#on a serious note I do love pitbull songs

[baby-girl-aaron-dessner]

I didn’t realise that getting fingered in a cab on the way home from a night out while “Give Me Everything” by Pitbull plays in the background could be so romantic.

[euphoricimagination]

𝑺𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒖𝒑

Feat. Bokuto, Osamu, Kenma, Suna

Timeskip spoiler

Note: My first time doing something like this, hope it's good

Part 2

Bokuto

‌You work as an artist in the same place as Akaashi, so you two became friends easily

‌You once mentioned that you never had seen a full game of volleyball, just knew the basics of it

‌That led Akaashi to mention his high school days, how one of his friends is a professional volleyball player

‌And before you know it, he was taking you to one of Bokuto’s game that was happening soon

‌Little did you know is that Akaashi has been secretly thinking about how good you and Bokuto will connect

‌You were in the calmer side, not like Akaashi’s level of calm, but calm nonetheless, and were also really patient. You could balance out Bokuto’s loud self

‌And believe me, he made God’s work. He has already talk about you with Bokuto, dropping not-so-subtle hints that you may be good for him

‌Bokuto’s genuinely interested in you. He feels like he has a crush on you already. After all, you had to be amazing if Akaashi thinks so highly of you.

‌Now Bokuto hasn’t had a lot of relationships, only one that was serious.

‌Many women wanted to go on dates with him, but most couldn’t deal with his loud personality for a long time or just didn’t understand his passion for volleyball

‌And he rather be alone than changing his personality to be with someone.

‌So when Akaashi told him that you are going to go to one of his games, he’s even more excited than usual.

‌He just wants to meet you

- Look, I love Pitbull as much as everyone else…but why so many of his songs? – you tell to Akaashi while the Japan team were celebrating their win, loud screams from the arena. Their match has been one of the most exciting sports you’ve seen.

- I don’t know, guess the players like it? Oh look, Bokuto’s is coming – he says trying to suppress his smirk. Bokuto, and some other members of the team, were walking around the arena waving at the fans.

- Akaashii! I got you amazing seats, didn’t I? – says fist bumping his friend and ignoring the many screams behind you. He then looks at you, and his eyes go wide, you were even more pretty than he thought – Hi! You are Yn? Akaashi has told me lots about you!

- Hi…it’s nice to meet you, he has told me lots about you too – you say shyly. He was really hot, it was inevitable. Bokuto smiles at your cuteness.

- You never seen a volleyball match before, right? How was it?

- It was really fun! You were so good!  Its so fascinating to see you play! – you say excited. You weren’t lying, while everyone in the team was good, he managed to catch your attention more than anyone else. Bokuto felt his heart beating fast by the excited look in your eyes. It wasn’t like his fan’s expression, yours genuinely looked interested in him AND volleyball, not just his looks – although it was hard to understand what was happening…

- Well, it was your first time seeing a game… - he says putting his hand on his chin, after a few seconds he starts talking excitedly – I know! Why don’t we grab dinner together and I explain you everything that you want to know! And we get to know each other more! It’s a perfect plan!

- Eh s-sure, that will be awesome – you said smiling at his cute action while feeling your cheeks burn. Once again Bokuto’s heart feels like its about to explode, grinning excitedly.

- Can’t wait! Gotta go now, see you later! – says leaving

- Well, looks like he completely forgot that I was here too – says Akaashi. He was more than happy that his hints worked out

- Shut it

At dinner you two talk A LOT, so much that the dinner place had to ask you to leave because they were closing. Talking to him felt so comfortable; he surely was fun to talk, plus, he was just adorable. Whenever you talk his eyes were shining, like you were telling the most interesting story ever even if it was the most mundane thing. Your heart felt so happy.

By the end of the night, he walks you home, both of you with big smiles after promising another dinner ‘date’ after his game tomorrow.

Osamu

‌You were one of the few friends that Tsumu had outside of the rest of the players at MSBY

‌You worked as a manager, and he was grateful for your support. You were always there to cheer them up, and never got angry at their jokes

‌(All of the team really appreciates you tbh)

‌That’s why he invited you to his twin shop one day, you deserve good food for dealing with them

‌Now, Tsumu didn’t planned to set you up with Samu

‌He was competitive, he wasn’t going to let his twin have a girlfriend first

‌It was a complete accident that he was going late

‌(He low-key forgot about it)

It was 19.32 and Tsumu still wasn’t there. He told you to come by at 19.00 so he could walk you to the store, but he was nowhere to be found. It didn’t surprise you, you knew that he could have bad memory sometimes, so you just decided to walk to the restaurant and call him there.

You enter and sat in one of the tables, gaining a curious look from the owner, aka, your friend twin; look that became even more curious when he heard Tsumu’s voice on the phone.

