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It’s been 41 years since McDonald’s first launched the chicken nugget, and here we are in 2024 still obsessed over them. That’s partly because nuggets have come a long way, what was once a mixture of overly processed mystery meats is now — at most fast food chains at least — 100% white meat chicken.

The best chicken nuggets are juicy, tender, and wonderfully dippable. They function not just as a meal (with a side of fries and a drink of course) but also as one of the best side items on any menu.

You can’t say the same about chicken tenders. That’s why zeroing in on the best chicken nuggets in all of fast food is important to us. With fast food prices rising, and more options than ever before, we want to help ensure that you are eating only the best of the best and getting the most bang for your buck. So we’ve rounded up as many nuggets as we could find — 25 — and put them all to a taste test to help shout out the best chicken nuggets of 2024.

Some of these nuggets are new to fast food menus, and some are tried and true classics. Here are the absolute best of the best.

25. Dairy Queen — Rotisserie-Style Chicken Bites

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

I usually feel bad about whatever ranks dead last in our food rankings, but I don’t feel bad about this one. These are, objectively, awful. Dry as a bone, seasoned with salt and a bitter onion powder flavor, with a strangely fake rosemary aftertaste.

It’s no surprise that only select DQ’s across the country actually hold these things. They are probably only on the menu to cash in on the keto diet craze from a few years ago.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Country Gravy is the only move that makes sense here.

The Bottom Line:

Order almost anything else from Dairy Queen and you’ll have a better experience. Even if you follow a strict keto diet, eat somewhere else.

Find your nearest Dairy Queen here.

24. Jack in the Box — Chicken Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

I wanted these to be better than they are because the Jack in the Box menu can never get enough sides, but these fall flat for me. The breading is light and crispy, which I love, and its well seasoned with a mix of black pepper and garlic powder, but the chicken itself is absolutely flavorless.

The meat has a strange wet texture, which acts as an even bigger disincentive to eat it than the flavor itself.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Frank’s Red Hot. Dose them as heavily as possible.

The Bottom Line:

Flavorless meat with a weird wet texture. Avoid at all costs.

Find your nearest Jack in the Box here.

23. Sonic — Jumbo Popcorn Chicken

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

We’ve already named two nuggets that I would flatly say are bad, but here we are on our second nugget and I’m pleased to say these are pretty good. Turns out the floor for how bad chicken nuggets get isn’t that low!

These nuggets are crispy, a bit moist, and have a nice fragrant black pepper-forward flavor. They are also HUGE. That makes them a problem to dip, as they soak up a lot of sauce, but it’s nothing that asking for extra sauce won’t remedy.

While I like these they are far from the best side order from Sonic. Chili cheese tots, jalapeño poppers, and mozzarella sticks would all rank much higher than these for me personally.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Sonic’s Signature sauce will add a bright and citrusy flavor with a bit of tang, and the slighest hint of sweet smoke.

The Bottom Line:

Pretty good despite ranking this low on the list.

Find your nearest Sonic here.

22. Sonic — Honey BBQ Sauced Jumbo Popcorn Chicken

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Better than the non-sauced version but just barely. If you’re not into sweet flavors, you might find this one a bit off-putting as the BBQ sauce leans heavily on the sugary side. Aside from that sweetness, you have a bit of black pepper, and a slight sense of smokeiness, but the lasting flavor is straight sugar.

Best Dipping Sauce?

They’re already sauced to hell, so no dipping sauce is necessary. But if you must, ranch is an option.

The Bottom Line:

As I said before, Sonic has plenty of better snack options. Get mozzarella sticks!

Find your nearest Sonic here.

21. Burger King — Chicken Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Somehow Burger King’s chicken nuggets are incredibly dry and yet soft and easy to chew through. The meat comes across as dehydrated. What I do like is the flavor, it’s zesty, salty and peppery. If we could just get some higher quality meat, these could easily be ranked much higher.

Best Dipping Sauce?

BBQ. It’s not only Burger King’s best dipping sauce, but the best BBQ sauce in all of fast food. We stand by that.

The Bottom Line:

If you can get past the weird texture, these are pretty good.

Find your nearest Burger King here.

20. Sonic — Buffalo Sauced Jumbo Popcorn Chicken

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

I’m just going to say it — Sonic has too many damn nugget flavors. While I like these nuggets, three subtle variations are two too many! This nugget is tossed in Buffalo sauce which adds a tangy, spicy, and savory quality to the stock nuggets.

Are they entirely necessary? No, but they’re better than the two other versions, so I guess that’s something.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Ranch to capture that hot wings experience.

The Bottom Line:

Sonics best chicken nugget flavor, whatever that’s worth.

