50 Cent has weighed in on the viral feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, telling The Hollywood Reporter that he doesn’t view the situation as a loss for the Toronto rapper. Instead, he discussed how it shows the level of success Drake has reached over the years.
“This is hip-hop. I think it’s competitive to a degree, obviously,” he began. “Even Drake, his position and the attitude and his choices, those are 50 Cent choices. ‘F–k it, everybody got to get it then.’ When it becomes Drake versus Kendrick, it’s because it’s the only thing you can put up against Drake’s success.”
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 30: Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Eminem attend the ceremony honoring Curtis “50 Cent” with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 30, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
From there, he elaborated that the entire situation reveals a broader perspective on the culture. “Look, our culture loves to see you go up because it’s confirmation that they can go up,” he added. “But when you stay up — ‘I want this s–t forever, man’ — they go, ‘Well, goddamn. When you going to come down? If you don’t come down, I ain’t going to have my chance to go up.’ And then it’s these clouds that come over you, and that cloud is doubt, a shadow of doubt that doesn’t come from material or your work ethic.”
He continued: “It’s doubt from the artist community, where they say, ‘I don’t know, his new s–t is cool, but it’s not his first s–t.’ They do that to you and Drake’s just experiencing what you experience as a backlash from success, from the consistency he’s delivered over and over. I don’t see a loss for Drake. The people who bought Drake material are going to buy Drake material when his next song comes out.” While 50 is still confident in Drake, fans mostly agreed that Lamar won the battle after dropping his hit record, “Not Like Us,” back in May. In the time since, he’s released a music video for the song and hosted The Pop Out – Ken & Friends in Los Angeles. Elsewhere in 50’s interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he discussed his relationship with Diddy, performing at the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show, and more. Be on the lookout for further updates on 50 Cent as well as Drake and Kendrick Lamar on HotNewHipHop.
Joe Budden discussed Kendrick Lamar’s criticism of Drake as being a “colonizer” in hip-hop during a recent appearance on the BagFuel podcast. While he didn’t come right out and agree with the take, he discussed the merits of Lamar’s argument. On his viral diss track, “Not Like Us,” Lamar raps: “You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars / No, you not a colleague, you a f*ckin’ colonizer.”
“Culture is where Kendrick was shifting his conversation: how do you dress? Who’s your barber? Are you a good dad? Can you dance? Your slaps? What’s your hood? Did you have a nickname growing up? Sh*t like that is what Kendrick was leaning into to,” he said. “Those people, I believe, created hip-hop.”
ELMONT, NEW YORK – JUNE 04: Joe Budden and NLE Choppa attend Hot 97 Summer Jam at UBS Arena on June 04, 2023, in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
From there, Budden took issue with Drake buying 2Pac’s iconic ring and wearing Cam’ron’s pink fur coat while performing with Dipset at The Apollo. Lamar had brought up the ring while performing at The Pop Out – Ken & Friends in Los Angeles, last month. “Even if that’s not your intent, you gotta know how that comes off,” Budden said. “I’ve never been around Drake and Kendrick, but to hear Kendrick say, ‘You run to Atlanta when you need a check balance…’ It’s like, ‘Oh, you noticed that too.’ ‘Cause I noticed that. I get what you trying to say. And you probably the only person that could say it, and it be effective and impactful.”
Joe Budden Discusses Drake & Kendrick Lamar
Check out Budden’s full breakdown of the situation above. Lamar is currently working on releasing a music video for “Not Like Us” but he’s yet to announce a date. Be on the lookout for further updates on Joe Budden on HotNewHipHop.
As ODESZA begins saying goodbye to their fans, the prolific electronic duo is going out with a bang by taking things back to where they started.
To close out their final tour for the foreseeable future, ODESZA has teamed up with SETUP and Snapdragon to create a monumental immersive visual installation for the last three shows of The Last Goodbye Tour.
“The Echoes” installation will come to life at a venue near and dear to their hearts in their home state: the Gorge Amphitheater.
“The Echoes” activation is set to be one of ODESZA’s most technically ambitious projects to date, paying homage to the duo’s groundbreaking career, the community they’ve built, and showcasing their unrelenting commitment to technology and jaw-dropping visuals.
To tell the story of this epic endeavor in real time, Uproxx Studios is teaming with ODESZA, SETUP, and Snapdragon to release a four-part series. The first video (above) shows the duo working out how their recursive design and themes in their music influenced their title for the structure and the start of how these ideas are going to come to life, powered by the groundbreaking speed and efficiency of Snapdragon.
Benny Blanco single-handedly owned the pop radio landscape in the 2010s, soundtracking wild nights for a whole generation. In constant demand, even his non-album solo single “Eastside” — featuring Halsey and Khalid — went 6x platinum. But despite an absurd number of plaques over the past 17 years, Blanco’s latest release is a new entry for him. It’s literary — a cookbook titled Open Wide, which acts as the star’s love letter to food and, more specifically, hosting dinner parties.
Sprinkled with pinches and dollops of minutiae and personal anecdotes, Open Wide reads as much like an engrossing coffee table book as a cookbook. It’s chock full of Blanco’s hilarious musings (as well as featured guests like Eric Andre and Lil Dicky) and serves as a resource for dinner parties of your own. The book holds nearly 100 recipes and it should be no surprise that Blanco is beyond jazzed about every little detail.
We caught up with Blanco to get the detailed rundown on one of his favorites from Open Wide, the crowd-pleasing, Pop’s Chicken — which he describes as the perfect fried chicken recipe, originating from Benny’s friend Pop, who is known for cooking soul food at his house every Sunday. (Side note: We all need friends like that.) Blanco also gave us the rundown on the one dining spot we have to try in Virginia, what’s on his rider, his ability to be DJ-like in taking cooking requests in the studio, and where his dream first food pop-up would be (sorry Angelenos, it’s not LA).