“Where the fuck are you piss head? You told me to come by at 19.00”

“Yeah, and it’s still early isn’t i…oh shit”

“Hurry up before I eat dinner alone, you asshole”

Samu was confused. Both of you knew each other, you had eaten his onigiris, but never really interacted much. Was Atsumu dating and he somehow didn't knew? Why his twin didn’t tell him that you were coming? He would have prepared something else than his usual.

- My dumb twin stood ya up? – says going to leave you a glass of water. Luckily there wasn’t many people at that hour

- You could say so, how did he not realize the time?

- He can be really dumb. It’s honestly surprising that ya're dating him – says

- Me? Dating Tsumu? Ew no, I just came here with him because he promised to pay for my food

- That asshole told ya he would pay? He never pays when he comes!

- You give him free food? He’s living the dream, your onigiris are the best food I ever had

- Well thank you – says with his arm in his neck, ears blushing. You can help to look at his arms, they were really muscly for someone who stopped playing – let me make ya some food, that idiot doesn’t deserve to be waited on

- Don’t you close soon? I don’t want to bother…

- Don’cha worry, ya can stay as long as ya want

After preparing your meal and closing his store for the public, he came to sit with you to eat. It was impressive how different yet so similar their personalities were, Osamu being in the calmer side. When Tsumu arrived to the store he found the two of you laughing at something, eating one of Samu’s special dishes.

- Oi! Ya were supposed to wait for me!

- Why should she? Ya were the idiot here

- Whatever, make me something

- What am I? Yer chef? There some leftovers there, grab those – says Samu looking annoying at his twin, he then turns at you, all the annoyance disappearing – want something else pretty? I can make ya whatever ya want

- No, it’s alright, I’m full. Thank you though. How much I owe you?

- It’s on the house for ya

- But I’m gonna feel bad…

- Then give me yer number and we call it even – says with a cheeky grin, making you blush

- Dea-

- Oi! Stop flirting and help me out here! – screams Tsumu with a disgusted look – Oi Yn! just a reminder that I’m the better twin

- Ya wish, ya can’t even cook for yerself – says standing up – wait me here pretty, and if ya want to eat something else, let me know and I’ll make it for ya

- Thanks, I will

Kenma

‌You met Kuroo in university, when you two had to do a project for one of his classes

‌You were a good student, but he hadn’t really noticed you before. You quietly go to classes and leave right after

‌But Kuroo has experience, he knows how to interact with all types of people, so he has no problem in getting to know you

‌You weren’t outgoing, but could talk to people without being awkward; rather stay in house than going out; someone that hated crowds, but will go to Disneyland if the opportunity arises. And just really nice and relax

In other words, he thought that you will be a perfect match for Kenma

‌Simply because he knew that Kenma would rather date someone similar to him, someone that doesn’t constantly push him out of his comfort zone or shame his interests

‌You were just perfect, similar to him and could push him out just a little

‌Yes, he was basically shipping you two already.

‌He has talk to Kenma about you way too much, but the gamer thought that it was Kuroo the one with the crush with you.

‌(He had to assure Kenma way too many times that he didn’t see you like that, he just thinks you’re cool)

‌(Kenma knew his best friend, if he had a crush on you, he will be the first to know)

(‌Kenma also suspected that something was up, Kuroo wouldn’t bring you up so much if he wasn’t planning something or had a crush)

‌Kuroo knew the both of you pretty good, so he made the perfect plan for you to meet

You went to the place that Kuroo told you, an arcade near the station. He told you that it was a small hangout with you and one of his friends, nothing too crazy.

- There you are, come here chibi! – says Kuroo to you once he saw you. Beside him there was another dude looking at his phone, only looking up after hearing Kuroo’s voice. You feel like you have seen him before – what took you so long?

- There was a lot of people in the subway, it was horrible – you say shaking slightly

- Thought so, you hate crowds. Anyways Kenma, this is Yn, my friend from university; Yn, this is Kenma, my childhood friend. Say hi to each other

- Hi nice to meet you – you say smiling

- Hi, same here – says Kenma awkwardly

You three started to play one of the many games in there. At the beginning both of you relied on Kuroo to talk, but soon enough you two started to do small talks together, mostly him helping you with some games. Kuroo was satisfied enough with you guys interaction, it was time for the second phase of his plan.

- I need to go to the bathroom, you two keep playing

- Sure – says Kenma giving a quick glance to Kuroo, frowning. When Kuroo left you two stayed in silence while you watch him play, but neither of you found it uncomfortable. Kenma’s is desperately trying to concentrate in the game, but he’s having an unbelievable hard time with you there – umm…it’s there anything you want to play?

- Can we try a claw machine? There was a doraemon plushie in one

- You know those are made to make you lose a ton of money, right? It will be cheaper if I buy you a plushie – says with a small smile, moving to the claw machines anyway

- But that’s no fun…

- Cause losing your mind over a rigged machine is definitely more fun – says with a smirk on, putting the first coin in the machine and letting you play. Kenma didn't know how to explain it, but he really likes your aura, it felt comfortable. Kuroo could stay away as long as he wants to.

