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Continuing Where We Left Off: The Resumption of SFS Band

Due to the school-wide lockdown at the end of February, 2020, countless extracurricular groups and communities within the high school were forced to shut down and adapt to the extremely new conditions. Though the transition from in-person meetings to virtual meetings was a difficult one for all those involved, members of such groups were able to continue to carry out tasks through Zoom calls. However, one particular group within the high school was unable to do so in such a manner, due to the nature and parameters necessary for such a group to function; this was the SFS band program. 

In order for bands to have productive practice sessions, all the band members must be present together so that the sounds produced by each member are combined and made cohesive. Unfortunately, the lockdown prevented members from being able to do so. To keep up with their training, students were required to practice individually at home, but the absence of group practice resulted in no final product, which would otherwise have been the Spring Concert. Though the pandemic thwarted the music department’s efforts to hold the annual concert, the SFS choir was able to create a virtual compilation of the members singing, and upon students’ return to school, the orchestra was able to resume playing under socially distanced guidelines. The bands, however, were still unable to practice due to the lack of necessary personal protective equipment (PPE). 

Fortunately, with the arrival of specialized PPE, the bands have recently been able to resume rehearsals as they had in the past. New music was able to be approached and practiced within an ensemble membership, and due to students already having self-practiced at home for the several months of lockdown early on in the year, the bands were not necessarily starting their production from scratch. 

Unfortunately, the rehearsals have not always been as productive as the conductor may wish it to be. Due to the drastic schedule changes, bands do not always have access to rehearsals in which students from all grade levels can play together. There are only one or two rehearsals per week where all students of the band are present; in the more common cases where they aren’t, progress can only be made in separate groups. Thus when everyone comes together, cohesion and ensemble accuracy is always an issue. Moreover, as self-practice was the only way for students to prepare before the arrival of PPE, students who did not practice on their own have undoubtedly negatively impacted the ensemble by being unable to play certain crucial parts. 

Regardless of the challenges that students may have faced and will face in the face of this global pandemic, the ability to rehearse has been a blessing given the long hiatus that bands have had for the past year. As the student body and faculty will be unable to watch the Christmas Concert this year due to social distancing guidelines, it will be recorded and released for the enjoyment of the larger public in support and recognition of our persisting music department in the face of these troubling times. 

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Welcome Mr. Yaniw, SFS’s New Band Director

After the departure of Mr. San Luis last semester, SFS awaited the arrival of the newly appointed band director, Mr. Yaniw. As band is an important part of the many activities present at SFS, like sports and MUN, and as students regularly participate in KIMEA and APAC band festivals, students hoped for a new band director who would be capable of directing and leading the various bands at the school, like the Crusader Band and Wind Ensemble, to the highest degree of performance possible. With the arrival of Mr. Yaniw, SFS will continue to be involved and demonstrate prowess in the field of music. 

Though Mr. Yaniw is from Australia, he  lived and taught in Milan, Italy for seven years at the American School of Milan. Mr. Yaniw has now taught music for around thirteen years. Through his years of experience as a band director, Mr. Yaniw claims that he has enjoyed exposing students to the beauty of music, and he believes that playing music is “an incredible experience.” Sharing this experience with his students is of great significance to him as music is one of his deepest loves; thus, seeing how music can “enrich” others’ lives is “satisfying” to see. 

At SFS, Mr. Yaniw hopes that he can assist students to experience “a high level of musicality and repertoire.” He also hopes to encounter lots of new music with the students and get them interested in the many different songs that will be practiced and performed. By sharing music with his students, Mr. Yaniw believes that the band will become more unified, and as a result, the ensemble will play in harmony. He hopes to get music more “ingrained” into the culture of SFS, perhaps by constantly learning and playing new music. 

As the SFHS Wind Ensemble & Orchestra Concert is approaching, with the performance on October 31, Mr. Yaniw hopes that he can help the Wind Ensemble present music that is “authentic” – rather than playing the mere notes that appear on the pages, Mr. Yaniw hopes that students will play with fervor and truly bring out the soul of each piece. By playing music from the heart, Mr. Yaniw believes that the audience will be able to feel the “emotion” conveyed in each of the songs. 

Mr. Yaniw notes that the students of SFS have already demonstrated “dedication” and “creativity” in the past rehearsals. He likes how the students are very “responsive” to directions as they can clearly interpret and execute what must be done to polish the sound, and students have demonstrated understanding of the art form as well as the expressions within it. With Mr. Yaniw’s slow but steady adaptation to the students and bands of SFS, it seems likely that SFS will continue to exemplify high standards of music through proficient playing as an ensemble, and Mr. Yaniw and students will get to know one another even better to become an even more cohesive ensemble. 

