Donald Trump has always done whatever wants, and why not? No one’s ever seriously made him pay the consequences of his actions. Right now he’s testing the law more than ever. He’s racked up four indictments, and while he’s out on the streets as a free man (for now), he’s still doing things like witness tampering and threatening judges and prosecutors, all while facing nothing more than some stern words. Now he’s seeing if he can buy a gun — which, by the way, legally he cannot.

As per The Daily Beast, the former president stopped by Palmetto State Armory while in South Carolina for one of his wackadoodle rallies. Video shows him joshing around with the staff, who present him with a glock.

“I wanna buy one,” Trump repeatedly said. After someone said he could have one on the house, he insisted he pay for it, saying, “I wanna buy it.”

How much of a gun nut is Trump? So much that he held as weirdly as he holds a bible.

The moment was shared by campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, who tweeted, “President Trump purchases a @GLOCKInc in South Carolina!”

Alas, people on social media were quick to point out that it’s actually illegal for those under indictment to purchase firearms. Trump, as it happens, has four of those: one in Atlanta, one in Miami, one in New York, and one in D.C.

As The Daily Beast points out, anyone buying a gun from a licensed dealer, as Palmetto State Armory is, has to fill out a form, which asks the following question: “Are you under indictment or information in any court for a felony, or any other crime for which the judge could imprison you for more than one year, or are you a current member of the military who has been charged with violation(s) of the Uniform Code of Military?”

Trump would have to answer “yes.”

A spokesperson later denied that Trump had actually left the store with an illegally obtained firearm.

The Daily Beast also points out a fun tidbit: The federal law that Trump may have violated is the same one that the feds used to indict Hunter Biden. But as always, the big guy avoids punishment.

(Via The Daily Beast)

While nobody will fault you for making your martini with vodka, an “authentic” martini is made with gin and vermouth and often has an olive and/or lemon twist garnish. It’s simple, elegant, and a great way to let the herbal and botanical juniper-driven flavors of a good gin shine. But not all gin is created equal and the industry is booming — begging the question: “What’s the best gin for making a martini at home?”

Before we dive in, let’s get a little background. Like a shaken martini, the drink’s history is quite murky. Supposedly, the drink was created during California’s Gold Rush in the mid-1800s. The legend goes that a miner found some of the shiny stuff and wanted to celebrate with a cocktail at a nearby bar. Since the champagne he wanted wasn’t available, the bartender made him a celebratory cocktail of gin, vermouth, bitters, maraschino cherries, and lemon. They deemed it the “Martinez Special” (this was at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco and the spot where people stopped for drinks while waiting for the ferry to Martinez, CA). By 1904, that recipe was refined to what we know today and often called a “Marguerite Cocktail.” Then Martini Rosso started dominating the conversation around 1911 in New York City’s cocktail scene, the drink grew significantly more straightforward, and… here we are.

Regardless of whether the above stories are true, this doesn’t change the fact that the martini is still one of the most popular cocktails to this day. And since we’re all about keeping with modern tradition when it comes to mixed drinks, we make ours with gin. So do many bartenders. That’s why we asked a handful of well-known bartenders to tell us their go-to gins for mixing into a martini. Keep scrolling to see all of their selections.

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin

Aleksander Simic, bartender at Hutong in Miami

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $65

The Gin:

For martini enthusiasts, there’s no better choice than Monkey 47 Gin. This gin is known for its complexity and aromatic character.

Tasting Notes:

The palate begins with minty and herbal notes followed by the herbaceous juniper, blackthorn, lavender, and a resiny pine note that adds a touch of spruce and rosemary. Monkey 47 Gin elevates the classic martini to new heights.

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $38

The Gin:

The gin we use for our house martini at The Whistler is Botanist Islay Dry Gin. It’s made in a seaside town on the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides off the coast of Scotland.

Tasting Notes:

You get to enjoy a bit of salinity that works beautifully with dry vermouth. We also add a dash of orange bitters to bring out the citrus notes in the Botanist gin.

Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin

Federico Doldi, food and beverage director at Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York City

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $23

The Gin:

I love gin martinis, and I love London Dry Gin, so my recommendation is to go with Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin. It’s a classic, dry, easily mixable gin well-suited for this drink.

Tasting Notes:

It’s an incredible crisp spirit with a hint of citrus. If you are a classic martini lover, this will match perfectly with your needs.

