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Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This week, Usher delivered a music video for his latest single “Bad Habits,” Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos put on for small business with their collaborative track “If You Want Me To Stay” and Janelle Monae got introspective with her inspiring cut “Turntables.”

Usher – “Bad Habits”

The time is prime for Usher to start releasing new music and visuals as he readies for his Las Vegas residency next summer. This week, the celebrated R&B singer shared the Chris Robinson-directed music video for his song “Bad Habits” which features him serenading a woman with his classic dance moves.

Ari Lennox & Anthony Ramos – “If You Want Me To Stay”

Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos linked up with Crown Royal to recreate Sly And The Family Stone 1970 classic “If You Want Me To Stay” in an effort to help save small businesses, such as live music venues, all over the country. One dollar will be donated towards the cause for every stream, up to $500,000. The vocal energy between Ari and Anthony make this one a worthy play, plus it’s for a good cause.

Janelle Monae – “Turntables”

Janelle Monae‘s “Turntables” is the uplifting number the world needs right now. “This song is to keep us motivated,” Janelle said of the song in a recent interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music. “This song is to lift up and keep us galvanized when we’re fatigued. And this song is really for the people”.

Eric Bellinger — “Solo’n”

Grammy-award winning R&B singer Eric Bellinger is planning to release his Optimal Music release with Eric B for President: Term 3 on October 30 and this week he’s sharing a pick from the project titled “Solo’n.” Produced by Smash David and Lowky, the visual also stars Bellinger’s wife La’Myia Good as his muse. “‘Solo’n’’ is definitely one of my personal favorites on the album,” Bellinger said in a statement. “Nursery rhyme melody vibes on the hook make sure you know the words by the time the 2nd chorus comes around, and it’s stuck in your head after the song is done playing.”

MarMar Oso — “Ruthless (Remix)” Feat. G-Eazy and Quando Rondo

MarMar Oso revamped his already viral hit song “Ruthless” with a music video for the remix featuring G-Eazy and Quando Rondo. While maintaining the pop-R&B vibe the original, G-Eazy and Quando add their perspective on love and heartbreak.

June3rd — “Wait 4 It”

Two years after the release of his fan favorite “Thirsty,” Florida’s own June3rd has dropped off his new single “Wait 4 It.” The track is set to live on his forthcoming debut project Jemeni.

Alex Mali — “Good Good”

In lieu of West Indian Day Parade in NYC this year (because of the pandemic), Brooklyn native Alex Mali is sharing her music video for “Good Good” to celebrate her Trinidadian and Jamaican heritage. “It’s such a downer that many of us, including myself, will not be attending the Labor Day Carnival or any Carnival this year,” she said in a statement. “I truly hope everyone has as much fun at home as we did on set and that it encourages those who haven’t to attend when the world is back in service.”

Check out this week’s R&B picks, plus more on Uproxx’s Spotify playlist below.

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

In theory, this is the last week that AEW Dynamite and NXT will be on different nights, at least for a while. On the other hand, rumors persist that USA may move NXT to Tuesdays permanently. If that happens, we’ll cross that bridge, but for now, Wednesday Night’s Alright lives. So let’s get down to business.

Exciting Arrival: Miro

At last, the wrestler formerly known as Rusev is in AEW. I wrote last week about how wrestlers who leave WWE for other companies can benefit from the narrative that WWE held them back, and I’m not sure that’s more true for any single performer than it is for Miroslav “Rusev” Barnyashev, who for years just kept finding ways to get over with fans that WWE would immediately put the kibosh on.

Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t care for the segment itself, and the last thing I really wanted to see Miro doing outside of WWE is a wedding angle. For now, my excitement at seeing him in the company is enough to overcome those concerns, plus I’d honestly rather see him come into AEW is a smiling gamer guy with bleach blond hair and a pink Gucci Mickey Mouse shirt than as another big built-up monster guy who just gets fed to one of the champions inside of a month.

We’ve all seen how AEW likes to do things, and there’s definitely a world where, like, Nikita Koloff came out in a suit and warned that Jon Moxley’s days as AEW World Champion are numbered because the Beast From Bulgaria is coming for him. After contemplating that option, I’m happy to see Miro goof around with Kip Sabian for a while, have some good tag team matches, and then find his way into the main event organically over time. Miro no longer works at the whim of an easily-distracted old man who dislikes him. In other words, there’s no need to rush.