[simonkchoi]

The 2019 Spring Concert: The Ultimate Band Performance

On April 16, the Wind Ensemble and Crusader Band performed in the annual SFHS Spring Concert. This year, however, the two high school bands were joined by bands from the middle school. The vast amount of students performing during the night made the 2019 Spring Concert an event to be remembered. 

The six bands – Beginner Band, Intermediate Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Crusader Band, Wind Ensemble – were split into groups of two. The band directors did this in order to have two bands up on the stage each time, which shortened the time needed for the rotation of the bands. The duration of the concert was consequently shorter than three hours, which was quite a feat as enormous concerts like this in the past have lasted significantly longer. 

The order of the bands was selected in terms of the levels of the band. The least experienced bands performed first, and the best bands of the high school and middle school performed last. By doing this, the audience was able to listen to a wide range of levels, and students too were able to hear what the other bands had prepared for months. Though the upper bands are usually expected to play better than the lower bands by a large margin, many students in the upper bands, like the Wind Ensemble, claimed that they were astonished by how well some of the other bands played, such as the Crusader Band. It went to show that the rankings of the bands only mean so much, and that diligence and chemistry within the band can make it exceed expectations. 

The Spring Concert was also special in that the Wind Ensemble featured a guest bagpiper. As one of the songs played by the Wind Ensemble was meant to be played with a bagpipe, Mr. San Luis, the band director, invited a bagpiper to play a solo in the piece. The shrill noise of the bagpipe stood out from the rest of the band due to its unusually high-pitched tone, and its sound reverberated throughout the auditorium. The bagpiper’s appearance in the Spring Concert truly made for an unforgettable experience. 

This year’s Spring Concert was certainly unorthodox. From the aggregation of the middle school and high school bands to the bagpipe feature, the performance that was put on was unlike any other in recent years. Perhaps this was the result of the new staff in the music department, such as Mr. Striffler and Mr. San Luis. Such a change helped the music department deviate from previous ways, and this year’s concert can be used as a guide for the music department’s future endeavors. In the near future, it would definitely be interesting to see how else the bands of both the middle school and high school can be showcased to the rest of the school. 

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Blowin’ the Blues Away

Since early September, SFHS’s Jazz Band has been practicing every Tuesday to perfect a vast repertoire of Mr. Wilson’s favorite tunes. After months of rehearsals, hours of listening, and 22 t-shirts with Mr. Goldie’s face in 144p (experiencing interruptions?), we smashed this year’s final performance in the Black Box. We think. 

Granted, there are probably a lot of things we could have done better; it was a matter of investing the time and effort to perfect the charts. However, this isn’t to say that this year’s Jazz Band wasn’t a wild ride, and we owe that to none other than the trumpet extraordinaire himself, Mr. Goldie. 

After our band’s casual featurette in the Christmas concert, it was clear from the start of the second semester that our band director had plans to really up the ante. Not only did we have a solo concert in March, but technique-heavy Count Basie tunes composed in the early 1900’s (“Moten Swing”, “Flight of the Foo Birds”) accompanied with songs like “Gunslinging Bird” that followed 6/4 time did not help matters. Solos were more intense, and time was more of the essence than ever before. 

Along with some attendance issues, which Mr. Goldie remarked as an inevitable yearly concern due to the fact that rehearsals are from five to seven after school, we ran into various obstacles along the way. Initially, there were around fifteen tunes we planned for March, but because of time and difficulty, some of the songs had to be cut. But by adding combos and solos to the pieces, the band was able to fill up the time that was necessary for the duration of the concert. This year’s performance required constant playing by the jazz band as the choir was not there to accompany it. Fortunately, though, the band successfully played for an hour and a half without rest. 

As a member of the jazz band myself, I would have to say that we performed better at the Night of Jazz was a better performance than at the Christmas concert. Members of the band became more familiar with the music and improvisation after the Christmas concert, and the band sounded more cohesive in the Night of Jazz. The band members were unfamiliar with each other at the beginning of the year, but after months of practicing, the band truly became a group. Furthermore, the jazz band was in the limelight this time as the Night of Jazz only focused on the jazz band while the Christmas concert also showcased the orchestra and the choir. Even though some members of the band may disagree, I believe that the jazz band’s latest performance outdid the jazz band’s performance in the Christmas concert. 

Mr. Goldie himself expressed his ambitions for the future of jazz ensemble, hoping for more avid interest and increase the number of potential members. “I want to get to the point eventually... where we can have a second jazz ensemble, or have separate, small group combos,” he stated.  He has also shown an interest in taking lead of the middle school jazz program, teaching the rudiments early on so that in high school, more time could be spent to “learn rather than rehearse.” 

