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For many soldiers, the horrors of war do not go away when they come back home. Not even sleep can provide a safe haven from the unspeakable images that stain their thoughts. The Department of Veteran Affairs claims that 52% to 96% of those suffering from PTSD have nightmares, often several times a week, adding to the already daunting task of re-acclimating to civilian life.

In 2007, Patrick Skluzacek returned home after serving as a convoy commander for the United States Army in Fallujah. And the war came with him. As reported by NPR, when Patrick slept, his extremely realistic nightmares put him right back in Iraq. He tried to escape the night terrors with pills and vodka. As a result, his life started to spiral out of control. An emotional Patrick Skluzacek recalls to NPR, “[I] pretty much lost everything. My house, everything, my job, everything went.” As Tyler witnessed the man who was once outgoing and fun, struggling to fend off horrific visions every time he closed his eyes, he knew he had to do something. Tyler wanted his father back.

While in his senior year at Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN, in 2015, Tyler headed to Washington, D.C. after hearing about a hackathon geared toward developing mobile apps to help with PTSD. Tyler’s idea was to take the concept of service dogs waking someone up when they sense the unrest of a nightmare coming on and applying it to technology. He put together a team to help program an app for a Smartwatch that vibrates when it senses extreme motion or an elevated heartbeat. The challenge was to find the sweet spot of “just enough stimulus to pull them out of the deep REM cycle and allow the sleep to continue unaffected,” Tyler recalls to NPR. Tyler returned from D.C. with the app ready to go. Patrick was not only the inspiration for Tyler’s invention, he was also the test subject.

As with most trial runs, there are tweaks that need to be made. For example, knowing when the watch is reading a heart rate as opposed to an air hammer, as was the case when Patrick was in the other room doing some home improvement. Patrick remembers, “You thought I was having a heart attack because I had the watch on, and you thought my heart rate was 6,000 beats per minute,” as the two of them chuckle. With Patrick wearing the watch around the clock, Tyler was able to perfect the app. “I was terrified. Watching someone’s data 24/7, I feel like is a lot like having a baby. I don’t have a baby. But you’re suddenly very concerned at all hours.”

As of last month, the app was approved by the FDA. A company called NightWare bought the rights to the app that works with Apple Watch.

Thanks to Tyler and Patrick Skluzacek, there is hope for those suffering from nightmares due to PTSD. Air hammers withstanding.

At the 2021 Grammy Awards, Fiona Apple is up for three prizes. That said, she’s not all that thrilled with the Recording Academy because Lukasz Gottwald, better known as Dr. Luke, earned a big nomination: He’s up for Record Of The Year for his work on Doja Cat’s “Say So,” on which he is credited as Tyson Trax. Dr. Luke, of course, has been a controversial figure since Kesha accused him of sexually assaulting her.

Referencing her own nomination in the women-heavy Best Rock Performance category for 2021 and and Kesha’s 2018 Grammys performance of “Praying,” Apple said in an interview with The Guardian (as Pitchfork notes):

“I keep going back to them putting Kesha on stage like, ‘We believe you’ — and I believe her — then two years later, f*cking Tyson Trax. Not to go back to that word, but it’s bullsh*t. The feeling of wanting to celebrate with these women was genuine. But I should have that feeling anyway. I don’t know if anybody who’s nominated can help having the thought: What would I do If I won? My vision was that I would just get up there with a sledgehammer and I wouldn’t say anything, I would take the Grammy and smash it into enough pieces to share and I would invite all the ladies up. My second thought was I wonder if I can get all these ladies to boycott this sh*t because of Dr. Luke.”

Read the full interview here and find the complete list of 2021 Grammy nominations here.

Natasha Cloud was one of the WNBA players who chose to sit out the 2020 season in the Bradenton, Fla. bubble to focus on her work off the court fighting for racial justice in a pivotal summer in America.

Cloud partnered with a number of her fellow athletes in the WNBA, NBA, and beyond, as they focused their efforts on fighting voter suppression and working to get out the vote in the Black community for the 2020 election. As the calendar gets set to turn the page to 2021, for most of the country outside of Georgia, where two key Senate races head to a runoff, the voting part is done but the work cannot stop there.

We got a chance to speak with Cloud on behalf of her new partnership with Hennessy about where we must go from here now that the “low-hanging fruit” of getting out the vote is checked off the list, how she spent her time away from basketball, why she’s so proud of the Mystics and the WNBA’s efforts in leading off the court, and much more.

