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The 2020 MTV VMAs are approaching, as the ceremony is set to take place at the end of the month. Organizers have slowly been revealing details leading up to the event, and today, they have expanded the roster of artists who will perform during the show. Joining Doja Cat, BTS, and J Balvin are today’s newly announced additions: The Weeknd, Roddy Ricch, Maluma, and CNCO.

The Weeknd is one of this year’s most-nominated artists, as he’s tied for second place (with Billie Eilish) with six total nominations. “Blinding Lights” is up for Video Of The Year, Best R&B, Best Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing, while The Weeknd himself is up for Artist Of The Year. Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” is up for Song Of The Year and Best Hip-Hop, while Ricch is nominated for Push Best New Artist. Meanwhile, CNCO earned a pair of nominations, while Maluma also has one.

Until recently, MTV was planning on hosting the show at Barclays Center, but it was reported a few days ago that while the show will go on, it won’t happen there.

Find the full list of this year’s nominations here.

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

Joe Rogan isn’t exactly known for having well-reasoned opinions, which gives guests like Bill Burr plenty of opportunity to blast him after the podcast host called people who wear masks “bitches.” When it comes to the weird world of Instagram filters, however, Rogan made a fair point, which is that they promote unrealistic expectations of beauty. Given that he’s Joe Rogan, though, he decided to go over the top and also call filters “satanic,” and he (of course) went viral as a result.

In a caption for a filtered photo of himself, Rogan wrote, “If you wanna know how f*cked we are and how bizarre filters are and how distorted young women’s expectations of beauty are, I present you this picture.” He then accused the internet of “trying to rob you of your happiness” due to these filters seeking to crush “women’s self esteem through pure deception and fuckery.” And here’s the filter that prompted this reaction.

Over 500,000 views and counting, and hey, it’s easy to see why Rogan felt unsettled by seeing this image that looks nothing like him. At least he’s not trashing feminism and describing male supporters of feminism as “weasels.” Yes, this filter was meant to be exaggerated and unrealistic, but people really do filter themselves into oblivion while passing the images off as authentic, and it does mess with self-esteem. Joe Rogan isn’t solving the world’s problems here, of course, but he’s distracted enough to not be trashing masks, so no complaints on that end.

After months of doing episodes of The Late Late Show in his garage, James Corden is back in his usual studio to tape the show. It’s not exactly business as usual, though: Guests still aren’t showing up for in-person interviews. Instead, Corden is still doing video chats with them, but now his guest joins him on stage on a giant TV turned sideways in portrait orientation. Anderson .Paak got this treatment on last night’s episode, and he looked like Zordon from the world’s coolest Power Rangers reboot as he talked about his coronavirus testing.

They discussed a video he posted of himself getting a testing swab in his nose, which he did not handle well. They also chatted about .Paak’s appearance on Price Is Right earlier this year (which was actually filmed in December 2019). The most interesting takeaway from that story came when .Paak noted of that day:

“The only thing is I had a session with Dr. Dre and Kanye West right before, and I had to leave that session early to get to The Price Is Right. I didn’t want to tell them I had to go to The Price Is Right. I was like, ‘Yo, I got this thing I got to do, you know…’ We got the work done, but man, it was the craziest day of my life: That session, going from there to The Price Is Right… it was amazing.”

Elsewhere on the program, .Paak performed “Lockdown” (for which he recently dropped a new remix), so watch that below.

Watch clips from .Paak’s appearance on The Late Late Show above.

Before his current career trajectory of throwing himself off of planes and mountains for the Mission: Impossible movies, Tom Cruise was riding a wave of success as a serious dramatic actor in the ’90s. With hits like Rain Man, A Few Good Men, and Jerry Maguire under his belt, Cruise only wanted to work with the best directors, and he stunned his critics by landing a role in what would be Stanley Kubrick’s final film Eyes Wide Shut.