Runners Up

Kushida returned to NXT after a few weeks away, for an attack on Velveteen Dream. On the one hand, everyone is in the mood to see Velveteen Dream get beaten down by a babyface. On the other hand, it seems like most people would be thrilled to not see Velveteen Dream at all. Whether you believe the allegations about Dream or not, the tide of public opinion has turned on him in a massive way, and I’m not sure there’s any getting past it.

Tay Conti made her in-ring debut on Dynamite this week, in a losing effort against Nyla Rose. Hikaru Shida was there to help Tay to her feet and protect her from further beatings at the hands of Nyla, which is obviously meant to build to another Shida/Rose match. It also seems to put Tay in an interesting position, looking very much like the babyface here while possibly getting recruited into the Dark Order by her friend Anna Jay. It would be nice to think this is all part of a story that AEW has mapped out, but let’s be honest, it seems doubtful. In any case, Conti always seemed to have a lot of potential in NXT, and it will be fascinating to see how she fares as a relatively larger fish in a much smaller pond.

Best Elevation: Sonny Kiss goes toe-to-toe

Sonny Kiss and Joey Janela fought Chris Jericho and Jake Hager, and I began to wonder if Sonny Kiss was going to be Jericho’s next personal project, now that he’s made a hero of Orange Cassidy. I don’t think that’s where this is going, but making Sonny look good (despite eventually taking the pin) was clearly one of the secondary goals of this match.

Seeing a guy like Jake Hager sell for Sonny Kiss feels like a big deal, and it makes Sonny feel like a more legit competitor who can believably fight more of the roster. As a queer wrestling fan who really likes the way Sonny represents and carries himself, this means a lot to me. I’m glad we’re seeing more of him on TV, and I hope that trend continues.

Runners Up

Shotzi Blackheart found herself side-by-side with NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai in a confrontation with Robert Stone and Aliyah. That led directly to one of those “Ooooh, I’m touching your title belt!” moments, which in turn is leading to a match between Io and Shotzi next week. Shotzi’s come pretty far pretty fast in NXT, and this is the next big step.

She’s not going to win the championship anytime soon, but in the long run it’s not unlikely, and this feud leads down that path. It looks like next week is a non-title match, so hopefully she can win it and then lose the title match it earns her. Then later, when she’s up for another title shot down the road, everyone can be like, “Shotzi’s legit. Remember when she beat Io Shirai?”

Best Promo: Tully Blanchard and FTR

So apparently Tully Blanchard’s still got it, promo-wise? This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard him talk in the last year of AEW, but it’s the first time I remember thinking, “Damn, that’s a Tully Blanchard promo!” Working with FTR, who so clearly view themselves as spiritual successors to him and Arn, has really brought out the best in Tully.

After Tully preached about Fearing The Revelation for a bit, Dax and Cash did that fun heel thing where they ran down the tag team division to their faces. I loved the bit with SCU where Cash was saying “We grew up watching you! Imagine if we’d gotten to fight you in your prime!” while Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian just looked at each other like “Can you believe this punk right now?”

Pretty soon they picked a fight with Jurassic Express and things descended into a brawl, but by then they’d already established he kind of champs they’re going to be, and the kind of promos we can expect from them, and it’s all very exciting.

Runners Up

AEW Dynamite started with a really funny bit where Tony Schiavone simultaneously interviewed Chris Jericho and MJF, who insincerely put each other over, then they turned and walked away in opposite directions, and in a split screen they immediately put each other down. It’s always magic when Jericho and MJF interact, and I’m glad they only let it happen occasionally.

Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page each had interview segments to talk about their loss and the rift between them. It’s obvious that story is still just getting started, which I realize sounds funny considering they’ve been hinting at it for like a year. Jake the Snake and Lance Archer also had a weird promo where hey stood in the rain, and Jake talked about getting wet in an unsettlingly suggestive manner.

