Just five months after he dropped his last full-length effort, Burden Of Proof, Benny The Butcher returned to the music scene in February with a new EP, The Plugs I Met 2. Now there’s a new video for the latter’s track “Overall,” which features the late Chinx. This month marks six years since Chinx, born Lionel Du Fon Pickens, died from a gunshot wound. In order to incorporate the late rapper into the video, Benny opted for an animated effort.
The “Overall” video is the fourth that Benny’s released since he dropped The Plugs I Met 2. He first teamed up with 2 Chainz for their video for “Plug Talk,” which saw the two artists attending a “Hustler’s Anonymous” meeting. Next came one for “Survivor’s Remorse,” with Rick Hyde, and another for “When Tony Met Sosa.”
While The Plugs I Met 2 was a solid follow-up to its predecessor, it didn’t come without controversy. Fat Joe, who appeared on the track “Talkin’ Back,” faced criticism for anti-Asian remarks he made on the song. A short time later, he responded to the backlash in a tweet writing, “I did that verse a year ago when the news was calling it the wuhan virus before they called it COVID i support and love all my asian brothers and sisters never hate.”
You can watch the video for “Overall” above.
The Plugs I Met 2 is not via Black Soprano Family. Get it here.
Twitter’s doing pretty well these days. A certain rage-tweeting former president hasn’t been on there in nearly four months, and there’s no plans on welcoming him back. What’s more, it’s been doing great without him, with user activity, even ad revenue actually increasing since he’s been gone. And on Wednesday, they rolled out another perk: They finally got rid of image cropping.
For too long — ever since they started allowing images, back in 2010 — pictures that weren’t horizontal were cropped in one’s feed. No more. As per The Verge, the social media giant is rolling out an end to that practice. What that means is, if someone posts a particularly tall image — of a tall building, or a tall person, or any picture that has more height than width — it won’t be automatically (and sometimes questionably) cropped to fit some arbitrary idea of how tweets should be shaped.
Mind you, not all users will experience the new lack of cropping. It should already work in the Twitter app, but perhaps not yet if you’re tweeting on your desktop or laptop.
When the news hit, people celebrated by, of course, tweeting.
TWITTER CROP IS GONE?! updated the app and there are beautiful full images everywhere! reposting my girl in her full uncropped glory pic.twitter.com/gWfL0fL8gQ
— Juno | Hyperspace Wizard (@GalacticJonah) May 5, 2021
On Wednesday, Rangers owner James Dolan fired the team’s top brass, John Davidson and Jeff Gorton, insisting it had nothing to do with the statement that was released tearing into the league, but the timing was conspicuous nonetheless. On Wednesday night, the two teams had to play once again and the one day off between games did nothing to cool the bad blood between the two sides.
On the opening faceoff, three different fights broke out as the Rangers decided to make clear their feelings, as the referees had to skate around trying to break everything up in what was a rather hysterical scene at Madison Square Garden.
— Here’s Your Replay (@HeresYourReplay) May 5, 2021
This happened before Wilson even stepped on the ice, and when he did, the Rangers immediately went after him starting two more fights, leading to a clown car situation in the penalty boxes.
Tom Wilson steps onto the ice for the first time and is immediately met by Brendan Smith. pic.twitter.com/dC8KqjvSXl
— CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) May 5, 2021
The NHL had to know this was going to happen, and we’ll see if the two sides can settle down and play a normal hockey game tonight or if we’re headed towards some sort of fights record.
US National Parks are undoubtedly the go-to destination for summer road trips in 2021. But while it’s certainly amazing to spend days hiking and exploring a sprawling park, it’s also just as important to spend some time relaxing. Airbnb rentals have skyrocketed over the past half-decade — with more and more properties leaning into unique design elements.
With cool accommodation options popping up near many popular national parks, I’ve been lucky enough to stay in some incredible spots. Sometimes I’ll plan entire trips around the Airbnb itself. Here are some of my favorites!
Grand Teton/Yellowstone National Park — Wyoming/Idaho/Montana
The Destination:
Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are next-door neighbors. While it would take an entire day to go from the end of one park to another, the more often overlooked Idaho side of the parks is a great option located near entrances to both.