First off, how have you been doing and how have you been balancing during this offseason the work you’re doing off the court with getting ready for next season on the court?

Yeah it’s been really crazy. When I sat the 2020 season out, I knew that I was gonna hit the ground running and have to pick up things quickly, but I didn’t know how exhausting it would be. In 2019 we won a championship and this year I’ve been more tired than I ever was going through the championship season. It’s a lot because I want to do the work, so I’m loading on a lot of things to my plate, but also it directly affects me. Being a Black woman, being a bisexual Black woman. Being married to another Black woman. This directly affects our home and our everyday life, so there’s an emotional toll that’s also attached with it. But I’m really proud of the work that I did while sitting this season out and the people that I aligned with, the companies I aligned with to help me.

I think that’s been one of my biggest takeaways is in America we’re sometimes so quick to talk instead of listen, so when I sat out my biggest thing was to first listen. Because there’s people in grassroots organizations that have been doing this and devoting their life to this for years now, so I wanted to learn what works, what didn’t work, what they haven’t tried, what we can do moving forward. Educating myself on laws was a big thing as well, cause when you’re looking at systemic racism and oppression, it’s really hard. It’s such a big monster, it’s like, ‘What do we tackle first?’

Obviously our first initiative was our voting initiative, which not only the WNBA and NBA took on, but other sports leagues as well. So I had teamed up with Chris Paul and his Social Change Fund, with Malcolm Jenkins’ Players Coalition, with LeBron James’ More Than A Vote, and making sure that we were not only educating voters but also giving them the opportunities and resources they didn’t necessarily have and have been taken away with voter suppression. Really proud of the result that we got. We just got it official with the electoral votes I think it was Monday. But now moving forward it’s holding that leadership accountable, and making sure they uphold the promises they made to our community and making sure we’re continuing to be present within our community to help.

Something I’ve found interesting is the election was in a sense an easy thing for everyone to kind of wrap their arms around.

Yes.

It was something the leagues could easily say “Vote.” Because the leagues aren’t going to want to be super radical.

Yes.

But voting is an issue that anyone can say and, obviously there are people who felt it was but to sane people it’s not a radical thing to say.

Yes.

But my question is, what are your thoughts on how to move forward and how to continue to push the league and partners you work with to embrace some of these things that they might see as more divisive than just saying “Vote,” but are important because like you said, that was the first step?

Yeah, that was the first step and like you said, it can be seen as radical to some, but to sane people the initiative to get Americans out to vote and to make sure that they’re registered and educated on the candidates that they’re voting for, not only federally but locally too. Because we forget that locally is more important than federally. In the case of Breonna Taylor, [Attorny General Daniel Cameron] is in an appointed position, so when we look at that case and how it was completely messed up and terrible and the outcome of it, people are complaining about Daniel Cameron not knowing he was an appointed official. If they’d gone out and voted, he wouldn’t necessarily be in a position to try Breonna Taylor’s case. Its just making sure people get that information out there.

And then moving forward, it’s just doing the same thing. You know, going into it was like, OK, what are low-hanging fruits that we can have immediate impact on. Voting was one of them. Moving forward we need to figure out, OK we checked voting off our list, what is our next initiative, because like I said, when you’re looking at it as a whole, there are a lot of things in this country that need to be fixed. Sometimes I feel like we’re still in the 1700s when We The People only counted for white men. And that’s just being honest as a woman and a Black woman, it can sometimes feel like that. So, OK, how do we go about changing certain things and dynamics of our country that are just so embedded into us. I’m excited to get back to work, not only with the WNBA and the Mystics, but also these beautiful relationships with the NBA and with different companies like Converse and like Hennessy that truly believe in doing things the right way and believe in helping the community. And believe in equity across the board in every facet. That’s the beautiful things that I found during this time and during my sitting out this season, that there’s a lot of good people and companies that are willing to do the right things and to not only speak about it, but to be about it too. And Hennessy is definitely in that.

I wanted to ask about how you came to this partnership with Hennessy and what you see as things y’all are going to be able to do together and what they’ve told you they want to do in the community to help see this change forward?

