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To be honest, Pooh Shiesty’s performance of “Back In Blood” on The Tonight Show showcases an artist who is still very raw. However, it’s hard to hold that against him; he was signed and experienced his breakout during a global music shutdown that left him very few options to build the experience needed to become a standout performer (and, for what it’s worth, there are plenty of performers who just aren’t comfortable without a crowd to draw energy from, as we’ve seen with plenty of television performances over the years).

With that being said, Shiesty makes the best of a bad situation in his pre-recorded performance, saving the bells and whistles and giving a stripped-down performance in an alley alongside the song’s guest rapper Lil Durk (an artist who is in the midst of his own breakout, after nearly 10 years in the game). We could quibble all day about his mic discipline (keep that thing in front of your face, buddy) but for a television debut, we’ve seen worse — and when we’ve seen better, it’s usually with artists who have a different scale of budget, notoriety, and production value. The important thing is that he draws attention to his debut mixtape, Shiesty Season, and “Back In Blood” is enough of a banger that we can consider that mission accomplished.

Watch Pooh Shiesty’s “Back In Blood” performance with Lil Durk above.

Pooh Shiesty is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Every Thursday for the past few weeks, Sharon Van Etten has shared a cover of one of her songs by various artists. These covers are set to appear on Epic Ten, an upcoming anniversary reissue of Van Etten’s Ten album. This Thursday brings the final pre-album release (since Epic Ten comes out tomorrow): Fiona Apple’s contribution to the project, a rendition of “Love More” that is in the same aesthetic realm as Fetch The Bolt Cutters.

Van Etten shared some thoughts about Apple’s cover, writing, “I was in a dark place when I wrote this song, I was in a safer space when I recorded it, and now that Fiona’s version will exist in this universe, it helps me feel even farther away from the darkness I had to experience in order to write this song. She brings it life & light. She’s given me her hand after all these years… & it is with pure joy to finally share this song in a brand new light by someone I always wished I could be.⁣ Thank you, Fiona. It’s so nice to meet you. Xoxo.”

Van Etten previously said of the anniversary release, “Epic represents a crossroads for me as an artist — going from intern to artist at Ba Da Bing, from solo folk singer to playing with a band for the first time and beginning to play shows on tour where people showed up. I am in awe of the artists who wanted to participate in celebrating my anniversary and reissue, from young inspiring musicians, to artists who took me under their wing, who I met on tour, and to artists I’ve looked up to since I was a teenager. Each one of these artists continue to influence my writing and provide a sense of camaraderie during this new era of sharing music.”

Listen to Fiona Apple’s cover of “Love More” above.

Epic Ten is out 4/16 via Ba Da Bing. Pre-order it here.

The Matt Gaetz scandal continues to be a treasure trove for late night hosts, thanks to what Stephen Colbert has called it’s “almost too Florida twists.” On Wednesday evening, Jimmy Kimmel took a crack at the latest revelations coming from the investigation, which is being aided by Gaetz’s indicted associate, who has reportedly been aiding prosecutors and proving copious amounts of receipts.

“The odds of Matt Gaetz going to prison are now higher than his hair,” Kimmel joked at the beginning of the segment where he lambasted Gaetz for clearly not paying attention to how his idol, Donald Trump, handles his sex scandals:

“Two women who say they were at these parties told CNN they saw Gaetz taking pills they assumed were party drugs, and he had sex with the women, after which money would change hands. That’s crazy. Has Matt Gaetz learned nothing from Donald Trump? You’re supposed to have your lawyer pay the women after you have sex with them. In secret!”

Jokes aside, Gaetz actually has been turning to Trump for help, and not getting much of it. The former president has reportedly refused to meet with Gaetz after his team warned him to steer clear of the scandal, which Trump has done for the most part. Last week, he did issue a very tame and lame statement denying that Gaetz had asked him for blanket pardon. The whole thing was barely two sentences long, which caused Kimmel to joke about how “sad” the situation is: “Matt Gaetz really was the son Donald Trump never had, even though he had a couple.”