I personally generally stay in the Driggs/Tetonia/Victor area when visiting the parks for a few reasons: lower costs, different views, and a slightly more relaxed pace. You can drive over the gorgeous Teton Pass to Jackson and Grand Teton in around an hour, or head north to the West Yellowstone entrance of Yellowstone in an hour and a half.
The Property:
One of my favorite Airbnb’s in the area is Maison Tetonia in Tetonia Idaho. It starts at $275 a night but is more than worth it. The saloon has a full kitchen, pool table, and can sleep four. The outside includes a hot tub, fire pit, creek, and these views.
Olympic National Park has some of the most diverse landscapes in the country. With mountains and beaches and rainforests — it truly has it all. But one thing it doesn’t have? Many places to stay. Much of the peninsula is uninhabited — which makes for an amazing visit — but it can be tricky to figure out where to stay if you aren’t camping.
When I visit, I usually spend a couple of days closer to the Hood Canal on the east side of the park, then venture around the peninsula through Port Angeles, Forks, and then Quinault.
The Property:
On my last trip to Olympic National Park, I stayed in such a perfect Airbnb that I almost ditched the peninsula entirely. I randomly booked a stay at a “glass house” at Courter Country Farm, and was completely blown away. The converted greenhouse is on a working farm, boasts a pond nearby, a community kitchen/recreation room, alpacas, and goats on the property to visit and you can pick your own eggs to make breakfast in the morning. Waking up to the sound of rain on the glass ceiling was unlike anything I have experienced.
It is an hour and a half from Olympic National Park at Port Angeles, but well worth the extra time. It would also make a great stop after visiting Mount Rainier, which is just two hours south. Rent the greenhouse starting at just $57 a night.
Big Bend is one of my top “underrated park” picks. It’s super remote — on the Southwestern border of the state — with limited services nearby. When I visited I stayed near Terlingua, the nearest city to the park, in what can only be described as one of the most Instagram-able spots in Texas.
The Property:
Tin Valley Retro Rentals is at the end of a dirt road in the middle of the desert, with primitive campsites, buses to rent, glamping airstreams, and even a “land yacht.” I stayed in the Desert Diva and enjoyed relaxing on the patio with the camp cats, taking a hot bath in the clawfoot tub, and listening to a rainstorm as I drifted off to sleep.
The Desert Diva can be rented from $95 a night and is 35 miles from the entrance of the park.
In the world of Instagramable Airbnb’s near National Parks (which is bigger than you might imagine), Joshua Tree is the King. There are houses, yurts, and campers to rent all around the park and in the valley — all with the modern, “desert vibe” aesthetic you’d expect. And while there are tons of great options, my favorite Airbnb stays near the park is actually just above the desert in Idyllwild.
The Property:
Idyllwild, which sits at over 5,400 ft of elevation, is about an hour and a half from the park but it feels like a different world. I stayed in the most amazing cabin/Tiki Treehouse. The Treehouse is your own private Tiki Bar, designed by Bamboo Ben — a legendary tiki designer. It’s a truly once-in-a-lifetime kind of stay.
If you’re looking for something closer to the park and with more desert vibes, check out this cabin and dome at Twentynine Palms. It starts at just $200 a night and is 20 minutes from two Joshua Tree entrances.
Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most famous and visited of all the National Parks. And for good reason. But did you know there is another National Park in Arizona? Saguaro National Park — home to the Saguaro Cactus — is just outside of Tuscon.
Both parks are worth a visit, of course, so I like to split my time between the two. And with one in the north of the state and one in the south, my tendency is to stop in the middle at one of my favorite Airbnb Rentals.
The Property:
Arcosanti is a “projected experimental town” built around the ideas of Paolo Soleri, the late theoretical architect who combined ecology and architecture to envision the sustainability-focused town.
You can rent rooms at Arcosanti on Airbnb to experience the modern architecture, tour the project, eat in the cafe, learn in a workshop, or swim in the pool. The Sky Suite starts at $128 per night and is just in between Grand Canyon and Saguaro — the perfect stop on a road trip.
Utah is home to the “Mighty Five” National Parks. Two of the most popular are Zion and Bryce — which are conveniently located just an hour and a half away from each other. As a booming destination, there are new rentals popping up constantly.