- Shhh – you say chuckling

Kuroo intentionally made his ‘bathroom visit’ way longer than normal, expecting that when he came back the two of you had talk to each other. What he didn’t expect was to not find either of you in the arcade; he literally walked around the whole place and wasn’t able to find you. Confused, he went out and walk for a few minutes before finding you. You, with a big bag full of plushies and figurines (Kenma was ungodly good at the machine), sitting with his friend in a small café, talking and giggling together.

Kenma will never admit it to Kuroo, but he was glad that he forced him out that day.

Suna

‌Your relationship with Suna was different than the rest

‌You actually knew him and considered each other friends

‌Friends with huge crushes on each other, but friends

‌Komori was tired of it

‌You and Komori were friends since your last year of high school, and you two got lucky that your university and his team were near each other

‌That meant you going to cheer him up for practice matches, where you met his team and Suna

‌You and Suna became close really fast, and soon enough Komori wasn’t the only one you went to cheer for.

‌Komori knew about your crushes, so he decides to invite you to a practice session so you three could go to have dinner

‌He wasn’t planning on going to dinner

The coach doesn’t even question your presence when you arrive to the familiar gym. You come by so often and the team likes you so much that he doesn’t have the patience to bother anymore.

You arrived just when they were taking a break, so you go and say hi to them.

- Your man is on the bathroom – says Komori when your eyes look around for Suna

- I-I wasn’t looking for him

- Sure…- says with a smirk – ready for dinner? Suna wanted to join too

- Yeah, I’m starving

- Hi little one – says Suna patting your head. Komori slowly walks away, something that you and Suna decided to ignore – how was your day?

- meh, neither good or bad. Existing is tiring, you?

- I get you. Lots of prac– he says getting cut by the whistle of the coach – gotta go. Cheer for me?

- Maybe, maybe not

- Mean – says flickering your forehead slightly

You watch them practice for the rest of the evening, cheering slightly for them. Suna hates to admit it, but he definitely plays better whenever you around, and it’s painfully obvious to his teammates. His eyes definitely shift to your direction whenever he does a kill block or spikes.

You wait for them outside when they go to shower. Suna’s goes out first, so you go and drop your head on his chest as soon as you see him.

- Wow there – says caressing your head – are you sure you want to go to dinner? You seem tired

- I am tired, but I can handle it. I haven’t grab dinner with Komori in a while

- You need to take care of yourself more though

- GUYS! Can’t grab dinner, Sakusa called. Go without me, bye! – says Komori rushing past you two, before leaving he turns around and mouth to Suna ‘asks her out’. Suna squints his eyes, knowing damn well that Komori didn't receive any call.

- And he’s gone, that asshole – you say making Suna chuckle

- Why don’t we go to your apartment and order some take out? Our first date has to be something that we both like

- Date? – you ask looking at him, tiredness disappearing right there

- Yeah, I need to take you into a date before asking you out, don’t I? – says with a smirk

- I guess so. Let’s go – you say taking his hand, walking towards your apartment.

Komori was glad to see you two by the hand the next day.

Masterlist

[artificialqueens]

Happy Birthday - [Part 2] - (Deladore) - Black_Magic

Author’s Note: To the anon that requested a part 2. Hope it’s as good as the first part. The second part to the fic I submitted for the rare pair fic challenge.

From that point forward, Ben and Danny were together and happy. They took everything slow and discussed anything and everything. They almost looked like the model couple that everybody aspires to be. Yes, they do have perfect moments, fights, and disagreements like every couple, but they manage to work everything out. They know when to let each other cool off, talk, and when to apologize. That’s why Ben and Danny are near perfect.

Taking things slow was also a good relationship decision. Ben and Danny were in no hurry to take every next step in their relationship. They were content enough with what they currently had at the time. What Danny loved the most were the moments he had alone with Ben. Specifically, the quiet ones. He enjoys cuddling with Ben in his own bed with music softly playing in the background. All he needs is to be cuddled up to the other boy, under a blanket, and resting with his eyes closed as Ben rubs small circles into his back. Of course, they were still eighteen and new to the relationship. Neither required much attention.

~~~~

At nineteen, the tensions started building up. Kisses were lingering more and more. Making out got more heated. It was filled with more touching, more intensity, and a hunger that never seemed to be fully satisfied. Each of them were clingier than usual, and the neck kissing started. They never took it further than that, though. Not until Halloween. That night, they had gone to a party. Alcohol got involved and they ended up heading back to Ben’s place earlier than intended. Danny had been flirting with Ben nonstop. Even going as far as getting touchy. Finally, after a year’s worth of build up, Ben and Danny shared their first time together. They made sure there was full consent and protection used.

It was the best experience Ben and Danny had ever shared. It was a night full of love, passion, and exploring one another in a whole new way. Afterwards came the wonderful silence. Danny and Ben curled up in bed while holding each other close. They shared endless amounts of I love you’s, while they stared into each other’s eyes. Ben couldn’t stop smiling as he combed his fingers through Danny’s hair. “I love you, Ben.” The smaller boy said in a low voice, almost whispering.

“I love you too, Danny.” Ben brought him in a gentle kiss before they settled in for bed.