Tin City Gin

Mark Mamay, bar supervisor at The Wayfarer DTLA in Los Angeles

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $30

The Gin:

One of my ‘secret weapon’ spirits, is Tin City Gin. It is made in Paso Robles, California, using a little less juniper, and a lot more locally grown citrus fruits by a small distillery involving only four staff members who have been working in the restaurant industry for decades.

Tasting Notes:

Mix Tin City Gin into a classic martini (or any other cocktail) for a slightly botanical, bright citrus, and magical flavor balanced better than a master tight-rope walker.

St. George Dry Rye Reposado Gin

Alex Fitzgerald, beverage director at Paseo in Louisville, Kentucky

ABV: 49.5%

Average Price: $56

The Gin:

We love St. George Dry Rye Reposado Gin. It’s a nicely balanced spirit that plays well with the smoked olive brine we use for our dirty martinis at Paseo.

Tasting Notes:

St. George Dry Rye Reposado Gin is a unique and beautifully complex gin offering an oaky, spicy, and dark fruit aroma with some punchy black peppercorn, coriander, and bitter citrus.

Citadelle Jardin d’Ete

Ryan Smith Jr., assistant food and beverage manager at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami

ABV: 41.5%

Average Price: $28

The Gin:

Citadelle Jardin d’Ete is a great choice for a martini. Created to pay tribute to the garden at Château de Bonbonne, it’s known for its complex flavor profile featuring Charentais melon, and lemons. Yuzu, orange zest, and more.

Tasting Notes:

It has a nice balance of fruit and botanicals, so it is easy to sip. There are subtle melon, citrus, and floral notes.

Hendrick’s Gin

Steven Dinsmore-George, bartender at The Pembroke in Washington, DC

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $36

The Gin:

Hendrick’s Gin is my preferred gin to use in a martini. Hendrick’s also releases seasonal variations every year which brings a fresh twist to the classic gin martini. What makes Hendrick’s even more appealing is its widespread availability and affordability; its value cannot be underestimated.

Tasting Notes:

Its unique blend of vegetal and floral botanical notes, including cucumber and rose, creates a complex flavor profile.

KI NO BI SEI Kyoto Dry Gin

Alex Pisi, lead bartender at The Wells in Washington, DC

ABV: 54.5%

Average Price: $85

The Gin:

I am in love with KI NO BI SEI from the Kyoto distillery. It’s a navy strength gin that does not lose its balance, maintains its subtle complexity, and (added bonus) packs a punch.

Tasting Notes:

Ingredients like juniper berries, yuzu, lemon, green tea, ginger, and Sanshō pepper make for an interesting, flavorful martini.

Coit’s Cape Tea Gin

Jared Bailey, bar manager at Soho Cigar Bar in New York City

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $32

The Gin:

Coit’s Cape Tea Gin is no doubt one of the most interesting Gins around. Coit, unlike most tea liquors that infuse the tea after distilling, distills the tea directly in the gin. Coit’s Cape Tea Gin proves its worth with its amazing flavors and ability to be enjoyed straight or as James Bond would drink it (in a martini).

Tasting Notes:

Distilled with Rooibos Tea, among other herbs and botanicals, it’s known for its herbal and citrus flavor palate that works perfectly as the base for a martini.

Fords Gin

Amir Babayoff, bar director at Ophelia in Midtown East in New York City

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $25

The Gin:

Fords Gin would be my immediate go-to as far as classics are concerned, though it’s versatile enough to play around with when new cocktail creations are born. A fun note: the innovative bottle, which is beautiful and unique, was designed for ease of use by bartenders, and it does just that.

Tasting Notes:

The Juniper forward character provides a solid foundation for gin enthusiasts, while its citrusy and floral notes add complexity. The high ABV of 45% provides a solid backbone to the Martini and allows it to maintain the gin’s aromas and flavors if you mix it with other vermouths or liqueurs.

Beefeater London Dry Gin

Jaap Schothuis, bar supervisor at Ocean Restaurant at Cape Arundel Inn & Resort in Kennebunkport, Maine

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $20

The Gin:

In my opinion, a great martini uses a London dry gin, and in that category, I’ll reach for Beefeater most often. And this is a traditional dry gin that shines when used as the base for a classic martini.

Tasting Notes:

The lemon zest and juniper that are at the forefront of the flavor profile of this gin work incredibly well with any dry vermouth you’d choose to make a martini with.