The Property:
One of the best I’ve found is the Abode^3 at East Zion. It is a bit of a splurge at $320+ per night, but includes floor-to-ceiling windows to amazing views, modern luxurious amenities, and a hot tub to soak in and watch the stars after a long day hiking.
It is around 20 minutes from Zion and just a little over an hour from Bryce.
For a more affordable glamping experience I can’t wait to head to Cane Bed’s Corral. The family-owned glamping destination has tents, a cabin, and showers modeled to look like slot canyons. The views are incredible and give you the camp experience without sacrificing comfort.
Cane Bed’s Corral is an hour from Zion and an hour and 45 minutes from Bryce. Starts at $120 a night.
The United States newest National Park is also home to what might be the most in demand Airbnb on this list — a cabin on a private island within the park.
The Property:
At the confluence of the Bluestone, New, and Greenbrier river lies the Cabin on Coney Island — your own private island only accessible by boat. The entire island can be rented for just over $300 a night, including the cabin with three bedrooms, one and a half baths, and seven private acres of trails and beaches.
The Cabin is booked for the near (and distant) future, but it’s worth waiting for.
Kenny Mason is one of today’s most versatile young rappers. The Atlanta native’s ability to shine over traditional hip-hop production, as well as create sounds that lean into the rock genre, make him a standout on today’s scene. He’s seeking a long-lasting legacy as an artist, which is something he discusses on “4ever,” a track from his recently released project Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut. Now there’s a new video for the song, which finds him standing under a spotlight while passionately sharing his hopes for the future with lines like, “I used to say if I’m the greatest for 10, I’m at peace / I think I want this sh*t forever right now.”
Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut is an extended edition of Mason’s debut album, Angelic Hoodrat, which he released back in April 2020. Unlike the standard edition, the reissue included a few guest names to stand beside him on the 12-track effort, including Denzel Curry, Freddie Gibbs, Angel White, and Ambar Lucid.
In a recent interview with Uproxx, Mason shared exactly what he hopes his legacy as an artist will be. “I want to connect to as many people as possible with my art and the true intention of my art and make things that last here beyond me,” he said. “When I’m gone, the things that I created are still inspiring people way after. I would like to make some stuff that in 1000 years, kids are still interested in.”
You can watch the “4ever” video above.
Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut is out now via RCA Records. Get it here.
Freddie Gibbs is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Despite having taken up MMA, Blake Lively has had a spotted history with action stardom. On one hand, there’s The Shallows, the delightfully minimalist thriller where she battles (though really out-wits) a shark. On the other, there’s The Rhythm Section, one of the last movies to bomb before the pandemic all but shut down the movie industry. But this should bump up her average: According to Deadline, she’s teaming with Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody to adapt a violent comic for Netflix.
That comic? It’s Lady Killer, from Dark Horse Comics, the Oregon-based line that has birthed the likes of Hellboy, The Mask, and Frank Miller’s Sin City. The premise, as per Deadline:
By all appearances, she is the perfect 1950’s housewife. But when she’s not catering to the needs of her family, she leads a secret life as a highly-trained killer for hire. She really likes the second job, and her husband has no idea.
So it’s True Lies, but about a 1950s housewife, which is a pretty solid pitch. The comic line has a first look deal with the streamer, which has so far given them Umbrella Academy and Polar, with the Tiffany Haddish-starring, McG-helmed Mystery Girl en route. Cody, meanwhile, was tasked with writing the big biopic about Madonna, which will be held my no less than the pop goddess herself.
The Baltimore Orioles have not had a lot of high points in recent years, having finished last in the AL East in three out of the last four years (they had a fourth place finish last year) and have made just three playoff appearances since 1998. On Wednesday came the high point of Orioles baseball in quite some time, as John Means went out and threw as close to a perfect game as one can have without officially getting one.
Means threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts, no walks, and no errors behind him on Wednesday against the Mariners, with the final out coming on a soft line drive to shortstop, leading to quite the celebration in Seattle.
If you’re wondering how a pitcher can throw a no-hitter with no walks and no errors and not have that be a perfect game, that’s an understandable question because, well, it’s never happened before. The only runner Means “allowed” came on a strikeout in the third inning, in which his curveball got past the catcher and rolled to the backstop on a swinging strike three, with the runner advancing to first.
