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This week in new pop music saw a number of album and single releases fit to earn Uproxx’s best new pop label. Anne-Marie teamed up with Doja Cat for an earnest tune, Ellie Goulding shared her lengthy record Brightest Blue, and The Chicks returned with their first album in 14 years.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.

Anne-Marie — “To Be Young” Feat. Doja Cat

After her debut Speak Your Mind became the UK’s top-selling album of 2018, Anne-Marie is ushering in a new era of music that’s sure to earn Uproxx’s best new pop stamp of approval. Tapping Doja Cat, the two reflect on what it feels like to be young and carefree in their shimmering collaboration.

Ellie Goulding — “Start” Feat. Serpentwithfeet

This week, Ellie Goulding shared her much-anticipated double record Brightest Blue. The record boasts a handful of features, including the Serpentwithfeet collaboration “Start.” About the record as a whole, Goulding said it reflects her vulnerability: “It acknowledges a complex world where relationships still dictate our happiness and heartbreak and can still be the most painful thing in the world, no matter how enlightened you are.”

The Chicks — “Sleep At Night”

The Chicks publically announced they would be dropping the “Dixie” from their name and rebranding themselves under the new title before releasing their record Gaslighter, their first album in over a decade. The record was released in full this past week and features the stand-out number “Sleep At Night” as a beat-driven reflection on a tumultuous relationship.

Troye Sivan — “Easy”

After telling fans he planned on releasing new music at the onset of the pandemic, Troye Sivan returns with the slow-burning number “Easy.” Arriving on his forthcoming EP, Sivan reflects on a relationship that’s falling apart. About the EP, Sivan said in a statement that it is a “small collection of songs [that] explores an emotional rollercoaster period in my life when the feelings and thoughts were most shockingly fresh.”

Benee — “Night Garden” Feat. Kenny Beats

New Zealand’s breakout sensation Benee returns after her hit song “Supalonely” became a quick hit with Gen Z on TikTok. Now, Benee taps Kenny Beats for her jaunty number “Night Garden.” The single marks the first time Benee has worked with the producer, saying “he so fast making the beat that it was also probably the fastest I have ever had to write a song.”

Dana Williams — “Knife”

Dana Williams got her start in music young and oftentimes collaborated with her late father, the famed rhythm guitarist David Williams. Now with several accomplishments under her solo name, Williams finds freedom in departing from a toxic relationship on “Knife.” A cool-toned guitar juxtaposes Williams’ bright lyrical delivery. “Change can be scary / So much to repair / It’s never enough I know / I’ll just change my hair,” she sings.

Duckwrth — “Coming Closer” Feat. Julia Romana, G.L.A.M.

Duckwrth continues to prepare for his major-label debut studio album with a handful of recently-released singles this year. With his latest number “Coming Closer,” Duckwrth infuses a smooth hook and buoyant instrumentals under his driving lyrical delivery.

Bailey Bryan — “Play W/ Me”

Nashville singer Bailey Bryan is at her most self-assured with her first new music of 2020. Her single “Play W/ Me” arrives ahead of her debut album and which aims to shine a light on her past and let the world know she’s upholding her standards. “I’m coming from the most confident place I’ve ever made music from,” Bryan said in a statement. “I have a clear vision of who I am and what I’m worth more than ever before.”

Ally Brooke — “500 Veces” Feat. Messiah

Since pivoting to a solo career, Ally Brooke has positioned herself as a powerhouse in dancefloor-ready tunes. Her latest track “500 Veces” continues honing her sound, combining a pounding beat with Brooke’s soaring vocals.

Oliver Tree — “Me, Myself & I”

Outlandish, bowl-cut sporting artist Oliver Tree shared his debut album Ugly Is Beautiful this week and on it arrived the stand-out “Me, Myself & I.” Oliver expands on other-worldly sounds on the song with pop-punk power chords accompanied with a thumping backbeat.

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

Yesterday we found out Taco Bell is discontinuing their iconic vegetarian option, the 7 Layer Burrito. When I heard this, I was so shocked that didn’t even bother reading the rest of the menu items getting axed. Even now, I couldn’t tell you what else is being removed from the menu [RIP, Nacho Supreme! -ed]. The 7 Layer Burrito leaving Taco Bell is the end of an era for the fast-food chain.