Find your nearest Sonic here.

19. Rally’s — Chicken Bites

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

I like these. The breading is crispy yet strangely dusty with a great pepper and garlic blend. The chicken itself is tender and juicy. My only issue is that Rally’s only sells these as part of a half-pound box with fries. When you have that many nuggets, they quickly overstay their welcome.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Frank’s Buffalo Hot Sauce for a spicy kick.

The Bottom Line:

Pretty good but we wish Rally’s would offer a smaller size as it’s easy to get sick of these once you’ve had more than five.

Find your nearest Rally’s here.

18. White Castle — Chicken Rings

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

If you can get passed the odd shape, these are good. The breading is seasoned with a nice mix of pepper, onion, and garlic, housing some heavily processed white meat chicken. They aren’t going to win any awards for quality, but I can’t deny the flavor, they’re strangely addicting.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Zesty Zing Sauce. It’s a mustard-based sauce that adds a tangy and sweet flavor into the mix.

The Bottom Line:

Good but disturbing. Whoever told White Castle that ring-shaped chicken was a good idea must’ve been high out of their mind.

Find your nearest White Castle here.

17. Carl’s Jr — Chicken Stars

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

I’ll admit it, I’m ranking these way too high. Why am I okay with a star-shaped chicken and not a ring-shaped chicken? I couldn’t tell you, but I love the flavor here. These nuggets are bright, slightly buttery, and incredibly crispy. Yes, the chicken inside is weird and spongey, it’s clearly a meat slurry which is one of the most distasteful combinations of words ever, but for whatever strange reason, I like ‘em!

Are they top ten material? Not a f*cking chance, but they are a guilty pleasure that I make no apology for enjoying.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Buffalo Hot Sauce adds a buttery tang and heat into the mix that makes these nuggets truly addictive.

The Bottom Line:

If your instincts are pushing you away from star-shaped chicken, we feel that. But if you can look past the shape and weird meat texture, these are strangely addictive.

Find your nearest Carl’s Jr here.

16. Arby’s — Premium Chicken Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Arby’s nuggets are surprisingly good. I don’t love the breading, its powdery, dry, and only seasoned with black pepper and salt, but the quality of the meat here is significantly better than all the chicken proceeding it in this ranking.

True to its name, the chicken is premium. It tears, tastes, and looks like actual white meat chicken, rather than a low-quality meat slurry.

But just because it’s a step up from the stuff ranked lower, it’s far from being amazing.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Bronco sauce. It adds a fruity apple and cherry note to the mix which might sound strange, but the sweet notes make for a great pairing with the savory flavor of the chicken.

The Bottom Line:

Arby’s best chicken option. That’s not saying that much, but hey, it’s something.

Find your nearest Arby’s here.

15. Wendy’s — Chicken Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

I like Wendy’s nuggets, but we’re back in meat slurry territory here, so if you like whole pieces of a single cut of chicken look elsewhere. These nuggets have a floral and earthy black pepper flavor with a buttery finish. They’re crispy and wonderful to dunk.

A good nugget, but far from great.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Ghost pepper ranch brings some much needed heat to these buttery nuggets.

The Bottom Line:

Good, but Wendy’s has several better nugget options.

Find your nearest Wendy’s here.

14. Burger King — Fiery Buffalo Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Introduced to the Burger King menu this year, BK’s Fiery Buffalo Nuggets are a significant step up from the brand’s old sauce-less nuggets. Thanks to a toss of buffalo sauce, these nuggets have a strong and pungent aroma that tastes tangy and peppery.

If you love buffalo sauce, these are a must.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Ranch will add a savory herbal quality to this dish.

The Bottom Line:

One of the best new menu items at Burger King.

Find your nearest Burger King here.

13. McDonald’s — Chicken McNuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Too high for McDonald’s McNuggets? Maybe, but when these things are perfectly cooked, they’re wonderfully addicting.

When fresh, these nuggets are airy and crispy, with a salty flavor that is backed by some white pepper. The crispy exterior stays crispy no matter how much you dip it, which can’t be said for most of the nuggets on this list. But quality control at McDonald’s is rough stuff.

When you get an order of nuggets that isn’t fresh, what you get is stale and flavorless. Because of that, we have to bump these nuggets a few placements back.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Sweet and Sour adds some nice tang to these nuggets.

The Bottom Line:

The nugget that started it all! It’s very good, but not quite great.

Find your nearest McDonald’s here.

12. Wendy’s — Honey BBQ Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

This year Wendy’s launched four new sauce-tossed nuggets and they’re all pretty damn good. Our least favorite is the Honey BBQ.

