LeBron James threw down one of the best dunks of the year on Thursday against the Houston Rockets.

Joaquin Phoenix has been at the top of his activist game throughout award season so far. During his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, he mentioned the "link between animal agriculture and climate change." However, Phoenix is not merely posturing across the world's television screens. He's been putting his body behind his words by attending protests in connection to this cause. He ditched a SAG Awards after-party to stand at a vigil for pigs being taken to a slaughterhouse. His latest act of protest involved going to Jane Fonda's Fire Drill Fridays in Los Angeles.

Rachel Luna/Getty Images

Since October 2019, Fonda has been hosting these rallies weekly in Washington, DC to demand that politicians properly address climate change. She has just moved this initiative to Los Angeles, where they will surely continue to attract celebrity participation. This past Friday (Feb. 7) marked Phoenix's second time attending Fire Drill Fridays. The rally he went to last month in the nation's capital resulted in him being arrested along with Martin Sheen. He attended this Friday's rally with his fiancee, Rooney Mara, where he went onstage to introduce environmental justice activist, Nalleli Cobo. 

If cruise ships were never your thing then we can almost guarantee that this update will leave you with the same thoughts. Carnival’s Diamond Princess ship has kept its 3,500 passengers isolated in their rooms for 14 days after 61 passengers (including 11 Americans) have been infected with Coronavirus, The Weather Channel reports. The boat is currently docked near the coast of Japan.

Carl Court/Getty Images

“We’ve got two weeks’ extra cruise, albeit a confined cruise,” David Abel, who’s a 74-year-old passenger on the bost told the Washington Post. “You’ve got to make the best of the situation, haven’t you? But I’m sure that in 10 or 12 days’ time, I’ll be pulling my hair out.” On January 25th the number of infected passengers was just one. Last Wednesday it was 10 and earlier this week that number grew to 61. 

“We are participating in elevated levels of guest screening to check the spread of coronavirus,” cruise officials said in a statement. “We are closely monitoring developments regarding coronavirus and have rigorous medical protocols in place onboard our ships. We continue to work in close consultation with the CDC, the WHO, and local health authorities to align with their guidance and ensure the health and wellbeing of our guests and crew.”

A businessman in Ottawa is claiming to have burned more than $1 million cash in an attempt to avoid having to pay spousal and child support to his ex-wife. The man in question is Bruce McConville, a former mayoral candidate who, ironically, ran on a tough-on-crime platform before he lost his election. His claims that he burned a total of $1,039,000, however, are not flying with Supreme Court judge, Kevin Phillips.

In his latest effort to dodge a court order dictating that he file an affidavit over his finances in order to determine how much he owes in child and spousal support, McConville has claimed that the profits from selling businesses and properties behind his ex-wife's back are gone. Despite a separate court order that he not sell his properties, McConville sold his assets to his accountant, and refused to pay $300,000 to the court as a security. During a contempt motion last week, he told Judge Phillips that he made up to 25 withdrawals from half-dozen bank accounts that totalled the $1,050,000 he made from his secret sales. When asked where the money was, McConville indicated that he "destroyed" it. He was pressed for clarification, and after rambling on, he admitted that he "burnt it" in portions on two separate occasions: $743,000 on September 23rd, and $296,000 on December 15th.

With the prestigious Academy Awards set to air tonight, some may forget about the more humble Film Independent Spirit Awards that took place on Saturday (Feb. 8). As Aubrey Plaza said in her opening monologue while serving as host of the Spirit Awards, it’s “the second most important award show of the entire weekend.” While the Spirit Awards may not be the most talked-about, it often gets things right where Oscars get them wrong. One of the biggest disappointments of the 2020 Oscars – ahead of the actual ceremony at least – was that Adam Sandler did not receive a Best Actor nomination for his role of Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems. Well, we can celebrate the fact that the Spirit Awards recognized his performance and even awarded him for it.