I was a vegan back in the mid-1990s but didn’t become a 7 Layer fan when it was first released. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I rode hard for Taco Time, not Taco Bell — anyone who grew up with Mexi-Fries will understand. I didn’t even start going to Taco Bell until I moved to Washington, DC, in 1999. My girlfriend introduced me to the wonders of the 7 Layer Burrito on 2 am stoned drive-thru runs. I quickly got hooked.

There was just something about the (then) 99-cent burrito that felt comforting (and perhaps slightly more authentic than typical Taco Bell fare?) and it stuck with me. Every time I ended up at a Taco Bell — even long after living in DC — I’d always tack a 7 Layer Burrito onto my order, whether I needed one or not. Maybe it was a nice reminder of my first long-term relationship or maybe it was a way to avoid some overly processed meat or maybe I was always just high enough not to notice I’d become a creature of habit, even as the T-Bell menu expanded.

Whatever the case, the 7 Layer burrito was my jam for a good long stretch there. Allowing me to feel healthy-adjacent at a pretty unhealthy fast food joint.

Fast forward two decades and it’s been a very long time since I’ve been to a Taco Bell. They’re not really in Germany, where I live, anymore. I do have a faded memory of going to one in England somewhere over the past few years, but even that feels like another lifetime. So upon learning that I’ll likely never get a 7 Layer Burrito again (I’m certainly not going to intentionally time a trip to a re-release of the item) I knew I had to make one for myself. For nostalgia reasons.

Flour tortilla, refried beans, seasoned rice, sour cream, iceberg, tomato, three-cheese mix, and guacamole. That’s the dish we’re doing today. It’s soft, flavorful, and always lukewarm — which somehow made it more endearing. According to Taco Bell’s advertising, they look like this:

When in reality, you’d get something closer to this (which, to be fair, is true of all fast food items):

My research started by getting the ingredients list from Taco Bell. It’s dense.

I decided I wasn’t going to make flour tortillas or the sour cream. I just don’t have the time to wait around all day while making sour cream. I’m going to make the beans, rice, and guacamole from scratch. I’m jettisoning all the stabilizers and sticking to fresh ingredients. As for “natural flavoring,” that’s just MSG. So, I’ll use that there. For “spices,” I’ll generally use tried-and-true Tex-Mex mixes of cumin/paprika/onion powders and the like. Otherwise, I’ll try to stick as close to the heart of the above recipes as possible.

Layer 1: Beans

Ingredients:

• One cup Pinto Beans (dry)
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• Two cups Vegetable Stock
• One tsp. Salt
• One tsp. Cumin
• One tsp. Paprika
• One tsp. Dried Oregano
• One tsp. Raw Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. MSG
• One Bay Leaf
• One tbsp. Sunflower Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

The first step is to soak the beans in about two cups of boiling water with the baking soda already mixed in. Once the beans have doubled in size (about two hours), drain the water and set aside.

In a medium-sized pot, bring about two cups of veg stock to a simmer. Add in the beans, spices, and sugar. Bring to a very low simmer and place an ajar lid over the pot. You’re going to need about two hours to cook these beans.

Make sure to stir every ten minutes or so. You may need to add water after about an hour. I added about a 1/2 cup of tap water with a pinch of salt. When they’re done, they’ll look like the image below. They should be nice and soft with a slight al dente feel.

I let the beans rest for about 15 minutes off the heat with the lid on. I then salt and pepper to taste (mine didn’t really need salt) and add the oil to help velvet-ize the beans a bit.

I then used a standard potato masher to mash the beans until semi-smooth. I like a little chuck to my refried beans. But, you do you when mashing beans. A blender will give you the full-pureed bean effect if that’s your jam.