My issue here is since BBQ sauce is already an available dipping sauce, this isn’t bringing much new to the table. You could get this same experience by simply dipping the nuggets in a side of BBQ, so I guess if you’re too lazy to do that, just order these.

The flavor is a well-balanced floral honey sweetness with a smokey aftertaste.

Best Dipping Sauce?

No sauce required.

The Bottom Line:

They’re good, but ultimately inessential.

Find your nearest Wendy’s here.

11. Chick-fil-A — Grilled Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

When compared to fried chicken nuggets, grilled nuggets are never going to perform that well, we already know going in that this is an uphill battle. Which is a shame because these are f*cking delicious.

They’re juicy and packed with flavor, I’m tasting black pepper, a hint of lemon, and some lightly charred notes.

They’re designed for people on a keto diet but if you’re just looking to cut calories and carbs and aren’t dogmatic about any diet rules, these are a delicious option and are even better when dipped in sauce.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Polynesian is your best choice. It’ll elevate this delicious nugget with a sweet, tangy, and citrusy top note.

The Bottom Line:

Way more delicious than you’d assume.

Find your nearest Chick-fil-A here.

10. The Habit — Crispy Chicken Bites

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

The meat on these nuggets is great. Tender, flavorful, minimally processed, and super meaty, but the breading leaves something to be desired. Instead of a crispy crunch, you get a weird powdery texture that is too heavily seasoned with black pepper.

If The Habit changed how they batter this chicken, it would do a lot to rank higher for us.

Best Dipping Sauce?

BBQ will give you some smoke and tang, which will help distract from the weird powdery texture.

The Bottom Line:

The only nuggets on this list that require sauce.

Find your nearest The Habit here.

9. Wendy’s — Buffalo Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

We’d be mad at Wendy’s for having too many subtle variations on nuggets if they weren’t all good, but luckily for all of us, they are!

The Buffalo nuggets give a bright, zesty, and tangy flavor with a buttery savoriness that is easy to fall in love with. Here is the thing though, if you like your buffalo sauce spicy, this doesn’t quite deliver. If you can look past that, there is a lot to love here.

Best Dipping Sauce?

No sauce required!

The Bottom Line:

Zesty, tangy, and delicious!

Find your nearest Wendy’s here.

8. Wendy’s — Spicy Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

I like these a lot because for a while they were the spiciest nuggets you could order in all of fast food. A single bite will ignite your palate with a strong cayenne pepper kick joined by fragrant black pepper notes. The texture is crispy but like a lot of the lesser nuggets on this ranking, the meat is heavily processed.

Because of that, we have to knock it back a few spots.

Best Dipping Sauce?

As I said with the non-spicy version, you’re going to want to go with Ghost Pepper Ranch here.

The Bottom Line:

For a heavily processed chicken nugget, it’s damn good.

Find your nearest Wendy’s here.

7. Popeyes — Classic Boneless Wings

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Let’s just be real, all boneless wings are just nuggets, anytime a brand uses the word “wings,” it’s probably to justify charging too much for what you’re getting. Price aside, I really like the chicken here, that shouldn’t come as a, I mean it’s Popeyes we’re talking about.

The breading is wonderful, it’s crispy, light, and crunchy with a blend of garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The chicken inside is the perfect level of juicy, making each one of these nuggets a true joy to eat.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Blackened Ranch for a bit of heat and tang.

The Bottom Line:

It’s not Popeyes’ best chicken offering, but it’s damn good.

Find your nearest Popeyes here.

6. Wendy’s — Garlic Parmesan

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

If you’re hoping this is the final Wendy’s entry in this ranking, we’ve got bad news for you, it’s not!

On the bright side, these are delicious and you should absolutely order them as soon as you can. I’m tasting a mix of pungent garlic and nutty, tangy, fruity Parmesan flavors with some Italian herbs on the aftertaste. Imagine the sort of breading usually reserved for a mozzarella stick, but with chicken inside instead of cheese.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Marinara would be ideal, but Wendy’s doesn’t have that. So I’m going to say ranch or bleu cheese.

The Bottom Line:

Herbal, zesty, and tangy, one of the best sauced nuggets in the game.

Find your nearest Wendy’s here.

5. Wendy’s — Spicy Ghost Pepper

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Okay, here it is, the final Wendy’s nugget entry on this list. These nuggets are amazing, especially if you’re a spice lover.

The heat begins smokey before shifting into a bright fruity flavor that combines chive and garlic with a strong cayenne pepper kick. Most of the heat builds between bites, which will draw you in for another taste as you look to relieve the heat on your palate. I absolutely love these.

Best Dipping Sauce?