Then of course there was Matt Hardy in the ring addressing his injury last week. He never said the word “concussion” or any other specific description of the nature of his injury, but he did make it sound like he might be out for a little while recovering. And maybe when he comes back, he doesn’t need to leap off of any scissor lifts … oh, who am I kidding? He’s a Hardy, of course he needs that.

Best Match: Mercedes Martinez vs Rhea Ripley in a Steel Cage

This was actually a really good week for matches, but the one I was the most excited to see lived up to its hype. Mercedes Martinez hasn’t even done all that much in NXT since she signed, but we already knew she was a killer when she got here, especially after her Mae Young Classic 2018 performance. Rhea Ripley, on the other hand, has long since proven herself the toughest woman in NXT and NXT UK. She came out of her feud with Charlotte Flair a bit bruised, but she’s been on the rise again.

There are rumors that Mercedes is on her way to Raw to be part of Retribution, which would explain why she was kicked out of the Robert Stone Brand after this match. I do worry about how the call-up’s going to go, because, you know, pessimism, but I can’t deny she’s more than ready for the big leagues. And if she is leaving, Martinez/Ripley in a steel cage is one of those things you want to make sure you do while you have the chance.

Despite Rhea’s theme song, some of the brutality in this match definitely belonged to Mercedes. I loved how she came out and immediately went for weapons before getting in the cage. This is a woman who knows what she’s about. Another great touch was Robert Stone getting knocked out while attempting to climb into the cage, and spending the rest of the match draped over the top of it, oblivious to everything else going on.

I’m sure this isn’t the last time we’ll see these two paired together, but if they’re about to go to different rosters, it may be a while. In the meantime, we’ll have this match to look back on fondly.

Runners Up

On Dynamite, Brodie Lee vs Dustin Rhodes made me really happy because I love both of those guys, and I love seeing them in the main event slot fighting for a title and being treated like a big deal. And if you’re open to big hossy middle-aged ex-WWE guys, it was a really good match too.

Adam Cole and Finn Bálor had the other big match on NXT, resolving last week’s Fatal Four-Way for the NXT Championship that went to a tie between them. Bálor got the win here, which was the right choice for sure. Both of them have had long NXT Championship runs already, but Finn’s was years ago and Adam’s only ended this year. If Cole had won the belt here it would have felt like “Oh, we’re doing more of this now?” whereas Finn is a completely different character than when he was champ before.

Orange Cassidy and Angelico had a nice little match that mostly served to remind us that Cassidy is a hell of a wrestler and can easily beat guys who seem to be working way harder than him.

Finally, Bronson Reed beat Austin Theory in a good showing for both of them. I’m really enjoying Reed’s gradual build into somebody that matters, although I am a little sad that they seem to have stopped referring to Bronson as “a Thicc Boi” in favor of “Colossal.” To be fair, I feel like a I probably preferred “Thicc Boi” for the exact same reasons NXT got rid of it as soon as somebody got online and saw what it means.

That’s all for this week. I’ll be back next week when both shows will (hopefully?) be back on Wednesday night!

While attending a 9/11 memorial service in Shanksville, Pa. on Friday, President Donald Trump stirred up yet another controvery by failing to say the words “under God” during the Pledge of Allegiance. In a C-SPAN video tweeted by The Recount, Trump visibly stops speaking when it’s time to recite the words “under God” and resumes the pledge immediately after.

In any other circumstance, Trump’s omission would be an innocent faux-pas. However, in late August, the president amplified false accusations that the Democratic Party refused to say the words “under God” while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance during its national convention. The claim was easily debunked with footage of the words being spoken during all four nights of the DNC, but that didn’t stop the president from tweeting the following (and often repeating it publicly):

The Democrats took the word GOD out of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democrat National Convention. At first I thought they made a mistake, but it wasn’t. It was done on purpose. Remember Evangelical Christians, and ALL, this is where they are coming from-it’s done. Vote Nov 3!

As with all things Trump, the president trapped himself in a controversy of his own making. You can watch the video of him not saying the words “under God” below:

With the president’s apparent hypocrisy on clear display, it didn’t take long for the reactions to start rolling in on social media:

As Twitter is gonna do, folks began having fun with the religious implications of Trump refusing to say the words “under God.”

