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St. Vincent has had a hell of a year, not just putting out a new album, Daddy’s Home, but also earning a Grammy nom for Best Alternative Music Album. Aside from just music, the artist has also been working on what she described as “a bananas art film” called The Nowhere Inn with the likes of Carrie Brownstein and Dakota Johnson, so it only makes sense that her mind would turn to visual media.

And that’s probably part of why Curb Your Enthusiasm came up as a recent topic during a recent interview with Spin. When the interviewer brings up how the premise for Curb was similar to The Nowhere Inn Annie Clark officially comes out as a massive Larry David fan. “Also, can we talk Curb for a second?” she begins. “I’m obsessed with [Sofia Maria] on Curb. She just makes the craziest acting choices in the whole world. [Laughs.] She’s so good at being so bad at acting… And here’s the thing: I know the premise is that,’“Oh, Larry’s such an asshole,’ but I feel like I agree with him most of the time.”

And she continued to back him up on thinking handshakes are disgusting: “The handshake thing alone — I think, if my history is correct, we used to shake hands to be like, “Hey, I’m not armed. I’m not gonna hurt you. Let’s meet in the middle to prove that neither of us are armed.” In today’s world, it’s just a filthy, filthy thing to do.” Hey, given what’s happened recently with the spread of Covid-19, handshakes might be a thing of the past altogether. Anyway, long live Larry David, and kudos to Annie Clark for letting Curb fans know she’s among us.

For the first time in this college football bowl season, one of the teams that accepted a bid to play in a game has to bow out. After reports hit the internet indicating that the 25th-ranked Texas A+M Aggies would not be able to play in the Gator Bowl against the No. 17 Wake Forest Demon Deacons due to the team’s inability to field an acceptable number of players, the team announced that a mix of season-ending injuries and positive COVID-19 cases will keep them at home while the game is played on Dec. 31.

Of course, the No. 1 priority is that everyone in College Station is able to stay safe and healthy, and it’s understandable that they’d prioritize that over being able to play in a game that they could opt to miss. It does put the bowl and the Demon Deacons in a situation where they are scheduled to play a game but there’s no opponent, although Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports indicates that one idea being kicked around is inviting a team that has already played in a bowl.

As of this writing, there are no other teams in the world of college football that have needed to do this, but with COVID cases rising nationwide, it’s not hard to imagine a scenario where this impacts other teams during bowl season.

Last week saw the return of one of music’s most fun events: The Red Bull SoundClash. Taking over Radius Chicago, an event space converted from an old steel factory, the latest installment pitted two of hip-hop’s students of punk, Danny Brown and Rico Nasty. Despite being from two different generations, the two rappers are both steeped in the counterculture of punk-rock and other hardcore styles; both have embraced “weird” as an aesthetic, adopting hairdos, sonic choices, and rhyme approaches decidedly left of hip-hop’s traditional center.

However, they’re also different enough to make the matchup unique; aside from the obvious age and gender differences, they have taken divergent paths on the journey to being two of rap’s quirkiest iconoclasts. Rico is the more colorful of the two, often rapping in a screaming voice somewhere between Run-DMC and pop-punk staples like Blink-182 and The Offspring. Meanwhile, Danny wouldn’t be out of place on a late-90s Rawkus Records compilation but for his yelping delivery and unhinged drug references. Sparring head-to-head, the SoundClash takes its inspiration from the Caribbean tradition of musical battles — a little like the modern Verzuz, but with a more aggressive flair.

For what it’s worth, Danny tells me that while the spirit of Jamaican soundclash is still alive in Red Bull’s version, it’s also a much friendlier environment — he calls it a “pillow fight” — that still captures the competitive energy as the two stars try to outperform one another through multiple rounds including covers of popular songs and unreleased tracks. Ahead of SoundClash, Danny spoke with Uproxx about why Red Bull’s SoundClash is different from traditional ones, how he worked off the “ring rust” after not performing for a year, and the need for hip-hop’s artists to stick up for each other and their fans.