However, the new biography, Stanley Kubrick: American Filmaker, has revealed that the legendary director originally had a very, very different actor in mind for the lead in Eyes Wide Shut. Namely, Woody Allen. You couldn’t get more opposite of Cruise than that. According to the biography, Kubrick had been trying to adapt the novella Dream Story (which later became Eyes Wide Shut) since the ’70s, and he always envisioned the lead as a more comedic type like Allen or even Steve Martin. That list would expand as Kubrick continued to try the film off the ground. Via Independent:

“In a notebook from the Eighties he listed a series of possible leading men, including Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty, Alan Alda, Albert Brooks, Bill Murray, Tom Hanks and Sam Shepherd????’

“Significantly, when Kubrick finally made his version of Dream Story, he cast an actor without a comic bone in his body, the earnest, highly deliberate Tom Cruise. Comedy would have been a weapon for the hero’s self-defence; Kubrick makes him, in the end, defenceless.”

While Eyes Wide Shut became a critical hit and has been recognized as one of The 100 Greatest American Films by the BBC, the erotic psycho-thriller starring Cruise and Nicole Kidman eventually resulted in their shocking divorce in 2001 following widespread rumors that the couple required an “intimacy coach” for the film’s provocative scenes. It was also the beginning of the end for Cruise’s dramatic career as he began leaning into more action fare going into the 2000s, which has slowly snowballed into the actor attempting to launch himself into space.

(Via Independent)

It’s been a year since Rubi Rose released her empowering single “Big Mouth.” Along her journey since signing to HitCo, she has released a handful of buzzing singles such as “Hit Yo Dance,” “Pretty MF” and more recently, “He In His Feelings.” Nevertheless, “Big Mouth,” which may be her biggest hit to date, is a true-to-life experience of her dealing with big mouth rappers who thought they could bury her confidence and sexual swagger in the sand.

Jokes on them, though. Rubi joined OnlyFans this year and earned $100,000 in one day quieting everyone who had something to say about the way she moves. Even before then, the rapper was always “having thangs.” As the motto goes, “Why spend mine, when I can spend yours?”

The potently, all-powerful energy that Cardi B‘s soon-to-be No. 1 hit single “WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion exudes is likely why the hitmaker wanted Rubi in the music video to begin with. In it, the recent Georgia State graduate is poised, dressed in an all-red PVC outfit paired with thigh-high boots and a long ponytail. Besides her stunning looks, she spits with contralto lyricism and fortitude that would be inspiring to any woman seeking to take control of their own narrative. While some men and women hate this type of spirit in women who they feel should act a certain way, Rubi is breaking all the rules and standing tall on her own.

When I pulled up on Rubi at HitCo, she had just finished participating in an interview with Cardi B, Mulatto, Sukihana for Apple Music discussing women in rap ahead of the Grammy Award-winning rap star releasing “WAP.” During our conversation, Rubi talked about her experience of navigating the music industry as a woman, dealing with men, and how she ran it up on OnlyFans for $100,000.

I know you made a hundred racks on OnlyFans in a day and then you gave your mom 50 racks, right?

For my mom’s birthday. She just turned 50 so I gave her 50 bands.

How did that feel?

Good. Very fulfilling, as a daughter, making my mom proud. And just taking stress off of her because I know, who wouldn’t take the money?

Was that your first time being able to do something like that for her?

Last year, I gave her 10 racks right after I got signed but this is the most I’ve done for my mom. It’s a good feeling to be able to do for my mom, and she knows now that I wasn’t just a hoe on Instagram. I was really working towards something.

Did she think that?

Of course. My mom’s African and people would always go back to her and tell her, “Your daughter is on the internet…” Just doing whatever. But now she gets it. She supports the OnlyFans, she understands what I’m doing, how I’m not putting pussy on it. She knows what I’m doing, so she’s in full support of my career.

So, in the beginning it was probably a little difficult. But you were still in school, so did that help?

We were cool, but my mom and I… I don’t know how to say this. Our relationship got better after I got signed. I don’t want to say it was the money, but just the validation of me being signed to a label and the bigger picture. She loved me of course, because I was in school, but we just bumped heads up until the day I got signed.

Are you still in school or have you graduated?

I just graduated, this May.

Congratulations.

Thanks, girl.

How was that during COVID, how did that process go?

It was cool, but not as special because there was no ceremony. We got our gowns and caps. I still haven’t done a shoot yet, but it’s cool. It’s not as big. My whole family from Africa was going to come out. There might’ve been some type of virtual ceremony, but they did mail out the thing with everybody’s names on it though.