With all of this school year’s jazz performances being over, the band focuses on improvising even more so that members who will continue to play next year can become future leaders of the band. Being “very pleased” with how the small group combos and concert this year turned out, Mr. Goldie, as well as the band, hopes to put up even better performances in the years to come. 

[simonkchoi]

AI X ART

With the recent selfie feature that has been added to Google Arts & Culture, one of the most popular apps available for iOS and Android at the moment, the arts and technology are finally coming together. The app has taken a step further in introducing AI to arts and culture, and it has set a high bar for both the arts and AI in 2018. 

The app has used AI to give users a new experience with art, and it is receiving much attention. AI is becoming more advanced and accessible than ever before, and it is amusing as well as educational. 

Google Arts & Culture is currently a sensation due to its new selfie feature that allows for users to compare themselves to historical portraits. Once taking a selfie, the app analyzes the characteristics of the selfie through computer vision technology, and it brings out multiple portraits that look most similar to the selfie. Moreover, the app also lists percentages for each picture representing how much the artwork resembles the selfie. This new feature has captivated the interest of app users in the United States, and social media channels like Twitter and Instagram are now flooded with unique comparisons. Unfortunately, this fascinating feature is only available in the US at the moment as it is still in its beta testing phase. However, because it is so popular, Google will most likely enable this feature in other countries soon. 

The app may be merely seen as a form of entertainment right now, but if looked into more deeply, it can be seen that this app is opening ways for future arts to combine with artificial intelligence. Art can possibly change drastically through its new approach with technology, and in the future, more arts may emerge with AI. This change is quite beneficial as the merge may allow people to experience and learn about art in a way never felt before. However, this change may also be detrimental as it is turning away from traditional art. Some may argue that art should not become strongly influenced by technology. Nevertheless, it seems likely that there will be more collaboration between the arts and artificial intelligence in the times to come. 

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Eco-Friendly Fashion: The Future of Our Wardrobe

Fashion is undeniably a major part of our everyday lives. In order to appear presentable and stylish, we spend countless hours scrolling through endless pages of online stores to find what would look best on us. Meanwhile, social media pages and magazines, like Vogue and GQ, constantly inform us about the latest trends in order to gain a larger following. Though many people may find fashion to be a subject of interest and a source of pleasure, we cannot ignore the detrimental environmental impact of the present-day fashion industry. The manufacturing process and transportation involved in distributing these products have serious consequences on our planet, serving as major contributors to climate change. Fortunately, in order to combat this issue, clothing brands have begun to produce sustainable apparel – articles of clothing made in an eco-friendly way while maintaining their overall aesthetic. 

Nike, one of the biggest clothing brands in the world, has been an avid supporter of this movement. If you walked into a Nike store anytime over the past several months, you might have noticed hoodies with tags containing the words “Sustainable Materials,” or even shoes with the Earth drawn on the sides. These products are all part of Nike’s “Move to Zero” movement, which aims to produce as little carbon and waste as possible in order to protect the future of sport. These products look almost identical to the regular Nike clothing and shoes, but the manufacturing process behind it is far more environmentally friendly than it usually is. 

An example of a Nike product made from the Move to Zero movement is the Vapormax 2020 Flyknit. Upon first glance, this shoe may just look like any other Nike sneaker. However, at least 50% of this colorful, lightweight shoe is made of recycled content, as is the Nike Flyknit and the Nike Air. The Nike Flyknit is a precision-engineered material made up of water bottles diverted from landfills, and the Nike Air sole is made from at least 75% recycled TPU. The fact that the shoe is produced in an eco-friendly fashion does not by any means impact the performance of the shoe negatively either – in fact, the shoe has known to be far more comfortable and functionally effective than most of the previous models. 

Our climate crisis has recently been at the center of international conversation, having become more urgent than ever before. From discussions of it at the Democratic presidential debates to news about Manhattan’s Metronome (a giant clock displaying the time remaining for the  aversion of the consequences of global warming before such damage becomes irreversible), it is undeniable that our future depends on us making long-term sustainable changes for the better. By making such changes to our clothing selections, these clothing brands will play a major part in leading us towards an eco-friendly lifestyle in a fashionable way. 

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Quarantine Arts: Keeping the Spirits Alive

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many parts of the world have been locked down. Governments have forced or strongly encouraged people to stay at their homes to prevent further spread of the virus, putting a halt to all social gatherings and activities. With the lack of social engagement, it has been a dreary and hopeless few weeks. However, through a mix of creativity and cooperation, some people have thought up of ways to spread positivity and energy during these difficult times through forms of entertainment and music. 