During his acceptance speech for the Best Male Lead prize, Sandler used a goofy accent, as he tends do, while joking about his Oscars snub. He equated winning a Spirit Award rather than an Oscar to winning Best Personality in a high school yearbook rather than Best Looking. However, he still showed appreciation for the honour he received. “Then all those feather-haired douchebag motherfuckers get their Oscars tomorrow night,” Sandler said. “Their handsome good looks will fade in time, while our independent personalities will shine on forever.” Later in his speech, he breaks from his accent to earnestly express his gratitude for the Safdie Brothers – the directors of Uncut Gems – whose appearances he compares to those of “homeless rabbis”. 

There’s no end to the list of rappers in the game that Young Thug can claim as his offspring. It’s no longer controversial to deem him one of the most influential artists of the past decade. However, there’s a pack that Thug has put effort into raising in his own image, whose members can be differentiated from his off-brand clones. Thugger’s label, YSL Records, houses talents that possess the same brazenness as the head honcho himself, but they all manage to carve singular identities. When these voices come together on a track, sparks fly. In the list below, we will explore the most electric collaborations to come out of this camp and dissect what each Slime brings to the table. 

Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images   

8. “Family” – Young Thug feat. HiDoraah and Dolly White 

YSL is all about family, both biological and chosen. Two of Young Thug’s siblings are in his crew: HiDoraah and Dolly White. I’m Up may not be the most highly-regarded project within Thugger’s oeuvre, but he and his sisters come together for a nice moment on “Family.” They all rap about a shared characteristic that connects them as strongly as blood ties: dedication to the hustle. HiDoraah captures it well in her verse: “I get it from lil’ Thugger, you know relations / Grind, grind, grind, that motivation.” Thug ignites this drive in all of his comrades. It’s what keeps them soaring upwards and their songs feeling so elevating. 

7. “Ain’t Slime Enough” – Young Thug feat. Karlae & Lil Duke

In August 2018, Young Thug presented Slime Language, the first compilation project from YSL Records. It commenced with a Young Thug solo cut, which is fair, considering he is the ringleader of the whole operation. However, the second track on the project, “U Ain’t Slime Enough”, is the true opening. It captures the spirit of YSL much better than “Tsunami” by providing a fierce rallying cry: “These bitches not Slime enough!” Aspiring artist and Thug’s longtime girlfriend, Jerrika Karlae, repeatedly shouts this slogan in the chorus and it guarantees to convert anyone into a supporter of the YSL movement. 

6. “Understood” – Lil Duke feat. Young Thug & Gunna

Lil Duke has a discography filled with memorable YSL moments. If you dig back to 2017, you will discover “Understood” on Blue Devil. It’s produced by Billboard Hitmakers, who may not be responsible for many YSL collaborations, but they furnished the perfect beat for one to thrive on in this instance. It rests on a skeleton of tiptoeing synths, similar to the mesmerizing guitar loops that have brought us gems like “Oh Okay” and “Anybody” (spoiler alert). However, the drums are heavy on this one, forcing energetic performances out of the rappers. “Understood” dates back to when Gunna barked with tenacity, opposed to the tranquil delivery he prefers to rely on as of late. Thug only pops in for a spoken outro, but he emphasizes that the “YSL Slime bosses in town” like a proud parent.

5. “Chanel (Go Get It)” – Young Thug feat. Gunna & Lil Baby

While we might have expected Slime Language to provide some massive posse that united all the Atlanta Avengers, no song exceeded a three-artist lineup. When you consider all the songs together though, you grasp the strength of the squad. Slime Language introduced several of their emerging talents, but one track featured a cast of established names. “Chanel (Go Get It)” gathered Thug, Gunna and Lil Baby. Lil Baby is not only being placed under the YSL umbrella to beef up this list. He may be signed to Quality Control, but he will always be an honorary Slime. No trio could make a more magical hedonistic anthem. Young Thug chirps through the chorus, Gunna’s nasally murmur buzzes like ambient noise and Lil Baby’s flow spastically bounces around like a ping-pong ball. Magic.   