You’re from Kentucky, right?

Yeah, Lexington.

Then you moved to the South and you still live there. You still live in Atlanta?

I do currently, yeah.

But you spend some time in LA. So, there’s a big difference between people in the South and L.A. So, how has that adjustment been for you?

I adjust and adapt to the types of people that I’m around. I used to live in Lexington, predominantly Caucasian, Atlanta, predominantly Black, then coming to LA. It’s just, it’s very bougie, exclusive, people are haughty, but it’s cool. L.A. is a whole different vibe and brings something different than Atlanta, but it wasn’t too hard to adjust because I hang around the same people, really.

Did you always want to rap?

Yes, girl. I don’t know, not necessarily rap, just something in music. I thought I could sing, I can’t. I just wanted to do something in the entertainment industry.

For you as a woman, and you’re very beautiful so I know you probably have hella dudes in your DMs, how does dating work for you or the experience for women in the music industry as a whole?

The same way it works for men in rap, but it’s obviously sometimes a struggle. Well not a struggle, because I’m not focused on finding a man, because actually I have man.

Is it DDG?

Yeah but there’s always just this stigma you have being a sexy girl on the internet, so there’ll be the n****s who are insecure and can’t handle that, then there’s the n****s that love it. But just to be careful because they can still post you, that’s something I have to be careful of, is this exclusive.

People using you for clout, basically.

It is crazy because with guys because you wouldn’t expect it from them. They still be on that weird shit.

They date around and date whoever. People make jokes about some rappers having all these kids and it’s celebrated, but if a girl does that…

Girl is a whore, slut-shamed, all that.

Besides that, just in your career, what kind of struggles have you encountered as a woman?

Just wanting to be taken serious and guys telling you they want to work with you, and then really just are on a whole bait and switch. You’d be on a whole different time. Just being confident in yourself as a woman, just doing what you want to do. It’s just the normal struggles.

I do want to talk more about the OnlyFans. So, just tell me about the day where you were just like, “Fuck it. I’m going to make an OnlyFans.”

So, listen girl. DDG made one first. Right?

Okay.

My n**** made bank off this. He’s big on YouTube, so he teaches people how to monetize on YouTube and make money off of it. He just was telling me, “Just make one. Just see. Just make one.” And he was like, “So what if everybody calls you a ho? You’re already getting called a ho.” And I just, I made one. I put literally a picture I posted on Instagram and my shit just… Honestly, people call me a ho regardless, and I only post shit I’d post on Instagram, literally.

Yeah. I saw one picture where it looked like somebody took a screenshot…

I photoshopped it.

Finessed.

I photoshopped it. Honestly, it’s marketing. I never said I was going to get butt naked on it, so if y’all are paying, if y’all want to subscribe. Some of it is exclusive. They’re not pictures that I’d post on Instagram, but it’s nothing nude. I think girls should be able to do whatever they want to do. I think guys are just mad because they can’t do it and run it up like that.

Yeah, they can’t. Also, I want to talk about you getting the 100,000 dollars. Beyonce said, “The best revenge is your paper” and people were clowning you at one point because of the flight situation. Do you feel like you really shut people up with that?

I think it did something for me. For the record, I did have money before, this was just icing on the cake, but it was cool that the public got to see that I got this much money, because really if you get money, n****s respect you. So many n****s in the industry called me congratulating me and thought that it was just so cool. Honestly getting money is your best revenge, definitely.

Take me back to the day when you had your first conversation with L.A. Reid, before you signed.

I dropped “Big Mouth” on DistroKid. Then literally two days later, I got a call and I came to LA. Then I was sat in that room over there and they replayed “Big Mouth” 30 times and I performed it 30 times. He just said he loved me, and that just made me feel so happy and good about myself, that somebody with that type of record fucks with me that hard, and when he said he believes in me like that.

He’s a legend. So wait, you put the song on and then two days later you got a call?

Literally sis, my life changed in a matter of days.

I do want to talk about your voice because you’re really small, but your rap voice is very-

Deep?