Layer 2: Seasoned Rice

Ingredients:

• One pound Long Grain White Rice
• One quart Vegetable Stock
• 1/4 Green Bell Pepper
• 1/4 Red Bell Pepper
• One small Yellow Onion
• One Tomato
• One tsp. Smoked Paprika
• One tsp. Tomato Powder (see below)
• One tsp. Garlic Powder
• One tsp. Onion Powder
• One tsp. Cumin
• One tsp. Raw Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. MSG
• 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• One Lime
• One tbsp. Vegetable Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

“Tomato Powder”

This is something I just couldn’t get my hands on. So, I decided to make my own. I started with four ounces Sun-dried Tomatoes. Since the tomatoes are a little gummy, I placed them on a pizza tray and toasted them in the oven for about 15 minutes on 325F. That dried them out wonderfully.

After the tomatoes cooled, I put them in my spice grinder/mixer thingy and ground them until they were powder. Done and done. Now, I have a super umami powder to use on everything!

The Rest

Next, I blanched, peeled, and diced a whole tomato, finely diced the peppers and onion, and gathered all my spices plus sugar into a single bowl.

Since “seasoned rice” is really the “Spanish rice” you see at Tex-Mex joints, I’m making this rice the same way I’d make a paella (the original “Spanish rice”). That means I’m using a large saucepan with a few glugs of oil. I then sweat off the onions and peppers with a pinch of salt. Once the onions are translucent, I add in the diced tomato and then toast all the spices in the bottom of the pan.

Next, I add in my rice — which I rinsed with cool tap water. I then add the veg stock and season with salt and pepper. I bring that to a bare simmer and let it do its thing, making sure to stir well every five minutes or so.

About 25 or 30 minutes later, the liquid should have simmered off leaving an al dente rice. Give it a good mix, kill the heat, and cover. Let that sit for another ten to 15 minutes. The steam will finish cooking the rice. Fluff the rice again with a fork before using it.

Layer 3-6: Sour Cream, Lettuce, Tomato, Cheese

Ingredients:

• Two ounces Sour Cream
• 1/2 Tomato
• Iceberg Lettuce
• One ounce Cheddar
• One ounce Pepper Jack
• One ounce Low-moisture Mozzarella

This is pretty straightforward. Diced tomato. Oddly large sliced iceberg lettuce a la Taco Bell. Shredded cheese mix. Sour cream.

Layer 7: Guacamole

Ingredients:

• Two Hass Avocadoes
• One small Red Onion
• 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
• One Jalapeno
• One Lime
• 1/2 Tomato
• Salt

This is the heart of the Taco Bell recipe for guacamole that’s pictured above. It’s also pretty simple and, truly, damn tasty — although, I left mine a little chunkier than Taco Bell’s tube distributed version.

I scooped out the avocados, added the finely diced onion, chili pepper, and cilantro. I added lime juice and salt and then mashed it together. Finally, I diced the tomato and mixed it in. Done.

The 7 Layer Burrito

It is now time to build our 7 Layer Burrito. I’m using the photo from the Taco Bell menu (above) as my guide. So that’s beans, rice, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and guacamole. Does it make sense? Not really. I still don’t know why the cheese is never melted between the beans and rice but, whatever, let’s build!

First things first, I warm my eight-inch tortilla in a pan. I then add a layer of beans and rice — both about three spoons of each (I used a standard kitchen spoon, like the one you’d eat cereal with). I then top that with the rest in the above-mentioned in order. I place the burrito into a piece of paper — forgetting to take another photo — and wrap it up tightly.

I then cut it in half to see how I did… And, look at that! It’s not that far off in my estimation. The layers are there and it looks like a better put-together version than anything you’d get in-store.

The flavors are very close. There’s a fresher, crisper aspect to everything and a little more umami and acid, which are good things, in my book. The 7 Layer was always one of the few noticeably acidic items at Taco Bell and I wouldn’t want to lose that. Once, I broke out some extra hot sauce and started dabbing it on every bite, the whole thing got even better. The softness was there as well as the lukewarm aspect. It was the perfect balance of delicious, filling, and nostalgic. Plus, now I have enough “seasoned rice” for about four more meals.

So there you go — your own 7 Layer Burrito, so that the OG can rest easy. Good night sweet godfather of fast-food vegetarian dishes, rest easy knowing that you’ll be remembered fondly.

It’s been a few years since Sylvan Esso shared What Now, their second and most recent album, which dropped in 2017. Now they’re ready to follow it up: Free Love is set for release in September, and alongside this announcement, they’ve shared a video for “Ferris Wheel,” which they filmed in an empty amusement park.

