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There has some speculation that James Harden may way out of Brooklyn, either looking to go the 76ers or somewhere else. Earlier this week, Harden himself saying that’s he’s ‘frustrated’ since the Nets aren’t winning as much as expected.

Harden, however, isn’t going anywhere, at least not before next month’s trade deadline. According to a new report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets will not take offers on Harden before the deadline. Per Woj, this is in part because Harden’s “repeated insistences to ownership and management that he’s committed to staying and winning a championship with the franchise” and that, when Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving play together, they are still the title favorites.

Notably, Durant is out right now with an MCL sprain and won’t return until later February. Irving, meanwhile, is currently a part-time player because of a New York City mandate that prevents players from playing games in the city if they are not vaccinated against COVID-19.

Harden, who did not sign an extension prior to the season, could opt out of his deal at the end of this season and pursue free agency. The 76ers are the most known suitor for Harden considering his connection to Daryl Morey, their team president, but the 76ers have not had made an offer for Harden as of yet, per Woj. That’s not a surprise given their potential pursuit of Harden has always been reported as something for this summer in a sign-and-trade involving Ben Simmons rather than a trade in-season.

The February 10 deadline looms large for a number of teams and stars, but it seems safe to say that any drama involving Harden’s future in Brooklyn won’t come until this summer rather than in the next two weeks.

All good things must come to an end, and on the Jeopardy! episode that aired Wednesday, that’s exactly what happened. Amy Schneider, who’s ruled the roost since mid-November of last year, finally lost. It brought to a close the second-longest streak in the show’s history, and it made Schneider the first trans person to qualify for the show’s Tournament of Champions. Though she was bound to lose at some point, people on social media couldn’t help but mourn her departure.

At least it was a good loss: The person who usurped Schneider’s throne, Chicago librarian Rhone Talsma, was a strong competitor who gave his all. The turning point came late in, when Talsma scored a key Daily Double and answered correctly. He was still $10,000 behind Schneider entering into Final Jeopardy, but he was able to provide the correct question while Schneider was not.

Over the last two months, Schneider has proven to be yet another dynamic Jeopardy! champion. We’ve learned just about all there is to learn about her, from the tattoo she has to cover up on-air to the song she played to get her revved-up for a win. When she was robbed in early January, people rallied around her.

So it was inevitable that people would take Schneider’s loss hard.

Some floated the idea of her taking over for departing Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

The person who defeated her posted about his appearance back on Jan. 21, though he refrained from revealing the major spoiler.

Here’s what Schneider herself wrote on Jan. 19, a few days before she lost.

“Of all the things that have come out of my Jeopardy run, I will always be most proud of any good that I’ve managed to do for the trans community, so this acknowledgment means more than I can ever say,” Schneider wrote then.

Congrats on the historic run, Amy.

American rye whiskey and MGP of Indiana are inextricably connected. The Indiana distillery’s 95 percent rye whiskey (with five percent malted barley rounding out the recipe) is the rye whiskey that reinvigorated the whiskey style over the last decade. There’s a pretty big chance that if you’ve ever savored a rye whiskey over the last ten years, it was from Indiana — even if it’s bottled in Maryland, Vermont, Tennessee, or, yes, Kentucky.

What’s fascinating about MGP rye is that even if we’re talking about the same mash bill (that now-classic 95 percent rye), the same barreling process, and even the same warehouse placement, you’re still going to get vastly different flavor profiles. Hell, that’s true of barrels that were filled on the same day from the same distillation run. Because of that widely varying nature, brands can create their own flavor profiles (sometimes by adding in their own-make) without it all tasting like it comes from the exact same place (even when it does).

To that end, we’re ranking 20 rye whiskeys that are either full-on MGP of Indiana rye whiskeys or use some of that juice in their own blends back at their home distilleries. This is really about taste above all else. Beyond that, this list also hopes to show just how vastly different these whiskeys are and how beautiful the iconic juice from MGP of Indiana really is.

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of 2021

• The Single Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• The 50 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2021, Ranked
• Every Winning Bourbon From Our 2021 Taste Tests, Blind Tasted And Re-Ranked
• The Best Value-Per-Dollar Bourbon Whiskeys, Ranked
• All 19 Brands From The Buffalo Trace Distillery, Ranked

20. Templeton Rye Whiskey 6

ABV: 45.75%

Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

This expression is MGP’s iconic rye that’s shipped out to Iowa where Templeton flavors the whiskey ever-so-slightly with a “proprietary formula” to help it hit its exact flavor profile (hence it’s not labeled as a “straight” rye whiskey). The whiskey is then cut with local water to bring it down to proof.

