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Obongojayar is a London-based, Nigeria-born afro-futurist singer that’s starting to climb in the ranks. The raspy vocalist was most recently featured on Little Simz’s single and desperado-esque video for “Point And Kill”. His 2020 EP, Which Way Is Forward? showcases a rising talent who culls masterfully from elements of dancehall, afrobeat, trip-hop, and future jazz.

He has a debut LP on the horizon, which hasn’t been officially announced, but the video for the lead single, “Message In A Hammer” just dropped and it would make Hype Williams proud. Directed by Rollo Jackson, it pits Obongjayar as the driver of a wretched mob boss who has abducted someone close to him. The blue and red lighting in the clip, which feels more like a short film, helps paint the picture of a tale of vengeance, with a dynamite performance from the laser-focused singer who’ll stop at nothing for justice.

“‘Message In a Hammer’ is about fight, and fighting against the powers that take and steal and rob from us, and calling them by their name — thieves and murderers,” Obongjayar said in a statement. It’s a can’t miss clip and foreshadows more fiery material to come.

Obongjayar heads out on tour with Little Simz next year, as well as a short European headlining tour of his own, with dates for the latter below.

4/20/2022 – Leeds, UK @ Belgrave Music Hall
4/22/2022 April – London, UK @ Venue TBA
4/23/2022 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
4/24/2022 – Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade
4/26/2022 – Brighton, UK @ Patterns
4/27/2022 – Manchester, UK @ BOTW
4/29/2022 – Paris, France @ Point Ephémère
4/30/2022 – Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique
5/01/2022- Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Bitterzoet
5/03/2022 – Berlin, Germany @ Lido

Ice-T takes no lip from people on Twitter. That should be no surprise, but he sure as heck enjoys pushing back when people get argumentative with him. He’s roasted “squares talking sh*t” who give him hell for playing a cop on Law and Order: SVU, and he’s aired his perspective on the cops who pulled him over on his way to work (obviously, to play a cop on SVU). So, you know he’d have a few things to say when people tried to correct him on television history — especially on the day that SVU will air its 500th episode.

Ice was in the mood to celebrate. “TONIGHT!” he tweeted. “Something that has NEVER been done. 500 episodes of a TV Series. Tune in tonight for the 500th Episode of the longest running Primetime Drama in History.”

500 episodes is wild to behold, especially considering that SVU outlasted the original Law and Order flagship series, which called it quits a decade ago (although there will be a reboot of sorts coming). That’s 500 episodes of putting sex offenders behind bars and Ice’s Fin Tutuola taking no sh*t (although he does occasionally go to a strange place in dialogue-land, as evidenced by John Mulaney).

Nonetheless, a few people decided to try and rain on Ice’s parade. When someone popped up to cite Gunsmoke‘s 600+ episodes, Ice pushed back (in a now-deleted tweet), hard.

And of course, other people chimed in as well, citing a few manga series and The Simpsons. Yup, you guessed it. Ice-T is not listening to them, either. “And those are REAL people too right?” he rhetorically inquired. “Smh MFs love to disagree.”

Well, it doesn’t even matter who’s correct here, does it? All of these shows have achieved an absurd number of episodes, and SVU has reached an extraordinary milestone. And Ice-T is correct, too, on the point that people “love to disagree.”

NBC’s Law and Order: SVU airs on Thursday nights.

Apple TV+ broke the big news in a hilarious and cheeky social media post featuring a FaceTime call between Mythic Quest co-creator and star Rob McElhenney and season two guest star (and two-time Emmy and Oscar winner, he reminds us) Anthony Hopkins. In the video, McElhenney breaks the news that the show has been renewed for two more seasons to a very disinterested Hopkins before the British actor quickly boots McElhenney off the call to pick up for Ted Lasso‘s Jason Sudeikis.