(Via The Recount on Twitter)

Hip-hop is moving as fast as ever. Luckily, we’re doing the work to put the best new rap music in one place for you. This week, there were videos from Conway and Method Man, Spillage Village, Armani Caesar and Benny The Butcher, Freddie Gibbs and Benny The Butcher, Action Bronson. Here’s the rest of the best new rap music this week.

Aesop Rock — “The Gates”

Aesop Rock’s rapid-fire narrative is the score for the mysterious exploits of his “The Gates” music video. His typically visual, labyrinthic rhymes are ripe for deep exploration throughout the nearly six-minute song.

Beat Boy — “Shook Up” Feat. RUCCI & BIG SAD1900

This week, LA producer Beat Boy dropped the video for “Shook Up” off his NewDre project. Rucci starts off the track proclaiming, “I’m the hottest n**** out check my resume,” while Big Sad 1900 lets us know, “Like Paul with the ball I don’t hog I assist.”

Berner — “R.I.P.” Feat. Tee Grizzley

Berner is set to release his Russ Bufalino album. He offered what’s sure to be a standout track in “R.I.P.” with Tee Grizzley. The two MCs take turns. Berner is “in my zone, God bless the vision” while Grizzley rhymes about the “bittersweet” circumstance of achieving your goals without “the people that you started with.”

Conway — From God To A King

Conway released his long-awaited From King To A God album today. The 14-track project shows the Griselda spitter at the top of his game, spitting alongside his Griselda partners as well as Method Man, Freddie Gibbs, Havoc, and Lloyd Banks.

Elzhi — “Light One Write One”

Elzhi’s Seven Times Down Eight Times Up album is coming on September 25. He dropped another taste of what to expect with “Light One Write One,” a meta track where Elzhi delves into his craft and ponders, “I could be Hailey’s comet in a vessel / If I wasn’t would life be less stressful?”

Fat Trel & Yowda — Fat N Ugly

DC’s Fat Trel may be incarcerated, but he still had enough in the reserve to collaborate with Yowda on a sequel to their 2017 Fat N Ugly project. The project is a revisit of their impressive chemistry on a five-pack of trap-driven beats.

Grafh — “Trappin’ Out The Hyatt” Feat. Smoke DZA & El Camino

Grafh offered up another taste of his upcoming Good Energy project with his third single featuring Smoke DZA and El Camino. He sets the tone for the slick-talkin’ get money track, letting us know, “None of my drugs are over the counter / So all my money flowin’ over the counter.”

History — For The Kids

Brooklyn MC/Producer History is For The Kids on his latest work. The 11-track project displayes the Mogul Club rhymer equally introspective, swaggering, and aspirational over a suite of production that ranges from the dreamy “Spit Drip” to the churning “35 Favors” with King Critical and Radamiz.

MBNel — Thru The Night

MBNel is offering a glimmer of light in these dark moments on “Thru The Night,” a melancholy track where he laments the turmoil of his native Stockton but resolves to keep his head up, rhyming, “Told my guys there ain’t a thing I wouldn’t do for all my bros.”

Mr Eazi & Major Lazer — “Oh My Gawd” Feat. Nicki Minaj & K4mo

It’s a cross-continental celebration on “Oh My Gawd,” where Nicki Minaj reminds us of her West Indian roots during her bubbly appearance on the Mr. Eazi and Major Lazer track.

Stefflon Don — “Move”

Stefflon Don embraces her native Jamaica on “Move,” a bold, bouncy track that affirms Jamaica’s role in the DNA of hip-hop.

Tha God Fahim, Your Old Droog & Mach Hommy — “The Poverty Bothers Me”

A trio of beloved spitters spoke for the times on “The Poverty Bothers Me,” a track that explores the treachery of systemic oppression in America. Droog rhymes the bittersweet indictment of “the American dream,” reflecting, “Same spots I used to Google b*tch I’m in them now / Still the poverty bothers me, wish everyone could make it out.”

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

In 2017, Harry Styles made his film debut in Dunkirk, an opportunity that he truly earned considering Christopher Nolan didn’t understand at the time how famous the singer was. Styles fared just fine in the film, and now he’s getting ready to hop back in the movie saddle, as his next acting role has been announced.