Tasting Notes:

The whiskey draws you in with bright summer wildflowers next to light but clear honey sweetness, a touch of cherry pie, light oak, and butterscotch candies. The palate has an Almond Joy vibe with almost toasted coconut, powdery milk chocolate, and a hint of vanilla next to an echo of woody tobacco stems. The finish doesn’t overstay its welcome and leaves you with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg spice next to that sweet butterscotch.

Bottom Line:

This is an interesting place to start any MGP journey in that this whiskey is altered to a very unique flavor profile. The MGP is the base that’s massaged into something wholly new. It’s worth noting that Templeton has been distilling their own juice for a few years now, so this won’t be an MGP product for too much longer.

19. Tin Cup Rye

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $30

The Whiskey:

This expression is made with three-year-old MGP 95 that’s shipped out to Colorado. Once in the Rocky Mountain State, the barrels are blended and proofed down with that mile-high water.

Tasting Notes:

This nose offers clear notes of vanilla extract by way of a pecan pie that then moves towards cinnamon spice and fresh sprigs of dill and tobacco leaves. The palate has a vanilla pudding feel that’s bolstered by sweet cinnamon sticks and dark clove berries. That leads towards a dry sweetgrass note, which brings the tobacco leaves back with a clear spiciness that’s close to a freshly cracked black pepper and allspice berry.

Bottom Line:

This is probably the most “standard” MGP 95 rye you can get — and that’s the point. This is a “spicy” rye like the ones you’ve certainly heard about. That’s not a bad thing, especially since this is a very easy-to-drink whiskey all around.

Still, this is definitely a cocktail base more than anything else.

18. Redemption Rye

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $30

The Whiskey:

This affordable rye is the famed MGP 95 that’s aged for just under three years. The juice is blended by Master Blender Dave Carpenter and is brought down to a very reasonable 92 proof with soft Kentucky limestone water.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with rushes of cedar, green grass, nasturtiums, and soft leather. The palate feels like common black pepper next to more cedar with a touch of wet chili pepper flesh. The end combines mint, chocolate, and tobacco and packs all three into an old cigar box, and then dusts the whole thing with white pepper.

Bottom Line:

This is vastly different than Tin Cup above. The proof is very close but that water source for getting to that proof is drastically different. Moreover, we’re talking about two blenders looking for different flavor profiles for their brand and finding it.

I do like this as a cocktail base but it works on the rocks, too, and, in a pinch, as a sipper .

17. Bulleit 95 Rye

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $33

The Whiskey:

Bulleit Rye remains one of the most important ryes in the resurgence of the style. The juice is aged for four to seven years at MGP before blending, proofing, and bottling by Bulleit at their distillery.

Tasting Notes:

This opens up with a mix of resinous cedar, sharp rye spiciness, creamy vanilla, and a hint of fresh mint. The taste delivers on those notes while folding in hints of dark cacao (with water added), savory figs, and a buttery/crumbly biscuit somewhere deep in the bottom of the sip. The end lasts a while and circles back around to that cedar and sap, with plenty more sharp spiciness and a final hint of menthol tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is the standard-bearer of all things MGP 95. I mean, “95” is in the damn name of the bottle. Still, this is the rye that launched a thousand ryes, so to speak, and 100 percent deserves space on your bar cart — especially for mixing up a mean rye cocktail.

16. Traverse City North Coast Rye

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

This whiskey from Michigan is a blend of Traverse City’s own-make (a 100 percent rye) and MGP 95. The whiskeys are aged for about two years before they’re vatted and proofed down with that clear Michigan water.

Tasting Notes:

This is sort of all over the place from top to bottom, with a nose full of soft leather, dried flowers, bready grains, lemon curd, and dark cherry. The palate has that creamy vanilla and eggnog pudding vibe with a touch of caramel corn, fresh ginger, and meaty dates. The spice kicks up on the backend with a very distinct cherry-vanilla tobacco chewiness that leaves your mouth buzzing and satisfied.

Bottom Line:

This works, somehow. It’s also an interesting example of what a distiller can do when blending their own juice with MGP. I would still say, though, that we’re squarely in “solid cocktail base” territory here.

15. Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

This 95 percent rye whiskey (a portion from Indiana) is shipped out to Sonoma County, California where it’s blended with Redwood’s own rye and proofed. The whiskey is named after the fastest-growing Redwood tree in the world, the Emerald Giant.

Tasting Notes:

The nose ping pongs from malty cinnamon rolls with walnuts and plenty of buttery syrup to a touch of black pepper. The palate builds on that pepperiness. and cinnamon to bring about a nice warmth that’s countered by sweet honey and orange oils. The finish leans into the hot cinnamon, leaving you with a slight buzzing in your senses.

Bottom Line:

This is another great example of a distiller using MGP as an ingredient in their final product. Think of it like a chef importing, say, wild rice from Minnesota so that they can make a killer rice cake dish with locally grown California greens from their backyard.