~~~~

When Ben turned twenty, he was out on a date with Danny when he voiced a thought that had been plaguing his mind for weeks. “Hey, Danny. I need to ask you something.”

“What’s up? Ask away, babe.” Even without his emotion sensing power, Danny could tell it was a serious question. It was written all over his face.

An important decision was about to happen. A test to see if a couple is ready to be with each other. It was none other than the question that meant a lot to Ben. “Do you want to move in with me?”

Danny felt his heart skip a beat. He was so touched and flattered that their relationship had made it to this milestone. Of course it would work out wonderfully. They are soulmates. It’s impossible to screw anything up majorly. He nodded his head for a yes, but he realized Ben would rather hear a confirmation of his consent. “Yes! Yes, I’ll move in with you.” Ben let out a sigh of relief before receiving a kiss from Danny.

Within a few weeks, Danny had been moved in with Ben. It felt great to finally be able to see each other all of the time. It was already possible, but now Danny could wake up beside Ben and have all they own in one house together.

They could have finished within a week, but they got……distracted by each other.

~~~~

When they were twenty-two, Ben and Danny decided to get a few pets. Over the course of the year, they adopted two cats, a pitbull terrier, and a boxer. Each were from the animal shelter and in serious need of adoption. The orange tabby was the runt of her litter. Ben named her Nala after the character from The Lion King. The black tabby was named because of the designs on his fur. The bright lines on his dark fur reminded Danny of a book his mother read once. He was thereby named Dante after Dante’s Inferno. The pitbull had a lot of energy, but at the end of the day, she was a big cuddle buddy. Freyja was already named by her previous owners. The boxer was full of energy. He loved to run around all day and play. Danny named him Raiden, after the Mortal Kombat character. Since Raiden was the god of thunder, could use lightning, and the dog was fast, Danny thought it would fit.

The only bad thing about having all of those pets, would be the crowded bed. Ben had to make sure the ceiling fan was on every night because they would all be hot from the shared body heat. Sometimes Danny would kick the dogs out and make them sleep on the couch so they would have enough room to cuddle.

~~~~

It was Danny’s twenty-fourth birthday when Ben proposed to him. Ben had invited some friends and family from each of their lives for a surprise. He had been planning this for awhile.

Danny had come home to his fur babies greeting him, as per usual after another long day at work. Usually Ben would be there too, but he wasn’t. Danny knew this was unusual and walked around the house to find him. He felt worried not being able to find his boyfriend, but stopped in his tracks when he was in front of the back door. He felt a huge wave of excitement from the other side of the door. Confused, he opened it to see everyone outside. “Surprise!” They all shouted.

He grinned, seeing everyone there. “Oh my God! It’s a fucking party!” Everyone laughed at Danny’s statement.

Bonnie approached her smiling child and hugged him after kissing him on the cheek. “Happy Birthday, Danny.”

“Thanks mom, love you.” Danny appreciated his mom coming to celebrate his birthday. He hasn’t seen her in a few months. They do talk everyday, so it kind of makes up for lost time.

Danny’s smile grew as Ben walked forward with a smirk. “Happy Birthday, babe.” Ben pecked him on the lips and brought him to the center of the yard. They danced to songs they loved and knew by heart.

Then, the moment happened that Ben has been waiting all day for. Love Story by Taylor Swift came on. “Ben, it’s our song! We gotta sing it!” He pointed to the microphones.

Ben nodded and went over to the Karaoke set up. All went well, then the certain lines came up that Ben was prepared for. The proposal part of the song came on. What Danny didn’t know, is Ben was going to switch up Juliet with his name instead you truly propose.

He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said.

Ben copied the song and knelt down on one knee. He pulled out the ring. “Marry me, Danny, you’ll never have to be alone. I live you and that’s all I really know. We’ll talk to you’re mom, go pick out a white suite. It’s a love story, baby just say yeah.”