We also got personal and asked Benny about the origins of the “Chuck” bit from “Dave,” learned about the time he shaved his Unibrow way too much (haven’t we all?), and how that led to his commitment to his trademark look.
What’s the first step in getting started with Pop’s Chicken? Let’s start with picking out a chicken?
First of all, you need to get the freshest ingredients, so you want to get the freshest, fucking most delicious chicken. I would go to your local butcher because you don’t want something that’s been sitting there for days. By the time you get them, they’re three, four days old. You want a chicken that’s fresh, you want to be able to see little feathers that were just plucked off of it.
And then, as far as breaking down a chicken, let’s say you’re in a hurry, don’t even worry about it, just ask the butcher. You ask your butcher, you’re like, “Yo, can I break this down? Can you give me the breast meat? Can you give me the legs separate?” And they’ll do all the dirty work for you. They’ll even do it at most supermarkets too, if you ask.
That’s a good tip. I noticed Pop’s Chicken involves an extensive list of different spices and seasonings. Where are you getting your spices and seasonings? Is there anywhere you really recommend? And then are there any specific brands that people should be checking for?
I think even more so than brands and where I’m getting them from, I think the most important thing to know is that spices go bad after a little while. They don’t go bad in the sense that you’re going to get sick from eating them. When you first get them, they’re like a fucking line of cocaine, but after they’ve been sitting there for six months, they might not hit the same way.
So where are you getting these fresh spices from?
I really like a place called SOS Chefs in New York. I like another place called Sahadi’s in New York. If I’m in LA I go to Farmer’s Markets. In the Grove (in LA), they’ll have a lot of stuff in there from farmer’s markets. Specialty international stores have really good spices as well. Usually, when you go to an international store, they’re going to have really fresh spices and ingredients.
And is there any specific brand that you’re kind of partial to or is it just kind of spice by spice, you get what goes best?
I’m always looking at the color. You want it to be bright, vibrant. You don’t want it to look like fucking sawdust that’s been sitting there for a while. You know what I’m saying?
Yep, so after you get your chicken and your spices, your recipe calls for eggs. You mentioned that egg whites are a really important part of the recipe, so how are you picking out your eggs and where are you getting your eggs from?
I really like to go to the farmer’s market and get my eggs. Again, I know this sounds crazy, but you want look and see if there’s a little bit of chicken poop on the side, a little bit of a feather, because it’s really going to ensure the freshness of your eggs. If you’re getting your eggs at a farmer’s market, you never have to put them in the fridge.
Putting your eggs in the fridge is like a Western thing, they don’t do that in most other countries, eggs do not stay in the fridge. This is some weird thing that America did. And if I am going to a grocery store, there is a brand in LA and on the West Coast, I’m not sure if it’s on the East Coast yet, but it’s called Happy Eggs, they’re like these really good farm fresh eggs.
Basically, you want the freshies, you want the big brown boys. Don’t ever buy the white eggs, unless you’re buying from a farmer’s market. I know the eggs are going to be good when they’re a little bit different shapes and sizes and colors. And although we’re not using yolk in this egg (for Pop’s Chicken), you want your yolk to be like radioactive orange. Yellow yolks are a thing that also doesn’t exist in a lot of other parts of the world. You go to Europe and you go to Italy, the yolks are like fucking ORANGE, they’re like radioactive orange yolks.
And so the reason we use the whites because it makes the bite. You know how when you bite fried chicken and you take off all the skin and it’s not with the chicken and it’s a little bit thick and crumbly; it just doesn’t hold to the chicken? The egg white helps it hold to the chicken so much better, it’s not like slipping around and sliding off the meat. When I’m at the last bite of my fried chicken, I still want it to taste like the first bite. You know what I mean?
The egg white helps you do that. And it gets it airy and crispy and crunchy.
What’s the first step once you get home? What’s next?
Another important thing is you need the perfect amount of time for buttermilk. And you don’t want too much time or then your chicken’s going to taste weird and sour and it messes with the science behind the chicken, and it’s mushy — you want your chicken to have bounce. And you want your fried chicken, when you bite into it, you don’t want some dry ass shit, you want that shit to be juicing out, like somebody injected water into the chicken.
If you’re going to be frying for a bunch of people, you can pre-dredge and flour your chicken and put it on a tray, (because) this batter and everything, it all holds pretty well. If you have people coming over, you can just prep it a little bit. If you want to do it 30 minutes or an hour before, that’s fine.
Tell us a little bit about the brining process, because it seems like you would be doing that before the dredging.
There’s so many ways to brine a chicken. For Pop’s Chicken, I put sugar and rosemary or some spices, I do it a little different every time. You can also totally brine in sweet tea, basically you just need the sugar and the salt to break down the chicken. A combination of salt and sugar always works, and water, because it’s going to help make the chicken juicier. I know it sounds like a lot of steps, but it’s really going to fuck it up if you don’t do this stuff. If I put a chicken that’s brined next to a chicken that is not brined, I can keep my eyes closed, you’re going to taste the difference.
So brine your chicken, it’s very important. And then for me, the dry rub is so important because you want your chicken to be seasoned. A lot of times when you bite a chicken, just the breading is seasoned a little bit, but you want it to penetrate and give the chicken the flavoring of the seasoning. It doesn’t need to be insane, but it’s just another layer; you’re just building layers of flavor.
What are some of your tips for creating and executing the dry rub?
Pat your chicken dry. I know it sounds like so stupid and that everyone’s like, “yeah, of course I do”, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to. And then if you don’t pat your chicken dry, you’re going to have a loose wet batter and it’s not going to hit the same way. You need it to really stick to that chicken.
I really love to use Bell’s Seasoning, it’s just like an old seasoning blend, it’s good. Poultry Magic is also such a good one to use. These are just staples, they’re in every supermarket and you’re going to be like, “oh, okay. I know that’s at least the right one”; they’ve been around for hundreds of years.