Tell me how you got involved and what was the attraction for you?

I was a part of the A$AP SoundClash in London that they did against Boy Better Know. I don’t know, but they just hit me up. But I was always a fan of what it was. So, of course, when they asked me to do it, I was down. It didn’t even matter who it was against.

What’s the difference in the approach of doing a soundclash versus doing your own personal set?

Like you said, it’s my own personal set. This is working with someone else. And to me, this is not a soundclash, with the real Jamaican sound clashes. This is training. This is preschool. I mean, that’s what they calling it, but this is not that vibe. It’s not that energy. In Jamaica, a soundclash is war. We ain’t got that energy with each other. We ain’t got that vibe, so this ain’t that. This is a pillow fight between two friends at a sleepover.

Is there something that you’re looking forward to the most when it comes to this set, or are you just kind of laid back, seeing what’s going to happen?

I’d love to see how the cover round goes.

Covering each other songs or covering any song?

No, we got to cover someone else. We covering someone else song, but we got to both cover the same song, and whoever do it the best.

Did you guys agree on what song to do first, or is it just going to be random?

Yeah, we agreed on the song.

Oh, what song is it?

I can’t tell you, man, I can’t tell you.

[Editor’s note: As it happens, they wound up performing different songs. Rico played Chief Keef’s “Faneto” while Danny Brown kicked out a blog-worthy rendition of Korn’s “Freak On A Leash” that just might have included the band’s own Jonathan Davis.

And as far as Rico Nasty, you were already aware of her?

Yeah. I’m a fan of her shit. I love her shit.

Had you seen some of the stuff online about what they’ve been doing to Rico on the Playboi Carti tour?

Yeah, I seen it.

It really struck me as similar to what happened to Ashnikko on your tour and you handled it differently. Why do you think it was so important for you to stand up for Ashnikko in the way that maybe somebody should have stood up for Rico Nasty?

Well, for me, I can’t talk about anybody, but for me, I just fought for her to have her on the tour with me. I was a fan of her shit. And then, I knew she was going to blow up like crazy, so I knew I had a good spot where I could get her to open. I wanted her to have the best possible time she can have on the road with me. I didn’t want her to fucking have to go through things like that, but it was happening a lot. That was just the boiling point. But then, once that happened, and then that video kind of came out, then the shows was great after that. It was like people knew what was up.

But at a lot of times, it was a lot of her fans came to see her, just her. They wasn’t coming to see me. So a person doing something like that, you ruining the show for them. At the end of the day, you, they paid they money to see her. They ain’t paid they money to see me. It just happened that I’m the one bringing her out. So at the end of the day, don’t ruin the show for them. It ain’t even about her. It’s about the fans too, at the end of the day.

Had you ever performed on a set with Rico before doing this clash?

First time just meeting her literally like 10 minutes ago.

Oh wow. Really? What did you think? You guys going to be best friends?

Yeah. She’s great. You know, we vibe. We on the same wavelength. We got the same frequencies, I already could tell.

This is one of the first big things that I’ve seen your name on since the pandemic started. Any insight into how the last year off has maybe changed your style or changed your approach?

I mean, definitely rusty. I don’t care; you can be the best boxer in the world, you ain’t been in the ring, you got ring rust.

So there’s a little stage rust, but I’m a veteran. That’s no big deal, I’m actually happy to get out. Before, when we was just working so much, and being out all the time, it’s tiring. Just tired of traveling. Now, I miss it. All the shit that I hated, I missed it, so I’m coming back into this shit a lot more humble, for sure. No one ever knew this shit could just end like that, so definitely more appreciative of the situation.

There you go. So you are definitely going to be getting back into the album cycle soon? I’ve heard whispers.

I mean, the album been done. Just waiting on the right time.

Can we expect that next year?

Of course.

Can you tell us anything about it? Who’s on it? Who produced it?

Called Quarenta. It’s the sequel to XXX. Quarenta is 40 in Spanish. That’s the most I can get you.