That runner would get thrown out trying to steal second, and in the moment, few thought anything about it — it was just the third inning after all. However, that proved to be the only blemish on an otherwise perfect afternoon for Means, and will create a seemingly endless debate over whether this should indeed be ruled a perfect game, since we are breaking new ground here.
From @EliasSports: : This is the first non-perfect no-hitter in which the team did not record a walk, hit by pitch or error.
So, basically the only time a perfecto was broken up by a runner reaching on a passed ball on strike three.
As some have pointed out, a perfect game isn’t just a pitching record but one for the entire defense as well, and as such, a passed ball/wild pitch — they ruled this a wild pitch, but to be honest, I think this was more on the catcher — does indeed create a blemish even though he only faced the minimum of 27 batters since the runner got caught stealing. It is the third no-hitter in MLB this season, as pitchers are enjoying a tremendous start to the season, but Means’ performance was as unique as you’ll ever see and the debate will carry on over whether this should be considered perfection from him.
The 40-day fasting period of Ramadan observed by Muslims around the world is a both an individual and communal observance. For the individual, it’s a time to grow closer to God through sacrifice and detachment from physical desires. For the community, it’s a time to gather in joy and fellowship at sunset, breaking bread together after abstaining from food and drink since sunrise.
The COVID-19 pandemic has limited group gatherings in many countries, putting a damper on the communal part of Ramadan. But for one community in Barcelona, Spain, a different faith has stepped up to make the after sunset meal, known as Iftar, as safe as possible for the Muslim community.
According to Reuters, Father Peio Sanchez, Santa Anna’s rector, has opened the doors of the Catholic church’s open-air cloisters to local Muslims to use for breaking the Ramadan fast. He sees the different faiths coming together as a symbol of civic coexistence.
Every evening, volunteers serve a home-cooked Iftar dinner to between 50 and 60 Muslims, many of them homeless, in the open-air stone passages of Santa Anna Church.
The space was secured by Faouzia Chati, president of the Catalan Association of Moroccan Women. She was seeking a venue for Muslims to gather to eat and pray, and Father Sanchez provided a welcoming
“People are very happy that Muslims can do Iftar in a Catholic church, because religions serve to unite us, not to separate us,” Chati told Reuters.
Father Sanchez’s commentary on the cooperation between the two faith communities illustrates what’s possible. “Even with different cultures, different languages, different religions, we are more capable of sitting down and talking than some politicians,” he said.
Hafid Oubrahim, a 27-year old Moroccan who attends the dinners concurred. “We are all the same… If you are Catholic or of another religion and I am Muslim, that’s fine. We are all like brothers and we must help each other too.”
While there is no shortage of conflict between religious groups—in addition to conflict within religious groups—we have countless examples of interfaith cooperation that offer a vision of religion as a source of unity. Every major religion has its version of The Golden Rule, which presumably extends to people of all faiths, not just one’s own. Treating others the way we’d like to be treated is exactly what we see when we see stories like this. A Catholic leader offering a safe space for people to gather and worship, which is undoubtedly what he would want if his congregation were in the same boat. Muslim adherents expressing gratitude for the gracious offer, which is undoubtedly what they would appreciate happening if they made a similar offer. What a lovely example of the Golen Rule in action.
Religion can be used as an excuse for discord and disunity, but it doesn’t have to be. When we look for shared values and seek to build bridges instead of walls, religion can be a tool that brings people together—even people with diverse beliefs and practices.
Whether it’s offering a space for worship or fellowship, offering holiday greetings to people of other faiths, or even offering your body as a shield for people under threat for their religious affiliation, we can each be good neighbors to one another regardless of our spiritual traditions. Especially in a time when we are all experiencing a global pandemic that has made gathering in communities harder than usual and reminded us of how interconnected we truly are.
When we practice the most basic universal teaching of all faiths—treat others the way we ourselves would want to be treated—we create the world we all want to live in. Thank you, Father Sanchez and the Muslim community you’re serving, for the beautiful reminder.