Once you got your dry rub going, what sort of hardware do you need in your kitchen to take the next steps? What are some things that you need?
You can fry in an industrial fryer, you can fry in a cast iron. Fuck, I’ve literally fried chicken in a bucket. Literally a trash can that we just poured (chicken) in and then put it on top of an induction burner and did it because we needed a bigger surface. You just need anything that can hold heat and just be big enough to put your chicken in.
You don’t want your chicken clumpy, you need your chicken to be spread out. You don’t want it to be too close together, you don’t want it to get attached, (the chicken) needs a little room to breathe, and you’re going to be flipping it and shit.
What are some tips on the dredging process? I know you said pat for the dry rub, but as far as doing the actual dredging, what’s the lay of the land there?
For my dredge, I need something tangy. I do stuff different all the time, but there’s always the three things I put in a dredge.
I don’t have the recipe in front of me, but I can tell you for sure I don’t even need to look – 1) I always put some sort of pickle juice in. 2) I’ll always put some sort of hot sauce. I like Crystal or Louisiana, anything that’s based out of Louisiana. 3) I’ll always put mustard, and I’m talking like shitty French’s Mustard, because there’s something with the tang, and that’s going to just give you another fucking flavor bomb.
Once you’re done dredging, what are some tips for the actual frying, and how do you know when your chicken’s done?
A lot of people fry their chickens and the outside will get done before their chicken’s ready. Don’t fry it too hot. Whatever you’re doing, always watch your temperature. Because when you put the chicken in, the heat’s going to go down. There’s so many different things, there’s so many different barriers.
So stay calm, always stay calm and make sure to just take your time. It’s not a battle, you’re not fighting to see who gets the best time. You’re making fried chicken, have fun, go talk to your friends, drink a beer.
How do you know when the chicken’s ready to go? What’s the telltale sign to be like, “okay, it’s good”?
After making it so much, I know the color and feel of it, but if you don’t know it, pull a piece out, put a little thermometer in the side and it’s going to help you (figure it out). Don’t be afraid to use tools to help you.
It’s going to take a while before you can really know. Also, always know, when you pull your chicken out, it’s going to get a little bit darker once it’s come out. So you have to just know that as it cools, it kind of browns up a little bit more.
With Pop’s Chicken what’s the biggest challenge or the easiest thing to mess up that takes a while to master?
Not taking your time. Some people skip steps and they’re like, ah, I don’t need to brine the chicken, oh, I don’t need to do this. Always, always, always lay your chicken on a wire rack when it comes out. If you lay it just on something flat that’s not porous, it’s going to steam the chicken more and then the bottom of your chicken’s going to get soft. You want to keep this crispy.
Afterwards I’m done frying, I put it in an oven at 150 or 200, just so it’s holding heat inside. It’s not going to cook anymore. If you’re making chicken for a bunch of people, sometimes I’m doing this for 30, 40 people, and you just want to put the chicken on a wire baking sheet and throw it back in the oven to hold the temp.
A lot of people are scared to fry things. They’ve never done it at their house, they’re frightened, they think it’s going to take over their house, burn their whole house down. It’s not, you’re going to be fine, just take your time. And don’t be afraid when you’re first starting, to pull a piece of chicken out, check it. Check it with the thermometer.
So in this food series that we’ve been doing, we ask a lot of musicians about their eating habits. We all know that musicians often have very unhealthy eating lifestyles just because of the nature of the times that you’re working and things like that. So first question is, when you’re performing what’s on your rider? Food, drinks and snacks.
I actually try to keep it healthy, you know what I mean? I actually don’t eat a lot before I’m filming or doing a show, it’s usually afterwards. Before, I’m probably just having carrots and dip and a coconut water or something, it’s not as exciting as it seems.
I usually have to take a shit right before I do anything, too. The nerves just come in and you’re like, uppp.
What about when you’re in the studio? What type of food or snacks do you like to have on deck?
I want to say I’m eating healthy because I don’t want to fall asleep while I’m working. But in reality, I mean sometimes you get nought, sometimes it’s who knows. Sometimes you open up, sometimes it starts with one skittle and then before you know it, I’m covered in crumbs and glazed doughnuts. I don’t even know.
So there’s nothing specific that is a go-to, you kind of just go with the flow?
No, I’m cooking a lot for people in the studio, so it’s like people’s favorite. I mean people want fucking banana pudding, lasagna, spicy rigatoni.
Oh, so you’re taking requests?
Oh yeah, I take requests, I’m like a DJ for food.
What are some foods that people might find gross or nasty but you think are amazing?
Sea urchin. Uni, it scares people. And caviar, I love.
And then what’s a snack or a food that most people like that you find unappetizing?
I don’t eat pork, so pork rinds maybe.
If you could own or operate any franchise of restaurant or food related business, what would it be?
You know what I would do? You know when you go to a basketball game or you go to a football game or a baseball game, I feel like we’re so slacking on the culinary experience at those.
I know they’re trying to get better, but I feel like if somebody just gave me one to take over, I feel like I could make it so much more special than what it already is. We’re so blinded, even having food at any game, we’re like, “whoa, we got nachos”, and you’re so stoked. But imagine if it was actually fire food.
So where are you popping up? Are you popping up at Dodger Stadium? Are we at the Staples Center? What are we doing?
I think I’d have to move back to New York just to… I feel like it’s got to be New York, we got to be at MSG or something.
And you’re selling Pop’s Chicken or what are we selling?
I don’t know what we’re selling. I mean, I’d have to get high and think up the whole little menu rollout.
And then being from Virginia, are there any foods native to Virginia, or restaurants, that people must try?
There’s these things that I’ve noticed I don’t see a lot on the West Coast, it’s kind of like a Southern thing. They have these things, they’re called Kitchens, there’s one, Virginia Kitchen, and basically you go in and it’s just the most delicious kind of diner, but it’s like soul food too. There’s biscuits and grits and gravy.