Many people have been engaging in various forms of art during the quarantine as a means of curing boredom. Currently, one of the most popular ways of having fun is through drawing and painting. As drawing and painting can take up to hours, many artists have been using this time to show off their artistic talent to have fun and pass time. Some people have even recreated famous paintings, like the Mona Lisa, and posted photos of their enactments on social media. For those people who do not have much of an interest in the fine arts, they have resorted to musical approaches, such as through playing an instrument and singing. Sometimes, the songs are done together; through facetime, people have found ways to perform and record songs together, and if people live closeby, the music is performed on their own balconies so that they are more than six feet apart, yet they are able to harmonize the sounds. 

The social media app, TikTok, has also been widely used during the quarantine. Through TikTok, many teens and young adults have recorded short videos of them dancing, pulling off pranks, and trying various challenges. Many celebrities have also engaged in the platform, further raising the popularity of the app. 

Celebrities have contributed to the arts during the quarantine through livestream performances. As live performances have been shut down, musicians have been livestreaming their performances so that all viewers can enjoy their music. Many famous musicians have already begun doing this, such as James Blake, Alicia Keys, and J Balvin. As concerts will not be held for at least a year, musicians have resorted to livestreams as a way of entertaining people and keeping the spirits alive. 

The way in which art manifests itself at the moment is unprecedented. Unfortunately, it will be a while before people will experience art in-person rather than through a screen. On the bright side, however, people are getting the chance to immerse themselves into hobbies which they could not usually try out due to their busy daily lives. 

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Artists’ Influence Beyond Music

Music artists have always been at the forefront of the public, gaining fame and popularity through their widely enjoyed products. Through their songs and performances, they are able to make a name for themselves and establish a stable rapport with their fans. Although music may have been artists’ primary source to gain credibility and a publicly celebrated persona in the past, the media nowadays has changed, perhaps even having become more diverse. Artists have been able to extend beyond their records, collaborating with other companies and industries to promote themselves in a joint symbiosis, consequently gaining traction and effectively selling the advertised products to the endearing supporters. 

The epitome of such a case is top Billboard rapper Travis Scott. For the past several years, Scott has been one of the most famous and influential artists in the world. With his albums constantly making record-breaking sales and being streamed throughout the world, he has undoubtedly earned his prestigious spot in the music industry, which he has used to branch out to different fields rather than stick directly to what many may consider his focal area of expertise. 

First, Scott signed a deal with Nike in 2017, which led to the release of his own signature sneakers and clothes. Every piece of item that he released with Nike sold out within a matter of minutes or even seconds, and on the secondary sneaker market, such products are currently in demand for hundreds of dollars well above the original retail prices. Scott’s collaboration releases have quickly risen in popularity, becoming a much discussed subject of hot topic within the fashion industry over the past few years. 

Aside from Nike, Scott has also launched his own collection for Australian fashion label Helmut Lang, back in 2017. Going beyond his usual involvement with clothing lines, he even agreed to a month-long partnership with fast-food chain McDonald's this year, releasing his own menu burger as well as a limited edition of McDonald’s apparel. Scott also briefly worked with Reese’s Puffs to release a limited edition cereal box and has even made an appearance in Fortnite, one of the most popular games out in current day. 

As evident from his collaborations across various areas of interest and expertise, Scott has proved himself multiple times to be more than just a musician; he is also an entrepreneur who can use his reputation in the music industry as a leverage to establish himself in other industries. By reaching out beyond his musical talents, he has been able to gain new fans while also introducing his existing fans to other fields, thus assisting the companies he works with in a win-win situation. Clearly, the connection between the artist and company is mutually beneficial. 

Though Scott may indeed be one of the top and only artists to have accomplished this feat on such a grand scale in having such a large amount of collaborations and fans to back him up in doing so, there are plenty of other artists besides him observed to be following in his footsteps. Many other artists, like Justin Timberlake and Tyler the Creator, have also begun working with different companies, particularly clothing lines. If this trend continues, fans can expect to see more of their favorite artists varied throughout a range of fields and jobs as they continue to reach out to the public by lending not only their music, but also creative forms through alternate and more varied ventures. 

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Kanye West’s Grammy in the Toilet

On September 16, rapper and fashion designer Kanye West uploaded a controversial video on Twitter. By posting an eight second shot of himself urinating on one of his past Grammy Awards, Kanye made a strong statement about his tie with his record labels – that he should be freed from his contract and allowed to to have full control over his catalog. 

