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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Israel Daramola

Kendrick Lamar performing on stage at the Glastonbury music festival in England in June 2022.

Arts And Culture

Kendrick Lamar And Drake Battle For The Lowest Blow

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

Nicholas Russell

Cindy Lee’s ‘Diamond Jubilee’ Is A Gift Worth Savoring

Soraya Roberts

Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor sitting on a bed in a scene from Challengers

You Can’t Not Surrender To The ‘Challengers’ Soundtrack

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: Drake appears via video during the Recording Academy Honors presented by The Black Music Collective during the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (

Everybody Hates Drake: A Guide To Millennial Rap’s Midlife Beef Crisis

Corey Atad is a freelancer writer based in Toronto with an unhealthy Air Bud obsession.

Corey Atad

Ethan Hawke and Maya Hawke attend a screening of "Wildcat" at Angelika Film Center on April 11, 2024 in New York City.

Ethan Hawke Wants To Make Movies That Begin At The End

Kelsey McKinney

This Is So Stupid

Unlike All The Archeologists, I Know What This Thingy Is For

‘Ripley’ Turns Black And White To Color

Asher Elbein is <a href="https://www.asherelbein.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.asherelbein.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1712179533443000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2CJ0U-vHMdK0s6sOdzlGGF">a journalist and fiction writer</a> based in Austin, Texas. Among other places, his work has appeared in The New York Times, Scientific American, Undark Magazine, Audubon, and Texas Monthly.

Asher Elbein

An illustration of Magneto placing a yarmulke atop his head.

History

The Judgment Of Magneto

I Am Obsessed With This Clay Pot

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Singer JoJo Siwa on the red carpet entering the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Hollywood, wearing a black and silver sequins outfit reminiscent of Gene Simmons from the band Kiss.

When You Eat Poison Long Enough, It Starts To Taste Good

Lauren Theisen

PEN America Chooses The Most Cowardly Words

Organized Noize members, Raymond Murray (L), Rico Wade (C), and Sleepy Brown (R)

Rico Wade And Organized Noize Were The Architects Of Southern Rap

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

several of Toshiko Takaezu's moon-shaped ceramics on black sand

The Forbidden Worlds Of Toshiko Takaezu

‘The Sympathizer’ Is In Good Hands With Park Chan-Wook

‘Shōgun’ Is The Best And Most Human Show On TV

A photo from the set of The Kid Detective

‘The Kid Detective’ Is Too Good To Be Forgotten

Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

A promotional poster for the James Bond film "No Time To Die" starring Daniel Craig at a cineplex in Shanghai showing all six actors who have played the character James Bond.

It’s Not Who Plays The Next Bond, It’s How You Write Him

The Defector Guide To Making A Celebrity Sports Documentary

Jerrod Carmichael accepts Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for "Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel" onstage during the 74th Primetime Emmys at Microsoft Theater on September 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

The Surreal Life Of ‘Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show’

Kevin Koczwara is a writer, reporter and dad in beautiful Worcester, Mass.

Kevin Koczwara

Pianist Vikingur Olafsson performs at a concert in 2018.

Víkingur Ólafsson Plays The Familiar And Makes It His Own

Josh Radnor, Madeline Weinstein, Cherise Boothe, and Michael Khalid Karadsheh in The Ally

What Comes After The Argument?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 13: Beyonce leaves the Luar fashion show at 154 Scott in Brooklyn during New York Fashion Week on February 13, 2024 in New York City.

Beyoncé’s New Album Is Just Fine And That’s OK

Dan Gentile is a writer, editor, and DJ based in San Francisco by way of Austin, TX. He works as the culture editor at SFGATE and has freelanced for publications like The Ringer, Rolling Stone, Texas Monthly, Wax Poetics, and more. Find more of his work at <a href="http://dangentile.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://dangentile.net&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1711040620694000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3XTZa73tUKo0JIWhdqylUa">dangentile.net</a> and on that <a href="https://twitter.com/Dannosphere" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/Dannosphere&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1711040620694000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3jvqFxajyG27FDs81Ssg-S">terrible social media site</a>.

Dan Gentile

Partying With The U.S. Army At South By Southwest

A screenshot of Nick Nolte facing a giant canvas in his loft in Martin Scorsese's segment of "New York Stories."

A Journey Through The Process Of Making And Talking About Art

Guy Ritchie speaks onstage during the Special NY Screening of "The Gentlemen" at the Alamo Drafthouse on January 11, 2020 in New York City.