Yeah. So was that like natural for you, or was somebody in the studio coaching you a little bit?

Well, really with “Big Mouth,” it’s just natural, but now I’ve realized people like when I do a deeper tone, so I try to give the people what they want.

What are you working on now?

I’m about to put out an album, hopefully by the end of the next month. I’m just trying to finish all the… I want to put out videos for all of them. But, and then… Sorry. I’ll be releasing a video for my song “He In His Feelings” that I just dropped. Music video’s going to drop next week, so I’m excited. I got a whole project and I’m just happy to start putting out music consistently.

How far along are you in finishing the project?

The project is done. The songs are done. The track list is done. It’s just visuals. Because I think as big as I am with my sound and my voice, I know that my visuals bring a lot and bring the songs to life, so I try to incorporate that with my music.

A quality single malt scotch is always going to set you back more than a well-crafted bourbon. There are a lot of factors at play to create that higher price tag — price differences between corn and barley, malting techniques, international tariffs, etc. — but if you pick the right bottle, the cost can definitely be worth it. Single malt scotch is a refined spirit that still maintains a lot of variation, depending on who’s making it and where their stills and warehouses are located in Scotland.

That makes finding the best bottles of scotch a fun endeavor. An adventure for your palate.

Scottish single malts are simple only in their base parts: local water, yeast, barley, peat, and wood. From there, the stills (some antique, some new), the way the barley is malted, the quality of the water, the specific woods used to age the expression, how those whiskies are married for the final product, and the all-important abilities of the distiller, noser, and blender each add a little something special. While each whisky region of Scotland (Campbeltown, Highland, Islay, Lowland, Islands, and Speyside) tend to have a distinct feel, there are still variations therein. If you love scotch, you really just have to go distillery by distillery and find what grabs you.

To help you start your single malt scotch whisky journey, we’re calling out ten bottles that are worth every penny. We’re keeping these call-outs around the $50-$100 mark — which, admittedly, is steep. But these bottles are also “value picks” — marrying great taste and a heightened whisky experience with a fair price.

Check out our ten single malt scotches worth their $50 to $100 price tags below!

The Glenrothes Bourbon Cask Reserve

ABV: 40%
Distillery: The Glenrothes Distillery, Rothes, UK (Edrington)
Average Price: $50

The Whisky:

This Speyside whisky is a standout bottle. The juice was aged exclusively in ex-bourbon casks. Due to that process, this is a solid single malt for bourbon fans looking to expand their palates (and whisky knowledge) further afield.

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla pods, honey, coconut, and a slight marzipan nose greets you. The bourbon vanilla really pops with a soaked-in-honey vibe as the spice kicks in. The marriage of pepper and cinnamon is counterpointed by a hint of red berries. The woody nature of the dram pops late as a flourish of orange helps close out the sip.

Bottom Line:

This is a great highball base and feels like a whisky that could easily be in the $75 range.

Auchentoshan The Bartender’s Malt

ABV: 47%
Distillery: Auchentoshan Distillery, Dalmuir, UK (Beam Suntory)
Average Price: $50

The Whisky:

This Lowland whisky is a one-of-a-kind, devised especially by 12 international bartenders who make a living working and drinking the stuff. The juice is a blend of single malts aged in ex-Laphroaig casks, rum casks, red wine barriques, German oak casks, and American oak casks.

Master blender Rachel Barrie assisted the bartenders in selecting casks, some of which were up to 40 years old.

Tasting Notes:

Fresh pipe tobacco dances with a note of milky chocolate, honeycomb, and dried stone fruit. The sip edges towards wildflowers while a sharp fresh ginger spiciness balances an almost croissant level of buttery malt, spiked with vanilla. The warmth from the ginger and sweetness of the honey linger the longest as this dram slowly fades away.

Bottom Line:

This is a great workhorse single malt for cocktails, highballs, and on the rocks.

Talisker Distiller’s Edition

ABV: 45.8%
Distillery: Talisker Distillery, Isle of Skye, UK (Diageo)
Average Price: $90

The Whisky:

This Island whisky from the Isle of Skye is damn near perfect. The whisky is rendered by the masters at Talisker and then double matured — first in Olorosso sherry casks and then finished in the subtler Amoroso sherry casks.