On the West Coast, the breakfast out here is so mid. There’s just no diners out here. So Virginia, I don’t know, Virginia has these really good, they’re almost like buffets, it’s hard to explain.
I don’t know if it’s still there because I haven’t lived there in a very long time, but I always loved Virginia Kitchen when I was younger.
I have to ask you a question about “Dave” and the “Chuck” greeting that you guys do. Did you guys get that from Peanuts and Charlie Brown?
No. We literally saw Peanuts, honestly like a week ago. We’ve been calling each other that for years, it has nothing to do with it. It started out because we used to call each other Buck, and then it was Suck, then it was Sook, then it was Book, then it was like Chuck, Chuck really kind of stuck. But we’ve had a like a million nicknames that evolved into Chuck, and it’s like we saw the Peanuts thing and we lost our mind.
Yeah, isn’t that weird?
I know. It’s so strange. There’s also, back when we used to call each other Buck, there’s also a thing called, there was a movie that Michael White made called Buck and Buck and we were like, “what the fuck?” It was crazy.
I was going to ask about your unibrow, but we can save that for another time.
I have a unibrow, you do not.
I used to though. In high school I started getting it waxed because I was very self-conscious about it. I’m probably 10 or more years older than you, so it was like a faux pas, and so I felt-
How old are you?
I’m 41. And I felt Like I had to, and so I started –
I’m 36. When I was younger, I used to do the same thing, I used to shave it. One time I messed up and I accidentally shaved my eyebrows so far to each side that it looked like I had two Hitler eyebrows, it was crazy. Because I kept trying to go more and more and it just…
Yeah, too much. So at what point did you settle into it and be like, “you know what? I’m just going to rock this unibrow for life”?
I think I was like 17 or 18, and I was like, “oh, this is me.”
Teyana Taylor looking stunning isn’t news to anybody, but she may have reached a new peak with a recent cover shoot. Just earlier this week she was stunning fans with her abs in an impressive bikini look. That came after she cleared up rumors about a flirty moment during the Oscars that left fans theorizing about a potential relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio. Taylor shifted her focus back to stunning looks and it didn’t take long for an all-time great one to emerge.
She teamed up with Cultured Magazine for a full cover story that included a stunning photo shoot. In pics she shared to Instagram she’s sporting an entirely black series of fits. Included in the mix is leather jackets, black dresses and some occasionally visible black underwear. In the comments of the post fans are going absolutely crazy for the looks. Many point out the inspiration she took from the style of legendary singer and actress Grace Jones. “Said GRACE before she ATE” one of the top comments on the post reads. “SLAYYYYYYYY!!! The ode to Grace Jones is a SERVEEEEEE” and “Per usual she’s filled with GRACE” two other comments agree. Check out the full collection of pictures she shared below.
Teyana’s interaction with Leo was hardly the only news she made at a pre-Oscars party. She was in attendance for a star-studded event alongside Usher, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, and many more. For the party she was also sporting an all black fit looking sleek in photos throughout the night. She’s actually currently shooting a film with Leonardo DiCaprio so it may not be the last tie we see the versatile singer at the Oscars. It’s been four years since she released her last musical project, a studio album fitting called The Album.
What do you think of Teyana Taylor’s stunning Grace Jones inspired look for her Culture Magazine cover shoot? Do you have a favorite Teyana look from over the years? Let us know in the comment section below.
Juvenile is a bonafide hip-hop legend. Through the timelessness of his classic records, he has helped to cement the legacy of New Orleans’ Cash Money era while enjoying a cross-generational appeal via the magic of social media. Juvenile stays ubiquitous – you cannot go to a major event, a club night or even listen to a new music release without hearing Juvie’s influence or actual music and lyrics.
On his 3rd or 4th wave now, Juvenile’s most recent reinvention outside music revolves around strategic hometown partnerships and products that result from his burgeoning passion for all things culinary, along with his innate entrepreneurial spirit. Current plans beyond his already popular Juvie Juice and savory Cheewee’s snacks include his own coffee, a line of sauces and more varieties of Juvie Juice.
We got the lowdown on everything Juvie has in the pipeline, along with his recommendations for New Orleans hot spots and local gems. Juvie has us covered when it comes to the top crawfish and gumbo in NOLA, what makes Ruth Chris’ in ‘Nawlins like no other, and his personal snack indulgence; pretzels and Snickers mixed.
Whether it’s getting healthy with Caesar Salads and Nature’s Own granola bars, hitting every Benihana possible, playing the “Juvie Card” to get some late-night eggs at Waffle House or polishing off that mini-bar Toblerone, Juvenile is a man who knows exactly what he likes and wants at any given time. And if Juvie tells you that you look like a Toblerone kind of guy, that just means he sees a little bit of himself in you – there may be no better compliment. Join us and get to know the legendary “Ha” emcee, unlike you’ve ever known him before.
Where are you today?
Oh, I’m at my little spot where I make my lamps and stuff in New Orleans.
When you’re on the road doing shows, what’s on your rider as far as food and drinks and snacks?
Most of the time it’s Popeyes Chicken, full service. I got to have the rice, the red beans. I want mild chicken. I’m going to always have my chips, of course, the 400 Degreez Snack Chips. My main thing would be the Popeyes. I got to have the Popeyes.
Is that like a bucket of dark, white, a little bit of everything?
I get mixed. I get it mixed, so it’s a little bit of everything.
When you’re in the studio creating, are there certain foods or snacks or drinks that you need to have in the studio to get in the right mind state?
In the studio, I got to have my D’Usse or some form of cognac. I got to have some cognac in there, and I definitely got to have my Juvie Juice ’cause I’m blending them. We make drinks, we make all kinds of drinks with the Juvie Juice.
What about from a food perspective? Are you ordering takeout?