Rico Nasty is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ed Sheeran’s massive pop star status has been confirmed many times over the years, but he managed to achieve one of his biggest feats yet this week. The singer’s 2018 track “Shape Of You” officially reached 3 billion streams on Spotify, becoming the first-ever song on the platform to do so. Sheeran just shared his reaction to the news, saying he’s beyond happy about the achievement seeing as he almost never released the song.

Sheeran explained the story behind “Shape Of You” in an Instagram video. The singer said he had already finalized his entire Divide album and penned “Shape Of You” while he was writing music for other artists. Thankfully, one of his friends at his record label convinced him to keep the song for himself and release it as a single — and he’s sure happy he did:

“Hey guys, I just heard ‘Shape Of You’ has reached 3 billion streams on Spotify, which is absolutely insane. I remember this song hitting a billion and thinking that was weird. It’s the first song to hit 3 billion streams and I’m really, really chuffed with it. Thank you Spotify for all your support over the years. We’ve had a really great ten years together and hopefully we have a great ten years more.

This song, I don’t know, wasn’t meant to make the album. I had gone in to write songs for other people when the album was done. When I finished the song, Ben Cook from my record label was saying, ‘You have to put this on the album, it has to be a single.’ I said to him, ‘I want ‘Castle On The Hill’ to be the first single, that’s going to be bigger.’ We agreed to disagree and put both songs out at once and I have to say that, Ben, I was wrong and you were very much right.”

Watch Sheeran’s reaction to “Shape Of You” earning 3 billion streams above.

Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Anthony Kiedis and Dave Navarro haven’t performed together since Navarro left his short-lived stint as the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist in 1998. While John Frusciante is back with the Chili Peppers again on guitar for their upcoming tour and rumored new album, Navarro has been busy enough as of late himself. He’s the guitarist for Eddie Vedder’s new supergroup backing band The Earthlings, who are set to go on tour next year. He also just formed the NHC supergroup with Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters and his Jane’s Addiction bandmate Chris Chaney.

But on December 20th, at Navarro’s Above Ground charity concert in Los Angeles to benefit the music industry mental-health focused MusicCares, Kiedis came out of the woodwork to play a song with his old guitarist. It wasn’t anything off of One Hot Minute (the one album Navarro appeared on with RHCP), but a cover of Lou Reed’s ubiquitous “Take A Walk On The Wild Side.” Navarro and the band were coursing through songs from Lou Reed’s Transformer album when with Navarro on an acoustic guitar, Kiedis stepped out onto the stage and delivered Reed’s classic with impeccable timing. The two finished the song shoulder-to-shoulder bobbing to the saxophone outro and it was a sweet moment to see them together again.

“Been a very long time since I performed with my brother Anthony!,” Navarro posted later on Instagram. “What a magical night. Thank you so much for coming out and supporting @abovegroundorg my friend!”

Watch the video of the performance above.

There are a fair few bottles of Jack Daniel’s on the shelf these days. Master Distiller Chris Fletcher and Assistant Distiller Lexie Phillips are taking the iconic brand to new heights by engaging with the brand’s heritage while also diving deep into their vast warehouses to find new gems. Today, we’re covering one of Jack Daniel’s most beloved expressions and a holiday favorite, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select.

I’m on the record as being a long-time Jack Daniel’s fan and advocate for all things Tennessee whiskey. Their Bottled-in-Bond is something that I actually pour and mix with day-to-day. Their Sinatra Select is a bit more of a special occasion bottle for me. I hadn’t tried for a fair bit (it’s been a year or so) until cracking a bottle open for this review.

Upon re-trying the special release this week, I knew I had to write a full review, especially with the holidays upon us. This is special whiskey that deserves all the accolades and love it gets. It’d also make a killer gift bottle if you’re stuck for a last-minute gift. Let’s get into it.

Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $172 (1-liter bottle)

The Whiskey:

Frank Sinatra was one of Jack’s biggest fans. So much so that the crooner was buried with a bottle. The actual juice in this expression is a throwback to how Jack was made in Sinatra’s day. They use special “Sinatra Barrels” that have concentric grooves carved into the newly charred oak, giving the whiskey more surface area to do its thing. Once that’s aged, it’s blended with traditional Old No. 7 and proofed at 45 percent, as it also would have been back in Sinatra’s heydays.

Tasting Notes:

Peach cobbler, apple pie with a buttery crust and caramel drizzle, vanilla pods, old leather, and a hint of cherry tobacco inside an old wooden box build on the nose. The sip leans into the fruit next to woody spice and soft leather that mellows dramatically towards a soft vanilla cream along with a very distant echo of cherry tobacco chewiness. The mild spice (think nutmeg) arrives late and is tied to a cherry syrup vibe that just touches on dry wicker, faint almonds, and a touch more of that tobacco. Ultimately, the leather returns and builds towards a silken finish with just the right balance of woody apple, cherry tobacco, and oaky spice — all touched by the softest note of vanilla bean.

The Bottle:

This bottle is grand. There’s a heavy bottom with about an inch of extra glass. The stopper is bespoke with a fedora carved into the plastic over the cork. It’s also big. You feel like you’re getting more than the average bottle (and you are).

The whole thing comes in a very hefty box that helps it feel like the perfect gift box. Inside, you’ll find a little booklet that describes the whiskey and the whole vibe of Sinatra-era of Jack Daniel’s and Tennessee whiskey.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the best of the best of the Jack Daniel’s line. It’s incredibly easy to drink while delivering an incredible flavor profile. It’s a great sipper that only needs a rock or drop of water to help the deeper flavors and textures bloom in the glass.

The Ranking:

98/100 — This is a tremendous whiskey experience and very close to perfection.

In January 2018, at least five women accused James Franco of sexual misconduct. He’s stayed fairly quiet on the subject, only talking to Stephen Colbert in vague terms while declaring, “The things I heard are not accurate, but I completely support people coming out because they didn’t have a voice for so long.” Fast forward nearly four years, and Franco — who has since quietly settled a lawsuit (for $2.2 million) brought by his former acting students, who alleged that he sexually exploited them — is ready to talk.

He did so on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Podcast this week, where Franco talked about a range of related subjects, including the breakdown of his personal and professional relationships with Seth Rogen. Franco chalked up some of his behavior to sex addiction, which he also said led him to cheat on everyone except his current girlfriend. He then explained why he stayed mum on the sexual misconduct allegations. In short, he felt like it was time for him to work on his behavior, rather than openly discuss the subject:

“In 2018, there were some complaints about me and an article about me and, at that moment I just thought ‘I’m gonna be quiet. I’m gonna be, I’m gonna pause.’ Did not seem like the right time to say anything. “There were people that were upset with me and I needed to listen. There’s a writer Damon Young and he talked about when something like this happens, the natural human instinct is to just make it stop. You just want to get out in front of it and whatever you have to do apologize, you know, get it done. But what that doesn’t do is allow you to do the work to, and to look at what was underneath.”

Franco did admit to having sex with some of his students (which he called “a consensual thing” but adds that he “shouldn’t” have done so). And on that same subject, he pointed towards “an iceberg underneath that behavior, of patterning, of just being blind to yourself that isn’t gonna just be solved overnight.” His career’s been very low-key since the allegations surfaced, and notably, Franco’s nearly the only Spider-Man franchise actor who did not appear in the multiverse-fueled No Way Home.

(Via Page Six & People)

Celebrity dating rumors are in no way a new thing, but in recent years, with the advent of social media, they’ve managed to get a little out of control. Case in point: Lots of people are way too invested in the love lives of rappers like Saweetie, whom they’ve connected to an extensive list of potential beaus based on Instagram posts and trending Twitter pics since she announced her split with Quavo on Twitter in March of this year.