The NHL is moving to new networks next season, as hockey is making its return to the ESPN airwaves and making its debut on TNT after Turner picked up the rest of the rights package. There was a movement when ESPN picked up NHL games again to bring back long-time NHL on ESPN announcer Gary Thorne, and while it remains to be seen if ESPN will make the call to their former voice of hockey, we now know who will be the lead play-by-play man for TNT’s coverage.
Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported on Wednesday that veteran broadcaster Kenny Albert — who has long been with Fox Sports, the NHL on NBC, and is the radio voice of the New York Rangers — will be their lead announcer and handle play-by-play for their four Stanley Cup Finals over the next eight years. Marchand also notes that with Doc Emrick retired, Albert is expected to call the 2021 Stanley Cup Final for NBC this year in their final season of NHL hockey before the new TV deal kicks in.
Albert is well known to sports fans nationally for his work on the NHL on NBC, MLB, NFL, and boxing on Fox, and also fills in on Knicks broadcasts when Mike Breen is assigned to ESPN games. That the 53-year-old is getting his chance to be elevated to the top NHL broadcast nationally is a well-deserved recognition of his work.
Regardless of if Game of Thrones‘ final season left you wanting more or wishing you could go back before any of that happened, HBO is obliging fans with a spin-off show all about House Targaryen, aka our girl Daenerys’ folks. Set a few hundred years before Dany ever laid eyes on Westeros, House of the Dragon presumably follows the events that take place in George R.R. Martin’s novel Fire and Blood, which recounts the history of House Targaryen, including their civil war, often referred to as the “Dance of the Dragons.”
Earlier today, HBO released the first images from the upcoming series, which feature a handful of what will certainly be dozen of new characters, assuming the show follows Game of Thrones’ lead. If these pictures have you wondering who these characters are, what House of the Dragon could be about, and how it all connects to Game of Thrones, we’ve got you covered. Forewarning though, while the plot of the show has not been confirmed and could very easily deviate from Martin’s established history, plot points from Fire and Blood are below. If you’re the type who likes to watch along and speculate with no additional information, you might want to come back to this article a bit later.
— In the first look at House of the Dragon, we get the chance to see Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), and Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans). While the book the show is based on contains several stories chronicling the Targaryen legacy, all of these characters are major players in the Targaryen Civil war, leading folks to speculate it will follow that storyline closely. So, who are these folks?
— Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the show’s potential “main character,” is King Viserys first-born child and a dragonrider of Valyrian blood. After being unable to conceive a male heir, Viserys chose Rhaenyra to succeed him — a somewhat unconventional choice in seven kingdoms of Westeros. However, once Rhaenyra’s mother passed away and her father remarried, he and his wife, Alicent Hightower, gave birth to a son: Prince Aegon Needless to say, Rhaenyra and Alicent saw one another as potential competition for the throne, and their relationship was contentious at best.
HBO
— After King Viserys’ death, Alicent Hightower, aided by her father and Hand of the King Otto Hightower, seized the opportunity to name Aegon as the rightful heir to the throne, despite Viserys vows to pass down the throne to his eldest daughter. Needless to say, Rhaenyra didn’t take too kindly to her being usurped and formed her own counsel at Westeros’ capital Dragonstone, accompanied by her uncle-turned-husband (yes, Targaryen truly be Targaryen-ing) Prince Daemon Targaryen, Lord Corlys Velaryon, and of course, her dragons. While Rhaenyra played nice with her family, the Black Council recruited those in support of Rhaenyra in order to challenge Aegon’s claim.
— What followed was a lot of death — like a lot — and a reputation for turmoil and madness that would follow the Targaryen family for centuries to come. In addition, Rhaenyra’s aggression led many to believe the Targaryen women to be unfit for leadership, and from this point on women would come after men in the Targaryen line of succession, which definitely complicated things for Daenerys later. The events of the Dance of Dragons also drew lines in the kingdoms that would forever divide them. While the Starks, Greyjoys, and Tullys — all names we know well — supported Rhaenyra, the Lannisters did not. Already some of the bitterness we see in Game of Thrones begins to make more sense.
While we’re not exactly sure if all of this will be covered in House of the Dragon, which hits HBO next year, we do know the show will add to the horribly fantastical world Martin created — and give us a fun way to spend our Sunday nights.
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