The video served as an attack against his two record labels, Universal and Sony, as Kanye attempted to claim ownership over all of the underlying rights to his songs. He expressed his desire to buy the label out of his back catalog, which would provide him not only with the earnings from the records, but also full control over what would be done with his songs and albums. This inclination of his came as no surprise to many as Kanye had always been in charge of his own music, with everything done based on his visions. Kanye furthermore affirmed that he would refuse to release new music until he was freed from his labels, asserting that other artists, too, should seek ownership of the rights to their own music. 

However, Kanye’s tirades on Twitter were not exempt from consequences. Due to some of his tweets, primarily after his attempt to dox Forbes magazine's editor Randall Lane, Kanye’s Twitter account was suspended. His involuntary break from the platform was confirmed by one of Kanye’s good friends, Rick Fox, former NBA player, who tweeted, “My friend @kanyewest wants you all to know that he was kicked off of @Twitter for 12 hours.” Following the temporary suspension, fans of Kanye started posting the hashtag #FreeYe. 

With 21 Grammys and 69 nominations to date, Kanye is one of the top Grammy winners of all time, tied with Jay Z as the hip-hop artist with the most Grammy awards. With his ever growing popularity and acclaim, Kanye has proven himself as both a world-class musician and cultural icon. Given the name he has made for himself in terms of wealth and fame, it makes sense that he feels the need to be in complete charge of his production. Nonetheless, it is questionable the way in which he manifested his indignation. 

His video is not the only odd thing which he has posted over these past several months. Just a few days before his video was uploaded, he has made a statement concerning the music industry and the NBA as “modern day slave ships” as well as his assertion of himself as the “new Moses.” These other bizarre tweets have left many people questioning Kanye’s mental state, with some people even genuinely worried about him. As strange as his recent actions may have been, it is no doubt, however, that Kanye is fervent about the topic at hand as he urges other artists to own rights to their masters, too. 

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Jesus Is King: A Step Further for Kanye West

On October 25, Kanye West released his long-awaited album, Jesus Is King. Ever since the album was mentioned for a release in September 2018, under the name of Yandhi, talk of this album dominated not only the world of hip-hop, but also the music industry as a whole. Though the album was initially set to release on September 29, 2018, the release date was postponed to November 23, 2018. The release date of the album got postponed numerous times afterwards, and fans began to grow frustrated about the tentative release dates. When the album finally did release, however, fans were overjoyed to finally have the album in their hands. 

Jesus Is King is a rather short album, with only 11 songs and a 26 minute runtime. As indicated by the album’s name, the album revolves around the theme of Christianity. Ever since the start of his career as a rapper and a producer, Kanye has based many of his songs on religious themes. This thematic appearance dates back all the way to his 2004 hit “Jesus Walks,” which showcases Kanye asking God for guidance. The song “Saint Pablo” off of his 2016 album also gains inspiration from religious ideas. Though Kanye may have had several songs related to religion previously, Jesus Is King is his first album to be officially classified as religious music. Kanye himself labeled the album as “an expression of the gospel.” 

The album received mixed reviews upon its release. Aggregators like AnyDecentMusic? and Metacritic gave it a fairly poor rating, scoring it 4.9/10 and 55/100 respectively. However, others, like The Daily Telegraph and NME, gave it a decent rating, scoring it around 4 out of 5 stars. Like the critics, fans were also divided on their feelings on the album. Some fans praised the musical highlights of the album, like its soulful guitar, organ, and piano samples, while other fans found the songs to be nothing special and overly focused on its religious theme. 

Though Kanye may not have impressed everyone with this album release, Jesus Is King proved to be an immediate success commercially. It debuted at the number one spot on the US Billboard 200, and it also became the very first album to fill up all top ten spots on both the Christian Songs and Gospel Songs charts. Moreover, Kanye topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums at the same time. Jesus Is King saw success beyond the US too, topping the charts in Australia, Canada, and Denmark to name a few. 

With this album’s release, Kanye has continued to cement himself as one of the world’s most talented and renowned artists. On top of selling records, he has sold album merchandise, like socks and hoodies, which goes to show his prowess in not just the music industry but also the fashion industry. Jesus Is King, which is his ninth studio album, is a demonstration of his longevity in the world of music, and he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. 

[simonkchoi]

The Feud Between Eminem and MGK: A General Timeline

For the past few weeks, rappers Eminem and MGK have been dissing each other through their own respective songs, causing rifts within the rap game. Eminem, a veteran rapper who gained traction in the early 2000s, has reached the mainstream once again because of his feud with a more modern rapper, Machine Gun Kelly (MGK). The two rappers are still fighting, and the conflict between them shows no sign of ending. Here’s a rundown of the ongoing beef. 