Tasting Notes:

The sea and smoke meet on this one with a hint of berry. There’s a mild spiciness that leads to a smoked fat feel from an old smoker with a splash of seawater smoothness, mild bitterness, and toffee. The sip doesn’t overstay its welcome and instead beckons you back for more.

Bottom Line:

Worth every penny and then some. Check out our full review here.

Caol Ila Distiller’s Edition

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Caol Ila Distillery, Islay, UK (Diageo)
Average Price: $90

The Whisky:

Down in Islay, this small whisky operation is one you may not have heard of but will fall in love with on the first sip. Caol Ila is also renowned for its refinement and accessibility compared to the bigger peat-monsters of Islay. This particular dram ebbs into that subtly by aging in Moscatel sherry casks to really smooth the juice out.

Tasting Notes:

Oysters, beach campfire smoke, dry cedar bark, and vanilla custard lead the way. The peat is clearly present but offset by a maple sweetness and a spicy stone fruit jam feel. That stone fruit, smoke, and mild brine all combine on the end with a subtle push towards orange zest and oak with a final rush of minty tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This was love at first sip for me. I’d buy it by the case if I could, and drink it with a single rock all day.

Highland Park Aged 15 Years

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Highland Park Distillery, Orkney, UK (Edrington)
Average Price: $100

The Whisky:

This one is going to be a little tough to source in all markets, but it’s worth the hunt. The juice is aged in American oak from the Ozarks that is sent to Spain to air dry for two years and then holds Olrosso sherry for a couple of more years before heading to Scotland’s Orkney Islands to age this whisky.

Tasting Notes:

Well oiled leather, fatty nuts, marzipan, and burnt brush greet you. The sip embraces the nuts and smoke as an apple and pear orchard arrives with a cinnamon and honey flourish and plenty of that Ozark, sherry-soaked oak. The sweetness holds as the toasted oak really shines through on the long end.

Bottom Line:

Given the depth of work that goes into the barrels alone, this could cost twice as much, and the taste of this dram matches that.

The Balvenie Aged 14 Years Caribbean Cask

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Balvenie Distillery, Dufftown, UK (William Grant & Sons)
Average Price: $80

The Whisky:

This is a classic all around. The whisky is aged in former rum casks that The Balvenie uses to age their own blend of West Indies rums. After those rums age, the barrels are emptied and the whisky goes in for its own rest. The results are a much-beloved expression from this Speyside distillery.

Tasting Notes:

This isn’t rum-flavored whisky. It’s more a whisky that reminds the sipper that rum exists and is delicious — by leaning into tropical fruit notes next to orange and creamy vanilla pudding. The fruits, toffee, vanilla, spice, and a mild wisp of smoke all balance perfectly as the sip slowly dissipates through your senses.

Bottom Line:

If this dram doesn’t wow you, we’re not sure what will. It’s also excellent in a highball.

Lagavulin Aged 16 Years

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Lagavulin Distillery, Islay, UK (Diageo)
Average Price: $100

The Whisky:

This is probably the most “classic” expression on this list and likely one of the most well-known. This whisky is crafted to represent the wonders of deep peatiness associated with Islay whiskies.

Tasting Notes:

The Port Ellen peaty malts are the star of the show but in no way overpower the dram. Creamy vanilla custard sits next to a black tea bitterness with a spice matrix and sweetness pulled from the sherry. It’s malty, smoky, sweet, rich, creamy, spicy, briny, and… just f*cking good.

The finish embraces the peat smoke, spice, and vanilla as it fades at exactly the right speed.

Bottom Line:

If you can find this for less than $100, buy all of it you can. Also, don’t sleep on the illustrious and devilishly simple Smoky Cokey, especially if you have some Jarritos Mexican Cola on hand.

Oban Little Bay

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Oban Distillery, Oban, UK (Diageo)
Average Price: $75

The Whisky:

While this is technically a Highland whisky, Oban’s location beside the sea sort of bridges it to the Islands and Islay, too.