14. Old Pepper Single Barrel Rye

ABV: 58%

Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

This is two to three-year-old MGP 95 (depending on the single bottle your find) that’s shipped to Lexington, Kentucky’s James E. Pepper Distillery. The uncut release highlights the selection ability of the crew at Pepper as their rebuild their brand after over 50 years of dormancy.

(Pepper also pulls barrels from Bardstown Bourbon Company for these releases. So check the label to see which one you’ve found)

Tasting Notes:

Expect a herb-forward nose with hints of fresh dill next to absinthe-y anise and a touch of clove balanced by sweet cinnamon and toffee brittle. The palate marries those spices to dark chocolate with a note of orange oils, stewed apricot, and worn leather. The mid-palate leans into the sweetness of the apricot then tempers that with cedar boxes full of chocolate and chili-laced tobacco leaves, leaving you with a bittersweet and spicy embrace.

Bottom Line:

Getting and MGP single barrel release is always worth it. This really highlights the work the team at James E. Pepper is doing to get their brand back in the zeitgeist. It helps that this is incredibly easy to drink and tasty, even on a single rock.

13. Sagamore Spirit Distiller’s Select Tequila Finish

ABV: 49%

Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

This one takes MGP 95 and finishes it in extra añejo tequila barrels in Maryland. That whiskey is then batched, proofed, and bottled to highlight that finishing barrel.

Tasting Notes:

This whiskey opens both floral and buttery with hints of singed dried roses next to buttery toffee, orange oils, and a fleeting hint of roasted agave pinas. The palate starts off with a mix of orange, cinnamon, and honey that leads to mild black peppercorn that feels like an old tequila more than a rye. The florals return on the mid-palate as savory fruits (think figs) arrive just in time for the long finish that’s both spicy and hints at orange-infused tobacco.

Bottom Line:

I really dig this subtle layer of aged agave that’s layered in but I would have liked a little more of that towards this finish (and I just can’t find it). That’s not to say this isn’t an incredibly easy-drinking whiskey. It is.

12. Smooth Ambler Contradiction Rye

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $43

The Whiskey:

This release from Smooth Ambler mixes some very interesting whiskeys together. The blend is two Tennessee ryes (one 70 percent rye, one 51 percent rye), MGP 95, and Smooth Ambler’s own rye which has a mash bill of 88 percent rye. Those whiskeys are then blended, proofed, and bottled in the hills of West Virginia.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a stewed cherry that’s heavy on woody cinnamon sticks next to hints of vanilla pods and maybe some dried florals. The palate leans into the woodiness of the cinnamon stick to the point of feeling like a cedar box full of spicy cinnamon tobacco as creamy vanilla leads to a toasted coconut vibe. The finish lets the creaminess of the vanilla drive a sweet edge as the spicy cinnamon tobacco is just kissed with cherry syrup and dark chocolate on the very back end.

Bottom Line:

Goddamn, this is easy to drink, especially at this price point. It’s also one of the best examples of how masterfully MGP 95 can be layered into a wholly new whiskey.

11. Redemption Rum Cask Finish

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

Redemption is a Connecticut mainstay that sources its juice from MGP. This MGP 95 is then finished in rum casks in partnership with Plantation Rum. They’re using both Jamaican and Barbadian rum barrels that are then blended for this fascinating rum cask finish expression.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a mix of rummy molasses that’s spiced with Christmas spices and vanilla, with a hint of tart fruit and sherried jamminess. The taste doesn’t really deviate too much from those notes and holds onto the molasses, spice, and vanilla while a touch of oak arrives late with a note of citrus. The end is short-ish and really leans into the rummy nature of the spices and sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This is a great wintry treat that also works wonders in cocktails. Don’t let that stop you from pouring this one into a Glencairn with a drop or two of water to really dig into the nose and taste though. There’s a lot here and it’s worth finding.

10. Pinhook Tiz Rye Time Vertical Series 5 Year

ABV: 51.5%

Average Price: $68

The Whiskey:

Pinhook has consistently been picking great barrels for their blends for a few years now. This expression is the second in the series and utilizes a five-year-old MGP 95 that’s proofed down only slightly after mingling those barrels.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sense of black-tea-soaked and cinnamon-infused date-heavy sticky toffee pudding with a dollop of brandy butter that’s countered by a hint of grapefruit pith, soft suede, and Wether’s Originals. The palate lets that leather get a little worn as the Wether’s get darker (almost burnt) and notes of black licorice ropes, dry oak, and brandy-soaked raisins mingle. The finish has a bit of a dry straw by way of a black pepper vibe that lingers on your senses for just the right amount of time, leaving you with a final note of gingersnaps.