Unlike Hopkins, however, we haven’t been able to stop thinking about Mythic Quest since its second season wrapped up earlier this year. Created by McElhenney and his It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia partners-in-crime Charlie Day and Megan Ganz, the workplace comedy follows an extremely dysfunctional game studio working on one of the world’s most popular MMOs: Mythic Quest. With a cast nearly as unlikable as the It’s Always Sunny crew while simultaneously being even more endearing than the characters in Community (which Ganz helped work on), the show is one of Apple TV+’s best, making its two-season renewal not all that shocking. According to Matt Chernis, the head of programming for Apple TV+, the studio is “in love” with the show, and can’t wait for viewers to see what’s in store for Ian, Poppy, and the team next.

“Just like critics and audiences all over the world, we fell in love with Rob and his team’s sharp writing and full-of-heart, relatable characters that make up the world of ’Mythic Quest,’” said Matt Cherniss, head of programming for Apple TV+. “We can’t wait for viewers to see what’s in store in the upcoming seasons of this brilliant workplace comedy.”

In addition to McElhenney, the ensemble cast features Danny Pudi (Community), Imani Hakim (Everybody Hates Chris), Charlotte Nicdao (Thor: Ragnarok), Ashly Burch (Adventure Time, Horizon: Zero Dawn), Jessie Ennis (Better Call Saul), F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus), and David Hornsby (It’s Always Sunny), who also serves as an executive producer on the show. Neither Apple TV+ nor McElhenney have announced when Mythic Quest will make its big return to Apple TV+, but seeing as its second season premiered earlier this summer, it’s likely we can expect its third to hit the streaming service sometime next fall.

The biggest American whiskey release of the year just dropped — 2021’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. The set of iconic whiskeys are often the most coveted bourbons and ryes to hit (some) shelves this year.

This year’s lineup includes Eagle Rare 17, William Larue Weller, Sazerac 18, and a Thomas H. Handy Rye. To the shock of many, the usual fifth selection, George T. Stagg, was left out of this year’s collection. It’s rumored that this was due to the 2021 juice just not quite living up to Buffalo Trace’s sky-high standards. While that’s a shame, it’s not the end of the world.

I was lucky enough to get the sample pack for review last week. I finally cracked it open this week to dive into what’s actually in these bottles this year. Because they’re all from the same brand, I decided to rank these based on taste alone. Last year, I was all about the William Larue Weller (which is still one of my all-time favorite bourbons) — let’s see how things shook out this year.

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of 2021

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• The Best Bottles Of Bourbon Whiskey For Under $20, Ranked
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• All 19 Brands From The Buffalo Trace Distillery, Ranked
• Here’s Who Won Our Big Barrel Proof Bourbon Whiskey Blind Taste Test

3. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac

ABV: 64.75%

MSRP: $99 ($500)

The Whiskey:

This is the youngest bottle in 2021’s BTAC. The whiskey was distilled in the spring of 2015 and bottled in the fall of 2021. The mash is mainly Minnesota rye with Kentucky corn and North Dakota barley. The juice matured in warehouses I, K, L, and O on the fifth through seventh floors.

Over that time, 31 percent of the juice was lost to the angels.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a rush of botanicals, leaning into star anise, clove, black licorice, and dried-up cinnamon sticks shoved into an old leather tobacco pouch. The palate holds onto that woody cinnamon as touches of green peppercorns pop in the background with a slight hint of rose water, almonds, and bitter citrus pith that leads towards a mid-palate that veers green towards fresh mint stems. That mint mellows out as a creamy nature arrives on the finish with dark cocoa powder that’s just touched by that mint, creating an almost chewy/dusty mint-chocolate-chip quality.

Bottom Line:

Those spices and botanicals up top are very bold. If you’re not into absinthe and real black licorice, this will be a bit of a harder sell. That being said, I really dig the mid-palate to finish when that dark cacao and mint kick in. It’s good but not perfect (for my palate), hence it placing last.