The tiny distillery is in the heart of the town and this expression is a love letter to that place. The juice is aged in various sized barrels for varying times and with a variation of new and used casks in the mix. The final result is a masterclass in refined whisky.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a fruitiness that welcomes you up top. The sip edges into malts, apple orchards, butterscotch, orange zest, and sharp clove on the tongue. All of that combines to create a sort of spiced apple cake with a buttery crumble as it slowly meanders away while warming you up.

Bottom Line:

A great bargain for a unique expression. Check out our full review here.

Ardbeg Uigeadail

ABV: 54.2%
Distillery: Ardbeg Distillery, Islay, UK (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy)
Average Price: $80

The Whisky:

Ardbeg is the quintessential peaty Islay single malt. Their Uigeadail expression — pronounced “Oog-A-Dal” — is named after the local lake where the distillery pulls its water for making their whisky. The ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casking are classic measures taken to enrich the already deeply flavorful spirit.

Tasting Notes:

Smoky fruits, wildflowers, and Christmas spices dominate up front, with a fleeting sense of banana. The fruit and smoke dominate the palate with hints of spice and oak adding a nice warmth as the leisurely finish slowly ebbs.

Bottom Line:

This is just a solid bottle of booze all around and a great example of a place and style. Also, check out our full review here.

Dalmore Port Wood Reserve

ABV: 46.5%
Distillery: The Dalmore Distillery, Alness, UK (Emperador Inc.)
Average Price: $100

The Whisky:

This is another expression that puts on a lot of miles while aging. The juice is initially aged in American oak. Then it’s transferred to tawny Port casks from Portugal. Finally, the two are married and bottled when the juice hits the exact right moment.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sense of light white cake covered in fresh, tart berries and sugar with a rush of orange and clove lurking in the background. The dram then veers into the world of honey, fresh ginger, black pepper, dried fruits, and dark chocolate bitterness. In the end, a sense of roasted nuts and pipe tobacco pop up as the sip fades.

Bottom Line:

This is a great gift or special occasion bottle that’s worth the extra cash. Make sure to add a few drops of water to really open it up.

Nothing is coincidental on Better Call Saul (or Breaking Bad, for that matter). Every action has a purpose, every name is one worth remembering. There’s a reason we read too much into every episode, including last season’s “Bad Choice Road,” where Kim quits Schweikart and Cokely and on her way out, she grabs something from her office: a bottle stopper. Specifically, a bottle stopper from Zafiro Anejo, the same tequila brand that Jimmy and Kim, posing as Viktor and Giselle, used to con Ken in season three.

Remember what I said about nothing being coincidental:

Asked for a final cryptic tease for the final run, [co-creator Peter] Gould references the item that Kim retrieved from her office on her way out the door of corporate law.

“Keep your eye on the bottle stopper,” he said.

Like most things in the greater Better Call Saul universe, Zafiro Anejo also has an association with death, as it was used by Gus Fring on Breaking Bad to poison the Juárez Cartel, including leader Eladio Vuente. No wonder we’re terrified for Kim.

Speaking of death!

Gould wouldn’t give away anything specific about the final season, but he did tell Entertainment Weekly, “Anybody who watches the show carefully and is thinking about where this is all going, one of the questions you have to ask yourself is: ‘What does this man deserve?’ Not just: ‘What’s going to happen to him?,’ but ‘What would be a deserving end to this? Does Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman/Gene Takovic deserve death? Does he deserve love? What would be the most fitting end for this guy — for the show?’ Obviously the end for everybody is death, but that may not be where we leave this guy.” He’s going to wish he still was working at a mall Cinnabon by the finale.

(Via EW)

XXL has revealed its 2020 Freshman Class and the list of names may look familiar if you’ve been keeping track of viral hits for the past year. It includes 24kGoldn, Baby Keem, Calboy, Chika, Fivio Foreign, Jack Harlow, Lil Keed, Lil TJay, Mulatto, NLE Choppa, Polo G, and Rod Wave, all stars who’ve had breakout projects and songs in the past 12 months — some even more recently than that.

XXL‘s annual Freshman Class has been a highly anticipated list of artists expected to have huge breakouts in the coming months or who have already experienced them by the time the list is published. Beginning in 2007, the list has been used by fans as a guideline of which artists to watch and has helped boost the careers of rap superstars like Lupe Fiasco (2007), Ace Hood and Wale (2009), Big Sean, J. Cole, and Nipsey Hussle (2010), and Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, and YG (2011).

