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(05/09/17 2:26pm)
Kendrick Lamar is a different breed. He has positioned himself among today’s most elite rappers due to his perfect blend of a jazz-like style and rap coupled with an amazing ability to tell a story through his songs.
On April 14, Lamar released his fourth studio album, “DAMN.” His lyricism is as great as ever and is respected throughout the genre.
Ever since I first heard Lamar’s name, he has always been within the discussion about the elite rappers of today’s rap game, but something about his flow, style, or topics made it hard to resonate with him as a fan.
He has received acclaim from artists like Eminem and Jay Z and has even had the pleasure of meeting President Obama, but despite all of this, I found myself only liking a handful of his extensive discography.
After listening to this album, I haven’t been able to take my headphones off. I go to sleep listening to Lamar. My alarm is Lamar. I work out to Lamar. This just goes to show the versatility of this album.
Although following a storyline introduced in the first song, this album contains a variety of topics and styles. Among a multitude of other topics, Lamar discusses faith, social injustice, the complications of becoming a superstar.
The most captivating aspect of Lamar’s style is his ability to tell a story while applying lyricism to his narratives. Listening to the lyrics of his songs gives further insight into the childhood that fuels his present day emotions.
It takes more than just a couple of full album play-throughs to understand the magnitude of what Lamar is talking about. That alone is what adds to the replayability of this album. Everytime you listen to songs from the album, you discover another metaphor or better understand some lyrics.
He often includes excerpts of conversations in his songs, which assists in creating a story with context. In his most recent album, these excerpts allude to an internal struggle while he continues to rise towards international stardom.
Just like in Lamar’s second studio album “Good Kidd M.A.A.D City,” his conversation excerpts are almost like the glue between each of his songs. Two songs in particular are great examples of the connections Kendrick makes between his songs and excerpts.
“Feel” contains the lyrics “Ain't nobody praying for me, I feel like a chip on my shoulder,” but the song begins with an excerpt that serves as a consolation to Kendrick’s feeling.
It’s a recording from a relative that reassures Lamar that despite the lack of contact he may have with his family or loved ones, he continues to have a distant support system regardless of it is felt directly.
These type of connections and lyrics help me see past Lamar being a rapper and into his more personal side, which is always a goal of mine while listening to any artist.
Songs like “DNA,” while still lyrically superior, are among Lamar’s throne-claiming songs with lyrics like “I got royalty inside my DNA” and “I was like this, since one like this immaculate conception.” I enjoy this type of confidence because it often leads to some rappers’ best productions.
This album as a whole is my favorite of the year because it is so well connected. I enjoyed every aspect of this album, production, lyricism and style. This has the potential to win rap album of the year. I’m calling it!
(04/14/17 5:13pm)
Due to the natural texture I have, waves have always been a style I wanted. But whenever my hair was low, I let it dry out and almost never put on my du-rag. When I did decide to try and develop my waves, I was not nearly as consistent as I should have been.
In January 2016, I began my journey to acquiring the waves I had wanted for so long. I developed a method that would eventually lead to 360 degree waves, which is the ripple effect that occurs once you achieve optimal waving in your hair. Conditioning, Compression and Consistency are the words I now live by.
Conditioning
Conditioning references the process of essentially coating your follicles and hair with moisture and natural oils. This prepares your hair for growth and to become more responsive to treatment. You can never condition your hair too much.
Conditioning is essential to any natural hair style. In order to reach a desired hairstyle full of vibrancy and maximum style, you will have to do an intense amount of conditioning. An oil-infused conditioner with a thick base is a great product to have.
Shea Moisture: Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Conditioner is the conditioner I personally use along with a Crème of Nature shampoo. Both look to rid your hair of pollutants while maintaining necessary oils in order for your hair to continue to look rich and vibrant.
Conditioning and shampooing your hair allows you to continue to add products to your hair without buildup. Another part of conditioning is the product you use. Highly moisturizing and oil-packed moisturizers will lead you to your waves and eventually acquire the style you would like.
Compression
The second step to flawless waves is compression. A good du-rag can be the difference between mediocre waves and a 360 degree completion. The purpose of a du-rag is to lie down your natural curl pattern, which is necessary to create the wavy illusion.
A satin du-rag will provide the necessary compression without drying your hair like a cotton du-rag would. When tying your du-rag, it is necessary to make sure the du-rag has conformed to your hair to make sure that all parts of your hair are equally laid down.