2. Sazerac 18

ABV: 45%

MSRP: $99 ($1,400)

The Whiskey:

This rye was made back in 2003 from Minnesota Rye, Kentucky corn, and North Dakota barley. The juice spent 18-and-a-half years in warehouses K and P on the second and fourth floors. Finally, it was vatted, proofed with that iconic Kentucky limestone water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

It’s shocking how different this is from Thomas H. Handy. The nose draws you in with this medley of fresh and earthy honeycombs next to bushels of freshly picked Granny Smith apples sitting in straw baskets with a hint of oily herbs like rosemary and thyme. There’s a heft to the body of this sip that touches on clove and allspice while the sweetness edges towards fresh maple syrup with a touch of butter. The mid-palate veers swiftly away from that sweetness towards an espresso bean bitterness, meaty dates soaked in Earl Grey tea, and milky yet dark chocolate bars sprinkled with smoked salt flakes.

Bottom Line:

This is in the running for the best rye I’ve had this year (and I’ve had some killers). It’s just so nuanced and accessible — thanks to that lower proof. I can see sipping this the rest of the year and never getting bored.

1. (tie) Eagle Rare 17

ABV: 50.5%

MSRP: $99 ($1,340)

The Whiskey:

This whiskey was produced in the spring of 2003. Since then, it lost 73 percent of its volume to the angels as it rested in warehouses C, K, M, and Q on various floors. The barrels were then vatted, proofed down, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

The nose has this matrix of dark holiday spices that layer into a Black Forest cake with the finest stewed cherries, the moistest chocolate sponge cake, and the richest cream with a touch of vanilla and dark chocolate shavings and a whisper of pink finishing salt. The palate really leans into the cherry with a bright but saucy vibe that’s spiked with nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon (and maybe a hint of ground ginger) while little firecrackers full of salted black licorice, dry cedar bark, and Cherry Coke fill in the background. The finish takes its time as the mid-palate cherry sweetness slowly dissolves into an old wooden garden box full of fresh dark potting soil bursting with fresh mint and spicy nasturtiums.

Bottom Line:

I couldn’t decide between this and the Weller this year. So… we have a tie.

This bourbon is so interesting. It hits familiar notes then deftly goes opposite directions while still making total sense and remaining delicious. Drinking this, it’s easy to see what all the hype is about.

1. (tie) William Larue Weller

ABV: 62.65%

MSRP: $99 ($800)

The Whiskey:

Distilled back in the fall of 2009, this barrel-strength bourbon skips the Minnesota rye and instead uses North Dakota wheat with that NoDak barley and Kentucky corn. The juice spent 12-and-a-half years mellowing in warehouses C, D, K, L, and Q on floors one through three. While maturing, 64 percent of the whiskey was lost to the angels before it was small-batched and bottled as is.

Tasting Notes:

The creaminess of the vanilla on the nose is extraordinary. Imagine the softness and richest crème anglaise with a touch of salted caramel syrup, eggnog spice, and a towering croquembouche with all the spun hard sugar holding the whole thing together. That light yet buttery cream puff drives towards a slight shortbread vibe with toasted cinnamon sticks, moist cherry tobacco, more vanilla cream, and a soft echo of dried smoked stone fruits. The finish drives back towards the sweetness of that salted caramel but this time it’s covered in dark chocolate and sitting inside an old cedar box that once held fistfuls of menthol-laced tobacco leaves.

Bottom Line:

This feels so different than the Eagle Rare 17. Yet, both of these sips grabbed my attention as few other bourbons do. It’s just extraordinarily delicious.

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As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

At 19 years old, Nessa Barrett has transitioned from TikTok star to full-on dark-pop star. After amassing nearly 17 million followers since 2019 on the video-sharing app, Barrett launched her music career just a year later with the shimmering piano ballad “Pain.” Now that her debut EP Pretty Poison has officially been out in the world for a little over a month, the singer has now shared a visual to “Sincerely,” one of her shortest tracks on the EP.