There is too much flavor going on here, so no sauce required.

The Bottom Line:

One of the most exciting new additions to the Wendy’s menu in some time.

Find your nearest Wendy’s here.

4. Shake Shack — Chick ’n Bites

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Shake Shack takes what McDonald’s does well — a crispy light cornstarch-based breading, and couples it with tender pieces of whole muscle white meat chicken that is sous-vide cooked. It’s essentially an elevated McNugget.

The chicken is seasoned with a mix of garlic, onion powder, and black pepper and has an incredible melt-in-your-mouth quality. I don’t have any issues or gripes with these nuggets, they’re delicious, but they aren’t my favorite.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Shake Sauce will add some sweetness and tang, while accentuating the savory qualities.

The Bottom Line:

Great, a snobby elevated version of the Chicken McNugget.

3. KFC — Original Recipe Chicken Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

This is probably the highest KFC will ever rank in one of our fast food rankings, but what can I say, I’m a sucker for KFC’s Original Recipe. I’m tasting a mix of garlic, onion, thyme, and black pepper with a tender and juicy texture.

No complaints here!

Best Dipping Sauce?

Honey BBQ. It adds a sweet counterpoint to the flavor profile which enhances the experience.

The Bottom Line:

A near-perfect nugget. The only thing holding it back is that it’s not quite as good as what we’ve ranked above it.

Find your nearest KFC here.

2. Chick-fil-A — Chicken Nuggets

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

Last year we named Chick-fil-A’s chicken nuggets the best in fast food. I’m sorry to Chick-fil-A, but it didn’t pan out that way in 2024, but these are still very very good.

The nuggets are meaty, juicy, and tender with breading that combines onion, garlic powder, black pepper, and an earthy floral paprika smokiness. There is a savory tangy to the breading here, and the meat inside is tender and juicy.

The only issue here is that the nuggets lack crunch. They can be a bit too soggy. If crunch isn’t important to you, then these nuggets are some of the very best. But if you want a crispy nugget, look to our top choice.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Like with the grilled nuggets, we’re going to say the best option here is Polynesian.

The Bottom Line:

Far above anything ranked below, but not quite as good as our number one choice.

Find your nearest Chick-fil-A here.

1. Dave’s Hot Chicken — Chicken Bites (Hot Level)

Tasting Notes & Thoughts:

This has everything that Chick-fil-A’s nuggets have, they’re tender, juicy, and well-seasoned, but the blend of seasonings present in the batter takes things up to another level. We’re tasting a lot of garlic, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and earthy paprika, as well a bigger emphasis on smoked flavors, with a cayenne pepper kick.

Spicy will always trump non-spicy for me, and at Dave’s you have the option of ordering these either “Medium” or “Hot.’ Both options are spicy, but if you really want that mouth-watering heat, you have to go with the hot option.

Dave’s Chicken Bites are the newest nugget on the scene, introduced to menus in 2024, so maybe its the recency bias talking, but right now these are my go-to chicken nuggets.

Best Dipping Sauce?

Eat these with the sauce Dave’s supplies you with. It’s a comeback-style sauce that adds some tang and accentuates the savory flavor of this chicken perfectly.

The Bottom Line:

Our choice for the best chicken nugget in fast food for 2024.

Find your nearest Dave’s Hot Chicken here.

Les Ardentes Festival means business. The festival will employ seven stages to handle all of the star power descending upon Liège, Belgium from Thursday, July 11, to Sunday, July 14. The 2024 lineup features DJ Snake, Gunna, Offset, Doja Cat, 21 Savage, Central Cee, Don Toliver, Nicki Minaj, Yeat, and so many more.

Check out the Les Ardentes Festival set times you need to know below, and find the full schedule exclusively on the Les Ardentes Festival app.

Here Are The Les Ardentes Festival Set Times For 2024

Set times are listed in local time and subject to change.

Thursday, July 11

Destroy Lonely is set to perform from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and the same stage (Big Eye) will host Gunna from 7:50 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. and Offset from 10:10 p.m. to 11:20 p.m. DJ Snake will close the night from 11:20 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Friday, July 12

Rosie will jumpstart the day from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sexyy Red is due to perform from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., followed by 21 Savage from 10:20 p.m. to 11:20 p.m. and Doja Cat from 11:30 p.m. to 12:45 a.m.

Saturday, July 13

Ayra Starr will perform from 4:30 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. to set the tone for Zola (6:40 p.m. to 7:40 p.m.), Don Toliver (9:10 p.m. to 10:20 p.m.), and Central Cee (11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.) on the Phoenix stage.