Bottom Line:

Compared to last year’s four-year release, this really dials in the flavor notes while feeling like a big step up. This is a great sipper, especially with a little water or ice to really let it bloom.

9. George Dickel Rye Whisky

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $28

The Whisky:

This is an interesting whisky. It’s MGP 95 distillate that’s shipped down to Tennessee before aging begins. Dickel then runs the rye through their charcoal filtration process and then ages the mellowed juice in their signature barrels. Those barrels are then blended under the watchful eye of Master Distiller Nicole Austin.

Tasting Notes:

This has a nose of peach, cedar, vanilla, and a bit of graininess. The palate balances cotton candy with spicy vanilla Coke vibes next to a creamy nature. The finish gets a little leathery with a hint of the cola spice driving back towards that creamy vanilla, a hint of dry cedar, and a dash of white pepper warmth.

Bottom Line:

Yes, this is MGP distillate but it’s completely altered by going through the Lincoln County Process and aging in Tullahoma, Tennessee’s micro-climate (which is very different than Lawrenceburg, Indiana). Still, this is another great example of how varied MGP 95 is. It’s never just “one” thing, taste, or whiskey. Hell, this isn’t even that “spicy” all things considered.

8. Heaven’s Door Straight Rye Whiskey

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

Bob Dylan’s juice is classic rye that spends seven years in new American oak. It’s then transferred to uncharred French “cigar” barrels which spend over three years air-drying in the Vosges region France. That juice is then proofed down with Tennessee’s limestone water and bottled with a Bob Dylan-designed label.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear pepperiness alongside bright florals, orange oils, and dry fennel seeds up top. Cherries, more florals, citrus, and sharpness of ginger follow on the palate with a touch of tobacco spice. The depth of the sip really shines through as the matrix of florals, fruits, light spice, and oak slowly fades and leaves you ready for more.

Bottom Line:

Those bright floral notes and that fennel help this pop. It’s also a great example of what unique finishing can do to whiskey. Heaven’s Door truly created something unique and tasty with this one.

7. Four Gate Whiskey Company Batch 7 “River Kelvin Rye”

ABV: 56.6%

Average Price: $175

The Whiskey:
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Four Gate is one of those brands that whiskey nerds will rave about while the rest of the whiskey-drinking world remains in the dark. This expression is a seven-year-old MGP 95 that’s bottled as-is from the barrels. This is on purpose as Kelvin’s team plans to release this rye again with two different finishings over the next year, making this expression a launching pad.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a hint of lemon custard and orange oils that leads towards dried mint leaves and a bit of dill on the backend of the nose. The palate lets that orange shine as soft notes of vanilla smooth everything out and makes way for freshly cracked black pepper and candied lemon rinds with a hint of a cigar humidor. The pepper and vanilla work in tandem to bring about a finish that’s very bright with more lemon candy bespeckled with black pepper and a spicy tobacco vibe.

Bottom Line:

The citrus notes on this really shine through and make this one hell of a unique whiskey. Overall, this is a very limited one-off that’s worth tracking down for both whiskey nerds and anyone looking to really expand their rye horizons.

6. Angel’s Envy Rum Finished Rye

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $98

The Whiskey:

Starting back in 2015, this rum-finished rye has a lot of fans. The juice is still primarily MGP 95 rye even though Angle’s Envy has been distilling in Louisville for a few years now. This particular expression is aged for an additional 18 months in rum casks before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is bold on this one with hazelnut shells mingling with rummy molasses, orange oils, vanilla cookies, maple syrup, and wet cedar bark. The taste sweetens that cedar as cherry peaks in with a sense of Nutella on the mid-palate. There’s a plummy vibe to the finish that just touches on dark spices, more cedar, and plenty of that maple syrup.

Bottom Line:

If Bulleit Rye launched the modern rebirth of the style, Angle’s Envy Rum Finished Rye solidified it as a nationwide movement. This rye truly shines as an everyday sipper while still being one of the better cocktail bases on the shelf today. Seriously, make your next Manhattan with this. It’ll be phenomenal.

5. Nashville Barrel Co. Single Barrel Rye Barrel #486, Selected by Single Malt Daily

ABV: 54.92%

Average Price: $119

The Whiskey:

This single barrel whiskey — hand-picked by whiskey investor and influencer Nate Gana — is a one-of-a-kind rye. The juice is 95 percent rye “sourced from [an] undisclosed distillery in Indiana.” The barrel Gana picked was bottled as-is, directly from the barrel with no filtering or cutting.

Tasting Notes:

The age comes through on the nose with a mild but soft cedar next to what feels like a creamy Danish that leads towards a touch of powdered ginger tea and a hint of dried dill and maybe mint. The ginger turns into a candied ginger drop with a full-on apple pie vibe with plenty of brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla as smooth and creamy toffee chew drives the mid-palate’s sweetness. The finish is loaded with creamy vanilla, light cedar-laced tobacco, a touch of cherry, and a final note of Tellicherry black peppercorns.