Yeah, I’m so excited. I keep saying it over and over again. Hennessy, I’m a dark liquor drinker, so socially, I see it in my house already, and so socially it fits me perfectly. But then you go from an ethical standpoint, a moral standpoint, a value standpoint, and we align in all the right ways. Their mantra is Never Stop, Never Settle, and I think that’s a testament to who I am, not only as a player that came from a mid-major school and a second-round pick to five years later running point guard for a championship team. But also in the community too. Never stopping, never settling for the bare minimum. Never getting complacent and continuing to push those boundaries and those lines that sometimes corner us in a box. You’re only a liquor brand or you’re only an athlete. Stay inside that box. And what I’ve found really, really cool with Hennessy is they’re like, forget the line, we need to push the boundaries. We need to be innovative and think outside these lines and continue to be bigger than ourselves, because if we do that, then we are helping a lot of people that look like us and face the same struggles as us every day.

This is something you’ve obviously been very pointed with when aligning with brands because of what you did with Converse this year and now with Hennessy. How important has that been to you and what has been your vetting process for finding these partners you can work with who are going to support you even more importantly with what you want to do off the court than just align themselves with a player like yourself on the court?

Oh man, it’s been a really cool process for me. Because I’m patient and I really, truly keep everything in house in kind of a family setting. That’s so important to me from my agent to who I surround myself with in my inner circle, to brands that I work with. It has to feel like a family environment. And the second biggest thing for me is representation. Do you have Black and brown representation within your company. Again, you can have companies out here that made a statement in the summer, but then haven’t done anything to back that statement up. And that’s not what I wanted. So, with aligning with Converse and now aligning with Hennessy, representation matters.

Hennessy’s spokeperson is a Black man. That matters. In Converse, representation for signing the first WNBA player and she’s a Black woman, same with Hennessy. You already have the Black man, now you have the Black woman who’s continuously fighting for social reform. That representation matters so much to their youth who can now see themselves in a different light moving forward. They see themselves in – OK, I have the opportunity to play in the WNBA. I have the opportunity to be more than an athlete and get into different avenues for finances, whether it’s different avenues for aligning with different brands and companies. Moving forward you can say, I like dark liquor, I’m gonna go with Hennessy because there’s representation that fits me, and I think that’s such a beautiful thing that we either take for granted or forget about. Is that it really matters where you can see yourself.

I want to get back to the Wubble and what it was like for you watching [from afar]. To start, from a basketball perspective, obviously the Mystics played I think above what a lot of people projected with so many of y’all out. How impressed were you with how the team responded and how they played down there and what that means for you guys going forward into next season when you do get yourself and Elena [Delle Donne] and others back to build on that?

Oh man, I was extremely, extremely proud. Even though we sat out, we’re still a part of the Mystics organization in every facet. So Elena and I were constantly talking to Ariel Atkins, Myisha Hines-Allen, Tianna Hawkins, and the beautiful thing about it was they were so challenged in that bubble to step up. We had four out of our five starters not go to the bubble, so now it’s OK, we have this team, how do we work with it? What are our roles? Now other people need to step up. And I was extremely, extremely proud of the leadership of Ariel Atkins, Myisha Hines-Allen, and Tianna Hawkins, who really did an amazing job. And the for the rest of the Mystics squad stepping up and being that underdog that, I don’t care who we’re going up against, y’all are going to feel us and y’all are going to know that the Mystics are here. So they definitely did exceed people’s expectations. I think if you asked Coach T, they exceeded his expectations too.

But, I’m more so proud of the work they did outside those lines, outside of the court. Because it was the Mystics that sat out a game after the Milwaukee Bucks and continued that cohesiveness between our leagues and teaming up together. It was the Mystics that were at the front of that, speaking on all the news stations and everything. So while I’m so proud of them for the work they did on the court and playing, I’m more so proud of what they did off the court and making sure they used that platform of playing in the bubble and all eyes on them, they used it in the best way that they could. And I’m really proud of that.

The league as a whole, this is something the WNBA has always been doing is being on the leading edge of pushing for racial justice, gender equality. And it seems like something that’s a through line players take a lot of pride in. Is that something you noticed when you came into the league and was it something maybe veterans talked with you about, like we do this on the floor but we also really take pride in what we do off of it and representing women and such a diverse array of women from different backgrounds?

Oh man, I’m so proud to be part of the WNBA. I’m really proud to be an athlete during this time when athletes really stepped up this summer, but I’ve always been really proud to say I’m part of the WNBA and one of 144. We have 144 badass women in our league. And it’s not a spoken thing. When I came into the league as a second rounder in 2015, I was just trying to be a sponge and get acclimated and try to make the roster and then try to stay on the team. It’s not only getting drafted, but staying in the league for a duration of time is really, really hard with the amount of talented players and the lack of spots we have in our league. But it’s something I learned early. I found my voice.