4. “3 Headed Snake” – Gunna feat. Young Thug (Prod. Wheezy)

Wheezy can 100% be considered a YSL member, hence, “3 Headed Snake” 100% qualifies as a posse cut. If you take any issue with that, you can speak to my lawyer. The “Wheezy Outta Here!” tag has blessed the majority of the YSL conglomerate’s output. Despite Wheezy often getting Gunna to sing over whimsical guitar, he set him up for a banger with the “3 Headed Snake” beat. Gunna and Thugga trade bars like a hot potato while Wheezy’s production swirls around them, tying them all together into a single indefatigable creature. It’s the stuff of legend.

3. “Life Goes On” – Lil Baby feat. Lil Uzi Vert & Gunna

There was zero chance I was going to leave this masterpiece off the list. Yes, Lil Uzi Vert is an honorary Slime too! Check the Slime Language tracklist. Two out of the three artists on this song may not be signed to YSL, but it packs the same spirit as all of their posse cuts. “Life Goes On” feels like speeding through some Tron-like landscape with vibrant lights flashing all around you. The fact that Lil Baby jumpstarts the track by spitting “Trackhawk Jeep go too fast / I don’t even wear no seatbelt”, amplifies the adrenaline rush. Lil Baby, Uzi and Gunna have collaborated with one another several times, but this was the first and only official release on which all three of them joined forces. We’ll likely see this lethal trio reband again in the future, but for now, we must savor this historical song. 

2. “Anybody” – Lil Keed feat. Lil Duke & Gunna

“Anybody” could be considered as the sequel to “Oh Okay,” but they can certainly be judged on their own merits. The similarity primarily stems from their guitar-driven beats, but how many artists have entered the musical canon by relying on nothing other than a guitar? If Gunna, Lil Keed or any other YSL signee wishes to milk this formula, let them go in. They’re the new generation of rockstars pouring their hearts out over twinkling strings. Lil Keed’s sing-songy chorus on “Anybody” is exquisite. His squawking is contrasted by Duke’s hoarse tone coming in on the first verse. Gunna slides through at a level that sits between the pitches of his collaborators. This song is a paradigmatic example of the versatility and chemistry within the YSL collective. 

1. “Oh Okay” – Gunna feat. Young Thug & Lil Baby

An ear that has yet to be seasoned by the YSL family’s discography might not be able to discern the different artists squealing on “Oh Okay.” This task is not made any easier by the fact that Thug and Lil Baby share a verse. They both let the tail-end of their bars stretch out like… well, slime. The pitter-patter of the hook and the lilting of the verses are sprinkled across an entrancing loop of guitar-plucking. There’s a celestial quality to the song that is undoubtedly heightened by the fact that Gunna, Thug and Lil Baby all approach music like they’re from another planet. 

Dublin’s Longitude Festival has added more heat to their lineup.

Alongside headliners Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, A$AP Rocky, and other performers, Dublin has added more artists to perform at this year’s annual Longitude Festival. New additions include Roddy Rich, Meek Mill, Doja Cat, Rex Orange County, Clairo, Polo G, Rico Nasty, Girl In Red, Baby Rose, Tyla Yahweh, and Joy Crookes.

Doja Cat – photo by HNHH

To kick off the festival starting Friday, July 3rd, the lineup includes:

Kendrick Lamar

Mabel

Aitch

EarthGang

JAY1

Tyla Yaweh

Baby Rose 

Saturday, July 4th:

Tyler, The Creator

AJ Tracey

Rex Orange County

Meek Mill

Playboi Carti

Lil Tecca

Pop Smoke

Polo G

Sunday, July 5th:

A$AP Rocky

Young Thug

DaBaby

Roddy Ricch

Charli XCX

Doja Cat

Clairo

Girl In Red

Rico Nasty

Joy Crookes

IDK

Santi

Artist J Hus will no longer be performing at this year’s festival. Details regarding stage times will be announced at a later time. To purchase tickets head over to their website here.

Justin Bieber served as the musical guest for the newest episode of Saturday Night Live, during which, he performed “Yummy” and “Intentions.”

For “Intentions,” Bieber surprised fans by bringing out Quavo to perform his featured verse on the track. The dance choreography Bieber follows to start subsides when Quavo joins and the two mostly spend the time getting hyped up on stage. 