Consistency
Lastly, the final step to acquiring immaculate waves is consistency. Consistency strictly pertains to making sure that you are brushing your hair daily and applying a du-rag whenever you can in order to train your hair to lie down.
Waves are a commitment, but after you acquire the results you want, you will fall in love with the process. Waves are professional and aesthetically pleasing, so anyone interested should definitely become a part of the “Swim Team.” Tryouts are coming soon.
(04/08/17 3:46pm)
In this past issue, an opinion piece, “Star Struck,” was released discussing the normalization of celebrities through continued support.
“If we continue to support them, it normalizes abuse and makes it seem like anyone can do it. You cannot separate a person’s career from who they are as a person,” said the writer, Vanessa Alva.
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Celebrities Chris Brown and Johnny Depp were criticized for their run-ins with domestic abuse. It was said that their wrongdoings were being overlooked by the continued support from their fans and that this support was the reason for their actions.
Support is not condoning; it is recognizing that this is not a full picture of their lifestyle. These actions are harmful, but they don’t depict their lives as a whole. I do not automatically think “I can’t support this artist because they made a mistake.”
Support doesn’t always mean that someone is choosing to ignore wrong actions, but it can also mean that I recognize they have that much more to offer. Artists, actors and celebrities in general do more than just entertain their fan bases, but they inspire people to pursue their dreams as well as provide outlets for stress.
An artist, an actor and a sports star are all great in their respective disciplines, but we’d all love to see their character be congruent with their talent. At no point have I ever condoned or made light of the actions of an artist like Chris Brown, though I have been empathetic.
The situation is this: when I see greatness in an area of an individual, I want to see them fulfill their full potential. A legendary status could have been attained, but his decisions have led to a life of vilification of his character.
I look at it as a respect for growth. Their mistakes are always publicized. Each step they take towards a more positive lifestyle are overlooked
The difference is that my support is not what normalizes their behavior — it’s the continued lack of support towards a better lifestyle. In some respects, fans can incentivize a better lifestyle. The rhetoric that discontinuing support makes for a better lifestyle is flawed.
At that point of fame and support, support for a person isn’t where the change comes from, it stems from within. It’s the longing for the individual to do better for themselves.
Instead of looking to these celebrities to be role models or model citizens, I look at them as people. Any person that has committed a crime, I look at celebrities with the same likeness. I, as an individual, do not condone the actions of any celebrity, nor would me choosing not to listen to their music or watch their movies lead to them becoming a better person.
Record labels and agents all look to protect, provide and advise their clients. Taking that away from these celebrities would potentially put them in a situation where help is even harder to attain. Maintaining support for these celebrities is what may assist them to acquire the help they need.
Like any person who has been riddled with mistakes, giving up on them provides no more help to them than them just finding themselves in more and more trouble.
(04/08/17 3:31pm)
Like many rap fans across the world, I have been looking forward to the release of Drake’s newest project. On March 18, the artist released his first playlist, “More Life.” Drake continues to place himself in a multitude of genres while maintaining his own originality.
Drake, born Aubrey Drake Graham, created a collection of songs that he felt like his fans needed to hear. Because it is not an album, this project includes a wide variety of genres and styles.
Drake has always been a hybrid artist, combining rap and R&B to attract a wide range of followers. This playlist doesn’t stray far away from that template. Drake again incorporates elements of rap, R&B, dancehall and reggae into his very unique style.
A diverse mix of feature artists were included on this project. He included a fairly new London-based artist named Giggs, but also continued to work with British rapper Sampha. Kanye West, Young Thug and 2 Chainz are also among the notable features on the playlist.
Drake has been known to combine a wide variety of samples with his own style to make his music even more spectacular. “More Life” even included a sample from Drake’s own music: the Stevie Wonder harmonica solo from his song “Doing it Wrong.”
“Jorja Interlude,” the song on the playlist that contains the majestic sample, is among one of my favorite songs on the playlist despite its length of 1 minute and 47 seconds. The harmonica sample still had the same resonating effect, which led me to reminisce on “Doing it Wrong” and recognize that Drake deserves the artistic reverence he has attained.
A variety of samples ensue throughout the project, from Lionel Richie all the way to a theme from Sonic the Hedgehog. Because this is not an album, Drake had the freedom to produce and include any style he wanted.
The first song on the playlist, “Free Smoke,” samples Australian soul group Hiatus Kaiyote’s “Building a Ladder.” The addition of the sample provides the song with a neo-soul spin, which contrasts with its bass-heavy rap beat and serious lyrics. This song was basically an ode to himself, strictly flexing his skills and success.