Danny teared up and gasped, covering his mouth. Everyone was cheering. The ring was a plain gold band. It had the sign of libra carved into the metal. Danny yelled a yes at the top of his lungs. Ben put the ring on his fiancee’s finger before standing up. He ignored the deafening cheers as he kissed Danny.

~~~~

Ben hurried around the house making sure everything is ready for tomorrow. He wanted the next best day of his life to be as close to perfect as he can get it. Danny noticed and grabbed Ben’s arm to stop him. “Baby, you’ve been checking everything for the past week. You don’t need to worry. Everything will be perfect tomorrow.” Danny wrapped his arms around his future husband to calm him down. Ben was sending off waves of worry, anxiousness, and over all every other emotion to describe a bridezilla.

“I know, but I can’t help it.” He was already calmer because he leaned into Danny’s embrace. Danny knew this, so he kissed Ben before any other complaints or protests would come out. “Hey, I’ve been thinking we should break out our vows right now and say them to each other.” He said to distract Ben.

“Why on earth would we do that?” Ben felt confused.

“Our vows are meant to be promises to each other. Why should everyone else hear them while we choke up and can barely talk? We should do it. Just think about it this way. If we say our vows now, the service will also go quicker. It’s a personal thing that doesn’t have to be said in front of everybody.” Danny thought it was a good idea. Eventually, Ben gave in.

That lead to them sitting on their bed with a paper in each of their hands. Dante was curled up in Ben’s lap. Nala was purring as she slept on Danny’s pillow. Freyja and Raiden were beside them, watching with interest as their dads looked upon one another. “I’ll go first.” Ben offered. Danny nodded and leaned forward, resting his face in his hands like was about to find out about some juicy gossip. “The moment we met, I felt as if you were my chosen partner. You always made me smile and I looked forward to seeing you everyday. When I found out we were meant to be, and I saw our matching marks, I felt like the world stopped spinning. Everything felt balanced, and ultimately, correct. I love you, forever and for always. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you as husbands.”

Danny wiped away a stray tear from Ben’s cheek. Then he wiped his own before starting his speech. “I figured you would have the better vows, and I debated not writing much. I didn’t know what to say. So, after having an awesome dream that involved us with our fur babies and real children, I got inspired. I knew for years I loved you, and I was afraid it was wrong. I didn’t know if it was false or if you and I were soulmates. You know my mom though, the mind reader. She convinced me to let myself love you, and she was right to. After this long, I realized I would love to be your husband and adopt some kids. We already saved four lives, why not more?” Danny stopped for a soft laugh with Ben. “So, anyways, let’s get on with it and tie the knot before we go crazy. We’re already crazy, but you know what I mean.”

~~~~

The next day, Ben and Danny got married in the backyard. They were still viewed as a little young to get married. Although, it felt so right.

The now two husbands spent the rest of the evening picking at food, sharing endless amount of kisses, shoving cake in their faces, and dancing the night away. Specifically if any Lady Gaga or Shakira song came on. Mainly because Danny wanted to sing and dance on Ben to see how much he can work him up. Although Danny forgot about that when fun dance songs came on. The electric slide, cupid shuffle, Cotton Eye Joe, and Soldier Boy.

Although Ben didn’t mind, he did enjoy the slow dances where he could hold Danny close and whisper sweet nothings into his ear. “I love you so much, babe."

Danny softly smiled. His head was rested on Ben’s shoulder as they slowly swayed to the beat of the music. "I know you do. I love you too, Ben.” He lifted his head to look at his husband. “Happy late birthday, baby.” Danny kissed Ben lovingly.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Michael in the Mainstream: Aquaman

Aquaman is an absolutely fantastic film. There’s really no getting around that simple fact; this film is a delight, a grand, epic, cheesy 80s adventure film throwback to rival even the best and brightest of that genre. Imagine, if you will, if Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Return of the King had a baby, and you have a general idea of the kind of film Aquaman is. The best part is that who on Earth could have ever seen this coming?

As I’m sure you’re all aware, Aquaman has long been the butt of jokes to casual audiences due to his perceived uselessness that was showcased in the old Superfriends cartoon, a cartoon that’s not exactly the best if you’re looking for accurate portrayals of all the characters involved. Even after decades of other cartoons giving him more to do, Aquaman never entirely was able to shake off that image, even when Jason Momoa was cast. It certainly didn’t help he got his debut in the much-reviled Justice League, where he was given a bit of a harsher attitude and a hideous costume. Then came the poster for this film with its stock image shark, and things looked pretty bleak. How could Aquaman hope to be a good film with all of this stacked against it?

The true brilliance lies in the decision by its director, James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring), to toss out just about everything Justice League established about Aquaman in regards to his personality and backstory, instead opting for a lighter, more fun take on the character. Normally such serious retconning would be atrocious and awkward… but it really makes this film work so much better. Aquaman is no longer a bitter character, he has no resentment towards his mother (instead having it directed at Atlantis for what they DID to his mother), he’s a fresh take on the character and it really is a difference of night and day. I liked Aquaman in Justice League, and I liked that movie; I loved Aquaman here, and I loved this film just as much.