The film is Don’t Worry Darling, an Olivia Wilde-directed film that also stars Florence Pugh, Chris Pine, Dakota Johnson, and Wilde in a supporting role. The Hollywood Reporter notes Styles was brought on to replace Shia LaBeouf, who was previously attached to the project but had to back out due to scheduling conflicts.

The publication reports, “Details on the film are being kept secret but the setting is an isolated, utopian community in the 1950s California desert and centers on a housewife who uncovers a disturbing truth about her seemingly perfect life.” The script was seemingly sought after by studios, as New Line apparently won the rights to it in “a competitive situation, which saw studios and streamers vying for the project.”

Times are good for Styles at the moment (as long as James Corden makes good on his word to not kidnap him): A month ago, “Watermelon Sugar” became the musician’s first No. 1 single in the US.

One of the uglier parts of the NFL’s opening night festivities Thursday night in Kansas City happened pregame when, during a show of unity between the Chiefs and Texans, fans throughout the limited-capacity Arrowhead Stadium loudly booed while the players knelt and locked arms.

The two teams — led by Black quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson — remained on the field for the demonstration as the fans made their distaste known, and in the aftermath of the incident, players from both teams as well as former NFL players in the media have responded.

After the game, Mahomes, Watson and longtime Texans star J.J. Watt expressed frustration with the fans, but it was Watson who was most direct about his feelings.

“We respect the military, we respect America & respect everything the NFL wants to do but we didn’t want any confusion or any negative backlash on guys kneeling,” Watson told reporters.

Mahomes struck a similar chord but seemed to downplay the booing, which was clearly audible through NBC’s Thursday Night Football broadcast.

When it Watt’s turn to discuss the situation, he said that because there was no protest during the national anthem or deliberate political stance taken, than he was confused about the fans’ response.

Then on Friday morning on ESPN’s First Take, longtime Steelers safety and NFL analyst Ryan Clark responded directly to Watt’s confusion by explaining that he believes the fans reacted so strongly precisely because it was Black players like Mahomes and Watson asking to be respected.

“They’re booing because you’re doing stuff for Black people,” Clark explained. “They’re booing because you’re staying that police brutality, social injustice against that community is wrong. That’s why they’re booing.”

The conversation around Chiefs’ fans response has dominated the response to the first NFL game of the season, and the relationship between the fan base and the players who want to be more vocal about the oppression of Black people in America will likely be at the center of the NFL dialogue throughout the 2020 season.

The 20th anniversary of the release of Almost Famous has resulted in a number of retrospectives and moments of reflection about Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical coming of age tale of rock journalism. But at least one of those retrospectives hasn’t been so positive, and it comes from one of the film’s biggest real-life inspirations.

Pamela Des Barres, an author and famous groupie who at least in part inspired the character Penny Lane, doesn’t love how the character is portrayed in the film. In an interview with Brock Colyar of Vulture, Des Barres detailed all the ways she’s been disappointed by the movie over the years. One of the biggest lines she despises is when Lane explains to the film’s protagonist that she is not a “groupie.”

“We. Are. Not. Groupies,” Lane, played by Kate Hudson, says early on in the film. “We’re here because of the music. … We are Band-Aids. We don’t have intercourse with these guys. We support the music. We inspire the music. We’re here because of the music!”

Turns out, Des Barres really hated that the entire concept of that, calling it a “pussy line”:

“And ‘pussy’ in a bad way. I hate that the word is used in a negative way, but anyway — [Penny Lane] was not owning herself, not owning groupiedom and what it actually means.”

According to the story, there are a few legitimate reasons for her to be disappointed by a movie that’s beloved by so many. For starters, she’s a writer who had her own screenplay inspired by her life, and noted that Almost Famous existing basically makes it impossible for her to sell that. There’s also her take that the PG-13 screenplay was “tepid” and “whitewashed.” She also noted that the scene where the central characters sang Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” would simply “never happen.” But the thing that bothered her most is that the character she inspired — Hudson later said she read Des Barres’ book and had a picture of her in her dressing room — nearly overdosed because of a man treating her terribly:

That doesn’t sit well with Des Barres. She calls it a “horribly misogynistic look at what a groupie-muse is” and vents, “That made me so angry. This character, the groupie like she’s portrayed, is pathetic. I knew all the main groupies in the heyday of groupiedom. None of them would have done that. There was always someone else coming to town. That really turned me off. No actual music-loving goddess-groupie would do such a thing.”