The team that already has Arike Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally and Allisha Gray — all former top-five draft picks — will make three of the first five picks in the 2021 WNBA Draft tonight. That’s what happens when you get lucky (landing second in the lottery), aggressive (trading away Katie Lou Samuelson) and opportunistic (trading for No. 5 and No. 7 over the past year-plus). It also creates chaos, which is what could very well be on the table Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN when the Wings start off the night with the No. 1 overall pick.

One might expect that the Wings were dealing with a barren roster and using this year’s draft to reconstruct the entire team, but that’s not so. Dallas already has 10 players on its roster (a reminder that the WNBA only has 12 per team), including three rookies from last season, when the Wings also dominated the first round with three selections. That means the Wings — who also have the first pick of the second round and — will not likely be able to keep the player it would select at each spot.

Keeping on chaos as a theme, what will instead happen is that Dallas will be active on draft night, working the phones to either deal veteran players and make space for rookies or trading away picks in real time for more talent or future draft capital. Dallas already flipped the 7th pick to the Sparks on Wednesday, but might not be done making moves. They are still young, but the constant turnover and youth makes it hard to build a winner. With Ogunbowale entering her third season having led the league in scoring in 2020 and a new head coach in Vickie Johnson ready to win, tonight could be the first page in a new chapter for the Wings.

Though they control the draft, Dallas is not the only interesting team. The entire first round features players and teams whose futures are going to be determined.

The most fun drafts have the most movement and surprises, so on that note let’s get to our predictions:

1. Dallas Wings: Awak Kuier, F, Finland

The youngest player in the running for No. 1 got a ton of run in Italy this year as a pro, and flashed significant growth as a scorer and defender. Kuier would be the first international player selected at the top of the WNBA Draft since Lauren Jackson (heard of her?) but provides the building Wings a potentially All-WNBA level player who is just 19 and could be developed in-house for many years.

2. Dallas Wings: Arella Guirantes, Wing, Rutgers

I recommend this fantastic New York Times profile to understand what makes Guirantes such a filthy competitor, but the other great thing about her is that she exemplifies where basketball is going. Dallas not drafting Charli Collier would come as a surprise to most, but in Guirantes, they could bring in a two-way wing player who can create her own shot and defend multiple positions. That’s the most valuable player in the game, especially compared to a more traditional post player like Collier.

3. Atlanta Dream: Charli Collier, C, Texas

Collier graduated early and therefore declared after her junior year, meeting the WNBA’s eligibility requirements and giving Atlanta more time to mold her. After an unsteady tournament for her individually (although Texas made a surprise Elite Eight run), Collier will have something to prove as a pro, but few can match her talent and two-way ability in this class. The Dream have a deep stable of guards but could use more scoring inside, which Collier should bring them.

4. Indiana Fever: Rennia Davis, Wing, Tennessee

Similar to the Guirantes pick, this one is about the future. Davis is pretty raw offensively and was inconsistent as a shooter in college, but is a great athlete with size who can also rebound. On a Fever roster lacking toughness and athleticism on the wing, Davis should be a nice fit.

5. (TRADE) New York Liberty: Aari McDonald, G, Arizona

Here’s the deal: The Liberty swap up from No. 6 to No. 5, giving up last year’s tenth overall pick, Jocelyn Willoughby, in the process. Willoughby was uneven offensively as a rookie and McDonald gives more of a secondary ball-handler to play next to Sabrina Ionescu going forward, as well as someone whose point-of-attack defense is better than anyone New York has or could have drafted here.

6. Dallas Wings: Chelsea Dungee, G, Arkansas

The Wings have a ton of options at guard already, including 2020 first-round pick Tyasha Harris, Ogunbowale, and the recently extended Allisha Gray. However, aside from Ogunbowale, the Wings don’t quite have a player who can create their own shot on the perimeter consistently.