In more recent years, the list has featured breakout viral stars who have gone onto mainstream success like A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and XXXTentacion (2017) and JID and Lil Pump (2018). Last year’s list had an unprecedented number of success stories as DaBaby, Gunna, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, and YBN Cordae all exploded into mainstream success, landing No. 1 albums and singles — and even earning Grammy nominations, which Roddy ultimately won, with the help of late former Freshman Nipsey Hussle.

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

Alex Cameron understands the importance of getting into character. For each one of his records, Cameron adopts a different musical alter ego. For last year’s Miami Memory record, the Australian singer took on the guise of a sleazy failed entertainer. A year later, the musician is giving fans a taste of his unrefined Miami Memory songwriting sessions with a collection of demos.

Aptly tilted Miami Memories, Cameron announced the collection of demos with the stripped-down track “Gaslight.” About the original album as a whole, Cameron said his inspiration came from real lived experiences though they are still dominated by his alter ego: “When you listen to these songs, and you’re waiting for the twist, or the joke, or any kind of discomfort, I can assure you none of those things were there when I wrote them. These are true stories, of actual events. Specific but never esoteric. And graphic but never offensive. Miami Memory is the story of a couple balancing sex with contemporary family values…It’s my gift to my girlfriend, a symbol to hoist on the totem of love.”

Listen to “Gaslight (Demo)” above and see Cameron’s Miami Memories cover art and tracklist below.

1. “Far From Born Again (Demo)”
2. “Gaslight (Demo)”
3. “Miami Memory (Demo)”
4. “PC With Me (Demo)”

Miami Memories is out 8/21 via Secretly Canadian. Pre-order it here.

Alleged Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell is languishing in jail right now, and she’s not happy about it. That’s to be expected after her jet-setting lifestyle, which the socialite maintained for decades, but Maxwell’s unhappiness was forecast by The Independent, which wrote about the Brooklyn federal prison where Maxwell awaits trial until July 2021 after being denied bail. It’s the same facility that has housed both pharma bro Martin Shkreli and R. Kelly, and consultant Michael Frantz told the publication that her “life is going to basically be hell there” due to uncleanliness and power outages and “a lot of guard-related incidents.” However, Maxwell’s citing a different guard-related complaint, according to NBC News.

Much of what Maxwell is complaining about has to do with Epstein’s own reported suicide behind bars and the feds wanting to prevent a repeat. So, the alleged ringleader of the duo’s sex trafficking ring has been on suicide watch until recently. NBC News now reveals that Maxwell’s quite upset about “uniquely onerous conditions” like 24-7 surveillance and body scans, and her defense attorneys have filed a request to have her moved out of solitary confinement and, uh, into general population. Via NBC News:

“It has become apparent that the BOP’s treatment of Ms. Maxwell is a reaction to the circumstances surrounding the pretrial detention and death of Mr. Epstein…

Maxwell’s lawyers say she’s under surveillance 24 hours a day “by security cameras and by multiple prison guards, many of whom do not appear to be regular MDC personnel … These prison guards constantly observe Ms. Maxwell and take notes on her every activity, including her phone conversations with defense counsel,” the filing says.

To be fair, Maxwell might not be happy about surveillance, but the facility where she’s at doesn’t sound nearly as bad as the “worse than Guantanamo” Manhattan facility that freaked out El Chapo.

Meanwhile, Maxwell’s notoriety has only grown while she remains behind bars. Recently unsealed and explosive documents have revealed allegations against Bill Clinton (who was photographed with Maxwell on Epstein’s jet, known as the “Lolita Express”), Alan Dershowitz, Prince Andrew, and more. She’s recently been discovered to have a secret husband, whose name she will not reveal, and alleged victim Virginia Giuffre told CBS This Morning that Maxwell is “a monster… she’s worse than Epstein.” She also called Maxwell “vicious” and “evil” and reprehensible on another level as a woman who (allegedly) actively participated in the sexual abuse of other women.

(Via NBC News & The Independent)