When you’re constantly surrounded by intelligent, powerful women who are outspoken and passionate about what they care about, it’s really easy to fall in line. So it’s not really a spoken thing, but we lead by example. This is who we are. It’s our identity. It’s in our DNA. The WNBA has always been at the forefront of every social issue, regardless of what it is, and what I argue is, we have more to lose. Obviously we’re not making millions like our male counterparts. When we speak up and when we step out into the light at the forefront, we have a lot to lose, because sponsorships are scarce. Endorsements are scarce. Opportunities financially for the WNBA are scarce. So the repercussions that can sometimes come for speaking out can be hard, but that’s what makes me so proud about this league. We don’t care.

We will continue to be at the forefront. We will continue to use our voices. And we will continue to lead. Whether we get the recognition or not, it doesn’t matter, because you’re gonna continue to see us there and I think it’s just something that, it’s who we are.

It depends on who you ask whether Kyrie Irving is some misunderstood genius, or just someone who’s drank a little too much of his own Kool-Aid. One thing’s for certain: he’s a basketball savant, and because of that brilliant play, he’s afforded a platform on which to spout his various ideas about any number of topics.

Regardless of how you feel about him, Kyrie knows how to get people’s blood boiling, and he’s been doing quite a bit of that lately, most notably with his refusal to speak to media members and referring to them as “pawns.” He’s since broken that silence with the media and attempted to clarify his comments, but not before earning the ire of many around the sports world.

One such figure who’s apparently heard enough, and who never tires of voicing his own opinion, is Charles Barkley. Barkley sounded off on Kyrie this week amid his media squabbles, reminding the Nets point guard that speaking to the media is part of the job and moreover, that he should exercise some perspective about things.

“…when he talks I’m like ‘what the hell is he trying…what is he saying and what is he trying to say?’ He starts talking about what an artist is. He’s a basketball player. That’s what he is. Listen, we’re not… we’re not frontline responders. We’re not teachers. Yo man, you dribble a basketball, stop acting like you’re the smartest person in the world.

“Now can you talk about social issues and things like that? Of course. But some of this other stuff I’m like ‘yo man, you do realize you’re just a basketball player, right?’ And it seems like he’s like ‘no I want you guys to realize I’m the smartest guy in the room.’ Well first of all, you’re not. You only went to college for six months. A lot of guys are smarter than you are. Just answer stupid basketball questions. And if you want to say something about social justice, say it and mean it, because it’s important and significant. But all that other stuff? Like, yo man, shut the hell up and talk basketball.”

To be fair to Kyrie, he’s been vocal and involved in many social causes and deserves to be commended for that. But Chuck is frustrated about his perceived need to come off as an innovative thinker, an endeavor that often falls flat and accomplishes the opposite of what he intended.

Still, it’s not really for Chuck or any of the rest of us to be the arbiters of what Kyrie can and cannot say. As a mega star, Kyrie is in a position where he has a platform, of which he makes frequent use, for better or for worse. Yes, getting him to interact with the media is a part of his job, but legislating what he should say isn’t part of ours.

HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant proved to be a terrifically fun flight as a dark comedy-thriller with a terrific turn from Kaley Cuoco (who we all underestimated, and we can partially blame “Bazinga!” fallout for that). Following the Thursday night finale to what was thought to be a limited series, however, HBO decided to book another voyage for Cassie/Alessandra Ricci (yes, that alias is sticking for me) and associates. If you have watched the finale already or don’t mind spoilers, our own Brian Grubb delivers his verdict here — he wholeheartedly enjoyed what went down), and yeah, I totally need more of Miranda’s spooky vibes and for Shane to personally judge me in a harsh manner. And I wouldn’t mind having a best friend like Annie to pick up the pieces.

The good news arrived from an HBO Max press release, which made the surprise reveal that the series will return for more. I say “surprising” because this truly was released as a limited series, and given that the show’s based upon Chris Bohjalian’s New York Times bestselling book of the same name, source material for another round presumably was not waiting in the wings. Although, surprise? HBO Max states that Cassie will appear in “a new adventure,” and here’s word from star and executive producer Cuoco:

“To say that I am elated would be an understatement! The positive response to our show has surpassed all of our expectations and I’m so proud of the entire team behind its success,” said executive producer and star Kaley Cuoco. “I’m thrilled to continue my partnership with Team Berlanti, Steve Yockey, HBO Max and of course my beloved studio, Warner Bros. I have amazing partners in Suzanne McCormack and Mackenzie Shade at Yes, Norman Prods., where we are committed to delivering diverse and quality entertainment, including an exciting (and probably a little crazy) TFA season 2!!”