My favorite song on the playlist has to be “Sacrifices.” Young Thug and 2 Chainz both contribute a flow and smoothness that adds to the overall aesthetic. Drake provides us with a hook that speaks to the the sacrifices necessary for success: “Yeah I’m convinced I made sacrifices, I been ballin’ ever since.”
Drake continues to impress, continuously crossing over into new genres. Ever since March 18, I have not been able to stray away from the playlist. Creativity, originality and musicality are plastered throughout this immaculate playlist.
(03/21/17 1:58pm)
In just 37 short minutes, Sydney Bennet, a.k.a. “Syd Tha Kyd,” managed to combine a neo-soul style with a new-aged jazz feel in her debut album “Fin.” The album was released Feb. 2, 2017.
Although this was Bennet’s first solo album, her discography does not start here. I have been following Syd since I discovered her neo-soul band group, “The Internet.” She also has ties to the rap group “Odd Future.”
In each of these groups, she has participated as a lead or contributing singer and has always associated herself with a new-aged jazz style. She rose to stardom by separating herself from more prominent genres, focusing on contrasting soft and soothing vocals with a subtle snare and jazz combination.
All of these influences are what make her style so unique. Her sound is pure. It’s a combination of grit and passion for music. Her voice plus the variation of the instrumentals combine to create a cacophony of neo-soul and jazz style music.
Her originality stems from the combination of a variety of topics that are easily relatable to young and mid-age audiences. Relationships, the occasional night out and personal connections are all among the revolving subject matters of Bennet’s album.
One main theme addressed throughout the album was love. Lyrics like: “If I could have you all to me, then I am yours for you to keep” from the song “Know,” and “Who can love you like I love you baby / Never thought that I would ever see the day,” from “Insecurities” all allude to strong emotions and relationships.
Incongruency, a feature that is normally looked at to be a detracting factor of any artist’s album, worked in Bennet’s favor. The album lacks consistency, but oddly helps to incite a further look into the capabilities of the artist.
Each song has some relevance to the others, but they do not all link together to create one picture. For example, the songs “Know” and “Smile More” both reference some type of relationship, but “Know” speaks to secret infidelity and “Smile More” addresses a more love-based connection.
My favorite song on the album is also the most complex. “Insecurities,” the last song on the album, contains true feeling and acknowledges a topic that can define relationships.
Currently, there seems to be a multitude of similar-sounding artists in the music industry. Bennet has set herself apart from the beginning of her career and continues to stray away from the normal standard for music production.
Within her music, I hear compassion and a love for the sound of music more than just the aesthetic of gaining fame. Syd Tha Kyd has already collected a large following from her group collaborations, but as a solo artist, I can see Bennet continuing to create music that incites creativity and originality.
(02/23/17 3:14am)
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson, aka Big Sean, is well known for his solo singles as well as extremely popular duets with artists such as Ariana Grande and Jhene Aiko. He released his fourth studio album on Feb. 3, “I Decided.,” looking to re-establish his rugged solo style.
As a general music enthusiast, I have heard of Big Sean multiple times, but could never commit to him as a fan. This album proved to me that he is as much of a lyricist as he is a pure musician. He surely does not receive enough recognition for his talent.
At a certain point in almost any musician's career, they release a “homecoming” sort of album. This was Anderson’s. Many of the recurring topics of the album were attributed to family life, his rollercoaster ride to the spotlight and recognition of his present fame.
His rise has been slow but progressive. Anderson signed with G.O.O.D. Music, a subsidiary of Universal Music founded by Kanye West. The second song on the album directly addresses the struggle to acquire success.
Despite the barriers of entry into entertainment, “Light” references Anderson’s persistence in pursuing his dream. In lyrics like “Nah the boy’s that bright / Even if you take away my life, you can’t take the light,” he metaphorically speaks about his talent as a “Light”, hence the title.
The replayability of this album is immense because each song has its own individual style and natural musicality.
My favorite song on the album has to be “Jump Out the Window.” Personally, I have a weird obsession with the combination of rap beats with piano. Anderson’s raspy vocals with Jeremih providing the contrasting smooth and soulful hook developed the song into a masterpiece.
Anderson showed a little Detroit love by collaborating with the infamous rapper Eminem on “No Favors.” This is not the first time the two have worked together, so they both provided this song with a more gangster rap feel in comparison to the rest of the album.