Martin Miller’s Gin

Bijan Ghiai, beverage manager and Sommelier and Urban Hill in Salt Lake City, Utah

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $26

The Gin:

For this quintessential classic cocktail, my go-to gin (and it should only be gin if it is a real martini) is Martin Miller’s Gin with its gentle bouquet of botanicals, charming minerality, and exceptional mouthfeel.

Tasting Notes:

Martin Miller’s Gin imparts what I believe a real martini needs to embody. Couple this gin with a touch of aromatized wine, a dash of orange bitters, a twist of lemon and that’s the definition of sophistication in a glass.

Forthave Blue Gin

Collin Frazier, head bartender at Great Jones Distillery in Noho, New York City

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $38

The Gin:

Forthave Blue Gin is a great choice. This underrepresented Brooklyn gem makes a stellar martini base. It’s an underrated gin that deserves to be on your radar.

Tasting Notes:

Its citrusy overtones give way to juniper, mint, and cardamom, creating a smooth palate on which to construct something crisp and dry, or savory sipper.

Tanqueray 10 London Dry Gin

James Macinnes, lead bartender at Klaw Restaurant in Miami

ABV: 47.3%

Average Price: $32

The Gin:

There are way too many gins to isolate down to one particular brand that takes the throne for the beloved martini. Though, my personal favorite is Tanqueray 10. There are a couple of boxes that this particular gin checks that lend wonderfully to the martini’s simplicity and complexity.

Tasting Notes:

When it comes to martinis, I want a gin that packs a juniper punch but also compliments the citrus zest that comes along with my preferred build. Tanqueray 10 does just that.

Conniption American Dry Gin

Dana Lachenmayer, head bartender at The Wesley in New York City

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $28

The Gin:

At The Wesley, we actively champion badass women in spirits and wine. Melissa Katrincic, the only U.S. female distiller inducted into The Gin Guild, is not only one of those women, but she is also the creator of our favorite gin to use in a martini, Conniption.

Tasting Notes:

Fresh and floral notes of cucumber, citrus, and honeysuckle dance with juniper, angelica root, and cardamom with every sip of this modern American-style gin.

Editor’s Pick: Farmer’s Organic Gin

ABV: 46.7%

Average Price: $30

The Gin:

Farmer’s Organic Gin cuts no corners in any part of the process. The juice starts with non-GMO wheat to create a truly farm-to-glass process out in Idaho. Once distilled, the spirit is distilled again with a gin basket of botanicals that focus on locally sourced juniper, elderflower, lemon grass, coriander, rosebud, orange, lime, angelica root, and hemp seed. While hemp is, of course, associated with cannabis, the gin contains no THC or CBD but instead imparts a deep nuttiness that helps this gin truly stand out.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a nutty sense of fresh walnuts off the tree next to honed sesame crackers before diving into sharp dried citrus rinds, light juniper, and woody botanicals reminiscent of a holiday potpourri bundle. The taste leans into the nuttiness with an almond nutshell vibe next to more dried orange and lime leaves over soft notes of creamy floral honey and soft touches of winter spice berries and plum pits. The finish is soft and lush with a light sense of almost earthy spice barks next to soft citrus honey and a touch of wildflowers on a summer’s day.

Bottom Line:

The crystal clear notes on this gin make for a spectacular martini in that each note is invigorated by the vermouth and water in the cocktail. They bloom in the glass and take you on a stroll through a blooming botanical orchard on a perfect summer day with every sip of an ice-cold martini. — Zach Johnston, Head Drinks Writer

Two weeks ago, Drew Barrymore had enough. The beloved actress announced that, after four months of being on hold during the Writers Guild of America strike, she was bringing back a writer-less version of her talk show. The backlash was so severe that she quickly reneged on her decision. Had she only waited a hair longer…

On Sunday, the WGA reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP, which represents various studio heads. The strike isn’t officially over; the guild still has to vote on the renewed (and allegedly decent) contract. But shows and movies are already planning to get back on track. As per Entertainment Weekly, that includes The Drew Barrymore Show.

There is no official return date. (Again, the WGA strike isn’t technically over yet.) But EW reports that they’re eyeing sometime in October to bring back one of daytime TV’s strangest and most endearing programs. What’s more, even though the SAG-AFTRA strike is still ongoing, actors can appear on talk shows, such as Barrymore’s, as long as they’re not promoting specific new projects.