The band shared a statement about the album and song, saying:

“We are thrilled to announce our third album, Free Love, will be out 9.25.20. It’s a record about being increasingly terrified of the world around you and looking inward to remember all the times when loving other people seemed so easy, so that you can find your way back to that place. This first single, ‘Ferris Wheel,’ is about discovering your power and awkwardly figuring out how to wield it. It’s for the summer, it’s for you, we hope you like it.”

The group’s Amelia Meath also spoke about the nature of her musical partnership with the band’s other half, Nick Sanborn, saying, “At the heart of Sylvan Esso is this really fun argument. Nick wants things to sound unsettling, but I want you to take your shirt off and dance. We’re trying to make pop songs that aren’t on the radio, because they’re too weird. It’s a pop band, but we’re talking about complicated emotions.”

Watch the “Ferris Wheel” video above, and below, find the Free Love art and tracklist.

1. “What If”
2. “Ring”
3. “Ferris Wheel”
4. “Train”
5. “Numb”
6. “Free”
7. “Frequency”
8. “Runaway”
9. “Rooftop Dancing”
10. “Make It Easy”

Free Love is out 9/25 via Loma Vista Recordings. Pre-order it here.

NBA basketball will make its return on Wednesday in the form of four scrimmage games from the Orlando bubble, as teams begin ramping up their intensity and on-court work in an effort to be as close to midseason form as possible when the league restarts on July 30.

The scrimmages will run for a full week, Wednesday, July 22 to Tuesday, July 28, with 33 games in total, allowing each team three warmup games before the season tips off once again. All of the bubble scrimmages will be available to watch on NBA League Pass for those with a subscription, with broadcasts on local television as well as some being shown on the team websites. There will also be games broadcast nationally on NBA TV, as they will carry at two games each day — and a quadruple-header on Sunday.

The full scrimmage schedule can be found below, as basketball will happily be back on our TVs this week — and, it should be noted, regular season action for the WNBA tips off on Saturday.

Wednesday, July 22 (all times Eastern)

3:00 p.m.: Magic vs. Clippers
3:30 p.m.: Wizards vs. Nuggets
7:00 p.m.: Pelicans vs. Nets
7:30 p.m.: Kings vs. Heat

Thursday, July 23

3:00 p.m.: Spurs vs. Bucks
3:30 p.m.: Blazers vs. Pacers
7:00 p.m.: Mavs vs. Lakers
7:30 p.m.: Suns vs. Jazz

Friday, July 24

3:30 p.m.: Grizzlies vs. Sixers
5:00 p.m.: Thunder vs. Celtics
7:30 p.m.: Rockets vs. Raptors

Saturday, July 25

12:00 p.m.: Lakers vs. Magic
12:30 p.m.: Bucks vs. Kings
4:00 p.m.: Heat vs. Jazz
4:30 p.m.: Nets vs. Spurs
8:00 p.m.: Clippers vs. Wizards
8:30 p.m.: Nuggets vs. Pelicans

Sunday, July 26

12:00 p.m.: Sixers vs. Thunder
1:30 p.m.: Suns vs. Celtics
4:00 p.m.: Pacers vs. Mavs
6:00 p.m.: Blazers vs. Raptors
8:00 p.m.: Rockets vs. Grizzlies

Monday, July 27

3:00 p.m.: Wizards vs. Lakers
4:00 p.m.: Kings vs. Clippers
5:30 p.m.: Jazz vs. Nets
7:00 p.m.: Magic vs. Nuggets
8:00 p.m.: Pelicans vs. Bucks

Tuesday, July 28

2:00 p.m.: Grizzlies vs. Heat
3:00 p.m.: Raptors vs. Suns
4:00 p.m.: Spurs vs. Pacers
6:00 p.m.: Thunder vs. Blazers
8:00 p.m.: Celtics vs. Rockets
8:30 p.m.: Mavs vs. Sixers

Facebook is in the midst of a subtle reckoning.

As the culture at large experiences deep structural changes, many are left questioning whether the social media giant has earned any place in the current conversation of racial justice, free speech, and the fight against hate groups.