Bottom Line:

This is a very limited one-off, so you’ll have to move fast if you want to try it. That aside, this bottle really highlights the uniqueness and, well, brilliance of the “Indiana” barrels that are being picked by Nashville Barrel Company right now.

4. Stellum Rye

ABV: 58.12%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This release from Barrell Spirits Co. blends rye whiskey from Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The core is the classic MGP 95 that’s cut with more barley-forward ryes from Tennessee and Kentucky. All of it is left at barrel strength when bottled.

Tasting Notes:

This draws you in with a note of soft leather and Guinness with a touch of apple crumble with plenty of dark spice, brown sugar, and butter. The palate goes full holiday cake mode with even more brown spice, nuts, and candied fruits that lead towards a mid-palate that’s all moist banana bread with walnuts. The finish lets the spice kick up a notch, creating a sharp cinnamon toast feel.

Bottom Line:

This is straight-up delicious. Is it cheating that this is a blend of several great whiskeys instead of just straight MGP 95? Nah. This is one of the best examples of how versatile and useful that whiskey is even when mingling it with other whiskeys.

3. WhistlePig 12 Year World Cask Finish

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

WhistlePig is the brand that helped really launch the rye into the stratosphere. This expression is a 12-year MGP 95 that’s shipped out to Vermont. Once there, that juice is filled into finishing barrels for a final rest. 63 percent goes into Madiera barrels, 30 percent goes into Sauternes casks, and the final seven percent rest in Port casks until they’re blended, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

This is all about stewed plums with plenty of wintry spices, a mulled wine vibe, salted caramel, pear stems, and vanilla husks on the nose. The palate really leans into big and meaty dried fruits with brandy-soaked raisins, black tea-soaked dates, and candied figs as a lighter touch of apricot brightens this up and leads back towards winter-spice-infused honey. That sweetness bitters towards a dark chocolate-laced tobacco leaf and soft vanilla on the finish that leaves you with nutmeg and allspice-loaded plum pudding.

Bottom Line:

This is a wintry fruit bomb. It’s so easy to see why this is so beloved. It might be the easiest drinking whiskey on this list, especially with a drop or two of water to help it bloom in the glass.

2. Barrell Seagrass Rye

ABV: 59.2%

Average Price: $86

The Whiskey:

The juice in this limited edition bottle is a combination of rye whiskeys from Indiana, Tennessee, and Canada. Those whiskeys were aged in Martinique rhum, rhum agricole, apricot brandy, and Madeira casks before vatting at Barrell Craft Spirits in Kentucky. The idea was to harness the flavors of wood aged next to the sea to bring that coastal x-factor into the blending process for this rye whiskey.

Tasting Notes:

The nose presents a balance of sweetness and warmth that leads towards apple and cherry candies, Werther’s Originals, bruised peaches, and a lightly dried rose potpourri in a soft leather pouch. The taste opens with a slight touch of that peach followed by pears and savory melon while a hint of bitter grapefruit arrives on the mid-palate with a note of cinnamon, fennel, and green (almost oily) thyme. There’s a return of the pear sweetness on the backend of the taste but you have to hack through a very warm, dry, and almost chewy woody spice nature. The very end of the slow finish has this almost white grape soda vibe with a hint of cream soda (and maybe a touch of root beer), apple cores with the stem and seeds, and overused sandpaper.

Bottom Line:

This whiskey is phenomenal. It’s complex yet 100 percent accessible and easily enjoyable. It’ll expand your palate and maybe even challenge you but it’ll never feel like homework when you’re drinking it. It’s just f*cking great.

1. High West A Midwinter Night’s Dram

ABV: 49.3%

Average Price: $137

The Whiskey:

Each year, this limited drop varies slightly. Last year’s release was a mix of MGP 95 and High West rye (100 percent rye) finished in French oak barrels that held ruby and tawny port. The barrels picked for this batch were between four and seven years old with the older barrels coming from Indiana and the younger ones from Utah.

Tasting Notes:

This bursts forth with bright red berries covered in rich and bitter dark chocolate with sultanas, burnt orange peels, and nutmeg-heavy French toast custard. The palate really holds onto the berries while savory rhubarb cobbler mingles with dates, old leather tobacco pouches, and vanilla pudding with a salted caramel drizzle. The end leans into eggnog spices with a touch of bitter black tea, more leathery tobacco, and a whisper of fresh mint.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the best (and most sought-after) ryes on the market today. Once you pour a glass, it’ll be easy to see why. This rye really is stellar and deserves every bit of hype it gets.

Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J ended 2021 by teasing their upcoming joint album, which remains untitled. It will be their second joint release after 2016’s TGOD Mafia: Rude Awakening, with producer TM88. Now the duo have dropped their latest single “Backseat,” which also arrived with an electric video. The song features an appearance from Project Pat, and for the video, the trio’s energy matches the high-octane spirit of the song.

Along with the new video, Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa announced that their the album will arrive at some point in February. It also follows the video for “Pop The Trunk,” the album’s first single.

Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J’s upcoming joint album will arrive after Wiz teamed up with producers Cardo and Sledgren for their project Wiz Got Wings, which delivered 14 songs with features from Chevy Woods, Larry June, and more. Juicy J’s last release came last year when he dropped a deluxe version of his 2020 album The Hustle Continues, which presented 25 songs and guest appearances from Pooh Shiesty, Lil Baby, 2 Chainz, Jay Rock, Key Glock, Rico Nasty, and many more.

You can watch the video for “Backseat” above.

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

Earlier this month, rightwing radio and Fox News star Dan Bongino — who is not to be confused with former Trump staffer Dan Scavino — was suspended on YouTube after he kept recklessly spreading misinformation about the pandemic. At the time, Bongino was vague about whether he would ever return, claiming he would retreat to far right safe spaces like Rumble. But now it appears someone else made a decision for him.

As per The New York Times, YouTube has decided to permanently ban Bongino. It wasn’t because they knew he’d probably go back to doing what got him banned in the first place. It was because he used one of his other accounts to post a video calling into question the efficacy of masks — indeed, the same tall claims that got him suspended in the first place.

The suspension was put into place on Jan. 14. It was only supposed to last a week. But Bongino couldn’t wait that long: The video that got him booted permanently was posted last Thursday, a mere day before the suspension was to end.

In a statement, a YouTube spokesperson said they’d terminated his multiple channels on the video sharing service for “circumventing our terms of service by posting a video while there was an active strike and suspension associated with the account.” Going forward, he is no longer allowed to use, own or create any other YouTube channels.

In the video that got him suspended — and, now, banned forever — on YouTube, Bongino said he “anxiously waited” getting the boot, telling them, “I dare you to do something about it.”

And so they did. While Bongino always has Rumble, in which he is an investor and on which he has twice the followers as he did on YouTube, he’s still losing 882,000 subscribers on a service that is far more known than his new home. Perhaps he can join a support group with his good pal Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene for people who’ve been booted from online platforms for endangering their supporters’ lives.

(Via NYT)

Coachella’s 2022 festival is set to kick off in less than three months, with Kanye West, Billie Eilish, and Harry Styles serving as headliners. It’ll be the festival’s first iteration since 2019, after they were forced to cancel the ones set for 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. When first announced in 2020, Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, and Rage Against The Machine were announced as the headliners. It was originally believed that the trio would headline his year’s show, but Frank’s set was postponed until 2023 while Scott and Rage Against The Machine were dropped from the lineup.

Many Travis Scott supporters are upset that he won’t be there, which most likely came as a result of the tragedy at his 2021 Astroworld Festival. So they’ve taken matters into their own hands. A petition calling for the rapper’s appearance at Coachella next year currently has nearly 70,000 signatures, with the goal of obtaining at least 75,000. It also calls for Kanye West to help deliver a Scott performance at Coachella.

“Book Travis for 2023 or have Ye bring him out!” a statement on the petition reads. “After Coachella unfairly removed Travis Scott for Harry Styles, they need to do the right thing and rebook him immediately.” It continues, “Coachella switched Travis and Frank for Harry Styles and Billie Eilish? What kind of message does that send? Fans are demanding refunds and selling their tickets. Coachella needs to fix this asap.” The statement concludes, “We all know Astroworld tragedy wasn’t Travis fault. Let him get back to performing on the biggest stages!”

It should be noted that Coachella did not intentionally switch either Frank Ocean for either Harry Styles or Billie Eilish. Back in August, months before either the two were announced as headliners, Coachella’s co-founder said Frank would miss the 2022 festival because he was unavailable for the rescheduled dates. Frank will instead perform in 2023.

You can view the Travis Scott petition here.

If you allow Donald Trump to keep talking, he’ll go in some strange, unexpected directions. That’s one of the key traits SNL cast member James Austin Johnson has glommed onto for his celebrated impersonation. And it was on full display during a recent appearance on former Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs’ podcast.

As per Raw Story, what began as a simple bleak-o-rama summary of American life under his successor, Joe Biden, derailed into him ranting about him being unable to find leather for some book that will soon be published.

“Well, nobody even heard the term supply chain,” Trump bizarrely claimed when discussing how some goods have become hard to find in parts of the country. “We didn’t sit around talking about supply chain. Now, that’s all of a sudden, that’s all — the two words people are using most because you can’t get anything.”