Usually, when I’m at home, I want crawfish, man. I’m tweaking for some crawfish right now. Most of the time when I go to the studio out of town it would be some form of seafood. So it might be like a grilled fish or something like that, nothing heavy.
How do you like your crawfish prepared?
Oh, they got to come from Cajun’s on Claiborne, on North Claiborne, first of all, ’cause they got a few Cajuns in the city. I got one specifically that I go to, right? My crawfish, they come one way, they hot.
They hot, they real seasoned up. It’s everything. You know what I’m saying? You really got to have a liking for them because they real hot.
So do you like your food spicy in general, or is it just the crawfish?
No, it’s just the crawfish. When we say spicy in New Orleans, we mean spicy, we don’t mean spicy by pepper spicy. We mean a lot of seasoning, like a lot of vegetables and a lot of onions and bell peppers and stuff like that.
It sounds like you have a lot of big meals, but are you much of a snacker? Do you eat chips and cookies and candy and stuff like that?
Yeah, not a lot. I used to. I used to be a Snickers man but now I’m getting up in age, man, I don’t do too much junk (food), like I used to. But if I was to dive into some snacks, I like ice cream sandwiches.
What’s your go-to ice cream sandwich?
Strawberry Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich from, what’s the name of the ice cream place? I can’t think of the name right off the top of my head. I just walk in a damn store every other day and buy something. Why I can’t think of it? I got a big dude in here (who) can’t think of an ice cream place. Baskin? That’s it, Baskin-Robbins. Yeah, Baskin-Robbins.
Do you prefer sweets to chips and savory snacks?
I’m really a potato chip guy. I’ll be eating them Kettle Chips. I get the Kettle Chips from Whole Foods. I like Lay’s Kettle Chips. My brand, I’m a Kettle Chip head, and I’ll try some shit too when it’s Kettle Chips, honestly. I like the crunch.
They got the Zapp’s down in New Orleans.
Yeah. That’s the main reason I like Kettle Chips. I like all the Zapp’s, even though some of them are horrible, but I still eat them.
What’s the worst flavor of Zapp’s?
Probably the crawfish flavor, but I still eat them. If you give me a bag, I’m still going to eat them.
You’re a crawfish guy, how come you don’t like the crawfish chips?
It ain’t the consistency I’m looking for, but I ain’t trying to hear it on Zapp’s either because they got some good chips.
When you’re on the road and you’re touring, what’s something that you like to have in your room or if there’s something in the mini bar?
I get into the mini bar, I do. You know those Nature’s Own snacks in the green pack? I like those, bro. I ain’t going to lie to you. I like those. I’m hooked on those. If they got those in the hotel room anywhere, usually I’ll eat them. I used to be a Toblerone man. I’m telling you, man, I used to have it bad with that. I had to leave that alone.
A lot of people have that problem.
You look like a Toblerone guy too! Especially in the hotel rooms ’cause they usually always have them in the minibars and stuff. That’s a fact. So after you’re done a show, I know- also, Famous Amos Cookies. I knew I was forgetting something. Famous Amos Cookies, I love those.
So after you have a show, I know it’s usually probably pretty late at night once you’re done. Do you usually go out to eat afterwards? Are you getting room service?
If I eat it’s going to be Waffle House, probably some eggs, grilled chicken. Whatever’s open 24 hours, usually late, I want eggs. I want some eggs and grilled chicken most of the time.
So you’re not doing room service?
If it’s open, and I can convince them to make what I want. I’m real talkative when I want some food, and I want something, I be, “Hey, this Juvie.” That’s when I start throwing the Juvie card around. “That’s Juvie, y’all. You know this Juvie, right?” “I’m going to tip you real good. Hey, could you get the chef to make me some eggs? You know what I’m saying? Some turkey sausage or something like that, man, just hook me up something special,” ’cause usually, they have pork on the menu for breakfast.
I’m not a pork eater, so I always have to ask these extra questions.
So it sounds like as you’re getting older, you’ve gotten a little bit healthier in your eating habits. You said you go to Whole Foods, you’re eating turkey sausage and it sounds like you might-
Nah, nah, I got to learn how, I’m trying. I’m trying, ’cause look, I got a stomach, bro. I’m trying to learn how.
Besides the granola bars, what’s some other healthy snacks that you like that maybe other people should know about that are trying to get healthier too?
Well, I’m a salad head. But as far as snack wise, healthy snacks, fruits, that’s probably it. I eat a lot of fruits too.
Do you have a favorite fruit? Favorite salad?
My favorite fruit is orange. I love oranges, mandarins or anything like that.
What’s your go-to salad when you’re eating salads or eating healthy?
I’m a Caesar head. I like Caesar. I like Caesar. I can eat it with chicken without chicken, just the Caesar.
So something that’s interesting that’s come up to us is that lot of times nowadays people are trying out new snacks and putting different snacks together. We had somebody that likes to eat Oreos and Doritos together. We had somebody that likes to eat Kool-Aid flavored pickles. I’m curious if there’s anything that you like that other people might think is weird or gross.
Yeah, pretzels and Snickers. I like pretzels with Snickers together. You know, the little Snickers? The little Snickers in the little pack… and pretzels. Try that.
That sounds good, actually.
Try that. Try that, brother.
Then on the flip side, is there anything that you see other people out there eating that you’re like, “That’s nasty?” Or, “Why would you eat that together?”
It’s been some weird stuff, man. I done seen people put peppermints in hot pickles, take a peppermint and stuff it into hot pickles.
Yeah, man, like, what’s the purpose? Your breath, it’s not going to help. I don’t know, but people have some weird fetish. The weirdest stuff I done seen probably came from pregnant women. I think that was my aunt or somebody was eating pig lips. What they eat it with? Pig lips and potato chips, pig feets and potato chips. You ever had that?
No.
Down here they have pickled pig lips. Pickled pig lips and potato chips.
That sounds like a band name or something. That’s interesting.