I dig it. Normally, shows that receive the limited-series assumption and play out almost flawlessly (like Watchmen, The Queen’s Gambit, and The Outsider) always leave people wanting for more, but audiences know it’s better not to ruin perfection. One season is enough in those instances, but with The Flight Attendant, it exceeded expectations when it could have crash-landed. It painted a non-stop caper that held up against a high-concept (Cassie wakes up next to a dead dude, and who killed him?), and if the delivery was lacking, the whole thing would have fallen apart. So, Season 2 could be a winner, too, and I look forward to finding out if that’s the case.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that this New Music Friday is one of the most stacked of the year. With just one week to go ’til Christmas and most of the music industry shutting down after Friday’s flurry of releases, it might be the best time to clear out the hard drives after a year in which all anyone could do was record instead of touring.

With that said, this isn’t just a content dump; some projects, like E-40 and Too Short’s collaboration, have been carefully cultivated to maximize the moment. Others are timed to ensure exposure through search engine optimization, while still others are setting the foundation for a cadence of content like music videos to take advantage of the slow months at the beginning of 2021. In any case, with two holiday weeks coming up, there will be plenty of time to catch up with the glut of releases from the rest of the year; you can review those in our former Best Hip-Hop Albums Coming Out This Week and Best New Rap Music To Have On Your Radar columns here.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending December 18, 2020. (And before anyone asks, no, Eminem’s rumored album is not included, as this post was filed before those rumors could be confirmed.)

Albums

Dee Watkins — As I Am [EP]

Macclenny, Florida rapper Watkins is having a prolific year, dropping two well-received projects and preparing for his third. As I Am kicks off with a strong feature from fellow rising star Hotboii, who dropped his own Double O Baby project last week.

E-40 & Too Short — Ain’t Gone Do It / Terms and Conditions

The two Bay Area legends and rap pioneers are set to close out the inaugural year of Verzuz this weekend, but they were already working on this collab project highlighting their shared 30-year legacy.

Jackboy — Love Me While I’m Here

Picking up the torch for his Sniper Gang captain Kodak Black, Florida’s Jackboy is on his third project of the year. This one features collabs with 42 Dugg, Dej Loaf, Denzel Curry, Dreezy, Fredo Bang, Lil Mosey, Rylo Rodriguez, Sada Baby, Tokyo Jetz, and more.

J.I. The Prince Of NY — Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 3 [EP]

Best known for his stint on the Lifetime show The Rap Game, J.I. has been following the path laid by fellow alum Mulatto, independently grinding his way into a loyal grassroots following.

Michael Christmas — Hiding

Boston rapper Michael Christmas has quietly been one of hip-hop’s most consistent talents for some time. Don’t be fooled by his album’s title; he hasn’t been hiding at all, just overlooked. The coincidental timing of his latest release might just garner him some extra attention if the feature from breakout star Kota The Friend doesn’t.

Saucy Santana — It’s A Vibe

With a face beat for the gawds and an unapologetic posture regarding his sexuality and love for heels, nails, and twerking, Saucy has made a name for himself as one of ratchet rap’s most fun-loving newcomers. The rap game as a whole may not be ready for him, but he isn’t waiting for anyone to make space.

Sheff G — Proud Of Me Now

The Brooklyn drill movement shows no signs of slowing down, even after the loss of its strongest soldier. Sheff’s third project of the year features fellow scene stalwart Sleepy Hallow, who’s been in the midst of his own stunning breakout year.

Smoove’L — Ice Cups & Shoot Outs

Smoove’L’s second release of 2020 makes this one of the biggest release weeks for New York hip-hop of the year, as well as putting him in a prime position for a strong start to the next. Teaming up with breakout North Carolina melodic rap star Toosii just as he’s blowing up ensures at least one potential hit from the project.

Singles/Videos

Kevin Gates & Dermot Kennedy — “Power”

Gates returns with a trademark anthem examining the spoils of success — and the stress that comes with it.

Lil Eazzyy — “Feeling Different”

Lil Eazzyy hails from the Windy City, making him heir to a legacy that can be heard in the pounding beat and gut-wrenching lyrics of “Feeling Different.”