7. Los Angeles Sparks: Dana Evans, G, Louisville

The news broke late Wednesday that L.A. acquired this pick (and Dallas’ 2022 second-rounder) for the cost of the Sparks’ own 2022 first. That’s questionable value, and starts to reek of the Wings panicking and selling off a pick (why else would *they* give up an extra pick in the trade?). With No. 7, Los Angeles gets a player in Evans who can play backup guard behind All-Stars Erica Wheeler and Kristi Tolliver this season and potentially be the team’s point guard of the future.

8. Chicago Sky: Kiana Williams, G, Stanford

This week, espnW’s Mechelle Voepel reported in her mock draft that Chicago has zeroed in on a backup point guard, and Williams is the best one available. She was the driving force for a Stanford squad that won the national championship, and plays efficient, balanced basketball as a floor general.

9. Minnesota Lynx: Natasha Mack, F, Oklahoma State

After trading away their last athletic young forward in Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan, the Lynx get one back here, with a player in Mack who has been compared with Natasha Howard, a devastating small ball big that was drafted by Cheryl Reeve and Minnesota once upon a time.

10. Los Angeles Sparks: Michaela Onyenwere, Wing, UCLA

After trading up to No. 7 earlier, the Sparks double dip in the first round as they look to a future without Candace Parker or Chelsea Gray. In Onyenwere, they get a toolsy wing who local fans will know and whom head coach Derek Fisher can hope to mold into a two-way playmaker from the perimeter.

11. Seattle Storm: Kysre Gondrezick, G, West Virginia

A 3-and-D guard, Gondrezick should be able to help plug the holes left by Sami Whitcomb and Alysha Clark, who both departed this offseason. Ideally you’d like a bit more size next to Sue Bird and Jordin Canada, but Gondrezick is an efficient shooter and capable defender who should be able to move around the lineup in the WNBA.

12. Las Vegas Aces: DiJonai Carrington, G, Baylor

In her fifth year of eligibility after transferring from Stanford, Carrington solidified her draft stock, upping her three-point volume, handling more play-making chances, and stepping up as a turnover creator on defense. At 5-11, Carrington should be able to play across the court and brings a physical defensive mindset that is sure to make head coach Bill Laimbeer proud.

Ivanka Trump’s most recent social media post before this week was on January 19, the day before Joe Biden officially became president. In a farewell letter, she wrote, “I hope and believe that America can move forward in a positive way, acknowledge our differences, and find common ground — that is how we will remain the greatest nation.”

The probably culpable daughter of a politically toxic president going full Coca-Cola commercial (Diet Coke, of course) was already ironic, but it’s extra-rich now that Ivanka’s biggest fans have turned on her following her first social media post since her dad left office.

“Today, I got the shot!!! I hope that you do too! Thank you Nurse Torres!!!” Trump tweeted, along with two photos of the former-first daughter receiving the vaccine. As noted by Raw Story, “Her post quickly filled up with angry replies from Trump supporters refusing to be vaccinated and suggesting a government conspiracy — despite the fact that the development of the vaccine began under, and was promoted by, former President Donald Trump himself.” A typical response on Instagram went: “No thanks! With a 99% survival rate, I shall pass. With Bill Gates involved I will not get one,” while another shouted, “Bummer. I was hoping you were above this kind of virtue signaling.”

The tweet replies were equally brutal from both sides:

Ivanka Trump has made one smart choice in her life: staying off Twitter.

(Via Raw Story)

Back in March, there were reports that Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez had called off their engagement. At the time, Lopez and Rodriguez denied the rumors, telling CNN that they were “working through some things.” Lopez also responded to the rumors herself with some help from Saweetie’s “Pretty B*tch Freestyle.” Now, though, it’s official, as the pair has confirmed that they no longer plan to get married and have broken up.

They shared a statement with Today, which was revealed this morning. In it, the now-former couple said, “We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so. We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects. We wish the best for each other and one another’s children. Out of respect for them, the only other comment we have to say is thank you to everyone who has sent kind words and support.”