Pickled pig lips and potato chips, that’s big down here.
I’ll take your word for it. I might have to try that on my next trip.
So that brings me to New Orleans. You come from somewhere that has a very rich food history, a very rich culinary background. What are some of your favorite restaurants or places that the tourists don’t get to that they should be checking out?
Well, Neyow’s would be one of them, a local spot that a lot of people do come through that know about it, but a lot of the tourists miss it. It’s a spot I eat at on a regular. We got a lot of trucks down here that’s real good.
What are you eating at Neyow’s that’s really good?
I like the gumbo and the fried chicken, but I’ve had the fish, I’ve had the salmon. They got different stuff on their menu, man. They got a big menu. It’s always packed in there, but I don’t know if there’s people from out of town. I think it’s locals.
What’s another local spot that everybody should check out that maybe they don’t know about?
Definitely my guy, Skip, got Chicken & Watermelon. Everybody from out of town comes there. It is right there on Claiborne Street.
So would you say that Neyow’s is the best place to get gumbo or where’s your gumbo spot?
No, I think it’s called Orleans Cafe is another spot that’s in the New Orleans East that all they sell is gumbo, and they sell it by the gallons.
Oh, wow.
People say they have the best gumbo. I’ve had it one time, but I got to have it a couple of times. My taste buds don’t work like that. I got to have it a couple times to say if it’s the best or just have both of them together and compare them. But nah, Neyow’s have some good gumbo.
Then I know you said crawfish is your favorite local dish.
Nah, that’s number one, but we got Ruth’s Chris. Ruth’s Chris is from here. I always tell people from out of town like Ruth’s Chris is different in New Orleans. It’s not like the Ruth’s Chris you go to on the road or something like that.
So what makes it different in New Orleans, if you could explain?
I guess that base of the way they cook the steaks and cook the food and the know-how, you know what I’m saying? New Orleans is the cooking capital, so people in New Orleans tend to do things different, the chefs and all. So the cooks that they have that’s in the Ruth’s Chris down here will be totally different from the ones out of town. Even though they’re cooking the same thing.
When you’ve been on the road touring, are there any cities that you really look forward to ’cause of the food there or restaurants that you like to go to?
I’m big on going to spots that we don’t have here in New Orleans, but most of the time, it’s national spots. We don’t have a Benihana here, and I love Benihana. Every time I go to Dallas or I go to Atlanta or to New York, those are the spots that I look for. But New Orleans people, we so locked in on our food, when we go to another city, we like the people to tell us what’s the best spot and go there. I’ve been to a lot of spots, it’s just hard for me to just pull one out of my hat.
What do you like to order at Benihana, though?
Man, I be ordering damn near everything on the menu. We just order. I go for it. I go for it, man. I like the pageantry and everything, but usually I get the triple, the one with the chicken, the steak and the shrimp. Forgot what they call it. I don’t eat it all, but I just order it like that.
I want to get more into your snacks and products. So I heard that Juvie Juice was inspired by your love for Arnold Palmer. When did you get into the Arnold Palmers, and where did that come from?
I’ve been drinking that since a kid. We always took lemonade and mixed it with tea, and I never knew the name was Arnold Palmer until I got older. So when they started saying Arnold Palmer, especially when you’re going to bars or restaurants and you’re trying to make that order, it’s just easier to say that ’cause they know everybody knows what that is. But yeah, I just love the taste. Seltzer was something that I wasn’t a fan of. I’m not really a big beer drinker either.
So it was something that I had to be convinced to like. So my guy Travis took me over to Urban South and we had a taste test, me, him and my wife.
We went through all these different flavors and stuff like that. I kept telling him, “Ah, this ain’t it. This ain’t it. This don’t taste like Arnold Palmer, I don’t like it.” Eventually, we got to the flavor. We got to the consistency that I like, and shit, right now, it’s doing good. I think a lot of people feel the same way I feel about seltzers. A lot of them are just dry and horrible.
So how does that feel for you to have something that you loved as a kid and now you have your own version on the market? You’ve been in the hip-hop game, you probably have had every honor and achievement in music, but having that outside of music, how does that feel?
Oh, it’s a good feeling, man. Tomorrow I’m doing a big in-store with Total Wine, Costco’s and Rouses, which is a local grocery store food chain down here, so I’m gradually growing a brand. To see a brand grow from one state to another state — right now, we’re in eight states — and do well and see the fans reaction when they drink it is great. Mmost of the people that come, they really haven’t drank the seltzer a day in their life. They’re getting introduced to something new and they really like it. For me, it’s a new world.
Then can you explain also how the CheeWees partnership came about?
Well, CheeWees is something that I’ve been eating since I was a kid down here. It’s a local company that’s been making these CheeWees before Cheetos. Actually, they sold the machine to Frito-Lay to make the Cheetos brand, so this brand’s been going… Down here, when you say Cheetos, we don’t say it, we say CheeWees. I call Cheetos CheeWees also, so it’s something that stuck with me and I saw an opportunity to have a partnership with somebody local and make a chip of my own, something that I really like, something that I enjoy with my face and my brand on it. I think it’s doing real good, man. The people down here, they love it.
So I have to ask you, what’s next? Because it seems like this food and culinary world is something you’re really embracing.
We got the hot sauce we working on right now. Matter of fact, I’ll show you. I already got some bottled up, but I don’t have the pictures. We working on the artwork right now,
I’ll have to ask them to maybe send me some info on it, and maybe you could send me a bottle when it’s ready. I would love to try it.
Yeah, I can. I got a trunk full of it right now. I got A-1, when I say A-1, I got steak sauce I’m working on. Well, we’ve already finished with the steak sauce, and we’ve already finished with marinades, so I got a list of marinades. I got two more flavors of the Juvie Juice coming out. One is strawberry lemonade, the other one is mango. I’m working on a coffee, which is called The Great Company with my wife.
Oh, man, you got an empire that’s coming.