Lil Gotit — “Dead Walkin”

His brother Lil Keed broke out as an XXL Freshman this year, and now Lil Gotit looks to follow in his footsteps.

Lil Zay Osama — “Ride 4 Me” feat. Jackboy

Chicago native Zay links up with Florida’s Jackboy for a singsong ode to a loyal lover.

MoneyMarr — “War”

DC rapper MoneyMarr is just 18 years old, but he’s already stirring up a buzz, assisted by drill mainstay Rah Swish.

Quelle Chris & Chris Keys “Sacred Safe” Music Video feat. Merrill Garbus, Cavalier and Homeboy Sandman

An introspective posse cut from the Chrises’ April 2020 collaborative project, “Sacred Safe” sees the three rappers addressing their internal tumult.

Ric Wilson — “Trunk Music”

Emerging Chicago rapper Ric Wilson pays nostalgic homage to his youth with this upbeat park jam.

Shoreline Mafia — “All The Time”

Ohgeesy takes the wheel for yet another West Coast party rap anthem.

YBN Almighty Jay — “Bring Out The Hoochies”

The YBN crew may be effectively defunct, but the Texas arm keeps bringing his own spin on the turnt-up dynamic that once united them.

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

Let’s get this out of the way: Cyberpunk 2077 is fine. Mostly. For me, at least. There are better games that have come out in 2020. Lower profile games, for sure, that offer a more complete, satisfying and immersive gaming experience. I’ve also played far worse games I had much less fun with. But no game this year has evoked the kind of response that Cyberpunk 2077 has, likely because the title embodies so much of life amid a generation-defining societal crisis.

There’s really no way to capture the Cyberpunk 2077 experience on launch and preserve it for future generations. It’s already been hotfixed, and further patches and updates will inch the game closer to what its developers hoped to deliver to players on launch day. But it would be fitting to preserve what the game is, even with a hefty Day One patch, and the story of its launch struggles will be a useful tool to explain life in 2020 once we escape its grasp.

In Cyberpunk‘s defense, the game is supposed to vaguely echo the world in which players live. What’s the fun of making a game set in the near future without a cynical nod to the present? And so early on, an injured character with a “platinum” insurance plan gets airlifted out of a residence for life-saving treatment by armed security. Later, a much less-insured one dies in an AI-powered ridesharing vehicle. There’s nothing you can do to stop it, but at least you get to decide where the corpse goes. On the way to your apartment, a screen in an elevator airs a cable news debate where one talking head points out that corporations pay the majority of taxes in Night City, shouting down another wondering what percentage of their profits actually get contributed to the tax base.

It’s a clever evocation of current themes of inequality and willful dishonesty in politics, prorated for the next six decades or so of societal entropy. Night City is a place of extremes, brutally polarized by those who have unfairly deprived others of even slight comforts. The undercurrent of shameless capitalism and erosion of the social fabric was made clear. And some storytelling details did strike me, including the spam-like ads in V’s computer for genital mods that eerily mirrored the several PR pitches about male genital prosthetics — including one about mothers buying them for their sons — I’m horrified to report have arrived in my work inbox recently. But those intentional shocks and reminders of the present pale in comparison to the real-world inequality the game’s release actually highlighted.

CD Projekt Red’s apology for launch issues specifically pointed out issues gamers have had playing Cyberpunk 2077 on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One — the consoles, mind you, the games were actually designed for. Players experiencing Cyberpunk 2077 on the last generation of consoles are having a much worse time. The game appears less stable, the glitches seem to occur more frequently and with more severe consequences. Those fortunate to have PlayStation 5s or, like me, an Xbox Series S have reported better experiences with Cyberpunk 2077. Through about 25 hours I’ve had one crash, just after an autosave, and things rebooted up fine after that. Some dialogue is wonky and overlaps, or doesn’t match up to subtitles. Oh, and one boss glitched out and made it significantly easier to kill him than it should have been.

But that version of Cyberpunk is available to a much smaller portion of the population to say the least, one that costs a premium to obtain and that’s limited by a scarcity likely more severe than it needed to be. Just like Madden NFL 21 and NBA 2K21, Cyberpunk 2077 is not exclusive to the next-gen Microsoft and Sony consoles but clearly is a result of more work put in to satisfy those who spent the money to play it on a new console. It doesn’t make any of those titles necessarily great, but they’re closer to the games they’re supposed to be on machines barely a month old, while everyone else suffers through what’s left for them.