One of those potential suitors was Compton rapper Roddy Ricch, with whom Saweetie was photographed recently at a Lakers game. The two rappers were sitting in neighboring courtside seats, and in the usual fashion, the rumor mill quickly connected the two as fans speculated that Roddy and Saweetie were getting close. Saweetie herself shot down the speculation almost as quickly as it sprung up, joking on Twitter, “So avoid sitting next to men in public places otherwise the world assumes y’all are dating … got it.”

Today, it was Roddy’s turn to make a similar joke as he appeared on LA’s Big Boy’s Neighborhood radio show to promote his new album Live Life Fast. “For all the females out there: stop sitting by me next to the game,” he cracked. “I was sitting down first.”

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that either rapper’s response was able to put much of a dent in the public’s hunger for celebrity gossip; Saweetie was recently connected with Atlanta rapper Lil Baby, prompting him to reply that he’s single and Quavo to suggest a swap.

Watch Roddy’s full radio interview above.

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

“THIS IS BULLSH*T.”

That was the first tweet I saw about last night’s controversial Wheel of Fortune, and folks, I agree. To set the scene: contestant Charlene made it to the bonus round, where the category was “What Are You Doing?” After getting the automatic “RSTLNE” as well as “GHDI,” Charlene incorrectly guessed “CHOOSING THE RIGHT CARD.” She had enough time for another answer, and her buzzer-beater response was accurate: “CHOOSING THE RIGHT WORD.” But because she paused seven seconds between “CHOOSING THE RIGHT” and “WORD,” she didn’t win the grand prize of an Audi.

“This one’s tough because you said all the right words, including the word ‘word’ but as you know, it’s got to be more or less continuous,” host / goody two-shoes Pat Sajak explained. “We’ll allow for a little pause but not four or five seconds. I’m sorry, you did a good job in getting it but we can’t give you the prize and it was the Audi.”

“I don’t give a f*ck what the bylaws and rules are, @WheelofFortune just screwed that lady out of a car. She never said anything to interrupt her answer. She said the first 3 words perfectly and waited 5 seconds to say the last word. That’s a f*cking win. #TotalBullshit,” reads one tweet, while Jeopardy! champion Alex Jacob wrote, “Come on @WheelofFortune, the woman literally chose the right word. Give her the car.”

#GiveCharleneTheCar

In the wake of James Gandolfini’s death from a heart attack in 2013 at the age of 51, many friends, family members, associates, and even politicians took to the internet to express their sadness over the loss. It didn’t take long for people to notice how many people spoke about The Sopranos star’s generosity. As The New York Post reports, one particularly benevolent act impacted more than a dozen of Gandolfini’s co-stars, who still talk about it today.

In James Andrew Miller’s new book, Tinderbox: HBO’s Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers, the author shares that Gandolfini originally signed on to play Tony Soprano for $5 million per season. After the show’s third season, HBO doubled that amount to $10 million. Miller writes that Gandolfini and his team continued to push for more and more money after that, and that it got contentious enough that in 2003 the actor filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the network, who then countersued the star.

“Jim was a brilliant actor but a complicated guy to deal with,” Mike Lombardo, HBO’s former president of programming says in Tinderbox. The negotiations eventually got to a point where the only choice would have been to stop production on the series, leaving the cast and crew of one of television’s most celebrated drama’s suddenly unemployed. Not wanting to upend the lives of his colleagues, Gandolfini agreed to the network’s offer of $13 million, or $1 million per episode. And once that contract was signed, the actor wrote checks to 16 of his co-stars in the amount of $33,000 apiece to make up for any troubles his personal dealings with the network might have caused them.

Steve Schirripa, who played Bobby Baccalieri, one of Tony’s underlings—and eventually his brother-in-law—shared the story of this act of kindness shortly after Gandolfini’s death.

“As good of an actor as he was, he was a better guy,” Schirripa told a New York City radio station in 2013. “A generous guy. The guy gave us $33,000 each—16 people. In Season 4 he called every one of the regular castmembers and gave us a check. He said, ‘Thanks for sticking by me.’ It’s like buying 16 people a car.”

Not a car that Tony would ever drive, but yes, a car nonetheless.

(Via The New York Post)