So what exactly is Aquaman doing in his solo film? Arthur Curry (AKA Aquaman), after wanting nothing to do with Atlantis due to executing his mother, is forced to go to the sunken city by Mera (Amber Heard), who along with Arthur’s mentor Vulko(Willem Dafoe) think Arthur is the only man who is right for the throne of Atlantis. This is mainly due to Arthur’s half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) is a bit of a surface-hating warmonger who wishes to end the tyranny of humans and their pollution of the sea by the most violent means possible by attaining the title of Ocean Master by uniting the remaining kingdoms of the sea into an unstoppable army. There’s an ancient artifact Mera and Vulko believe could aid Arthur, a legendary trident lost to the ages that holds incredible powers and will certainly ensure a half-breed like Arthur is accepted as the one true king who can unite Atlantis and the surface. And so the film becomes a journey for Arthur to discover this lost artifact before Orm amasses his army, along the way finding out what it truly means to be king and also maybe stealing the heart of his half-brother’s betrothed.

The film’s greatest strengths do not lie in its story – I think most will admit this is a pretty generic and even cliché story, albeit one that is enjoyable (cliché does not equal bad, something more people need to realize) – but in its other elements, most notably the visuals. This movie is absolutely gorgeous. The shots of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis but Wakanda and Pandora to shame, and really do look like something out of a comic book. And speaking of comics, Aquaman’s enemies translated very well to live action, with Orm and especially Black Manta looking absolutely fabulous in live action. Black Manata is especially notable, since it would have been so easy to make his iconic suit look stupid or silly, but not only does it look perfect and accurate, Black Manta does not lose an ounce of cool factor in the process.

The performances across the board are almost universally fantastic. It should be noted, however, that Momoa and Wilson are both really carrying the brunt of the film on their shoulders, and doing it nearly effortlessly. Momoa is just an absolute blast to watch, his take on Aquaman is just so much fun, so charming, it’s practically impossible to hate him (though he does deliver a couple of lame jokes here and there). Wilson, on the other hand, portrays a villain who is at once sympathetic and understandable but also ruthless and underhanded. Orm feels like the DC answer to Black Panther’s Killmonger, an emotionally complex and personal villain that you can’t help but root for a little bit even though you also can’t wait to get see them taken down. Willem Dafoe is, as always, fantastic in his role as the wise mentor figure he seems to do a lot (John Wick and Finding Nemo both come to mind, and the latter is amusing as this is the second time he’s played an aquatic mentor figure), and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II brings a sense of vengeful ferocity and symapthy to Black Manta. The weak link in all of this is Amber Heard, who is just at best a painfully average actor and at worst is just mediocre. She doesn’t hold back the film and she has her moments, but she really does stick out as the weak link when surrounded by all sorts of other fantastic performances, the biggest of which (literally) is Julie Andrews… as the biggest kaiju imaginable. I’m not joking.

There are so many nice little touches here and there too, such as the incorporation of Momoa’s own cultural heritage into the character which becomes evident in a lot of places, the absolutely heartfelt and touching relationship between Arthur’s parents, the drumming octopus that shows up being a cameo from Topo, an octopus sidekick that’s pure Silver Age silliness… this movie is absolutely not short on time.

Now, it’s not without a few flaws, but they don’t majorly impact the movie. The film can feel a bit long, but whenever it seems like it’s getting a bit slow something exciting happens to engage you. Of course, that doesn’t excuse some parts that, while cool, could have been trimmed out such as the Black Manta sequence. But even this flaw is one I barely consider, because in such a big, epic movie, it needed a cool personal showdown between a vengeful minor antagonist and Arthur. Really, a lot of this film’s ‘flaws’ are like this; they’re there, but if you like this movie it’s seriously easy to justify them.

Now what can’t be justified is the rushed nature of Arthur and Mera’s relationship. Again, it is easy to justify – this film is a big genre throwback to 80s adventure films, with one example Wan has mentioned being Romancing the Stone, and movies like this tend to have the hero get the girl at the end – but the rushed nature combined with Heard’s weak performance make it a bit odd. It honestly made more sense for them to end the movie as good friends, which would have been more reasonable, and then save their inevitable romance for a future film. All this being said, considering Mera was Orm’s betrothed, this causes the hilarious realization as you watch the big kiss and see Arthur nearly grope Mera’s backside that he has successfully cuckolded his own half-brother. There’s really no way to be too hard on this film, every time I try I end up praising it in the same breath as I critique it.

This is a truly fun, exciting movie that really pushes superhero movies to new heights visually, and makes me excited to see what DC does next. This is truly a step in the right direction, and shows that Wonder Woman was not a fluke, and was in fact a sign DC was onto something when they gave great creators room to shine with charismatic actors. Frankly, I’d say this film is even better than Wonder Woman, on the basis of this film having a much stronger villain and a better and more consistent style, while maintaining the elements that made Wonder Woman good (a charming and charismatic lead that truly gets their character, strong supporting cast, excellent action). Yes this film is cheesy, yes it’s not going to appeal to everyone, yes it’s not perfect… but I can’t help but recommend this, because we need more movies this exciting and fun. I just loved every single minute of this.