While many at the leadership level of Facebook make a point of being seen as progressive and sympathetic to the movements they profess to support, it can be hard for any of that to ring true when their platform is a haven for white supremacist groups, conspiracy theorists and death threat factories.

Recently Facebook released the results of its independent audit, a report two years in the making that outlines clearly how Facebook has failed on civil rights. The report found that the companies reaction to hate speech, bias, polarization, and diversity was grievously lacking. According to the report, the company has categorically failed to remove a deluge of hate groups and abusers on the platform.

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Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, had some blunt words regarding the company, “Ridding the platform of hate and misinformation against Black people only became a priority when there was a PR crisis to endure”

Concerning the report, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said that the company “won’t make every change they call for,” but that Facebook leadership “will put more of their proposals into practice.”

As the company scrambles to steer their enormity back into the good graces of a rapidly suspicious public, the question remains – what can Facebook do to be better?

Here are 5 things.

One – Commit to preventing data breaches

Starting with Cambridge Analytica, a UK-based consultancy with sinister ties to the 2016 election, Facebook has a dismal track record of policing bad actors on the platform – this particular one collected and used the data of tens of thousands of Facebook’s more than 2 billion users for various nefarious outcomes. This was followed by a breach that affected 50 million people on the site, and after that another breach that compromised the data of 29 million people, including phone numbers, names, email addresses and for many, dates of birth.

Facebook must put in place a more formidable security apparatus instead of simply apologizing when a litany of breaches take place.

Two – Honestly communicate with its biggest critics

From the beginning Facebook has taken a dim view of those who do not share the view that they are the greatest social fabric weaver of the modern world. For many who have taken issue with their countless gaffes and failures, Facebook is woefully lacking in humility and the desire to listen to their members. From enabling ethnic cleansing in Myanmar to allowing Nazis to organize and sell merchandise on their platform, Facebook has systematically demonstrated an utter lack of self awareness.

By bringing together the voices of those calling for changes in their company, and simply listening to their grievances, much could be achieved if only Facebook leadership would lend an ear without being dragged into the process unwillingly for PR.

Three – Listen.

In order to understand the deeper issues inherent in the companies approach to their practices, a good person to listen to is Rashad Robinson. Robinson is the executive director of Color of Change, the country’s largest racial-justice organization, and one of the people who organized the high-profile advertising boycott that shook Facebook in July.

As described on a recent podcast, “he was part of a meeting with Facebook executives about the July ad boycott of Facebook, to discuss the demands he and those companies have made to the social-media platform. Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg were on the call, and he was not impressed by Zuckerberg’s performance.”

He relays how in the meeting, Facebook executives were repeatedly praising themselves saying how “They’re so much better. They’re working so much harder. They have done things that other folks won’t do.”

He says, “This is the kind of constant line. At some point, someone in the meeting said, “So, I guess what you’re saying is that you’re doing everything right and that we’re just crazy.” They’re like, “No, no, that’s not what we’re saying.” I’m like, “Well, what are you saying?”

A corporate culture of viewing outsiders as assailants instead of welcome and constructive voices has hindered the companies growth, and has harmed the level of trust they can be given.

Four – Take a stand.

Corporate cowardice and a strategy of aiming to please all users has paralyzed Facebook and left it in a quagmire of its own vague indecision. By attempting to be utterly impartial, the company has ensured that the platform has become a safe haven for dangerous misinformation, political influence, hateful rhetoric, abuse, death threats, medical malpractice and more.

In order for Facebook to enjoy the privileges of a company welcomed by the culture and accepted by users as trustworthy, it is vital that they cobble together some semblance of a value system.

At this point in the life cycle of the platform, it’s almost impossible to see what, if anything, the company believes in other than being an open playing field for false information, conspiracy theories and racist memes.

Facebook must clearly delineate what they do and do not stand for.

Five – Empower new voices.

While Facebook has made great strides in ensuring their new hires are reflective of the changes so desperately needed at the company – it’s vital that these are not merely symbolic positions.

Those who have a new vision for how the company can be better must be empowered to implement those plans. Too often a company will ride the praise escalator when hiring a newly created position that promises change, yet relegate that person to a headline in an email to a PR agency.