Sunday, July 14

Yeat is due on Big Eye from 10:15 p.m. to 11:15 p.m., flowing right into Nicki Minaj punctuating the weekend from 11:30 p.m. to 12:45 a.m. on the Phoenix stage.

Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. It’s a tough week for sneaker fans. In the sneaker world, holidays are a real toss-up. Sometimes you’ll get special releases of coveted colorway refreshes, or special collaborations (think Christmas and Valentine’s Day), but occasionally, a holiday comes around where brands can’t come up with a good hook to sell shoes. The Fourth of July is one of those holidays.

What are brands to do? Re-drop all the most popular silhouettes in a red, white, and blue colorway? Save for Nike Cortez fans, no one wants that! So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this week is one of the weakest in all of 2024 for dope sneaker drops.

But, it’s the SNX commitment that we cover the best shoes to drop every single week. And we mean every. Single. Week. All 52 in a year. With that said, here are the best sneakers dropping this week and where to buy them.

KITH x New Balance Malibu MS 1300

Price: $150

This week the streetwear brand KITH opened up a new flagship store in Malibu California and to celebrate the occasion, the brand linked up with New Balance for a special two sneaker collection dubbed simply “Malibu.”

First up is the MS 1300 which features a canvas upper with suede overlays and leather accents in two colorways, and rides atop an ENCAP and ABZORB midsole. Both colorways build off a light beige base and differ with either tan or grey overlays.

The KITH x New Balance Malibu MS 1300 is out now. Pick up a pair at KITH’s Malibu flagship, the KITH app, or your favorite aftermarket site.

KITH x New Balance Malibu 580

Price: $150

The Malibu 580 features the same build as the 1300 — canvas, suede, and leather, and is also available in two colorways but rides on an ABZORB and C-Cap midsole. The look of both the 580 and 1300 is inspired by the Malibu flagship store’s design, which is why they utilize the same color palette.

Both sneakers look dope, and it’s interesting that of all the silhouettes New Balance chose the 1300 and 580 for this collaboration. Hopefully, that means we’ll get new colorways of the two silhouettes going forward.

The KITH x New Balance Malibu 580 is out now. Pick up a pair at KITH’s Malibu flagship, the KITH app, or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

Adidas D.O.N. Issue 6 Camp

Price: $120
If you’re after something loud, brash, and in your face, you’re not going to find another shoe that satisfies that need like the D.O.N. Issue 6 Camp. Donovan Mitchell’s Adidas signature sports a textile upper with a mesh insert, internal bootie construction, Lightstrike cushioning, and an impossible-to-ignore mix of bright pink, red, purple, blue, and neon green colors.

I like to think that when it comes to basketball shoes, people take two routes. The understated but timeless Jordan route, where the shoes look pretty tame, or the LeBron route, where weird colorways and design details combine to make something that draws eyes, for better or worse.

The D.O.N. falls into that former camp. I’m kidding, obviously this is taking from the LeBron go-loud-or-go-home playbook.

The Adidas D.O.N. Issue 6 is out now for a retail price of $120. Pick up a pair at Adidas or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

Adidas Tyshawn II Core Black

Price: $100

Pro skater Tyshawn Jones has one of the best signature skate shoes from Adidas and that’s because Jones looked deep into the Adidas archives to craft his shoe. I’m not the biggest fan of Adidas’ more modern offerings, but the brand has one of the best rosters of silhouettes hiding out in its vaults.

The Tyshawn II combines some of Jones’ favorite Adidas silhouettes for a stylish yet functional skate shoe that features a leather upper, a textile lining, and Lightstrike cushioning. The toe box features dual-layered construction for extra durability, while the sneaker’s multidirectional cupsole tread is designed to provide impact cushioning.

The Tyshawn II is a sneaker designed to take the abuse of street skating while at the same time looking great. It’s both fashionable and functional, making it one of the best modern skate shoes.

The Adidas Tyshawn II is out now for a retail price of $100. Pick up a pair at Adidas or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 Quarry Blue (W)/ Heron Blue v4 (M)

Price: $139.99 (W/M)

Now that New Balance is on the rise and is being worn more and more by the street’s most fashionable dressers, it’s easy to forget that the brand used to be known less for its high-profile collaborations, and more for offering functional running sneakers. The FuelCell Rebel v4 harkens back to the brand’s roots.

The sneaker features FuelCell foam technology, which is designed to help give runners a propulsive jolt while running, with a wide midsole that provides lift, comfort, and impact protection, with a mesh upper for a lightweight feel.

The new drop sports a women’s and men’s exclusive colorway, both in different shades of blue. It would’ve been nice to see a full-size run for both colorways, but at least this will add some colorway diversity, which is a nice feature if you’re part of a group running club.