August 31 - Eminem drops a surprise album titled Kamikaze, only half a year after his critically panned project Revival, and fans are ecstatic. Throughout the album, Eminem expresses his disapproval for the current state of rap, claiming that there are too many rappers out there today who take the roots of the genre for granted (in a much more vulgar way, of course). In particular, he disapproves of mumble rappers. In the song “Not Alike,” however, Eminem takes a moment to diss a non-mumble rapper, MGK, for making sexual comments about Eminem’s daughter, Hailie Mathers. 

September 3 - Soon after, MGK responds with his track “Rap Devil,” making remarks about Eminem ranging from his old age to his toxic attitude. Though Eminem has dissed countless rappers on his new album, MGK is the first and only one to officially respond via diss track. MGK’s diss gains a great deal of attention, and it gains over ten million views within a few days. 

September 12 - Eminem sits down with reporter Sway Calloway to discuss the ongoing feud. He claims that his antagonism towards  MGK came not from  the comments he made on his daughter, but from one of MGK’s verses in 2017 where he claimed he is one of the “greatest rappers” out there. Eminem expressed his frustration at MGK’s statement and went on to say that MGK is nowhere near the best rapper. He wanted to make another song targeting MGK but also says that he refuses to make MGK more famous through this feud. During the interview, Eminem gives no indication of what he will ultimately do. 

September 14 - Annoyed with MGK’s response, Eminem decides to respond with his track “Killshot.” Eminem makes even more derogatory remarks on MGK, most notably his man-bun as well as his failure to sell records. 

MGK has yet to respond since Eminem has released “Killshot;” however, the conflict between the two is not over yet. There are still discussions on who is currently winning the battle, and fans and critics alike are constantly analyzing the lyrics of the songs. Furthermore, there have been a few incidents where Eminem fans have aggressively approached MGK by verbally assaulting him. Avid rap listeners await more events as the feud between Eminem and MGK continues. 

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Nas’s Nasir: Was It Worth the Wait?

On June 15, rapper Nas released his long-awaited eleventh studio album titled ‘Nasir’ after his six-year hiatus. When the album premiered in his hometown of Queens, hundreds of people gathered just to give the album an early listen. The people who showed up at the premiere ranged from die-hard fans of Nas to celebrities that merely appreciated his music. Although the hype built up for ‘Nasir’ was immense, many critics have claimed that Nas failed to live up to expectations. 

Critics have gone as far as saying that ‘Nasir’ is among one of Nas’ worst albums to date. One of the main reasons for this criticism is that his latest album is “unoriginal” because he covers topics regarding police brutality, money, and conspiracy theories, which are topics that he has already rapped about in the past. For example, on the bouncy track “Cops Shot the Kid,” Nas talks about the difficulties of being black in America due to police brutality. On “Everything,” Nas speaks about his dreams of a black utopia, a theme that his 1996 hit “If I Ruled the World” already discussed. 

Nas’s lack of originality was not the only thing that was criticized though; some of Nas’ lyrics also incited debates. On “Not For Radio,” Nas raps, “Abe Lincoln did not free the enslaved”, “SWAT was created to stop the Black Panthers”, and “Fox News was started by a black dude”. With Nas’ placement of such controversial statements, it’s no surprise that his newest songs have received criticism from people that disagree with his beliefs. Furthermore, while bold, these statements are seemingly unrelated; critics have said that even when considering the album’s short duration, the songs don’t share a common theme and thus lack coherence. 

Despite the flaws of ‘Nasir’, Nas continues to be recognized as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Ever since he debuted in 1994 with Illmatic, arguably the best hip-hop album in history, Nas took the rap world by storm. He became one of the leaders of the golden age of hip-hop and continued on through the years to further cement himself as a rap veteran. Even after being in the music industry for 24 years, Nas continues to sell records and earn respect for his musical talent. 

While some may think Nas failed to deliver on ‘Nasir’, there are still plenty of fans that have said that they thoroughly enjoyed Nas’s latest album. Even though Nas is currently 44 years old, one of the older rappers of the generation, he shows no sign of retiring as he continues to make new music and host shows around the world. Fans can look forward to his future concerts and ‘Nasir’ will without a doubt go down as one of the best rap albums of 2018. 

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Tenet: The Current Savior of Cinemas

On August 26, the action thriller and science fiction film Tenet was released in South Korea and, later on, internationally. As the film was a co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States and directed by Christopher Nolan, one of the most universally acclaimed movie directors of the modern age, both fans and critics alike awaited a spectacular performance which would leave the audience stunned as they left the theater. Although the movie received mixed reviews, with both major strengths and weaknesses of the movies highlighted, Tenet ultimately served as a cinematic success given the circumstances of the ongoing spread of COVID-19. 