That realization among gamers has caused a swift backlash, even among some of Cyberpunk‘s most fervent fans who defended the title long before the game actually existed as something to inevitably disappoint. Cyberpunk‘s years-long marketing seemed to intentionally court some of the worst kind of gaming fans, framing the discourse with edgelord winks and nods that helped hype the game to a level of expectations impossible to meet.

Some of that hyperbole has almost certainly converted potential energy into disappointed outcry, but the warning signs were all there if you were willing to look. The game was delayed several times in 2020, finally landing with a thud 15 days before Christmas. CD Projekt Red gave many journalists just a few hours ahead of launch to actually get their hands on the sprawling, sidequest-filled game. The COVID-19 pandemic made everything that much more complicated this year, and making gargantuan games like Cyberpunk is hard enough in the modern gaming industry. But gamers didn’t force CD Projekt Red to release an unfinished game no matter how much they tweeted. And neither did journalists covering the launch cycle.

Developers pretty clearly felt pressure from all over — inside and out of the company — to put something out regardless of its polish and artistic integrity. The story that’s played out at countless game companies over the years seems most likely here: pressure from those not actually making the game to release it pushed it out the door and out of the hands of those who knew they simply needed more time. Imagine going through a pandemic-engulfed year like this and enduring months of marathon crunch only to release something clearly not where anyone wants it to be. But there are quarterly goals to hit on spreadsheets and futuristic Doritos collaborations with which to create timely synergy, you see.

Sony’s decision Thursday to remove the game from its PlayStation store is a response to CD Projekt Red offering refunds to unsatisfied gamers on Monday. But the PlayStation maker’s actions here were clear: If the game’s broken enough to deserve a refund, then it’s not finished enough to sell in the first place. It’s a corporate battle playing out on a very public stage, but also another reminder of the fractured and complex gaming landscape Cyberpunk belongs to. CD Projekt Red may own GOG, where many copies of Cyberpunk 2077 were sold and may be easily returned. But it doesn’t control how the rest of the market sells and views the game it delivered. Making a promise to gamers is nice, sure, but delivering on that promise might mean some ugly concessions in order to make good.

There’s a good chance Cyberpunk turns into something much closer to what gamers hoped it could be at the start of 2020. Games like No Man’s Sky and Fallout 76 trended on social media on Thursday night as the Sony news spread, two titles that debuted with disappointment and bad press but have grown and improved with time. Perhaps the version of Night City Cyberpunk‘s makers want to give us is possible in a different, future year. But it’s hard to argue the version we have right now isn’t perfect for the 2020 we’re currently stuck in.

Sorry to all the holiday traditionalists out there, but I have some bad news for you: There are no partridges or pear trees in LVRN’s “12 Days Of Bhristmas” video. Instead, highlighted rappers Westside Boogie and OMB Bloodbath count their blessings the hood way, turning the yuletide carol into a ratchet holiday anthem. Just like the label’s previous video for “Feliz Navidad,” this one follows the artists as they record the reworked track in the festively decorated studio for the label’s holiday EP.

Among the gifts that the two rappers receive on the “12 Days Of Bhristmas” are brand new choppers, a trip to the club, an EBT card, a Glock, and a few homemade blunts from the leftover weed in the ashtray. Clearly, they’re not having the white Christmas Bing Crosby and The Drifters were looking forward to. In the video, the lights are even lowered and appropriately hued to take advantage of the theme.

LVRN and Shady Records artist Westside Boogie had a relatively quiet year. Aside from officially changing his name to Westside Boogie to clear up fan confusion about similarly-named artists, he made a couple of guest appearances, notably with Reason on “Trapped In” featuring Ab-Soul, Guapdad 4000 on “Hairless Horsemen,” and Courtney Bell on “Lion’s Den.” Meanwhile, rising Houston rapper OMB Bloodbath signed with LVRN, released a few singles including “Bolt” and “Dropout” with Maxo Kream, and did her best to avoid gang charges after being arrested in February.

Watch the “12 Days Of Bhristmas” video above.

What started with an innocent tweet from Jalen Brunson about a bet he lost with Luka Doncic ended up with an elite move on Doncic’s part when Brunson walked into the Mavericks’ most recent preseason game wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey.

While Brunson, a Philadelphia Eagles fan, was probably embarrassed enough to show up to a game wearing Cowboys threads, that wasn’t even the worst part. The jersey had the number 77 on it, which is of course Doncic’s Mavericks number, and when Brunson walked past the cameras, they could see that the name on the jersey was not Brunson or some former Cowboys player, but “Luka’s Son.”