The New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4 Quarry Blue/ Heron Blue is out now for a retail price of $139.99 Pick up a pair at New Balance.

On Wednesday, July 10, Joe Jonas announced he will release “Work It Out” as his next solo single on July 19. On Wednesday night, the former Uproxx cover star served as the latest guest on Jake Shane’s Therapuss and divulged details about the song and his upcoming solo album.

Jonas explained that he’d worked on a song initially intended for a Jonas Brothers album, but he “was listening to it, and I was like, ‘Damn, I really like this song,’ and starting to feel like I don’t know why, but I want this song for myself — not just the Brothers — and I also feel like it’s not DNCE, which is another band I’m in.”

He continued, “I asked my brothers’ blessings, and I was like, hey, I wanna go work on — I don’t wanna call it solo, but I want to go do something on my own, and I don’t feel like it’s DNCE, and I need to go just express some stuff for myself. And they’re like, ‘Go for it.’ Nick booked a movie. Kevin was going to do another season of Claim To Fame, and so I had a window of time, and I locked myself away.”

Jonas noted that he worked with Alexander 23, Muna’s Josette Maskin (another former Uproxx cover star), Jason Evigan, Tommy English, Paris Carney, and other “great friends of mine.”

The 34-year-old said his upcoming solo album came together in two-to-three weeks, and it will be “the most personal music I’ve ever put out.” Jonas didn’t reveal a specific release date for the album, but he estimated that it will arrive “later this year,” and he plans to “probably release a few more songs before the album comes out.”

It will all begin with “Work It Out,” which was co-written with Blush and Evigan. Jonas played the song’s chorus for the first time with Shane. Jonas sings, in part, “Get up, get up, get up, get up / What are you whining about? / No, nobody’s gonna save you now / No, nobody’s gonna pull you out / Brush your shoulders off.”

Watch the full Therapuss episode above, and check out Jonas’ posts announcing “Work It Out” below.

NLE Choppa released “Sl*t Me Out 2” in April, but the Memphis rapper is still promoting the aggressively, explicitly confident single on TikTok.

On Wednesday, July 10, NLE Choppa used the song to soundtrack a TikTok showing him dancing alongside the written message, “I got a crush on Billie Elish [sic].” NLE posted another TikTok in which he’s dancing to “Sl*t Me Out 2” because he’s so “boredddd” before posting one showing him awkwardly attempting to stretch his leg out and flailing like a disappointed child when he lacked any flexibility whatsoever and failed. “If I shoot my shot at Billie and it don’t work out,” the TikTok reads.

Tip No. 1 would be to spell Billie Eilish’s name correctly, but NLE Choppa’s chances don’t seem promising. Regardless, nobody can blame NLE for crushing on Eilish. Even Finneas admitted to Billie on Hot One Versus, “You look good in the dumbest f*cking clothing.”

NLE Choppa also addressed on commenter asking, “What happened to Sophie Rain?” That TikTok displayed the message “Locked in with Sophie til I rest in peace” while soundtracked by NLE’s “Stickin And Movin.”

In late June, NLE Choppa and influencer Sophie Rain posted two TikToks lip-syncing to “Sl*t Me Out 2,” which have since been viewed a collective 27.2 million times. (This is officially the most 2024 post ever.)

Watch all of NLE Choppa’s TikToks below.

The Copa America final is set. After Argentina punched its ticket on Tuesday night with a 2-0 win over Canada, Colombia and Uruguay went head-to-head in Charlotte on Wednesday. It was billed as potential classic and lived up to the hype, as Jefferson Lerma scored a goal in the 39th minute off of a James Rodriguez corner kick to give the Colombians a 1-0 win.

The game itself got tense early on, which is not unusual for high-profile Copa America games. And just before the half, Daniel Muñoz got a red card that meant Colombia had to scratch and claw for the game’s final 45 minutes. Things were chippy throughout, and after the game, some players and staffers got into it on the field.

That had nothing on what happened in the stands. While it’s unclear what sparked things, a collection of Uruguayan players were not happy with Colombian fans. There was some beer thrown, there were players going into the stands themselves, and Liverpool forward Darwin Núñez threw punches.

Again, it’s unclear what led to things popping off like this, because while emotions ran high during the game, it never exactly seemed like players felt compelled to run into the stands and start fighting opposing fans. We’ll keep you posted if any information comes out about what sparked things.

Joe Jonas is plenty busy with the Jonas Brothers, Uproxx’s June 2023 cover stars, but he has some things to get off his chest individually.