Clocking in at barely over a minute, Barrett’s “Sincerely” visual was directed by Lorenzo Diego Carrera and Alex Bordoni, and it’s a poignant reflection on her journey to happiness. It opens with Barrett, sporting a pink babydoll dress, sitting on the ground in a dreary apartment as she stares at an apparition of her former self. The singer stands up and picks up a phone sitting on a nearby table. A voicemail plays over the receiver, perhaps the voice of her friend or her past self, who gives her advice on being true to herself. “You just have to follow your heart and be with the people who feel right to your soul,” the voice reminds her.

Watch Barrett’s “Sincerely” video above.

Pretty Poison is out now via Warner Records. Get it here.

Nessa Barrett is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

When Jack Harlow released his debut album That’s What They All Say earlier this year, one of its standout tracks turned out to be “Luv Is Dro,” on which he linked up with fellow Louisville natives Bryson Tiller and the late Static Major. Now, Harlow has released a lively video for the single, which shows love to the three artists’ shared hometown and sees Bryson and Jack putting their mack down at a nostalgic 2000s party (kids are throwing “old school” 2000s parties — am I old now??) full of throwback jerseys and airbrushed tall tees.

Harlow previously detailed the origins of “Luv Is Dro” for HipHopDX, explaining that Static’s widow specifically wanted him on track due to his rising profile. “We sat on it for two years trying to get it right and get Bryson on it,” he recalled, saying that although it took a long time because Bryson “takes his time with everything,” it was important to do the song right to represent their city well. Getting to do that record for Kentucky is huge,” he enthused. “… This song is something I can hang my hat on for the rest of my life. It’s already a classic where I’m from.”

To keep that hometown love vibe going Jack is doing a mini-tour, There’s No Place Like Home, at five iconic venues throughout the city. He also recently donated to five Louisville non-profits.

Watch Jack Harlow’s “Luv Is Dro” video featuring Static Major and Bryson Tiller above.

“What about that new National Park?”

“It’s in West Virginia, right?

“Is it worth going?”

Those are just some of the questions I’ve received since last December, when New River Gorge officially became the United States’ newest designated National Park. If my friends and followers (or Google trends) offer any indication, there’s clearly a lot of interest in this park. But due to the changing travel landscape, there still doesn’t seem to be much information around how to actually visit it.

First a little context — at the present, there are over 400 National Park sites, including seashores, historic sites, rivers, and battlefields. But only 63 are officially designated as “National Park.” New River Gorge is the most recent among these, but the area surrounding the New River Gorge in Southern West Virginia has always been a place for adventure seekers. It’s long been known for whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and hiking. Still, the name change from National River to National Park has brought the somewhat secret enclave into the public eye.

I’ve already visited New River Gorge twice since its status change, once in the summer and once in fall and I recommend it to everyone. Here’s an insider’s guide.

How to get there:

New River Gorge National Park is an anomaly in several ways — the first being the ease and also the difficulty of visiting. One of the facts that get repeated frequently in this area is that ⅔ of the entire US population lives within a day’s drive of the area. And that truly is a great selling point. But for that other third of people, it can be a bit challenging.

The nearest airport is Charleston Yeager in West Virginia — a small airport without a ton of flight options. From there you absolutely must rent a car. The New River Gorge is another hour’s drive from the airport.

The first time I visited it was part of a several weeks-long summer road trip. If you have the time, I recommend it as a road trip destination. If you’re visiting just to see the park, your options are somewhat limited. I had to tack on about a day’s worth of air travel each way — taking into account the limited flight schedules, connections, and possible delays.

Where to stay:

The center point of the park is the 3,030 ft long and 876 ft high New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville. There are many options for lodging in the area, but they are booking up much faster now with the new designation.