Facebook must be prepared to utilize their new talent, and be bold when deciding just how much they’re willing to change in order to be the company they profess to actually be.

Lately it seems Facebook has had the PR goodwill of a Bill Cosby comeback tour – from their inability to remove extreme hate groups, to their seemingly tone deaf response regarding the enormous upheaval making its way through every fibre of the nation. The social media juggernaut often professes to be on the cutting edge of progressive change, however many are profoundly concerned over the companies lack of actual policy change in the face of growing criticism.

One of these concerned parties is Rashad Robinson. He is the executive director of Color of Change, the country’s largest racial-justice organization, and one of the people who organized the high-profile advertising boycott that shook Facebook in July.

Sitting down with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway for an episode of New York’s “Pivot Podcast”, Robinson outlined his feelings on the hypocrisy on display at Facebook, one of the most powerful media forces in the modern world.

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Swisher mentions this in her opening, explaining “he was part of a meeting with Facebook executives about the July ad boycott of Facebook, to discuss the demands he and those companies have made to the social-media platform. Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg were on the call, and he was not impressed by Zuckerberg’s performance.”

Robinson detailed the experience with Zuckerberg and his team, “Before the meeting, we had shared the list of demands again, and the demands are not complicated. They’d been part of ongoing meetings and protests. Some of them have been highlighted in previous versions of the civil-rights audit that have come out over the past year and a half, two years. So we got there really with the goal of having them tell us what they thought and where they were heading, because they actually requested the meeting. And you know, I’ve been in a lot of meetings with Facebook. I’m going to meetings with a lot of corporations, and they get trained on how to run out the clock. They have these strategies on how to have a meeting where they get you to talk a lot and then they don’t actually have to tell you anything new. And so I took the lead. I really sort of pushed him, like, “Hey, you’ve got the demands. We actually want to go through them.”

Photo by Glen Carrie on Photo by Glen Carrie on

As Facebook leadership began stalling for time during the meeting by outlining all the aspirational goals that Facebook had in mind, Robinson reached his limit. He relays how in the meeting, Facebook executives were repeatedly praising themselves saying how “They’re so much better. They’re working so much harder. They have done things that other folks won’t do.”

He goes on to explain the issue with what comes across as a constant barrage of empty platitudes, “This is the kind of constant line. At some point, someone in the meeting said, “So, I guess what you’re saying is that you’re doing everything right and that we’re just crazy.” They’re like, “No, no, that’s not what we’re saying.” I’m like, “Well, what are you saying?”

It’s here where talks begin to break down and give way to a dark realization, Facebook doesn’t know how to please everyone — nor can they.

Aside from Facebook’s overall compromise play, Robinson has grave concerns over how they operate culturally, “The technology that’s supposed to bring us into the future is in so many ways dragging us into the past. We had created a sense of social contracts around the ways that white nationalists could organize, right? They can’t organize at the Starbucks in a public space and have a meeting. They couldn’t do things out in public, but the incentive structures at Facebook have allowed people to not only organize, but … A 15-year-old that is searching for one thing runs into some white-nationalist content and then goes down a hole because they get served more and more of this content. Because the ways that the algorithms are set up, people are almost indoctrinated into these ideas that we’ve tried to put at the margins. Facebook has created a space that feels like home, that makes these things comfortable, that makes these things acceptable. And to that extent, they’ve been damaging.”

Photo by Clay Banks on

When speaking about his conversations with Black Lives Matter Co-Founder, Alicia Garza, Robinson is blunt, “Alicia gets regular death threats on Facebook. She has to go through the same decision tree that anyone else has to go through. She’s had about 20 death threats over the last several months. And Facebook has declined to take action on every one of them through automation. They say something about how it doesn’t violate terms. And she’s never gotten a phone call from Facebook, no outreach, no engagement that one would expect. This is Alicia, who’s on TV, who is well known — and Facebook actually uses her name. They use her work in the cases they make around this, and they don’t even respond to the attacks that she’s getting. It’s because they don’t care. The same way Mark can say that these Fortune 500 advertisers don’t matter, he’s on the other hand saying that Black activists’ voices don’t matter either.”