The Vulture piece has a lot of other little details about how Crowe took the criticism she’s given the film over the years, her fascinating career as a writer and musician, and, of course, whether rock and roll can save the world. It’s clear that she doesn’t love Almost Famous, but the criticisms certainly add a new level of appreciation for the film and what those who gave it life really experienced on all those bus rides around the country a few decades ago.

(Via Vulture)

Shortly after the release of The Force Awakens, our own Mike Ryan theorized that the Star Wars prequels would someday be considered “cool.” That day is here. I don’t know when it happened, exactly, although it probably had to do with the polarizing reaction to The Last Jedi, which is either the best Star Wars movie since The Empire Strikes Back or the worst installment in the franchise (it’s the best). But admitting that you like The Phantom Menace is no longer met with this Han Solo face — it’s greeted with a “same.”

Ewan McGregor, who played Obi-Wan (“Kenobi?!?”) in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith, spoke about this “Star Wars prequels are good, actually” phenomenon in an interview with Empire.

“Our films weren’t much liked when they came out by my generation who loved the first ones. I think people of our generation wanted to feel the way they’d felt when they saw those first three movies when they were kids, and George [Lucas] wanted to take our ones in a different direction, he had a different idea. It was tricky at the time, I remember,” he said. “But now, all these years later, I’m really aware of what our films meant to the generation they were made for, the children of that time. They really like them. I’ve met people who, they mean a lot to them, those films, more so than the original three, and I’m like, ‘Are you kidding?’” I would never kid about my love for Watto.

McGregor will reprise his role as Young Ben in an Obi-Wan series coming to Disney+, which he called “a long time coming.” It’s not expected to start shooting until 2021, giving producers plenty of time to track down greasy diner owner Dexter Jettster for a cameo. Dexter Jettster? Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. A long time.

(Via Empire)

Cheap bourbon isn’t always as bottom-shelf as it seems. We’ve highlighted that time and again. On the flip side, expensive bourbon isn’t always as refined as it seems. In fact, a lot of bourbons are cut from the exact same mash bills (grain recipes), barrels, and even proofs when they start aging.

Yes, aging and blending can have a big impact on taste. And the little factors between bottles do matter. But that doesn’t mean the core ingredients don’t start off the same. Sometimes even exactly the same.

For instance, Jim Beam, Baker’s, Knob Creek, Old Crow, and Old Taylor all have the exact same mash bill (75/13/12 corn/rye/barley), barrel char (level #4), and barreling proof (125 proof). They’re also all made in the same distillery (Jim Beam). But that’s not to say that all of those bourbons taste exactly the same. There are, after all, aging variables in play from the length in the barrel to where in the rickhouse the barrel rested to how the master blender married different barrels to create the final product. Still, they’re a lot closer to being the same thing than any amount of advertising would lead you to believe.

Wild Turkey also has the same mash bill as Jim Beam and the same barrel char. But it goes into the barrel a 114 proof instead of 125 proof. Makes it easy to see why some newbies often can’t tell the difference between some of these bourbons, right?

All of this isn’t to say that drinking a Wild Turkey 81 is the same as drinking a Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel. It’s not. But those whiskeys are cut from the exact same distillation. It’s just that one of them was in the right spot in the rickhouse and deemed tasty enough not to be blended with other barrels. Instead, it was allowed to rest until it hit a point the distillers wanted to hit and then bottled as is. That extra time is why the Single Barrel costs three times more than a regular old bottle of Wild Turkey. Whether that’s worth the money is up to you and your palate.

As Bourbon Heritage Month rolls on, we’re taking a look at some expensive bottles of bourbon to see if we can find some cheaper bourbon counterparts from the exact same mash bill, barrel char, and barrel proof. At the very least, this experiment is a good way to see how much luck and refinement go into making expensive bourbons worth the price when you can quite literally compare them to the cheaper expressions of the exact same juice.