This is Bieber’s third appearance on SNL. According to EW, both former cast members Bill Hader and Jay Pharoah have said Bieber was the worst behaved guest they had ever dealt with: “He just was in a bad place,” said Bill Hader in 2018. “Everybody’s usually on great behavior. Bieber is the only one in my experience […] He just seemed, like, exhausted or just at the end of a rope. I mean, he was just so huge.”

“Intentions” is one of the lead singles for Bieber’s upcoming Changes album. The project is set to feature Kehlani, Summer Walker, Travis Scott, Post Malone and more. You can expect the full project to drop on Valentines’ Day, February 14th.

Check out the full tracklist below.

All Around Me
Habitual
Come Around Me
Intentions (ft. Quavo)
Yummy
Available
Forever (ft. Post Malone & Clever)
Running Over (ft. Lil Dicky)
Take It Out On Me
Second Emotion (ft. Travis Scott)
Get Me (ft. Kehlani)
ETA
Changes
Confirmation
That’s What Love Is
At Least For Now
Yummy (Summer Walker Remix)

Rapsody stopped by Elsewhere in Brooklyn as part of her A Black Woman Created This Tour on Thursday night, and the femcee was joined by a very special guest. Highly acclaimed The Roots rapper Black Thought surprised the crowd with an impromptu freestyle. As Rap was finishing up her track “Oprah” off her Eve album, Black Thought stepped on stage rocking a beanie, sunglasses, and his winter coat, to deliver some heat.

“What’s a fly coon to a tycoon/I represent from midnight to high noon/I just pulled up, out the side room/To let you know it’s time to turn up, like the volume,” he spat. “Yo Rap’, we got the band back together, listen/I’m the man, no one can do it better, listen. And I am, Black, as ugly as ever, listen/It’s a difference when you makin’ more than seven figures/I just tell ’em ‘jump!’/Machine gun pump /The sawed-off shotgun, hand on the pump/Impeach an MC just like Trump/Soldier Fortune magazine man of the month.” 

Robin Marchant/Getty Images for AMC

The hip hop OG kept going with, “The man on the moon/These Tony Clifton-ass MCs, they got jokes, but I am un-amused/I send a message to my goons with the broom/Get your pieces swept up by the doctors of doom.” He then slipped into his incredible verse off Statik Selektah’s 2013 track “Bird’s Eye View” featuring Joey Bada$$ and Raekwon, switching up some of the lyrics and even dropping a mention of “Coronavirus.”

“Listen, it’s the elephant in the room/Created by a collision of the sun and the moon/My sonogram was the image of a gun in the womb/That’s soon, to be opened, and the heroin and the spoon/Astonishing/Ayo, my future lookin’ promising/My skin tone that a crystal clear onyx is/My thoughts let the beats break like the Amishes/A stroke of genius like Mickalene Thomas is/Hip-Hoppin’, body-rockin’, do-what-it-do/We be the living definition of improving the groove/I use the same tools to shoot that Kubrick use/Take your hero to the river, give them two b-rick shoes/Who lose?”

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

“If you really ain’t nobody ’til somebody love you/ I say you ain’t nobody ’til they speaking highly of you/And Rap’, what they don’t want is any kind of trouble/Unless you got a crash dummy or a body double/You got a couple homies that’ll catch a hommie for you?/Well, I’ma fold n*ggas into origami for you/The most notorious poet laureate/Whole story is glorious, stoic warriors/And I got my eyes wide open on you quasi-/Haters still smirking like the gators on an Izod/Lacoste, tomato head n*ggas are/Imposters, it’s a drawn out process/Triple OG’s got a worn out conscience/Reminiscing to when we was all out monsters, on/Our Sierra Leone reigning tyranny/I strike fear in their hearts, make ’em steer clear of me/Look, Sankofa, Range Rover, Bill folder, higher roller, Ayatollah/Give rappers that Ebola virus, Coronavirus/You got it chopped like Miley Cyrus/Nah, we on your block with Somali pirates.”

Black Thought and Rapsody have teamed up in the past, on “Nobody” in 2017 as well as on “Dostoyevsky” in 2018.