Big Sean managed to gain at least one new fan with his most recent release. In each one of his songs, he painted vivid pictures through metaphors. He incorporated beautiful contrast through a variation of music styles as well as differing voices. Currently, this is one of my favorite albums of the year.
(02/09/17 8:49pm)
Cole released his fourth studio album on Dec. 9, “4 Your Eyez Only.” After Cole’s release of “2014 Forest Hills Drive,” music fans have been highly anticipating any new releases from Cole. Through his relatable lyrics, Cole successfully incites conversations discussing life in general as well as personal experiences.
Cole has been described as one of the most captivating artists in the industry due to his impressive lyricism and passionate topics. The track “4 Your Eyez Only” contains words of true feeling and emotion specifically directed towards his daughter and the effects of negative environmental factors.
Cole redirected his style, but never lost sight of his ingenious way of conveying stories. Through four studio albums, Cole has provided his audience with insight into his personal life as well as the issues that surround us on a daily basis.
In comparison to his 3 other albums, this album has a more somber mood, addressing more serious topics in all of his songs. Cole addresses widely-discussed topics such as love and social injustice while also exploring controversial issues such as “The War on Drugs.”
“Neighbors,” the seventh track on his album, directly addresses the topic of “The War on Drugs” as a tool for discrimination and profiling, as well as the needed assistance to destroy detrimental stereotypes from individuals in power.
Songs like “Immortal” have lines that require insight but make for powerful lyrics nonetheless. “At the bottom and hanged, the strangest fruit you ever seen” alludes to the song “Strange Fruit” originally sung by Billie Holiday, which discusses the lynching of African Americans. Cole compares these former struggles to the burdens that continue to exist for people of color.
“Change” is my favorite song on the album. The smooth beat created by piano chords accompanied by bass guitar creates and audibly pleasing experience. This song encompasses all of Cole’s multiple talents. Cole plays the bass as well as contributes to the immaculate lyrics that amplify the merit of the song.
Cole has managed to switch up his style, but not stray away from the tone that has furnished the strong following that has pushed him to platinum albums and singles. Cole has established himself as a notable lyricist and continuing down this path will lead to legendary status.
(02/07/17 7:37pm)
Black Lives Matter is consistently setback due to misinformation and misrepresentation. As a movement, BLM seeks to uplift minorities and anyone unjustly treated or prosecuted. As a result, Black Lives Matter is seen as one part of the modern civil rights movements.
Within the first few days of 2017, an incident of hatred and intentional barbarism occurred in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Four black teenagers captured, tortured and verbally assaulted a special needs white male.
The special needs teen sustained non-life threatening injuries and is said to recover. During a press conference his family spoke of the emotional damage that he is struggling with.
The victim's grandmother told NBC Chicago news, "This is going to affect him for probably the rest of his life."
Although the act was more than a lapse of rational processing, they didn’t stop there. These individuals live streamed their diabolical actions to Facebook, prompting reports to the police.
The fast action of the Facebook users rightfully led to their arrest and charges of a hate crime, felony aggravated kidnapping, aggravated unlawful restraint and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Not only did the online video post prompt a response from the police but also many news publications and social media sites responded immediately. Most responses were condemning the heinous actions of the teens alone. However, others criticized the “Black Lives Matter” movement by claiming the teens were associated with the movement.
Multiple social media sites became flooded with people discussing the event. Individuals sharing the story and video, offering opinions and disdain with the situation as a whole.
After Twitter caught drift of the horrifying video, the hashtag #BLMKidnapping began trending. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, tweets containing this hashtag were mentioned almost half a million times.
In no shape or form am I condoning this disturbing circumstance or victimizing the four aggressors of the attack on the defenseless and unsuspecting teen. But their association with a movement looking for peace and justice for all is gravely wrong.
These type of headlines perpetuate a rhetoric that vilifies a peaceful movement that is periodically hijacked by individuals for their own benefit. This is not one of those cases, these are teens who committed a crime that deserve every bit of their punishment, but the removal of the association with BLM is imperative.
Aside from the negative publicity these articles produce, it also reduces the credibility of Black Lives Matter. While the movement may continue to persist, the support and influence could be negatively affected due to these false reports.
Mercer students are helping to promote awareness of the true purpose of BLM. There was a peace panel recently held for the MLK Day holiday and cultural sensitivity trainings.
With the effective spread of information and empathy for your fellow human, we can learn to respect each other and develop constructive solutions to our persistent issues.