BUFFALO TRACE MASH BILL #2

The exact mash bill is kept a secret but word on the street is that it’s a fairly low-rye mash bill with 12 to 15 percent rye. #4 barrel char. Entry proof is 125 proof/62.5 percent.

Expensive Bottle: Blanton’s The Original Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: 46.5%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
Average Price: $90

The Whiskey:

This is Buffalo Trace’s “higher-rye” bourbon mash bill even though it’s not that “high” comparatively. This bourbon was the first “Single Barrel” expression sold in the modern era. The juice is a throwback to Colonel Blanton who expanded the distillery in the 20th century and used to handpick barrels for his personal stash in warehouse H.

The bottle in-and-of-itself has become a collector’s item with the small horse on each cork varying slightly.

Tasting Notes:

Egg nog spices kick this sip off. There’s a clear sense of bourbon vanilla next to creamy corn and plenty of honey sweetness. The marrying of the corn with the Christmas-y spices helps usher in a long, warming, and satisfying end that embraces you in a classic “Kentucky hug.”

Bottom Line:

This is great stuff to sip on after a big holiday meal. It’s also killer if you want to make a $20 Manhattan.

Cheap Bottle: Ancient Age Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
Average Price: $12

The Whiskey:

Yes, Ancient Age is the same mash bill, barrel, and barrel proof as Blanton’s. No, this isn’t a single barrel expression. Yet, it always sort of baffles me when people go on about Evan Williams (which is the same mash bill as Elijah Craig at Heaven Hill) but not this. This is a simple bourbon that’s cut from the same mash and pulled from the same rickhouses as everyone’s beloved Blanton’s — one of the more sought after and awarded bourbons in modern times.

Tasting Notes:

Corn on the nose and lots of classic notes of vanilla, toffee, and caramel up top. The sip leans into the toffee with a subtle dose of cinnamon spice lingering in the background with more of that honeyed corn. A slice of citrus arrives to lighten everything up on the short end.

Bottom Line:

You can often find this for $9.99 on sale. Buy a case. Drink it in a highball or mix up old fashioneds for a few months.

BROWN-FORMAN MEDIUM-RYE BOURBON MASH BILL

72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, ten percent malted barley. #4 barrel char. Entry proof is 125 proof/62.5 percent.

Expensive Bottle: Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45.2%
Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery & Brown Forman Distillery in Shively, KY (Brown-Forman)
Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

Okay, this isn’t exactly a huge price tag for a quality spirit. Still, it’s not the cheapest expression you can get from Brown-Forman. The juice is really crafted as an entry point to Woodford’s wider line that showcases their aging and blending prowess.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a light, floral fruitiness upfront with a wisp of tobacco, flourishes of mint, and plenty of vanilla. The sip edges into orange zest territory with dark spices accentuated by nice toffee sweetness and a dusting of dark cacao powder when water is added.

The finish has a velvet texture that helps it fade fairly slowly while staying warm.

Bottom Line:

This is an excellent mixing bourbon to have on hand.

Cheap Bottle: Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Brown Forman Distillery in Shively, KY (Brown-Forman)
Average Price: $20

The Whiskey:

This is a classic bourbon that’s been around for a long time. The juice is the same stuff that goes into Woodford, although this entry is blended with different barrels for an end product that’s a great, basic bourbon at a great price.

Tasting Notes:

This is strikingly similar to Woodford on the nose with the same vanilla, tobacco, mint, and floral fruit. There’s a bit more of a pine woodiness on the palate of this one next to the toffee, spice, orange, and vanilla that’s more pushed into the background. The toffee and oak mingle in the end as it slowly dissipates.

Bottom Line:

You can get two of these for the price of one Woodford. We’re just sayin’.

HEAVEN HILL WHEATED BOURBON MASH BILL

68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, 12 percent malted barley. #3 barrel char. Entry proof is 125 proof/62.5 percent.