Yeah, I’m working, bro. I’m working.
One last question. I know you got your own stuff and your own brands going, but if you could own or operate a franchise that exists already, like a restaurant or something like that is already out there, would it be Popeyes or would it be something else?
Man, you hit it on the nose, bro. It would be Popeyes or Chick-fil-A. I love Chick-fil-A. I wish they would open on Sundays, but I understand ’cause from a Chick-fil-A person that loves Chick-fil-A, it hurts me when they close on Sunday ’cause I love my grilled nuggets.
Grilled nuggets is your go-to at Chick-fil-A?
Grilled nuggets, and then we never talked about that yet, I’m a Chick-fil-a man. I got to have my Texas Pete Hot Sauce with my grilled nuggets, my 12 count.
Change comes when inspired people start seeing obstacles as opportunities. That’s what happened to Natalie Robehmed, the writer and musician behind FeM Synth Lab — a synth lending library and workshop series catering to marginalized genders in Los Angeles.
In the latest episode of Show Up, Robehmed recounts her entry into L.A.’s thriving EDM music scene, a space she describes as “free of restriction” where creators are encouraged to experiment with boundaries and produce something “new and cool.” Unfortunately, that freedom came with caveats. Too often, male-dominated industries like music production hinder progress by way of gatekeeping, something Robehmed experienced first-hand. Tired of the gear purism, misogyny, and mansplaining, she decided to partner with some friends to build a community for people like herself — women and nonbinary creatives eager to make music on their own terms. That’s how FeM Synth Lab was born.
“There was no place to go to learn about this stuff that was woman-centered and sort of opening and welcoming to us,” Robehmed says. The group hosted a workshop and Robehmed was blown away by her community’s appetite for this kind of creative space. She planned more classes and opened a lending library where people could rent out gear — microphones, sequencers, amps, and spin tables — with a small deposit.
“It’s so expensive to even get started in music production,” she explains. “The idea came about to actually loan out instruments, like library books, where you could take it home with you.”
With help from others in the music community who donated equipment, built websites, and spread the word on social media, FeM Synth Lab was even able to thrive during the pandemic, when in-person workshops were limited and music creators lacked the financial means to buy their own instruments. Now, seven years after Robehmed helped launch the organization’s workshop series, FeM Synth Lab has become a mecca for women and nonbinary artists hoping to further their musical education and break into the world of music production.
“My hope and dream is that every city could have a resource like this,” Robehmed shares. “That people could see this and say, ‘Hey, you know what, I actually can go out and start something with my friends.’”
To hear more about Robehmed and FeM Synth Lab’s journey, watch the full episode above.
Black History Month is here and, for the latest episode of Wom/n Worldwide, we’re celebrating the record-setting achievements of Black women in music and entertainment that you should know about.
Over the last few years, the pages of the her-story books have been filled with several notable entries from Black women across the arts. From music to TV and, of course, movies, host Drew Dorsey pays tribute to these awe-inspiring trailblazers kicking down doors throughout the industry.
In this episode, we honor icons like Jennifer Hudson and Viola Davis for their recent entry into the exclusive EGOT club, but these phenomenal women aren’t the only onscreen powerhouses that take centerstage. Dorsey also shines the spotlight on TV stars Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, and Niecy Nash-Betts.
And the flower-giving didn’t stop there. We couldn’t miss out on marking the streaming and charting history set by SZA’s highly-anticipated sophomore album, SOS, or the impressive feat Nicki Minaj’s long-awaited Pink Friday 2album accomplished for women in rap music. What about the sheer dominance Beyoncé has shown at the Grammy Awards? Yes, Dorsey dives into that, too, along with a few sweet caveats about Queen Bey’s culture-shifting album, Renaissance.
Podcasts hit their Peak TV era in 2023, and with that glut of good listening came some unwanted consequences. Cutbacks, cancellations, celebrity deals gone wrong — the “too much of a good thing” crowd warned us long ago what happens when a content bubble bursts, and podcasts proved to be no exception. But despite the growing pains, some truly terrific shows were made this year (including the Uproxx produced Indiecast with Steven Hyden and Ian Cohen and People’s Party with Talib Kweli.
This list, with picks from staffers and contributors, includes a few steady favorites, fresh true crime takes, comedy audio hangs, and shows with a focus on debunking medical mysteries. All fascinating, entertaining, and illuminating in their own right. We listened to them during our daily commutes, miles-long runs, work breaks, and more, learning, laughing, and now we’re suggesting them to you (in no particular order) as we wrap up 2023.