Barrymore’s terrible timing — holding out until a fortnight before the WGA strikes came to a probable end — did not go unnoticed. We won’t spoil the shocking conclusion of the Stephen King movie The Mist, but if you know, you know:

When Barrymore announced her show’s return, she insisted the show would technically be compliant with the strike. She also argued the show needed to be back on the air. “Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time,” she wrote at the time.

The following week, after chaos ensued, she backed off. But expect her to be back to doing things like playing mom to Aubrey Plaza in a handful of weeks.

(Via EW)

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Doja Cat, Drake, Lola Brooke, and more.

For all the fanfare surrounding two of the above-mentioned releases, the last week saw possibly the slimmest pickings in hip-hop of 2023 to date. That said, there were still a few worthwhile standouts. Doechii dropped “Pacer,” another genre-bending fave in a seemingly never-ending stream of them leading to her debut album, and two acts, Snoop Dogg and Flyana Boss, flexed a little brand synergy to remind everyone that hip-hop is still big business despite not setting the charts on fire lately. Then, of course, there’s the music below.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending September 22, 2023.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Doja Cat — Scarlet

Doja returned to her roots on her latest release, delving back into the classic hip-hop sounds that first informed her style. It works, unless you expected more “Say So” or “Kiss Me More” style pop-rap anthems. This is a grittier, more combative Doja Cat and she isn’t making any apologies for it here.

Earthgang — RIP Human Art

While the Atlanta duo continues to promise their third LP Earthgang Vs. The Algorithm, they release this five-song warm-up EP to give fans an idea of what to expect. Fortunately, while these projects’ titles suggest high-concept shenanigans, Earthgang remains every bit as grounded — such as they are — in the cosmic funk they’ve always produced.

Lil Tecca — Tec

At 21 years old, Lil Tecca is no longer the teen sensation he once was — that position has been filled by Luh Tyler — and now, his mission is to prove his staying power. I don’t know if anything on this, his third studio album, is quite as sticky as his breakout hit “Ransom,” but I really respect that he seems to be putting his head down and going for it on his own, refusing to rely on big-name features to lend him attention.

Marco Plus — Joints

I can’t lie, Marco Plus is a new name to me, but that gave me all the more reason to check him out when he appeared on Tidal’s Suggested New Albums tab. Right off the bat, he presents a laid-back, easygoing vibe reminiscent of Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa, et al. Smoke DZA puts in an appearance so that should give you an idea of the stoner-ific, punchline-heavy flow Marco brings to the table. Lade the above names with a T.I.-esque Atlanta drawl (what’s a consonant?), and it’s a project I can see myself returning to.

Nick Grant — Sunday Dinner

After taking a funkadelic detour into last year’s Welcome To Loveland, the South Carolina rapper returns to his boom-bap-influenced lane. He still sounds cozy as hell on the bluesy, soulful samples, rapping about life’s rough edges. I’m sure he hates it when folks make this comparison, but if you’ve been going crazy with anticipation waiting for J. Cole’s The Fall-Off, Sunday Dinner will surely hold you over.

Singles/Videos

Chika — “Demigod”

One of the albums I didn’t get a chance to write about more fully this year was Chika’s long-awaited Warner debut, Sampson. A heady, high-concept album, it proved worthy of Chika’s Grammy-nominee talents despite being a little overlong. A standout was “Demigod,” which receives a pensive video this week paying homage to the Alabama rapper’s Nigerian roots.

Dame D.O.L.L.A. — “Paid In Full” Feat. Tobe Nwigwe

Speaking of Nigerians, Tobe Nwigwe is building quite the resume… rapping alongside two of the NBA’s best point guards in a two-month span has to be some kind of record. This video, which features Cam’ron, the unequivocal core of the hood classic Paid In Full, comes from Dame’s new album, Don D.O.L.L.A.

iCandy — “Big Mad” Feat. Flo Milli

Say what you want about the Zoomers sampling the ever-loving hell out of millennial faves… it’s about time someone got around to “Lip Gloss.” Lil Mama deserved so much better than she got for the past decade or so, and I can’t think of anyone more fitting to help spark a Renaissance for her career than Flo Milli, one of her most direct stylistic descendants.

