteco, 2021 (HBO)
Avail. 6/6 Doctor Who, Season 13 Irma Vep, Limited Drama Series Premiere (HBO) Total Dramarama, Season S3A
Avail. 6/8 The Janes, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Avail. 6/9 Amsterdam, Max Original Season 1 Premiere Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, Max Original Documentary Premiere Summer Camp Island, Max Original Season 6 Premiere
Avail. 6/10 The Card Counter, 2021 (HBO) Naomi Odo, Season 3 Victor and Valentino, Season 3B
Avail. 6/15 La Unidad, Season 2
Avail. 6/16 Father of the Bride, 2022
Avail. 6/17 Lucas the Spider, Season 1B Las Mejores Familias (AKA The Best Families), 2020 (HBO) Non-Stop, 2014 (HBO)
Avail. 6/19 Tom and Jerry Cowboy Up!
Avail. 6/20 Birdgirl, Season 2
Avail. 6/22 All American: Homecoming Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Avail. 6/23 Little Ellen, Max Original Season 3 Premiere Menudo: Forever Young, Max Original Documentary Premiere Wellington Paranormal, Season 3
Avail. 6/24 Bing, Season 1B Rich & Shameless, Season 1 Tuca & Bertie, Season 2
Avail. 6/26 Westworld, Season 4 (HBO)
Avail. 6/30 Julia, 2021 PCC O Poder Segredo, Max Original Premiere Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground, Max Original Premiere
Everything Leaving HBO and HBO Max This June
Leaving 6/9 12 Strong, 2018
Leaving 6/30 2 Guns, 2013 20 Feet From Stardom, 2013 (HBO) All Dogs Go To Heaven, 1996 (HBO) Dogs Go To Heaven 2, 1996 (HBO) All I See Is You, 2016 (HBO) Amityville 3-D, 1983 Amityville II: The Possession, 1982 Barry Munday, 2010 (HBO) Black Hawk Down, 2001 (HBO) Blades Of Glory, 2007 (HBO) Brother Nature, 2016 (HBO) Chaplin, 1992 (HBO) Dark Water, 2005 (HBO) Disturbia, 2007 Duplex, 2003 (HBO) Early Man, 2018 (HBO) Endless Love, 2014 (HBO) Godsend, 2004 (HBO) Good Neighbours, 2010 (HBO) High-Rise, 2015 (HBO) Hobo With A Shotgun, 2011 (HBO) Hostage, 2005 (HBO) I Used To Go Here, 2020 (HBO) Identity Thief, 2013 (HBO) (Extended Version) John Dies At The End, 2012 (HBO) Joyful Noise, 2012 (HBO) Killing Gunther, 2017 (HBO) La Gallina Turuleca (aka Turu, The Wacky Hen), 2019 (HBO) Le Divorce, 2003 (HBO) Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man, 2005 (HBO) Little Man, 2006 (HBO) Los Lobos, 2019 (HBO) Loser Leaves Town, 2018 (HBO) Love and A.45., 1994 (HBO) Lucky Numbers, 2000 (HBO) Matchstick Men, 2003 Max Steel, 2016 (HBO) Mousehunt, 1997 (HBO) Presumed Innocent, 1990 Princess Kaiukani, 2009 (HBO) Real Steel, 2011 (HBO) Rounders, 1998 (HBO) Saturday Night Fever, 1977 (HBO) (Director’s Cut) Shall We Dance?, 1996 (HBO) She’s All That, 1999 (HBO) Solaris, 2002 Soul Food, 1997 (HBO) Spare Parts, 2015 (HBO) Speed 2 Cruise Control, 1997 (HBO) Staying Alive, 1983 Still Waiting, 2009 (HBO) Sunset Song, 2015 (HBO) Super Capers, 2009 (HBO) Superstar, 1999 (HBO) The 15:17 To Paris, 2015 (HBO) The Gospel According To Andre, 2017 (HBO) The Last Five Years, 2014 (HBO) The Letter, 2012 (HBO) The Mummy, 1999 (HBO) The Mummy Returns, 2001 (HBO) The Next Three Days, 2010 (HBO) The Peacemaker, 1997 (HBO) The Scorpion King, 2002 (HBO) The Wild Life, 1984 (HBO) Wristcutters: A Love Story, 2006 (HBO) Trance, 2013 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls, 2007 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Diary Of A Mad Black Woman, 2005 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself, 2009 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes To Jail, 2009 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family, 2011 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion, 2006 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too, 2010 (HBO) Venus And Serena, 2012 (HBO) Waiting…, 2005 (HBO) What’s The Worst That Could Happen?, 2001 (HBO) Wonder Boys, 2000 (HBO) Wrong Turn At Tahoe, 2009 (HBO) The Yellow Birds, 2017 (HBO)
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