Trump then did what he often does: exaggerate to the point of absurdity, claiming that “sixty, seventy percent” of “big grocery stores” are empty. He added, “In some cases, more than that. They can’t get food, they can’t get clothing.”

He then moved the focus away from the American people to his favorite subject: himself. “I just did a book — which is very successful, they sold 240,000 copies and we just ordered another 240,000, I guess, or more,” Trump claimed. “And the publisher — the printer, who is one of the biggest in the country, I think he said he has eight plants, he said, well we have one problem, we can’t get paper, we can’t get ink.”

He added, “We can’t get glue,” Trump continued. “And we can’t get leather, for the covers. He said, ‘I’ve been doing this for forty years, I’ve never had a problem getting anything.”

What book is he talking about? Presumably not the one actually penned by a ghostwriter who hates him. He probably meant Our Journey Together, a hardcover picture book documenting his lone term as president, billed as “President Donald J. Trump’s first official book since leaving the White House.” There are two versions, and neither is exactly cheap: A standard version costs $74.99 while a signed one goes for a whopping $229.99. Alas, the latter is sold out. The book is due out in February, so maybe they found some glue and leather after all.

Anyway, it looks like SNL may have received some more Trump fodder.

(Via Raw Story)

Imagine rummaging through secondhand finds in your local thrift store, only to find that some items include a bonus feline at no extra charge.

Montequlla the orange tabby had somehow not gotten the memo that he and his family were moving. As they dropped off furniture, including a big recliner chair, to the Denver Arc Thrift Store on New Year’s Eve, they had no idea that poor little Montequlla was tucked away inside.

Luckily, the staff began to notice the chair meowing.

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Though the family had already left, the store called Denver Animal Protection to make a report.

Jenna Humphreys, the DAP officer who responded to the call, told the Denver Channel:

“Sure enough, there’s a recliner out front, and there’s a little orange tabby stuck inside. Very friendly, couldn’t get out. They said that they had noticed the meowing shortly after somebody had dropped it off.”

Officer Humphreys scanned Montequlla’s microchip and tried to call his owners, to no avail. According to the Denver Animal Shelter, the microchip had not been updated.

A friendly reminder to keep your microchips updated, pet owners!

Meanwhile, Montequlla’s family were back home, frantically searching for their beloved pet. When they eventually realized he might have accidentally become a furniture stowaway, they immediately called the thrift store.

The stress of moving can often cause cats to hide. They are notoriously averse to change and try their best to escape the chaos in favor of something familiar. Fortunately there are ways to help soothe your anxious kitty into the unknown.

While we’re on the subject, recliners can pose a huge risk to cats. There are several horror stories out there, and I won’t punish our readers by going into detail. But suffice it to say, you should always check underneath a chair to avoid serious injury.

But this story does have a happy ending, as Montequlla is very much unharmed and back safely in the arms of his owners, who are “relieved” to be reunited with their furry adventurer, according to Humphreys.

Judging from the look on his face in this photo, this cat will not forget his trip anytime soon.

If you haven’t checked out Wordle, I’m sorry to tell you you’re missing out on a delightful cultural phenomenon. You don’t have to play it to appreciate it—word games aren’t everyone’s cup of tea—but you should at least know why you keep seeing these weird rows of gray, yellow and green boxes filling up your social media feeds.

First of all, Wordle itself is fun. The play is easy, but the puzzle can be challenging. The basic gist is you have six tries to guess the day’s five-letter word. With each try, you’re told which of your letters are correct and if any of those correct letters are in the correct spot. After you play, you can share your results without giving away the word at all.

But the gameplay isn’t actually the most appealing thing about it.

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Wordle is simple in all the best ways. There’s no app. No ads. No purchases. No registrations or logins. No leveling up. You can only play once a day, and it takes just a few minutes. The game doesn’t even have its own dedicated domain—it’s just a page on a guy’s personal website.

It was created by a software engineer named Josh Wardle for his partner who loves word games, and he decided to make it public a few months ago. He’s not trying to make money off of it. He even decided not to put a link to the game in the results sharing function because it looked cluttery. The wholesome simplicity is refreshing, and the capitalismlessness of it is a big part of its appeal.

Wordle results sharing is actually one of the best things about it.

Wordle 221 4/6

— Annie Reneau (@Annie Reneau)
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Some people have poked fun at—or expressed annoyance with—everyone sharing their Wordle results. But hear me out—we all want this. We really do.

It’s exceedingly rare that we all get to enjoy something together that isn’t pushed by some big corporation or doesn’t have the purpose of plucking away our pennies. The organic growth of the game’s popularity is simply delightful, as is the fact that there’s this unspoken social contract that people don’t give away the day’s Wordle word.

