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McHale Shoots: Meet the SJU Photographer

Andrew McHale, 18, is a freshman at St. John’s University in Queens, New York. McHale is an avid and talented photographer. From Woodbridge, New Jersey, McHale started photography as a hobby, but is now getting serious and shows serious talent!

McHale’s aesthetic is very clean and inspiring. Each photo has a story behind it, and McHale’s artsy theme allows the viewer to interpret each shot.

You can view his work on his instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/mchaleshoots/?hl=en

Here is some of his work:

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A Chat With Two Time$

2 Rapper Two Time$ is back with a new single and more new music on the way. Grant Wade, a St. John’s Student and musician, has been killing it in his freshman year, performing at multiple shows on campus. Wade has been recording music here in New York and in his hometown Chicago over thanksgiving break. I recently sat down with my good friend to discuss his journey:

What’s going on man, how has life been lately?

It’s been decent, could be better. I’ve been planning my next project and trying to improve.

That’s great to hear, tell me about your music lately. You recently released a new single, 2 Cocky, what’s the story behind that track?

Lately, I’ve been working on new flows, and 2 Cocky is a track where I was really feeling myself. I really put out an energy where I wanted all my people to feel themselves too. I want all my listeners to be 2 Cocky and feel that confidence.

Can we expect any new Two Time$ content in the near future?

2020 is madness. Just know.

Two Time$, in Queens, New York

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Courtroom Art: an inside look into notable cases (Assignment)

This past Monday, December 2nd, in my Multimedia Communications class, we received a visit from Elizabeth Williams, a courtroom artist. Williams has illustrated the courtrooms of many high-profile cases. She has drawn pictures of El Chapo, Mick jagger, Stormy Daniels, and Tekashi 69 among others. Williams initially wanted to be a fashion illustrator, but found it difficult to make money. A professor first persuaded her to try courtroom art.  The position of courtroom artist is necessary nowadays because cameras are banned in federal courtrooms. They are hired by the news media to illustrate scenes in high-profile courtroom cases.

Williams told us about the process of making a courtroom sketch: One must be able to paint quickly, as time is limited; she says it takes her a half an hour at most. Soon after she sketches the artwork, she takes a picture on her cell phone and sends it to clients as quickly as possible.

Nowadays there are very few courtroom artists left, so they are free to work for whoever, as opposed to being obligated to a certain news outlet. They still must follow a few rules, courtroom artists are required to follow the AP guidelines for courtroom art.

A courtroom artist is a lesser-known profession, but an interesting and important one at that. They have the ability to paint iconic scenes of some of the most influential courtrooms in our modern history. Williams’ visit was certainly an enjoyable one.

Painting of Times Square Bomber by Elizabeth Williams

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Mac Demarco makes “Jizz-Jazz”

While I listen to plenty of rap and hip-hop, I also enjoy alternative and indie rock. My favorite indie artist is Mac Demarco.

Mac makes chill tunes. His music is calming and his smooth vocals radiate over lazy chords from guitars, percussion, and keyboard.  His music has been described by some as “blue wave” or “slacker rock.” Mac refers to his music as jizz-jazz. He started with music early, and was in several bands in high school. 

Mac’s music is very psychedelic and calming and I like to listen to it when I need to chill out or relax. I might listen to Mac Demarco as I do homework or write blog posts. I consider myself a big fan.

Mac is from British Columbia, Canada. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR_R1kt4V54

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The Day I Met Gunner

This past week, I met my favorite photographer at his pop-up book signing. Gunner Stahl celebrated the event at Ludlow Coffee Supply in Manhattan.

In my earlier blog post, I explained how Gunner is a talented photographer whose shots of rappers and celebrities earned him notoriety. Gunner is close w many of these artists whom he photographs which allows him to achieve intimate photos. He only shoots on film.

The lovely people at Ludlow offered free coffee and pastries to fans of Gunner who met with fans and signed books from 2-6 pm. Each fan had the chance to wait in line and meet gunner himself. The shop was small, so the line led out onto the street.

The book featured endless intimate shots of famous rappers, artists, and celebrities and was well worth the 25 dollars. it also includes exclusive interviews with Gunner himself. When I met Gunner he was very friendly and seemed eager to meet fans of his work. We briefly talked about music and the event and Gunner signed my book.

I was so starstruck that I didn’t even think to ask him about the book his photography. Instead I immediately asked, “Do you listen to Xanman?” to which Gunner replied “Yeah, from DC right?”