Prior to today’s official reveal, rumors about Lopez and Rodriguez’s split once again surfaced this week, when some people noticed that in a series of photos Lopez posted on Instagram (taken on the set of her movie Shotgun Wedding), she was not wearing her engagement ring.

Geraldo Rivera’s been feeling particularly punchy lately while helping all hell break loose on Fox News during heated discussions. He even made Sean Hannity look calm earlier this week while clashing with conservative radio host Dan Bongino over the police shooting and killing of Daunte Wright, who Kim Potter “accidentally” shot while reportedly meaning to deploy a taser, leading to nights of civil unrest in Minneapolis.

Things got even uglier on Wednesday night when Hannity welcomed Rivera and Geraldo back, and the conversation did not go well. Bongino repeated his accusation that Geraldo wanted to “see the country burn” during protests, and Geraldo lost it: “I want to see the country burn?!? You son of a bitch!” There was more: “I want to see the country burn, you punk?!? You’re nothing but a punk!” Oh boy.

Here’s how things went slightly earlier, via Mediaite, with Geraldo discussing the taser, and Bongino declaring, “Give me a second to digest the stupidity of that.” That led to Rivera growing angry about Bongino’s alleged dismissal of facts: “You’re nothing but a name-caller! You’re a cheap shot artist!”

Bongino wasn’t impressed and stuck with his take, which is that Geraldo has never been a cop, just like he hasn’t been a baseball player, so he doesn’t know everything. “There’s a big difference between reporting on a baseball game and playing it, Geraldo,” he assessed. “You’ve never worn a badge, period. Not interested in your reporting on it, because reporters deal with facts, and you brought the race card into it the other night when we had this debate, despite having no facts to back that up.”

Rivera was aghast: “What, did you have a ten-minute career as a cop? You’ve been running for office for the last 20 years.”

To that, Bongino responded, “Take a Valium. You’ve really gotta pipe down. My gosh, you’re a 70-year-old man!”

Watch the non-civilized conversation below:

As for Hannity, I wouldn’t blame him if he was vaping in the corner while this all went down. When is round three happening?

(Via Mediaite

Taylor Swift treats her fans as well as any other pop star, and not just with her prolific output in recent years. On occasion, when she hears about a Swiftie with a touching story, she takes it upon herself to reach out and offer some sort of gift to brighten their day. In May 2020, she surprised a nurse with gifts for her 30th birthday. Back in August, she paid tuition costs for a UK student studying to become a mathematician. Now Swift is back with yet another gift.

This time, she helped out another nurse. As BuzzFeed reports, flight nurse Britta Thomason was the subject of a recent profile about her work during the pandemic, by Georgia newspaper The Telegraph. At one point in the piece, Thomason was asked about her interests outside of work and she declared that she is a Swiftie. Swift herself took notice and a few days ago, Thomason got a big box of gifts from Swift, which included merch and a handwritten letter from Swift.

On Facebook, Thomason wrote, “I mentioned in a recent news article with [The Telegraph] that I am a big Taylor Swift fan…and this showed up at work today!! I’ve always seen videos of her fans opening packages she sent them but never did I EVER think I would be one of them! I’m not one to fangirl about anything, but if you know me, you know I’m a Swiftie! Don’t mind me…I’ll be crying the rest of the day. Taylor, thank you!”

In the letter, Swift wrote, “I wanted to write to you and personally thank you for serving on the front lines of this pandemic and for being brave enough to put yourself in danger to help others. I am so inspired by your passion for helping and caring for your patients, and I was so touched that you mentioned liking my music recently! I’ve sent you some cozy clothes for when you’re off duty. I’ll be thinking about you, and forever grateful!”

Check out Thomason’s post here.

Following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a white officer’s knee, then-White House national security adviser Robert C. O’Brien was asked if systemic racism is a problem in law enforcement agencies on CNN. “I don’t think there is systemic racism. I think 99.9 percent of our law enforcement officers are great Americans,” he replied. “There are a few bad apples that are giving law enforcement a terrible name.” The “one bad apple” excuse is one we’ve all heard a million times, and The Daily Show host Trevor Noah is sick of it.