Expensive Bottle: Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 9-Year-Old

ABV: 50%
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville, KY
Average Price: $300

The Whiskey:

We’ve already talked about how Weller and Pappy are the same wheated bourbon, so let’s give Heaven Hill’s wheated bourbons some love. This bespoke (and admittedly cool-looking) bottle became extremely famous and then extremely expensive in retail. It’s also the recipe “Pappy” Van Winkle bought during prohibition.

Simply, this is Heaven Hill’s famous wheated bourbon that’s aged for nine years and bottled-in-bond.

Tasting Notes:

Slightly peppery wheat next to a light fruit, vanilla, and fresh maple syrup greet you. The oak peeks in with more vanilla, notes of toffee, and a bit of berry tartness. The dram leans into a honey-sweet edge with the oak, mild spice, and hint of dark chocolate popping at the end.

Bottom Line:

Look, this is a damn nice dram. The price stops most people from ever getting to drink it and that’s a shame.

Cheap Bottle: Larceny Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 46%
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville, KY
Average Price: $26

The Whiskey:

This is the exact same juice that’s just aged a little less. This juice is hand-selected to be small batched to match a six-year-old age profile. That’s only three fewer years than the Old Fitz above, and it’s a tenth the price.

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla and toffee are present with a sense of the wheat. There’s a clear taste of the honey, vanilla, and toffee carrying the sip towards a very subdued spice and oak. The end is rich with a note of toffee and a whisper of salted caramel.

Bottom Line:

No, this isn’t as complex as Old Fitzgerald. But it’s so much cheaper that … who cares?

JIM BEAM HIGH RYE MASH BILL

63 percent corn, 27 percent rye, ten percent malted barley. #4 barrel char. Entry proof unknown.

Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory)
Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

Let’s end this one with Jim’s “other” mash bill. This is a departure from the classic Jim Beam mash we mentioned in the lede. This mash bill leans more heavily into the rye, creating a solid base for two very closely related bourbons. In fact, one’s named after a bourbon legend while the other has that legend’s visage on its label. Basil Hayden’s is a well-crafted bourbon that’s pulled from specific barrels, blended, cut down to proof, and small-batch bottled under the watchful eyes of Jim Beam’s masters.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sense of sweet yet slightly bitter tea next to rye spice and a flutter of fresh mint. The palate carries that spice into peppery territory with hints of oak, vanilla, tart apples, and honey. The spice gets a little peppery as a final cut if citrus arrives to help the end slowly fade out.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice mixing bourbon that works just as well on the rocks.

Old Grand-Dad Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory)
Average Price: $20

The Whiskey:

The titular old grand-dad here is the one and only Basil Hayden. It’s also the same juice that doesn’t spend quite as long in the rickhouse and gets blended with minorly different barrels for an end product that’s very similar to Basil Hayden’s.

Tasting Notes:

There’s more of sweetness at play with toffee and vanilla up top. Honey and fruit mix with a clear peppery rye note next to a slight hint of oak, apple, and more vanilla. The sip leans more into the caramel apples on the end and skips the citrus yet stays warm and mellow.

Bottom Line:

There’s certainly less refinement at play. But again, two for the price of one is a bargain.

For the past month, Doja Cat and Nas have been embroiled in a bit of drama. It appeared that Nas dissed the fellow rapper on “Ultra Black,” but the issue seemed to resolve itself quickly. Doja didn’t get too heated over the situation, and Nas later said he didn’t actually intend to say anything negative about Doja. If Nas had tried to escalate the situation, though, Doja says she would not have participated, because she loves Nas too much.

She spoke with Fat Joe in a recent interview, and he asked her how that situation arose. She responded with uncertainty before noting that she was just excited that one of her favorite rappers noticed him and declaring that she has no interested in feuding with him:

“I don’t know! I’m just glad he’s still putting out music, ’cause I love him. I grew up on Nas, so to hear that, I’m like, ‘Damn,’ but also, ‘Damn!’ I f*cking love Nas, thank f*cking God he noticed me. I love Nas. So, I don’t give a sh*t. He can say whatever he wants. I really don’t care. If I love you, I love you. I made jokes about it, but other than that, you will never see me beef with Nas. He might want to beef with me, but you’re not gonna see me beef with Nas. You won’t see me respond.”

Watch the interview clip below.