For the most part, people are miraculously on the same page here. Don’t ruin the game for anyone else by sharing the actual answer. You can share your results, but not the answer. A Wordle spoiler trollbot tried to ruin the fun, but that account was met with utter derision. In a world where everything feels increasingly complicated and chaotic, people want this nice thing.

One of the great things about humans is that, despite a handful of miserable folks who want to ruin things, there are lots of people who want to make good things just for the sake of making good things. In that vein, some people have figured out a way to make Wordle results sharing even more fun.

A couple of people started sharing their Wordle results in the form of townscapes from the Chrome browser version of Townscaper by Oskar Stalberg, which end up looking like this:

Wordle 211 x #Townscaperpic.twitter.com/7eLB7Vggve

— Danikov (@Danikov)
1642335331

Delightful, right?

Then, someone else created a tool that automatically transforms your results into one of these townscapes, with options that allow you to create four different townscape styles.

There are now 2 options, so the same Wordle result can produce 4 different Townscaper buildings.pic.twitter.com/fgbZ2ILOur

— Tarmu26aabyte (@Tarmu26aabyte)
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You can create the townscape by going to this link in a Chrome browser and pasting either a tweet with Wordle results in it or pasting your actual Wordle results (which are copied to your clipboard when you click “share” from the Wordle site) directly into the box. Click “Parse,” then “Generate,” then see the link at the bottom to view your townscape. You can alter the results by clicking one or both of the boxes that say “Fill gaps on walls” and “Remove gaps on ground.”

Fair warning: Townscaper is a time trap.

I feel the need to add a word of warning here. One of the great things about Wordle is that it doesn’t suck away your time like many games do, because you can only play once a day. But if you put your results into the Townscaper tool, there’s nothing to prevent you from embellishing it with some fun add-ons. It’s ridiculously easy to do and it makes a satisfying plunking noise when you add things, which can get a little addicting.

Here’s a screenshot of my Wordle results from this morning with a few add-ons, which only took about 30 seconds. So. Fun.

Well done, awesome people. Maybe if we channel this same creative energy and desire for simple, wholesome goodness into more areas of human existence, we could solve more of the problems that plague us.

In the meantime, keep Wordling and sharing, folks. Let’s lean into this good thing while it lasts.

On Tuesday, Upworthy reported that actor Peter Dinklage was unhappy with Disney’s decision to move forward with a live-action version of “Snow White and the Seven Drawfs” starring Rachel Zegler.

Dinklage praised Disney’s inclusive casting of the “West Side Story” actress, whose mother is of Colombian descent, but pointed out that, at the same time, the company was making a film that promotes damaging stereotypes about people with dwarfism.

“There’s a lot of hypocrisy going on, I’ve gotta say, from being somebody who’s a little bit unique,” Dinklage told Marc Maron on his “WTF” podcast.

“Well, you know, it’s really progressive to cast a—literally no offense to anybody, but I was a little taken aback by, they were very proud to cast a Latino actress as Snow White,” Dinklage said, “but you’re still telling the story of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there.”

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“It makes no sense to me, because you’re progressive in one way and then you’re still making that fucking backward story of seven dwarfs living in a cave. What the fuck are you doing, man?” Dinklage added. However, he could get on board if Disney made some drastic changes to the fairy tale.

“If you tell the story of ‘Snow White’ with the most fucked-up, cool, progressive spin on it—let’s do it!” he said.

Dinklage is one of the most high-profile dwarfs in the world, so when he speaks out about matters facing the dwarfism community, his words carry a lot of weight. They clearly caught the attention of Disney, which responded with a statement on Tuesday.

“To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community. We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that the film will have cultural consultants and that the updated “dwarf” characters will be “CG/animated.” Disney has employed cultural consultants in the past on films such as “Coco” and “Mulan” to avoid promoting any harmful stereotypes. It’s a tough lesson that the company has had to learn. Some of Disney’s most classic films now come with a disclaimer notifying people that they contain outdated depictions of certain groups.

The story of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is a sensitive topic for the dwarfism community. Although it’s a cartoon, it’s often a child’s first exposure to dwarfs, or “little people” as they are sometimes called, and it promotes some of the worst stereotypes attached to them.

Throughout film history, dwarfs have been depicted as magical, communal people, villains or characters to be laughed at. Only recently has Hollywood has begun telling stories where little people are portrayed as fully developed humans. Dinklage has been a wonderful example of someone with dwarfism playing characters that are about more than simply being short-statured.

Historically, bigots have used “Snow White” as a cudgel against little people by comparing them to the characters in the story and by playing cruel jokes such as shouting “Hi-ho” at them in public. So it’s important for Disney to get the characterization of Snow White’s short-statured friends right or risk giving more fodder to those who wish to victimize them.