Little Brother — “Wish Me Well”

This one’s for the 35-and-up crowd. LB’s reunion a couple of years ago was ambrosia for elder millennials, so to so it continue is truly manna from heaven. Some nice bars in here for fans of that “real hip-hop” — which is really all hip-hop, but you know what I mean.

Lola Brooke — “You” Feat. Bryson Tiller

Here’s another sample; this one’s from Eugene Wilde’s 1984 single “Gotta Get You Home Tonight, which most folks over 30 might remember as the basis for Foxy Brown’s “Get Me Home” featuring Blackstreet. It’s a good choice for a stylistic successor who is doing her best to capitalize on the viral success of “Don’t Play With It.”

Moneybagg Yo — “Big Dawg” Feat. Sexyy Red

Moneybagg Yo promised more new music to go along with his Hard To Love mixtape (check out his Uproxx cover story here). After making sure to tap in with GloRilla, he now offers his blessing to Sexyy Red. Honestly, if this becomes his new lane, I won’t be mad.

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

Fox News and Donald Trump used to get along. Not so much anymore. Earlier this year, after the former president suffered one blunder after another, the conservative news network tried to switch allegiances to Ron DeSantis. Welp, that’s not working out. Now Trump thinks he doesn’t need Fox News anymore. That means he’s free to trash them in his speeches, sometimes, awkwardly, while they’re covering him.

As per Mediaite, Trump spoke at a rally in South Carolina. It featured the supposedly more mentally acute presidential candidate blaming Jeb Bush for getting America into the Iraq War. He also went on a tirade against Fox News. They eventually cut away, but not fast enough.

“We’re going up and we’re the only ones going up. They’re going down and they’re going down, down, down,” Trump said of his fellow candidates. He then brought up Fox News’ Trump-less GOP debates. “They ought to stop wasting their time. You know, they’re wasting a lot of time with these ridiculous debates that nobody’s watching.”

He wasn’t done. “Their last debate was the lowest-rated debate in history. That’s a good compliment,” he jeered. “Now, what was I doing — I was someplace else, wasn’t I? I was doing another interview. We had 271 million people listening to the Tucker Carlson interview. That’s an all-time record.”

As Trump boasted about his (dodgy) Tucker metrics, Fox News’ Martha MacCallum finally chimed in.

“So here we are, back in the thick of campaign season,” MacCallum told viewers, as casually as she could muster. “We are now just four months away from the Iowa primaries. And you see former President Trump in a place where you would expect to see him today and in the days to come, South Carolina.”

For the record, just because 271 million people started incredibly long and extraordinarily boring Tucker sit-down, in which he ranted about Joe Biden’s beach pics, doesn’t mean anyone finished it, or made it more than a minute or two into it. But we digress.

Oh, and one more thing: The Fox News GOP debate brought in some 12.8 million viewers, meaning it did better than 70% of all presidential debates in the previous two cycles. But Trump knows he can say anything and his fans will buy it.

(Via Mediaite)

It might seem like we have been hearing about Dan Harmon’s newest series Krapoplis for years, and that’s because we sure have been hearing about it for years. But now it’s actually time for the series to hit the air, and the anticipation seemed to work out in its favor.

An average of 3.6 million viewers tuned in to see the first episode of Harmon’s latest series on Sunday night, which is impressive, but not too shocking considering it aired directly after Taylor Swift appeared at the Chiefs game, and you know what happens when you combine football fans and swifties: ratings gold! Episode two aired directly after the first and drew in an average of 1.8 million viewers. Still, a lot of people, even if they just had Fox on in the background while investigating Swift/Travis Kelce’s dating timeline. Despite the neutral reviews, it seems like the people are looking to tune in for just about anything right now, so hey, whatever works.

The series, which was already renewed for a second season 12 months before airing, stars Hannah Waddingham, Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, Pam Murphy, and Duncan Trussel as “humans, gods, and monsters that try their hand at running the world’s first cities — without trying to kill each other.” Again, this sounds like football fans and swifties.

Krapopolis is now streaming on Hulu.

(Via Variety)

It appears as though cooler heads have prevailed in Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner’s ongoing divorce. After Turner sued Jonas for custody of their children last week, Jonas called Turner’s filing “a harsh legal position” to take despite Turner previously agreeing to a co-parenting setup that would see the kids — three-year-old Willa and their one-year-old, whose name has not yet been publicly shared — being raised in both parents’ countries of origin.