Even Pitbull’s song.

[j-hellnah]

About Linda

Tagged by @girl-meets-disrespect as always thank you for the tag!

Idk who to tag tbh lol i’ll just tag @namspaghetti

If you could take any class in the world (it could be a language, dance, music, a traditional school subject, anything!) what would it be and why do you want to learn it?

Honestly I’ve always wanted to take a dance class. Since I was little I liked tap dancing and always wanted to learn but we were too broke to pay for those kind of classes. Any maybe a music class, I have an ear for music but i don't know keys or notes so i want to learn that too.

Who inspires you and why?

I honestly get inspired a little by a lot of people I know on a personal level. All my family inspire me to be a better person and to always love love love. For my friends, @ahfuu and @benma-lenma inspired me in high school to get better and more creative in art while I was in a big artist block (they still inspire me now). @beautaeful-taebooty inspires me to, it takes a lot to keep pushing through life for people. for like 3 other friends there aren't specific reasons why but they inspire me too.

What’s a strange skill or talent that you have?

Idk if it’s strange but I have a talent of learning a song very very quick.

What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good friend?

Being nonjudgmental. I think if you’re nonjudgmental, people have more confidence talking to you or sharing things they wouldn’t share to everyone. You can gain a person’s trust through this and trust is one of the most important things to me. I try to never judge my friends (in a serious manner) and try to understand their thought process and actions. Which is why a lot of people tend to confide in me (which i don't mind at all)

Is your aesthetic more nature or outer space if you had to pick one of those two and why?

hmmmm. I think maybe Nature. Idk I just love the colors and the atmosphere nature has. I think space is too open and quiet and it would feel too big for me. though the stars and sky are beautiful

What do you wish you were doing right now?

hanging out with @namspaghetti, I seriously can’t wait to meet you in person!

What is your fashion taste?

The thing is I have fashion sense but never apply them to myself lmao. I’m to shy to wear clothes a lot people my age wear so I just stick to jeans/joggers. sweaters, and sneakers. I do want to try to dress differently than I do, but i have to go shopping first.

If you could have any hair style and color instantly what would it be? Why?

I want a pink ombre but I’m actually doing that soon lol but maybe longer hair. I haven’t had my hair long since i was 11 (It was passed the bra line) so i’ve been growing it out.

What’s your dream pet and what would you name it?

I want a pitbull so bad ;;-;; I follow so many bully and pitbull instagram accounts and i just die whenever i see them. I used to have one when i was 6 and i loved him to death.

You can add any song to your fav groups concert setlist that isn’t already on it. Which song would you add and why?

TO. THIS. DAY. I AM INSULTED EXO DIDN’T PERFORM EL DORADO IN EXOLUXION 2016. I WAS DYING TO HEAR BAEKHYUN KILL THAT HIGH NOTE.

Something that you like that you didn’t initially expect to like?

hmmmm I wanna say painting! I’m more of a drawer so taking a color theory and painting class made me a little nervous and even know I’m not amazing at it I do like it a lot.

[darling-i-fancy-you]

8, 11, 17 and 38 because I love you and you're an amazing writer so I'm curious (also I love getting these too so I like givin' them to other people) 😘

I love you and confessions was amazing as is all of your work, literally in awe of your writing!

8. Talk about the thing that you are most proud of:

Okay so this isn’t an object or something I’ve written or done but its rather who I am. Nothing makes me prouder of myself then when people tell me I make them laugh, that they find me hilarious and that they always know they can count on me to make them cry laughing. It makes me really happy that I can have such a positive effect on the people that I love! 

11. Talk about the best dream you have had:

I have two kinds of dreams, ones that are super vivid and feel just like real life, where I just go about my day to day business but you know maybe somethings a little off and so you know it’s a dream. On the other hand I also dream up a lot of fanfics, could be ones I’ve read or ones I intend on writing but they’re some of the best dreams because they’re usually like mini-movies in my head! (Last nights dream for example was me dreaming about what’s going to happen in my Soulmate Colour AU, so watch out for that!)

17. Talk about someone you want to be friends with: 

The kind of people I make really good friends with are the ones who aren’t afraid to make themselves look silly with me. My longest best friend is really cool on the outside, she’s beautiful and acts really sophisticated but when she comes round to my house or I go round to hers we go back to being the silly little 7 year old’s we were when we first met. That’s the way it is with a lot of my friends, we can talk in stupid voices, send each other ridiculous snapchats, ironically duet with each other to some High School Musical. But then we can also go out for grown-up lunch dates and support each other through the toughest times, offer serious relationship advice and can offer a shoulder to cry on.