On Wednesday, July 10, Jonas announced he will release “Work It Out” as his next solo single on July 19. He posted the single’s cover artwork and an Instagram Reel presumably teasing a snippet of the song with the written message, “I’m both excited and emotional as I’m gearing up to release new music. I’m humbled and grateful to collaborate with some of my favorite musicians and creators. I hope you find as much happiness and peace as I do when you listen to these songs.” So, all indications point toward “Work It Out” beginning a larger rollout toward a solo project.

The snippet sounds identical to a longer snippet Jonas posted on TikTok in late May. If it is indeed the same song, Jonas sings, “Come on, Joe, you got so much more to be grateful for / Stop being sad ’cause you’re makin’ the room uncomfortable / OK, I get it, right now, you’re feeling so miserable / Sometimes, I wish I had powers to be invisible / Even baddies get saddies, and that’s the hardest truth / Call your mommy and daddy, they don’t know what to do.”

Since last September, Jonas has been navigating a very public divorce from actress Sophie Turner, including a nasty custody battle that was resolved in October.

In May 2023, the Jonas Brothers released The Album and have since been staging their massive headlining Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour. See all of their remaining dates here.

(WARNING: Spoilers for Power Book II: Ghost will be found below.)

Last week’s episode of Power Book II: Ghost, titled “Ego Death,” sent Tariq on a wild journey. After an argument with Brayden and his girlfriend, who gave Tariq acid without his knowledge, Tariq found himself on a trippy journey that took him to the future to see what life with him soon-to-be family of Diana and their child would look like. He was also presented with how things could go very wrong if he didn’t change his approach in drug game. While many would remove themselves from the dangers of the game in order to protect their future family, Tariq decided that he needed to take over the game and stand atop it to protect Diana and their baby. Diana shut down this idea when Tariq brought it up to her, and the episode ended without the two finding a solution to their problem. So, what happens now?

When Will Power Book II: Ghost Season 4, Episode 6 Come Out?

The sixth episode of Power Book II: Ghost season four will air when part two of the season begins on September 6. This season of Power Book II: Ghost was split into two part, with the first half of the season launching with weekly episodes that began on June 7. The remaining five episodes will air on a weekly basis, starting with episode six. Episode six will be available on Friday, 9/6 on the STARZ app starting at midnight EST/PST. The episode will later air on the STARZ TV channel that same day at 8 pm ET/PT.

‘Power Book II: Ghost’ season four, part in now streaming on the STARZ app Season four, part two debuts on September 6.

Deadpool & Wolverine will finally hit theaters later this month, and speculation as to whether Taylor Swift appears in the film will likely last until then. Entertainment Weekly reported that she “is not in the film,” but the movie’s press run is doing nothing to dissuade rumors from persisting. Ryan Reynolds recreated Swift’s Evermore album cover, and the IMAX poster shows Deadpool and Wolverine wearing friendship bracelets.

More recently, Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, and Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy sat down with Variety to test how well they know each other. Inevitably, Swift came up.

Halfway through the eight-minute video, Jackman and Levy were asked to identify Reynolds’ favorite Taylor Swift song. Jackman was confident, saying, “I know the answer to this. He sang it to me on the very last day of the shoot.” Unfortunately, Jackman’s guess of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was incorrect. Levy guessed, “The one that starts with ‘gorgeous,’” referencing “Gorgeous,” the Reputation track featuring Reynolds and Blake Lively’s daughter James saying, “Gorgeous.” A very logical guess, but wrong.

Reynolds revealed the answer to be “Betty” and explained he’s “in my Folklore and my Evermore era.”

“Betty” is named after Lively and Reynolds’ four-year-old daughter, and the song also name-checks the aforementioned James and Inez Reynolds, their seven-year-old daughter.

Lively and Reynolds’ friendship with Swift has been well-documented. In November 2022, Reynolds said on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show that celebrating a new Swift album was “like a religion in our house.”

“I think what’s most exciting for them is that for the longest time they just thought Taylor’s just a, you know, like an aunt — like a friend of mommy and daddy that’s very, very close, almost family,” Reynolds added. “And then they went to a concert one day and were like, ‘Oh, oh this isn’t a hobby.’”

Lively and Reynolds welcomed their fourth child in early 2023 and have yet to publicly confirm the baby’s name.

Watch the full Variety clip above.

Unless we were in therapy to deal with an emotionally abusive relationship, most of us weren’t familiar with the term “gaslighting” until the past decade. Now, it’s everywhere, and there always seems to be someone talking to people and gaslighting them. In fact, it’s used so much that in 2022, it was named a word of the year by the dictionary giant Merriam-Webster.