(02/05/17 10:30pm)
A Tribe Called Quest has graced us with one final album in a period in which rap has completely changed, taking us back to a period when hip hop was a simpler art. The album, “We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service” was released Nov. 11 and is said to be the group's’ final collaborative album.
Their album title is a shot at the entire rap game, saying that they have decided to resurface in order to reclaim their rightful throne as hip hop juggernauts.[infographic align="right"][/infographic]
I was introduced to this group by my father and immediately recognized their genius. Famous songs such as “Bonita Applebum” and “Electric Relaxation” pushed them to international fame. Even modern hip hop fans are probably familiar with at least one of these influential songs.
The extensive discography of A Tribe Called Quest makes it hard to believe they could produce another great album, but they successfully did by incorporating a ’90s-style production, smooth beats and relatable lyrics that resonated throughout the entire album.
They accomplish a hip hop/jazz blend to perfection, layering rhythmic lyrics over a smooth instrumental. Their style lured a multitude of artists to be a part of this paramount final production of A Tribe Called Quest.
Artists like Busta Rhymes, Andre 3000, Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West are all included, which is one of the reasons I was attracted to this album. This collaboration of artists shows the range of styles encompassed by the work.
Busta Rhymes, one of my favorite artists, made an appearance on “Solid Wall of Sound.” The song contrasted a jazz-style beat and an Elton John sample with the raspy and textured voice of Rhymes. Combined with the rest of the Quest members, the song creates a sound that blends two styles together perfectly.
Andre 3000 features on “Kids…,” my favorite song on the album. This song exemplifies the level of production expertise the entire group possesses. After years of being in the music industry, they have perfected the combination of vocals and instruments to elevate each individual characteristic.
Thank you, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip, Jarobi White and the late Phife Dawg for your multiple contributions to the genre of hip hop. Your style set the tone for the combination of jazz and hip hop to create a stylistically unheard sound. Your music will forever resonate and your individual style will be forever missed. Much love, thank you again.
(11/23/16 3:00pm)
The artist behind “Broccoli” and “Cha Cha” has come out with more than two songs.
On Oct. 21, Atlantic Records artist Shelley Marshaun Massenburg-Smith, a.k.a. D.R.A.M., released his first studio album entitled “Big Baby D.R.A.M.”
His single “Broccoli” has already gone double platinum since its release in the summer of 2016, causing conversation to erupt about his ensuing album.
D.R.A.M. begins his album with a song called “Get it Myself” to let his fans and the music community know he began his journey to stardom and musical reverence from his Hampton Virginia beginnings.
Signing with Atlantic Records provides D.R.A.M. with access to a multitude of artists to collaborate within and outside of the record company. D.R.A.M. has come in contact with Def Jam mastermind Rick Rubin, crediting him with inspiration for several songs on his debut album.
“I think a few of the ideas that’s on the album actually stem from the sessions over there,” D.R.A.M. said, discussing the studio sessions he spent with Rubin in an interview with the radio show The Breakfast Club.
The artists presented in the album range from soulful juggernauts such as Erykah Badu to trap hip-hop stars like Young Thug. Their creative combinations with D.R.A.M. lead to a unique style of music that emits a feeling of likeability and appreciation of many forms of music.
The level of musicality presented in this album stems from the eclectic style that D.R.A.M. embodies. Producers such as Donnie Trumpet and Massenburg-Smith both strive to reinvent the genre of music they represent.
The combination of R&B and hip-hop are blended beautifully on the album, and songs like “Monticello Ave” provide a smooth ’80s-style hip-hop beat with modern lyrics.
Songs like “In a Minute,” “Broccoli” and “Cash Machine” all provide insight into the party-oriented atmosphere D.R.A.M.’s music can inspire.
Contrarily, “100%,” my favorite song on the album (I’m undeniably a sucker for sappy music), emulates the R&B style D.R.A.M. is able to accomplish just as successfully. “100%” discusses why it is important to put your best effort into a relationship because what you put in is what you reap. A piano track accompanied with a snare and bass drum set the tone of the song, and the relatability of lyrics such as “Not 99 but you keep it 100, 100% / That’s because you give me your love, your loving,” emulate the emotion and care necessary for any successful relationship.
Stylistically, D.R.A.M. is uncomparable to any artist other than Chance the Rapper, and his fame continues to grow as his music gains recognition. Just like his song states, D.R.A.M.’s continued success should propel him to international fame “In a Minute.”