Today, People magazine reported that an interim consent order was filed in New York, where both currently reside, ordering them to keep both children in the Southern and Eastern districts of New York, including New York City, Long Island, and Hudson Valley. According to People, which obtained copies of the filings, the documents read, “The parties have agreed to the entry of the attached proposed Interim Consent Order, without prejudice to either party’s claims and defenses, prohibiting the removal of the parties’ children from the jurisdictions of the United States District Courts for the Southern & Eastern Districts of New York pending further order of this Court.”

If the court order is violated, the court has the right to remove the children from either or both parents’ care as the divorce proceedings continue.

The cable news realm is no longer graced with Tucker Carlson’s wallpaper face every weeknight while he disseminates dangerous disinformation. Jesse Watters took over that time slot, but additionally, Fox and Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade is doing his part to fill the far-right conspiracy-theory space. And like Carlson, Kilmeade’s reaction faces tend to be more informative than his subject matter, especially whenever Steve Doocy acts at the voice of reason during any spirited debate.

Kilmeade’s reaction faces certainly have taken a turn lately. You could practically see his spirit deflate when Doocy schooled him on the seriousness of Trump’s legal problems. That subject came up again, and Kilmeade looked like someone flushed his goldfish. However, Kilmeade was in charge — or so he thought — while solo-interviewing ex-Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko. This didn’t turn out as planned.

Kilmeade may have thought he had a scoop while citing former Ukraine Prosecutor General Victor Shokin, who claimed that he had been fired on then-VP Biden’s orders. However, Poroshenko contradicted Kilmeade and called out Shokin as a “completely crazy person” who has “something wrong with him.” That led to the above reaction face, as you can see in motion below.

A lesson for humanity: Never go full Tucker.

The month of September brings a few things to us. It signals that summer is coming to an end, that a new NFL season on the horizon, and that a new line of iPhones is on its way to the world. After holding its annual conference to announce the new line of phones on September 12, Apple opened pre-orders for its iPhone 15 models that same day. Ten days later, the phones began landing in customers’ hands either through prior pre-orders or for those who were lucky enough to score a phone by walking into their local Apple Store. In the few days since people received their iPhone 15 models, there’s been a big issue with the phones that users have noted.

Many people have complained that their iPhones are overheating while charging, with one person saying they’re “almost too hot to touch” according to Dexerto. In some instances, the phone becomes too hot to hold without it being connected to a charger. One person shared a video that showed the iPhone 15 Pro in natural titanium at a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and said that the phone became this hot after “a 2-minute FaceTime call or when scrolling through reels for 8-10 minutes.”

Another user shared a similar video with their iPhone 15 Pro Max hitting 100 degrees Fahrenheit as they left it to charge at their desk without using it. Not all users are experiencing this issue however as one complimented the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s battery life and noted that there was “no overheating so far either.” Over at Digital Trends, contributors Andy Boxall, Joe Maring, and Bryan M. Wolfe all noted that their new iPhone 15 models did heat up during the initial setup, but no further issues were experienced once it was complete.

Wolfe, who noted that he’s owned “every iPhone series except for the iPhone 3GS,” also suggested that overheating is often a slight issue in the early days of a new iPhone. This means that users will just have to wait it out a bit and keep a lookout for software updates that Apple may release to possibly cure the issue.

On the bright side, the iPhone 15 models aren’t exploding like the Samsung Note 7 models were back in 2016.

It has been nearly a year since Brockhampton’s epic farewell show and true to his promise, Kevin Abstract has returned with new solo music due by the end of the year. Today, he shared a teaser of his new single “Blanket,” announcing an intimate show later this week at The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever.

The teaser for “Blanket,” a short film called “Sleepover,” features a young boy playing video games with his imaginary friends when something goes bump in the night. Over on his website, you can check out the teaser, get tickets to the show, and even play a browser game, guiding a little race car through a maze. Those of us old enough to remember the halcyon days of early meme internet already know bettter than to even try it.

Abstract returned to Twitter to announce all this after deactivating his account late last year (he sure picked a helluva time for it). While the final Brockhampton albums were released just before this, one, The Family, mostly consisted of Kevin Abstract material, prompting him to explain that the group had “a lot to say outside of group projects.”

So far, Abstract isn’t the only member to announce solo work; Jabari Manwa released a new single as Saga Bouy earlier this year.