“Gaslighting” has become a common part of our vocabulary—unfortunately, it also comes with some common misunderstandings.

Merriam-Webster currently defines gaslighting as “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for one’s own advantage,” but that definition merely reflects how the clinical term has been broadened and oversimplified. As psychologists explain, specific factors make a behavior gaslighting instead of disagreeing, correcting, or trying to persuade someone that they’re right.

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Where the term “gaslighting” comes from

The word “gaslighting” is derived from a 1938 play called “Gas Light,” which was subsequently adapted as the film “Gaslight” in 1944. In that story, a young woman’s new husband—who had, unbeknownst to her, murdered her aunt 10 years prior—tries to make her think she’s losing her mind. He manipulates her environment (for instance, by repeatedly dimming the gas lights) but denies that anything odd is happening, making her question her reality. His deception was deliberate—he hoped to drive her mad so he could institutionalize her and steal a cache of jewels that were hidden in her aunt’s house.

That storyline, the husband’s tactics and the reason for them provide helpful context for what gaslighting is and isn’t.

What is “gaslighting”?

Psychology Today defines gaslighting as “an insidious form of manipulation and psychological control. Victims of gaslighting are deliberately and systematically fed false information that leads them to question what they know to be true, often about themselves. They may end up doubting their memory, their perception, and even their sanity. Over time, a gaslighter’s manipulations can grow more complex and potent, making it increasingly difficult for the victim to see the truth.”

Robin Stern, Ph.D., wrote the 2007 book “The Gaslight Effect,” which helped popularize the term that she says is now losing its meaning. “People often tell me that someone gaslighted them when, in fact, what they are describing is mere disagreement,” she writes in Psychology Today.

Here’s how she describes it:

“Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse where one person’s psychological manipulation causes another person to question their reality. Gaslighting can happen between two people in any relationship. A gaslighter preserves his or her sense of self and power over the gaslightee, who adopts the gaslighter’s version of reality over their own.”

Ahona Guha D.Psych offers a definition that includes some key factors:

“Gaslighting is a pattern of behaviour, usually intentional, designed to make someone question their own reality, memories, or experiences. The lesson is simple: When identifying gaslighting, look for a pattern (i.e., one time is not enough), and for behaviour that seems intentional or malicious (think ‘No, you are over-reacting because you are too sensitive, it didn’t happen that way’).”

When is it not really gaslighting?

If we define gaslighting as simply misleading or confusing someone, it becomes easy to mislabel all kinds of normal, imperfect human interactions as such. Disagreements, remembering events differently, and even trying to convince someone of your viewpoint are not gaslighting unless they involve some specific elements.

“It’s important to remember that gaslighting is not present every time there is a conflict, and someone feels strongly about their point of view and rejects another’s,” explains Stern. “Conflicts can veer into gaslighting if one person is so insistent that the other person starts to doubt themselves. A power imbalance in the relationship usually allows the gaslighter to undermine the gaslightee’s sense of self. The need to control, the act of manipulating, and the leveraging of power are essential components of gaslighting—not hurt feelings or challenged viewpoints.”

“Often, the gaslighter is unyielding and verbally aggressive,” Stern adds. “The gaslighter likely turns a back-and-forth discussion into blaming the other person and may even lie outright about what took place. They may use statements such as, ‘Are you crazy? I never said that—must be early memory loss,’ and ‘OMG—fantasy land as usual. Can’t you remember anything?!'”

Guha emphasizes that gaslighting is not a one-off behavior but a pattern. “Most people will say things that might be insensitive, exasperated, or callous on occasion. It would not count as gaslighting unless there was a repeated pattern over time — a pattern based on a desire to deny recognition of the other’s experience.”

Why does it matter if we call something gaslighting when it’s not?

“Gaslighting is often used in an accusatory way when somebody may just be insistent on something, or somebody may be trying to influence you,” Dr. Stern told Well + Good. “That’s not what gaslighting is.” She shared that accusing someone of gaslighting when they are really just insistent on a strongly held opinion, or belief shuts down a conversation in an unhealthy way.

Stern and her colleague Marc Barnett at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence wrote in the Washington Post, “Today, many people use ‘gaslighting’ when someone merely disagrees with them. Well-meaning partners, co-workers, or family members may not be skilled in resolving conflict in a relationship, but that doesn’t mean they’re gaslighting — or being gaslighted. Mislabeling and name-calling can break down communication. It can also lead you to think you’re in an emotionally abusive relationship when you’re not.”

Gaslighting is “an extreme form of emotional abuse,” according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, so if you wonder if you may be the victim of a gaslighter, get advice from a professional therapist who has the knowledge and experience to help.