On my last trip, I stayed in a bungalow at River Expeditions, an adventure resort (there are a few in the area) that specializes in world-class rafting trips, but also offers tons of other outdoor activities. There are luxury cabins, dry cabins, camping, bungalows, and RV sites on the sprawling property. After rafting, you can dip in the pool and hot tub, grab a drink at the on-site bar, zip through the trees on a zip line course, or even get a massage on property.

The property is family-owned and operated and felt like an adult adventure summer camp.

I’ve also stayed in nearby Hinton, the southern gateway to the park. It has the quieter charming small mountain town vibe I was looking for and a surprising array of lodging options. I was lucky to stay in a cabin on a private island in the river (yes really) and also at the quaint and luxurious Guest House bed and breakfast downtown.

In the park:

Since the park surrounds a river, the boundaries can be a little tough to navigate. Of course, you’ll be ensconced in the same West Virginian beauty everywhere you go, but there are definitely some highlights from within the park itself.

There are over 50 miles of hiking trails in park boundaries. I hiked the Long Point Trail on a late afternoon in October and only passed around 10 people on the easy 3.2 mile out and back. With views like the one above, I would have happily hiked much further.

Other popular and accessible trails are Grandview Rim to Turkey Spur (make sure to stop at the breathtaking Grandview Overlook) and Endless Wall.

The New River Gorge Bridge is a destination itself. From the viewpoint at the visitor center to the Bridge Walk or a drive underneath on the winding Fayette Station Road — you can’t go wrong.

If you visit the gorge between April and October there is one thing you absolutely have to do: whitewater rafting. The New River has options for beginner, intermediate and advanced rafting (through serious Class 5 rapids), and tons of outfitters ready to take you on an adventure. It is exhilarating and truly a bucket list experience.

The park is also home to over 1,400 established rock climbing routes and is a popular fishing destination.

Whatever you decide to do in the park — just know you are in for excitement. And views.

Around the park:

Think of a trip to New River Gorge National Park more as a trip to Southern West Virginia. There is so much outdoor recreation all over the area, the park itself is just a part.

The Gauley River National Recreation Area is a great choice for all kinds of recreation — specifically, no surprise here, rafting its world-class rapids. I went on a guided rafting trip on the Lower Gauley over Class 4 and 5 rapids and it was probably the most fun I have ever had.

There are tons of gorgeous state parks around the area as well. I love the fall vibes and old mill in Babcock State Park, enjoyed a horseback ride in Pipestem Resort State Park, and marveled at the view in Hawks Nest State Park.

Where to eat and drink:

I was surprised by how many great food and drink options there are in the small mountain towns of Southern West Virginia. Every day I found a new, eclectic restaurant.

Arrowhead Bike Farm is a standout from all my time spent in the area. It is nearly directly across from the Long Point Trail parking area and the atmosphere (and fish tacos!) can’t be beaten. Part bike shop, campground, and bar/restaurant — it had the local vibe I was craving (and goats!).

Pies and Pints is a local favorite in Fayetteville (the place to see and be seen for sure). They’re known for, obviously, their pizza and beer. I tried some of both and was definitely impressed. Their sriracha shrimp pizza just might be my new favorite food.

For brunch, the Cathedral Cafe and Bookstore is the spot. In an old converted church building, the croissant french toast was unlike anything I’ve ever tried, and the Almond Joy latte was as interesting as the atmosphere.

For sunset, The Burrito Bar at Breeze Hill is my favorite option. Perched high above the gorge, The Burrito Bar has live music, along with great food and drink. The Sweet’s Falls Burrito was one of the best I’ve ever had — with sweet potato fries, black beans, rice, cheese, and a tangy chili sauce.

The rise of Tems in 2021 is real. The Nigerian-born singer has had a sensational year so far, being featured on “Fountains” off of Drake’s Certified Lover Boy and on fellow Nigerian Wizkid’s “Essence,” which also got a remix treatment later on that featured Justin Bieber, and then totally slayed her performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this month. Go ahead and file those as surefire ways to raise your profile and then add in her own excellent EP, If Orange Was A Place, which dropped last month, and she’s cooking.