Robinson finds the root of his issues with Facebook in their complicity, “…in order to keep profit and growth going, they actually have to stay friends with those in power.”

When searching for a long term answer to how Facebook can be kept in check, Robinson offers, “I think financial pressure is important as well as hopefully changing the political levers in Washington. That to me is the long game, because even this type of effort feels like something that we just can’t be constantly doing, going against the largest advertising platform the world has ever known. It just can’t simply be about asking advertisers to walk away.”

It seems that in their quest to please everyone on the platform, Facebook has ended up marginalizing activists, amplifying hate groups, and are in dire need of taking a stand for something. Many are struggling to see if they do, in fact, stand for anything.

As the NBA’s bubble comes together in Orlando, many are asking why the Phoenix Suns are involved. While that question may seem disrespectful on the surface, the Suns finished with the 13th-best record in a 15-team Western Conference this season. From there, Phoenix posted an ugly 8-15 record in the last 23 games and, while the team is mathematically alive in its pursuit of a playoff berth, the sledding is difficult.

With that said, the Suns have a ton of young talent, with Devin Booker blossoming in a big way and Deandre Ayton stepping into a more prominent role as a former No. 1 pick. If nothing else, Phoenix is an entertaining team to watch and, at full strength, they are dangerous enough to present on-court issues for many teams at Walt Disney World.

ROSTER

Deandre Ayton
Aron Baynes
Devin Booker
Mikal Bridges
Jevon Carter
Cheick Diallo
Ty Jerome
Cameron Johnson
Frank Kaminsky
Jalen Lecque
Elie Okobo
Kelly Oubre Jr. (status unclear)
Cameron Payne
Ricky Rubio
Dario Saric

SCHEDULE

Friday, July 31 – 4:00 pm ET – vs. Washington Wizards
Sunday, Aug. 2 – 9:00 pm ET – vs. Dallas Mavericks
Monday, Aug. 4 – 4:00 pm ET – vs. L.A. Clippers
Thursday, Aug. 6 – 4:00 pm ET – vs. Indiana Pacers
Saturday, Aug. 8 – 7:30 pm ET – vs. Miami Heat
Monday, Aug. 10 – 2:30 pm ET – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Tuesday, Aug. 11 – 4:30 pm ET – vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Thursday, Aug. 13 – TBD – vs. Dallas Mavericks

STANDINGS

1. Los Angeles Lakers: 49-14
2. Los Angeles Clippers: 44-20 (5.5)
3. Denver Nuggets: 43-22 (7.0)
4. Utah Jazz: 41-23 (8.5)
5. OKC Thunder: 40-24 (9.5)
6. Houston Rockets: 40-24 (9.5)
7. Dallas Mavericks: 40-27 (11.0)
8. Memphis Grizzlies: 32-33 (18.0)
9. Portland Trail Blazers: 29-37 (21.5)
10. New Orleans Pelicans: 28-36 (21.5)
11. Sacramento Kings: 28-36 (21.5)
12. San Antonio Spurs: 27-36 (22.0)
13. Phoenix Suns: 26-39 (24.0)

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?

This is a tough one, simply because of the position the Suns are in. Even with fairly generous rules allowing for a potential play-in competition for the No. 8 seed, the Suns have a lot of work to do in order to seriously compete for the postseason. After all, Phoenix would need to surpass four teams in order to reach the No. 9 spot and, well, the math on that is tough. As such, success for the Suns looks different than many other teams in Orlando. Phoenix should be focused on player development, allowing their young guys, headlined by Booker and Ayton, to improve and coalesce together with an eye toward the 2020-21 campaign. That’s really what matters for the Suns.

X-FACTOR

At this point, Devin Booker is a legitimate star, especially if his 2019-20 efficiency continues in the future. With that out of the way, the team’s X-factor is probably Deandre Ayton. It is safe to project that Ayton will never elude questions about being selected ahead of Luka Doncic, but he put together an impressive second season, with the caveat of an early 25-game suspension that set back his development and the team as a whole. Upon returning, Ayton averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game, improving drastically on the defensive end and scoring with reasonable efficiency. He still has some bad habits, but the talent is there, and Ayton is a player to closely monitor as the bubble convenes.