Some pictures from the book are below:

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Gunner Stahl Announces Book

At the age of 26, Gunner Stahl has photographed some of the world’s biggest rappers. A$ap Rocky, Playboi Carti, Childish Gambino, and many others have all had their picture taken by Gunner. These moments captured by his lens are snippets of time that are preserved forever in a strange, mysterious beauty. I discovered Gunner’s instagram page several years ago and was immediately awestruck by the array of stars whose pictures he had taken. Not only were. these pictures of m y favorite famous people, they were some of the most beautiful portraits I had ever seen. This is why I was extremely excited to learn that Gunner has written a book full of exclusive photography and writings available for pre-order now. The book drops on October 29. Here is gunner’s instagram page and website below:

https://www.instagram.com/gunnerstahl.us/?hl=en

https://gunnerstahl.bigcartel.com

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Rest Easy Mac

My favorite artist of all time is Mac Miller. Mac was a rapper, vocalist and producer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His music, style, kindness, and humor had a deep effect on me since when I first began to listen to him in the eighth grade.

Mac always had kind words for others and kept positive even though he was a troubled individual. His intimacy and honesty in his music is what made him stand out to me. I was truly heartbroken when he died of an overdose a little over a year ago.

My favorite albums by Mac are G.O.O.D. A.M. and Faces. Some of my favorite songs are Matches feat. Ab-Soul, New Faces feat. Earl Sweatshirt, and Dunno from his latest album Swimming.

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Tyler, The Creator and Odd Future’s Influence

One artist who has major influence over my music taste is Tyler, The Creator. Born Tyler Okonma I personally admire Tyler for his experimentation in music and the fact that he does what he wants. I started listening to Tyler in middle school when he was part of the group Odd Future, a collective of artists and skaters that made rap music. Tyler was always outspoken and advocated for people being who they want. He also is a true student of music, listening to all kinds and incorporating anything into his music. While Tyler and the rest of Odd Future were perceived as rude or excessive by parents and even governments (Tyler was at one point banned from Australia), in reality they made as much meaningful and artistic music as they did ignorant.

I believe that youthful ignorance is not to be ignored. Odd Future was truly a force that supported the youth. In fact, their bolder, brasher side supported all kinds of listeners by being equally rude to everyone. From the beginning they advocated for misfits, lgbt, and all races. 

Odd Future truly paved the way for more artistic expression in rap music, as well as helping link the worlds of fashion, skating, comedy and hip-hop.

Tyler is now 28 and has matured a little. He sounds off less on social media, and his music has toned down and even reached some mainstream success. In my eyes, he will go down as one of the most influential artists of our generation.

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DMV Rising: Trap Music in the Nation’s Capital

The DMV region the birthplace of many emerging artists bringing their unique sound to the mainstream. DMV stands for Dc, Maryland, and Virginia and refers to the greater Washington, D.C. area. Many up and coming, young rappers hail from the region.

Rap music in the DMV is unique. Artists such as Xanman, Goonew, YungManny, and MoneyMarr incorporate an off-beat flow over instrumentals with simple piano keys and a resonant bass. While the flow is off-beat, it is not easy to replicate and is often an essential aspect of a rapper’s signature sound. Goonew is notable for his “whisper-flow,” where he spits horror-core lines in a whisper voice. Clever wordplay and outlandish bars are also key in the DMV sound. Xanman’s songs are full of double-entendres and ignorance, which makes for extremely entertaining music and bars such as, “Walk in his house with a Drake, take care.” 

The combination of trap music and plenty of musical experimentation is what makes this sound so unique. The sound has begun to take off, and local DMV artists are getting recognition from more popular rappers like Lil Yachty and Lil Pump. Don’t be surprised if these artists reach widespread popularity soon.

MoneyMarr, YungManny, center, and Xanman, right, perform at the Fillmore Silver Spring. (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post) 29 July 2019 https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/teen-rappers-xanman-and-yungmanny-master-the-art-of-getting-ahead-of-yourself/2019/07/29/62b8afe8-b222-11e9-8f6c-7828e68cb15f_story.html

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Chicago Based-Rapper at SJU

You may not have heard of rapper Two Time$, but if you listen to his music you’ll wish you had sooner. Grant Wade, aged 18, is from Chicago, Illinois, and is a freshman at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. When he’s not in the classroom, Two Time$ is perfecting his craft as a rapper and musician. Notable for his lyricism and resonant cadence, TwoTime$ has music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud. Listen Today! 

https://soundcloud.com/twotimes01