Today, the video for the opening track off of If Orange Was A Place is out and it shows Tems moving through the streets of her native Lagos like an absolute boss. She weaves around the lives of locals going through the ups and downs of life with the confidence of someone who’s rising above the mess, as she delivers the stoic hook over an African drum-studded beat: “Crazy things are happening / Crazy things are happening / If you need somebody craze / You fit chop somebody’s craze.”

Her delivery is silky smooth, but it’s Tems’ unique appeal across styles that flows naturally from her tongue. She told The Guardian in September that she grew up loving artists like Kate Nash, Lauryn Hill, Lil Kim, Paramore, Outkast, and Green Day, and it’s that eclectic palette that inspired her sublime singular output.

Watch the video for “Crazy Tings” above.

If Orange Was A Place is out now via Since ‘93/RCA Records.

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

Ben Simmons showed up to the Philadelphia 76ers’ practice facility on Thursday, where he was expected to go through an individual workout. But in a twist that probably isn’t a particularly big surprise, that did not happen — Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Simmons popped into the facility and then left without doing said workout.

It did not take long to figure out what, exactly, was going on. According to Wojnarowski, Simmons showed up and told the Sixers’ training staff that he is dealing with back tightness, for which he received treatment.

The team’s medical staff, after treating him, gave Simmons the all clear to go ahead and do whatever the coaching staff wanted him to do. Despite this, he went home.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Simmons doesn’t believe he is in a place where he can suit up for the team amid a tumultuous offseason where he’s made clear his desire for a trade. As a result, Charania says, there is no expectation that Simmons will take the floor any time soon.

The news comes on the heels of the Sixers winning their season opener on Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, 117-97. The game on Friday against Brooklyn will be their home opener.

Since Nielsen began tracking the most-watched streaming shows, Netflix has dominated the top 10 of acquired series (i.e. shows that didn’t originally air on Netflix, Disney+, or the streamer of your choice). In fact, no non-Netflix title has landed a spot on the list since Nielsen debuted the weekly streaming rankings more than a year ago — until now.

Have a look at Nielsen’s top streaming series for September 20-26:

1. Cocomelon (Netflix), 675 million minutes
2. Criminal Minds (Netflix), 651 million
3. NCIS (Netflix), 546 million
4. Grey’s Anatomy (Netflix), 462 million
5. Manifest (Netflix), 430 million
6. Heartland (Netflix), 399 million
7. Supernatural (Netflix), 361 million
8. Downton Abbey (Netflix), 277 million
9. The Simpsons (Disney+), 272 million
10. Gilmore Girls (Netflix), 257 million

That’s nine shows that are available on Netflix, including fall comfort series Gilmore Girls and the unstoppable force/every parent’s nightmare that is Cocomelon, and The Simpsons on Disney+. Why did The Simpsons break into the top-10 now, even though it’s been available on Disney’s streaming service since 2019? I assume it’s because Halloween is approaching, and spooky season is not complete without a Treehouse of Horror marathon. (I suggest starting with the best of the bunch, “Treehouse of Horror V.”)

As for the original series ranking, well, it’s no surprise what’s at the top:

1. Squid Game (Netflix), 1.91 billion minutes viewed
2. Lucifer (Netflix), 860 million
3. Sex Education (Netflix), 856 million
4. Midnight Mass (Netflix), 566 million
5. Ted Lasso (Apple TV+), 509 million
6. The Circle (Netflix), 436 million
7. Clickbait (Netflix), 409 million
8. The Great British Baking Show (Netflix), 381 million
9. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu), 299 million
10. Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan (Netflix), 251 million

Congratulations to Only Murders in the Building, a very good show. Also, get ready for the inevitable Squid Game parody on The Simpsons, coming in 2023.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)