BIGGEST ON-COURT QUESTION

Despite earning a bid to Orlando, the Suns were actually below-average on both ends of the floor this season. The team’s personnel remains slanted to the offensive end, though, and it will be interesting to see how Phoenix defends in the bubble. The numbers with both Booker and Ayton on the floor (+4.9 per 100 possessions) were excellent, both due to offensive proficiency and acceptable defense. Overall, though, that is a question that will follow Phoenix as they continue to build the roster and find the combinations of young talent that work best on both ends.

In a just world, First Cow would be considered a Best Picture frontrunner. But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we don’t live in a just world, so director Kelly Reichardt’s New Yorker cartoon-meets-The Revenant film, which she knowingly described as being about “someone who steals a basket of milk” (it’s a masterpiece), is probably on the outside looking in. Or maybe not, who knows! It’s a weird year for movies, obviously (casual reminder that Dolittle remains the third highest-grossing film of 2020), but if one of Reichardt’s films were to get nominated an Oscar, this is the time she hopes it happens.

Reichardt thinks award shows are, well, cow plop (“I just don’t give a shit about the Oscars. I just can’t bring myself to watch. I find them a little embarrassing — the strutting of money and everything,” she recently said to The Daily Beast), but when asked by GQ about First Cow being an Academy Award contender, the filmmaker replied, “Listen, if you were ever going to win an Oscar, wouldn’t this be the great year? Just Zoom in, no outfit. Sure.”

You thought Billy Porter looked incredible at the Academy Awards earlier this year? Wait until he doesn’t have to leave his bedroom. Or maybe he’ll go against type, and take fashion advice (gym shorts) from Adam Sandler. I’m suddenly into an at-home Oscars.

“I just don’t like film to seem like a competitive sport,” Reichardt continued. “I just don’t like to give that power to anybody. If I get to make another film, I’ll be super good.”

Second Cow, anyone?

(Via GQ & The Daily Beast)

Trey Songz is the latest artist to join the wave of those speaking out about injustice through music. His sardonically-titled “2020 Riots: How Many Times” video addresses the ongoing civil unrest in the wake of police killings of Black citizens like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor with footage of protestors occupying the streets of his hometown, Petersburg, Virginia — peacefully, with very little evidence of “rioting.”

“How many mothers have to cry?” he questions in the gospel-inflected chorus. “How many brothers gotta die? How many more times?” He also takes to task the concept of colorblindness, pointing out the hypocrisy of claiming not to see color when it’s clear that Black Americans have faced incarceration, wrongful death at the hands of the police, and income inequality at a disproportionate rate. “Don’t be colorblind, ’cause when they’re killin’ mine /They’ll try to justify it each and every time.”

“How Many Times” is just one of a spate of protest-themed songs that have come out since May of this year, with other artists like Lil Baby, Denzel Curry, DaBaby, and Anderson .Paak all releasing songs speaking about the current climate.

Watch Trey Songz’s “2020 Riots: How Many Times” video above

Trey Songz is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Phoebe Bridgers released her highly-anticipated sophomore album Punisher last month and while she can’t tour behind the effort, the singer has stayed engaged with fans by performing various tracks on a handful of livestreams. On Monday, Bridgers appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to give a colorful rendition of “Kyoto.”

For the at-home performance, Bridgers decked out her room with decorations reminiscent of a middle school dance. The singer crooned “Kyoto” in front of glittery streamers, a shimmering disco ball, and multicolored lights all while sporting her signature skeleton costume.

Ahead of her late-night performance, Bridgers joined Zack Fox in the premiere of his brand-new Twitch show, Released!. During the episode, Fox helped Bridgers get to “goth prom” in an animated flying space car. During their journey, Bridgers explained the meaning behind her Punisher album title: “Say you’re hitting on someone at a bar, and then their friend comes up and starts talking to you about Jordan Peterson or some sh*t and you’re like, ‘Please get me out of here.’ But they don’t release that they’re punishing you. So, I guess I’m self-conscious that I do that.”

Watch Bridgers perform “Kyoto” on The Late Show above.

Punisher is out now via Dead Oceans. Get it here.