Tenet’s plot revolves around The Protagonist, an unnamed CIA agent played by John David Washington, and his efforts to manipulate the flow of time in order to prevent World War III. As he embarks on his perilous undercover mission to retrieve a colleague and a strange artifact, he is captured by Russian mercenaries, giving way to a myriad of the movie’s events. 

Overall, the film received positive reviews from critics who praised the acting, production value, and visuals of the movie. Review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes currently holds Tenet at an approval rating of 71% based on 266 reviews, and the site’s critical consensus states that the movie is “a visually dazzling puzzle for film lovers to unlock” as it “serves up all the cerebral spectacle audiences expect from a Christopher Nolan production.” However, some critics condemned the overly complex plot and arguably uneven sound mixing that rendered parts of the dialogue inaudible. For instance, Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a rating of 2 stars out of 4, arguing that he wished the film had “exploited its own ideas more dynamically,” and that although Nolan was a “prodigious talent,” “no major director can avoid going sideways from time to time.” 

Tenet was an expensive film to produce, to say the least. With a production budget of $200 million, it stands as Nolan's most expensive project up to date. British newspaper The Observer estimated that it would need to generate $450-500 million in order to break even. At the movie’s  current pace, however, it seems that such a goal is attainable given that the film has already grossed $307 million worldwide, making it the third highest grossing film of this year. In South Korea alone, pre-sale tickets sold out all IMAX screenings, and weekend previews amounted to around $717,000. 

Putting aside all the factors which make Tenet a blockbuster, such as the movie’s director and the 007-esque plot, the film stands out due to it being one of the very few movies available in theaters right now. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all major films that were set to be released in 2020 have been delayed, thus making Tenet receive the spotlight more than it would have had the pandemic not occurred. Tenet had also previously been delayed multiple times due to the worldwide shutdown, but its release was finally implemented. Perhaps it is thanks to the world’s collective enslavement to the superhero-industrial complex, but the movie world is currently looking for a savior. Nolan just may have achieved that role as savior once again, as he did with his past films like Inception, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight Rises, through the commercial success achieved in cinemas despite the pandemic with his newest release.

[simonkchoi]

Avengers: Infinity War: Movie of the Year?

On April 27, the greatly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe film Avengers: Infinity War debuted. In the span of a few days, not only has it become the biggest box office opening of all time (already amounting more than $600 million worldwide), but it’s been praised, criticized, and even memed by millions of people across the globe, becoming a worldwide sensation overnight. It is highly possible that, within a few weeks, this Hollywood giant will already have grossed over a billion dollars, considering that it is arguably the most anticipated movie of the year. 

The entire process of filming Avengers: Infinity War was both a literal and figurative toll, as Marvel spent a whopping 321.2 million dollars to shoot the film and spent millions more for marketing and promotional purposes. Although the budget may seem like a hefty price for one film, Avengers: Age of Ultron required near 500 million dollars to shoot, meaning that Avengers: Infinity War is not the most expensive Marvel film after all. Marvel, however, should not have trouble covering the film’s expenses as Avengers: Age of Ultron made 1.4 billion dollars at the box office. 

It is truly spectacular how Marvel has been so consistently successful over the years. Since Marvel’s debut in the film industry with Iron Man in 2008, Marvel has not failed to please fans around the world with the countless films they have produced (at least, according to mainstream critics; DC fans and film elitists will most likely never jump on the MCU bandwagon). Avengers: Infinity War allows for people to witness the culmination of the myriad of characters Marvel has brought to the big screen throughout a whole decade. Judging the film’s current success and influence, by the end of 2018, Avengers: Infinity War will most likely be Marvel’s most successful film to date. 

Now that Avengers: Infinity War has finally hit theaters, fans eagerly await Ant-Man and the Wasp, which is scheduled to release sometime in July. Although it is unlikely that it will be as successful as Avengers: Infinity War, there will definitely be hype surrounding Ant-Man as it is tightly connected with the Avengers film. Infinity War has truly shown what the MCU is capable of producing, and fans can expect the best out of any MCU film to come out in the future. 

[simonkchoi]

Black Panther: Living Up to Expectations

Black Panther, one of the most anticipated movies of 2018, finally debuted on February 14th. It already received a great amount of attention and praise, and many people already watched it. It was heavily hyped up prior to its debut, and it is living up to its expectations. 

Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman, initially appeared in the movie Captain America: Civil War in 2016. Chadwick Boseman received praise from critics and fans for his performance in the film, so his solo debut became even more anticipated than before. The production of Black Panther soon ensued, and the movie began filming in Atlanta and South Korea. 

Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther, grew up reading comics, so he was familiar with the Black Panther in the comics. When he got the chance to direct this movie, he was exhilarated. It is very likely that Black Panther is critically acclaimed because Ryan Coogler had a full understanding of the original Black Panther in the comics. Critics noted that the plot, costume designs, soundtrack, and performances of the cast really made the movie shine. 

Black Panther is significantly culturally impactful unlike any prior movies from the MCU; the primarily African-American cast of the movie makes it notable for February, Black History Month. Plenty of African-Americans said that they would watch the movie for its relevance with their culture and heritage as the movie is based on an imaginary country in Africa. Although it does not link directly with the daily lives of the African-Americans, many of them feel as if they can relate to it. 

To the average person, Black Panther may just seem like another superhero movie. However, it is very unique due to its accomplishments. For one, Black Panther has the best ratings and reviews for any superhero movie ever. It currently has a rating of 97% from Rotten Tomatoes, 87% from Metacritic, and 7.7/10 from IMDb. This is quite the feat. Secondly, Black Panther is the last MCU movie before the third Avengers, a long awaited film. And once again, the cultural impact the movie has is like none other. Not many movies, especially superhero movies, portray black pride like Black Panther does, and it is especially influential considering the many racial issues in America nowadays. Clearly, Black Panther is more than just another blockbuster. 

Now that Black Panther has debuted, MCU fanatics await Avengers: Infinity War, which will hit theaters on April 25th. It is arguably the most anticipated movie of 2018, and Black Panther has done a terrific job hyping it up. Fans will have to wait and see if Avengers: Infinity War lives up to the hype, too. 

[simonkchoi]

Where it All Started: The Movement for Women

Ever since the 20th century, men have dominated the entertainment industry, and women took the spotlight second to them. In the film industry, men have not only taken the majority of lead roles, as they are usually given more and better opportunities than women, but they are allowed for more versatility in their characters; women have often been confined to roles that reinforce gender stereotypes. In films, women are quite commonly portrayed as fragile and powerless whereas men are portrayed as shrewd and authoritative. For instance, in many action-packed blockbusters, men are portrayed as the leaders who have the most strength while the women seek for the men’s aid. What’s more, women are often over-sexualized for the purpose of bringing in male audiences. Though men and women have been confined in what roles they can play for a long period of time, the restrictions are becoming less strict nowadays, and more women are able to play roles that men more often played. 

In the entertainment industry, the recent wave of superhero movies are just one of many examples of the rising influence of actresses. For decades, superhero roles have been played by men, whether it was Christopher Reeve as Superman or Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. However, recently, there’s been a shift in the status quo; now, women are being given the chance to play superhero leads. For instance, the superhero of 2017’s Wonder Woman was Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress. The phenomenal success of this movie demonstrated that not only were women able to pull off the superhero role, audiences would clamber to see the movie as well. This is important, as it encourages film producers to be more open to the idea of including women at the forefront of blockbuster movies. 

The superhero of 2019’s Captain Marvel will be Brie Larson, an American actress. Clearly, the boundaries regarding genders and roles in the film industry have begun to become more lenient and less discriminating in the last few years. 

The increasing number of women in the entertainment industry has been largely contributed to by the Me Too Movement, a groundbreaking movement that became viral in late-2017. As female activists and celebrities like Tarana Burke and Alyssa Milano began to use the hashtag of “#metoo,” social media users too began to use the hashtag as a demonstration of the widespread prevalence of the mistreatment of women, especially in the workplace. Through the spread of this movement, female actresses and musicians have been able to have a voice outside of the roles they play. As they have begun changing the view of women in society and help women receive equal treatment as men, it is quite possible that their off-camera contributions are aiding them in their on-camera roles. 

It is clear that we are in the midst of a revolution in the entertainment industry; now, women are finally being given the platform they deserve to not only showcase that women are capable of pulling off traditionally male-dominated roles, but also to voice their concerns about prevalent issues like sexual harassment. 

[simonkchoi]

Artist Study

As an artist, I look upon several artists from different places and time periods to gain inspiration for my artworks. Some of my favorite artists are represented in the combination of this painting and sculpture through their iconic paintings. 

At the top are the glittering flowers of Takashi Murakami. I’ve been an admirer of his works due to his signature “superflat” anime-styled vibrant images with the loud colors and bold traces. Below, to the left, is the Milkmaid of Johannes Vermeer, and towards the right is Repentance from Calumny of Apelles of Sandro Botticelli. The two images have inspired me due to the simplistic nature of classicism and honest expression of commoners’ everyday life. 

At the very right is a rendition of Basquiat’s Untitled, whose wild, graffiti-like nature appeals to me. Below the painting, an abstract 3D sculpture blossoms like flowers in colorful shades, making the artwork more intriguing.