iHeartMedia
Who Killed JFK? (with Rob Reiner and Soledad O’Brien)
Something I did not have on my 2023 bingo card was to become utterly enthralled by a podcast exploring the JFK assassination hosted by Meathead from All in the Family (Rob Reiner) and former CNN host Soledad O’Brien, but here we are, life is strange and full of surprises. With all of that said, Who Killed JFK? somewhat shockingly offers some new perspective and insight into one of the 20th century’s (and world history’s) greatest mysteries. Hint: it may have actually been an inside job all along. – Brett Michael Dykes
The best interviews don’t feel like interviews. It’s just a conversation, loose yet interesting because people are comfortable enough to let their guard down and be a little silly as they tell stories about their lives and careers. Conan O’Brien, freed from the limits of a late-night talk show (though he was pretty great as an interviewer in that format too) has become a master of this kind of interview with Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend. Whether the guests are fans, returning favorites like John Mulaney, actual real-life Conan friends like Timothy Olyphant, legends like Harrison Ford, or the sitting President of the United States, the vibe is the same: a breezy hang with the guest, Conan, and co-hosts Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley. — Jason Tabrys
You’ve absolutely seen The Basement Yard on TikTok. This is how I got my introduction to them: These clips of two dudes going back and forth talking about god knows what pop up on my FYP all the time. At some point, I made the decision to actually listen to them, which made me realize these are two of the funniest guys on the planet. The chemistry between Joe Santagato and Frank Alvarez is something that can only come from childhood friends, while their ability to take mundane topics and make them hilarious is something few (if any) can match. — Bill Difilippo
Six Trophies with Jason Concepcion and Shea Serrano
Okay, sure, I’m biased with this podcast pick. But set aside my admiration for both hosts and look at the pedigrees involved; both men are clearly in their wheelhouse and their friendship and working chemistry makes this hangout sports show even more of a gem. This is how hoops talk should be done: by people with unadulterated love for the game and all the awe, curiosity, and humor the insane feats and quirks the modern NBA and its culture-dominating figures deserve. – Aaron Williams
My favorite kind of projects are ones that balance the very serious with the very silly. Think about a show like Succession, where the drama and comedy co-exist to make each hit harder. It’s a tough trick to pull off, sure, because the wrong formula or the wrong process of mixing them can bungle everything, but when it works, hoo boy. That’s probably my favorite thing about Pablo Torre’s new podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out. Where else are you going to find silly extended chats with Action Bronson next to legitimate and humanizing pieces of journalism like the episode where he looked into a state law banning trans athletes from high school sports in the name of competitive fairness and then interviewed the one (1) trans athlete in the entire state it impacted, who wasn’t even all that good at the sport in question? Nowhere, I suspect. It’s a nice reminder that anything can be more than one thing and still do all of them well. And it’s also a really good time. – Brian Grubb
Ding dong, the best pop culture podcast of 2023 is calling. Saturday Night Live breakout Bowen Yang and comedian Matt Rogers have been serving the tea on all things pop culture since 2016 and, despite the podcast market being flooded with imitators, their brand of savvy, sharp-tongued, hysterical commentary is still the best of its kind. That’s mostly thanks to their easy banter – an inimitable byproduct of their years-long IRL friendship – and their in-depth knowledge of all things Real Housewives, but their roster of celebrity guests, unique industry insight, and comedic instincts also elevate the show beyond its format. — Jessica Toomer
There are surely countless film podcasts currently running (I’m not going to verify this, but it just feels true) and even more comedy podcasts (same), but there is only one comedy-film hybrid podcast hosted by two friends that go through the filmography of auteurs (probably?). This podcast is Blank Check With Griffin & David, hosted by actor Griffin Newman and The Atlantic film critic David Sims. The episodes often run long as all hell (sometimes going beyond three hours) but somehow the duo, their beloved scum-bum producer Ben Hosley, and generally fantastic guests (Tatiana Maslany, Zach Cherry, Nia DaCosta) never wear out their welcome while breaking down the work of recently featured directors David Fincher, Park Chan-wook, and Danny Boyle. Weekly episodes focus on a single film and are typically hilarious, empathetic, and deeply insightful. But what always strikes me is how after years of doing this, the podcast still comes from a place of love that increases both the cinematic knowledge and appreciation of the listeners. — Philip Cosores
There are few podcasts that can mix history lessons, humor, and the occasional public health service all in one, but Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine does just that. While the podcast began as a way for Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin (of My Brother My Brother and Me fame) to discuss interesting stories from medical history, in recent years they have also debunked dangerous myths, helped promote proper vaccinations, and more, making them a must-listen. Sydnee is knowledgeable and self-assured, bringing her experience as a physician to help explain everything from leprosy to burping, while Justin jokes and helps represent the audience, who are likely not doctors themselves. The podcast has been going strong for a decade, but it’s never dipped in quality and is still hilarious and educational. — Danielle Ryan
I listen to a lot of film podcasts, too many to recommend just one. So let’s zig over to film-adjacent territory because this is the year I finally listened to a friend’s advice and started listening to Podcast: The Ride. Tied, sometimes loosely, to amusement park rides and attractions (or any sort of themed entity really, it finds Mike Carlson, Jason Sheridan, and Scott Gairdner exploring the obsessions that have stayed with them well into adulthood, be it old TV specials filmed in EPCOT or long-forgotten celebrity-branded restaurants. I’m probably at the low end of theme park appreciation in my house, but their enthusiasm is infectious, their knowledge of this world impressive, and their digressions often as fun as their discussion of the topic at hand. — Keith Phipps
Werner Herzog said, “We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field.” Cows in the Field puts that quote to the test, packaging the headiest of concepts into language that any curious filmgoers can understand. Each week, MIT philosopher Justin Khoo and his wife Laura Khoo invite a film critic, friend, or colleague in academia to bring one of their favorite movies for discussion. While the conversation can go in many directions — Justin and Laura are as informed about film as they are about philosophy — the common denominator is their rare blend of intelligence, curiosity, and accessibility. If you ever wanted a film podcast that considered Joe vs. the Volcano in the context of Immanuel Kant’s notion of the sublime, or compared Yoda to Christian philosopher St. Augustine, Cows in the Field is the film podcast you’ve been waiting for. — Noah Gittell
How do you measure a year? If you’re pop culture fans like we are, it’s by looking back on the wildest, most inspiring, and totally unforgettable stories that happened in the world of TV, film, music, and beyond.
That’s what the latest episode of Culture Quickbites is ready to do, recruiting host Drew Dorsey to run through the list of moments that crowded our timelines and took up too much space in our group chats. We’re talking about the live music takeover with pop icons like Beyonce and Taylor Swift dominating on stage and helped to save the box office. Speaking of saving, some of TV’s most beloved shows just couldn’t be this year, and while finales are always sad, prestige dramas like Barry and Succession went out on a high. What’s next for the streaming small screen? We’re dying to find out.
And while most of the episode’s highlights center around all the ways we entertained ourselves during this strange year, Culture Quickbites couldn’t reflect on 2023’s biggest moments without reminding everyone that this was the year we finally learned we’re not alone. (E.T., we’ve got your number.)
Check out the full episode above for our full 2023 pop culture celebration.