“We’re told time and time again that these incidents that Black Americans are experiencing are because of bad apples, right?” he said. “There are ‘bad apples’ in these police departments who are doing these things. They use chokeholds that are not allowed. They use excessive force. They’re violent in their words and in their actions to the people they’re meant to be protecting and serving.”

This begs the question: “Where are the good apples?” Noah continued. “If we’re meant to believe that the police system in America, the system of policing itself is not fundamentally broken, then we would need to see good apples.” Noah isn’t saying there are no good police officers, but he is asking “where the good apples are, and what I mean by that is, where are the cops who are stopping the cop from putting their knee on George Floyd’s neck? Because there’s not one cop at that scene.”

You can watch the clip above.

It’s hard to believe that it was only eight years ago, but before 2013, we all watched new episodes of television the same way: Once a week, as they were released. We had to wait seven days in between every episode of Mad Men or Breaking Bad or The Sopranos. We often had to wait two or three weeks (or more) between episodes on broadcast networks. Binge-watching new television was unheard of, and if you’d asked at the time, most people in the TV industry would have called it sacrilege. In fact, some even suggested this “extreme” model would lead to the death of TV.

The truth, however, is that binge-watching had existed for years, although before 2013, we called them TV marathons. MTV might air a full season of America’s Top Model on a Saturday, or AMC might air the 20 back-to-back episodes of The Walking Dead or Comedy Central would air hours-long blocks of Scrubs. Netflix, meanwhile, turned those isolated marathons into binges. AMC aired Breaking Bad and Mad Men weekly, but recall that — especially with Breaking Bad — most viewers caught the first three or four seasons on Netflix in hours-long binge sessions. Little-heard-of comedies like Party Down, meanwhile, became cult hits because viewers would watch entire seasons of it on a Saturday afternoon.

Still, until 2013, the idea of releasing every new episode of a television show at once — without dozens of commercials in between every episode to promote the show — was almost unthinkable. That is, until House of Cards, Netflix’s first major original series, came along. Ted Sarandos — the co-chief executive officer and chief content officer for Netflix — was on the Smartless podcast this week, and he explained that Netflix knew from the beginning that it would have to get into original content game, which even at the time was novel for the streamer. Sarandos reasoned that streaming television would be the future, and while the platform made most of its money airing reruns of other network’s content, they knew that at some point, networks like AMC and HBO and NBC would create their own platforms and stop licensing their content to Netflix.

That’s why Netflix spent $100 million on House of Cards, which would ultimately lead to Netflix becoming the biggest powerhouse in content today. However, at the time, releasing all the episodes at once was an afterthought, according to Ted Sarandos. “I never even thought about it,” he said. “It was the happy accident of happy accidents. When we finished the season [of House of Cards], and we were about to launch, somebody asked how we were going to put it out.”

“We had a meeting,” Sarandos continued, “and they asked, ‘How are you going to release it?’ and I said, ‘How do you mean?’ And they said, “one a week? Four a month?’

“I said, well, everything on Netflix we got it a season after it was on TV and we put up the whole season. And I said, well, we can’t have one show that comes out one a week and everything else all at once, so let’s just release [House of Cards] all at once and see how people watch it.”

And that’s how the binge-model was born, by “happy accident.” The data that Netflix had also backed up the move, with Sarandos saying, “some people watched two and some people watched three, but no one watched just one a week.”

House of Cards, however, wasn’t actually the first Netflix original series to go adopt the binge model. That honor went to the lesser-known series Lilyhammer, from Stevie Van Zandt, best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos. Sarandos actually had to have a phone call with Van Zandt to explain what was happening, and Van Zandt said, “Wait a minute, wait a minute! We just spent nine months of our lives making a show, and you’re just going to dump it all out at once?”

“And I said, ‘Yeah, just like an album,’ Sarandos said.

It changed the industry. By the end of 2013, binge-watching a new show no longer seemed “weird or unusual.” Netflix had completely normalized it.

Source: SmartLess