The friendly beef between the two young Mavs started when Brunson tweeted asking what jersey he should have to wear for losing the bet. Brunson, probably thinking he was getting back at Doncic a little bit, made fun of Doncic for not knowing who Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens is. Doncic responded by saying he’d customize the jersey instead.

The result was way worse for Brunson than if he would have just suggested a friendly payback for the bet. Maybe a Tony Romo jersey or something. Instead, we will forever have video footage of Brunson wearing a jersey that labels him the son of his jokester teammate.

They say love is the greatest gift of all. And that gift usually comes in the form of calories and carbs during the holidays. So what better way to show you care than providing your loved ones with everything they need to turn that “amore” into “a-less.” Here are 10 great ideas for anyone looking to get into shape and have fun doing it.

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1. TRX Suspension Trainers are blessedly simple and easy to set up. These straps fit right in your doorframe, and use your bodyweight to build muscle, strengthen your core and improve cardio. There are countless video tutorials and actual workouts online that will help guide you. There is no stopping to move equipment around during your workout, and you won’t need to buy anything else as you get stronger because it is all based on angles and bodyweight. This is truly one of my favorites.

topless man in black pants holding black and yellow exercise equipment

Photo by Anastase Maragos on Unsplash

2. A classic punching bag. For those of you who just feel like punching something sometimes, I say (in the words the Italian Stallion in Rocky 3) “Go for it.” Nothing combines stress relief with exercise better than boxing. There are a number of heavy bags to choose from and bundles that include everything from wraps and gloves to speed bags and double end bags. This is the most fun you can have while getting in shape. Until the double end bag comes back and nails you in the face. Then it gets personal.

woman in black sports bra and black shorts leaning on orange and black boxing ring

Photo by Anastase Maragos on Unsplash

3. Resistance bands are far more versatile and portable than dumbbells. Much like TRX straps, they offer a number of different exercises and have multiple tension levels depending on your level and type of work out you are looking for. They store easily for those living in small spaces and are a great way to tone muscles.

Free stock photo of body, coach, exercise bands

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4. If you are into planks, then The Stealth Core Trainer is for you. It is a board you rest your elbows on and has a screen with games you can play so you can have fun while strengthening your core.

5. And if games are your thing, the Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality system is for you. Even though it is a gaming system, it offers a number of fitness programs to help you meet your goals. Even games like Creed and Beat Saber will get your heart rate going. If you are looking to get in shape quickly, then some of the options on this list will be a better fit. It is pricier than other items, however, this is the perfect gateway for the couch potato to get moving and move into a more serious regiment.

6. Push-Up Stands.If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Push-ups have always been a great way to get in shape, and push-up stands make them even more effective. In addition to providing more range and motion to the exercise, this simple contraption also takes the strain off your wrists for those of you worried about carpal tunnel.

7. Ab Roller. If you are looking for an ab workout, an ab roller is your new best friend. This little guy will make your mid section the most popular hang out for abs. You will be turning abs away at the door due to capacity limitations. Or you could very well find abs that science doesn’t even know about.

8. Jump Rope. If your ceiling is tall enough, jumping rope 10 minutes a day will get you into shape real quick. Not only is it great for cardio, but it also works your upper and lower body. It is no wonder that it is a staple in workouts for boxers of all levels.

Jump Rope Sports Game – Free photo on Pixabay

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9. Foam Roller. Undoubtedly, if you are pushing yourself your muscles will be sore. For those of us without a personal masseuse at our beck and call, a foam roller is key. Use this handy gizmo to work out the knots, aches and pains that go hand and hand with working out. There are also a bunch of exercises you can do with this useful tool like working the abs, obliques and legs.

Physical therapist strengthens EOD mission readiness

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10. Magic Bullet and NutriBullet blenders. One of the most important aspects of building muscle is what you put in your body afterwards. Blenders like NutriBullet are a great way to give your muscles the protein and nutrients they need after a workout. Just pop the ingredients in and you have a delicious smoothy in seconds.

File:Magic Bullet and Nutribullet Blenders.jpg – Wikimedia Commons

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Now that you have everything you need to shed those holiday pounds, I say go forth and carb like you have never carbed before. Because when January 1st comes (okay, let’s face it…January 2nd), it is time to get down to business and start your journey down Beach Body by April Boulevard.