38. Talk about a song that reminds you of certain people: 

Simply Frank Sinatra’s My Way will always remind me of my Grandad. 

But on a lighter note Timber by Pitbull always reminds me of my boyfriend for hilarious reasons. 

Thank you for asking me these, love you!!!!!!! (Also do you have a tag list and am I on it?)

[elizabethcariasa]

Time to place your Super Bowl LIV prop bets

And be ready to pay tax on your winnings

Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Jimmy Garoppolo of the 49ers will lead their teams Sunday, Feb. 2, in Super Bowl LIV.

Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Jimmy Garoppolo of the 49ers will lead their teams Sunday, Feb. 2, in Super Bowl LIV.

I've been to Las Vegas. I love that city. But I know nothing about betting.

My gambling, aside from a half hour or so at a Sin City slot machine years ago, is losing a few bucks on a lottery ticket every time the Powerball or MegaMillions jackpot is ginormous. Yes, I do have a ticket on my kitchen counter waiting to break my heart after tonight's Powerball drawing.

But I do love the annual Super Bowl prop bets. Not for wagering, but for seeing what wild things bettors can come up with in connection with the game and the specific teams.

Prop bets, just in case you don't know, are those wagers that are about some specific potential game occurrences, like which team and/or player will score the first points and how.

The really fun ones, though, are the ones only tangentially related to the National Football League (NFL) championship game.

Prop bet potential: Prop bets include things such as who will win the coin toss, how long will the singing of the national anthem take, will there be a wardrobe malfunction during the halftime extravaganza and what color Gatorade will be poured over the winning coach.

I am not alone in my love of gambling gimmicks.

An estimated $6 billion was wagered on last year's NFL championship game, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA). This year, the AGA predicts around 26 million Americans will wager a record $7 billion on Sunday's Feb. 2 match-up of the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.

VegasBetting.com says that about half of what's wagered each year on the biggest professional football game is placed on props.

If you're like me and millions of other fans, here are some of the more fun and/or goofy prop bets in connection with Super Bowl LIV.

Scoring on scoring: Let's start with the actual on-field prop possibilities, specifically scoring bets, since ultimately the Super Bowl is all about winning.

Things like kick-off or punt run-backs are always there. So are the aforementioned first score/scorers and which quarterback will have the best of various stats. There's also always the largest lead during the game, as well as the final score spread.

But I like point producers like safeties. These are rare in the regular season, so of course they get attention during the Super Bowl.

Rare, however, doesn't mean impossible. Back in 2014, a couple of lucky bettors got nice payouts when they bet that the first score in Super Bowl XLVIII would be this 2-pointer.  

There are also props on missed scoring opportunities. Another rare, but perfect as a prop bet, is whether there will be a double doink. That's the quasi-onomatopoeic term for when the kicker misses a field goal by having the ball bounce off of two uprights or an upright and the crossbar.

🚨SUPER BOWL PROP BET ALERT🚨 Will there be a double doink? Yes +700 No -1500 https://t.co/u4ZlvkgPtx 🏈🏆 pic.twitter.com/ugvCKawwmf

— MyBookie Sportsbook (@betmybookie) January 28, 2020

  Or the 3D — doink doink damn! — if it's your teams' off-target kicker.

A double doink actually is hard to do, so it's unlikely. But if you bet that this kicker's worst nightmare will happen and it does, you could be a props winner.

Another nightmare is blown leads, and the reappearance of Kyle Shanahan makes that a possibility a popular prop bet.

Shanahan, San Francisco's head coach, was last in the NFL championship game as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons when they faced the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. In that game, the Falcons surrendered 31 unanswered points, giving the Pats the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. Yep, some folks are betting on whether Shanahan's 'Niners will fold this Sunday.

And since this is the first Super Bowl appearance for the Chiefs in 50 years, how many times will we see clips of the team in Super Bowl IV?

Political prop payouts: But the most fun, especially for folks who aren't fans of football itself or either team, are the bets on things not related to on-field plays.

2020 is an election year, so naturally there are some political prop bets.

Many integrate the big game and Donald J. Trump's love of Twitter, such as will he:

Predict a winner before the kickoff?

Tweet during the game?

Tweet about the game during the game?

Congratulate the winning team via a tweet?

There's also betting on which will be higher, the winning team's final points scored or the number of Trump tweets.

Traditional nonsports prop bets: And, of course, there are the usual prop bet suspects that don't have anything to do with what the Chiefs or 49ers do.

Before the game, the singing of the Star Spangled Banner gets a lot of attention from television viewers and bettors. From the wagering perspective, it's generally an over-under bet, with two minutes being the marker.

This year, the timing spotlight will be on pop singer Demi Lovato. Last year, Gladys Knight's rendition of the national anthem was 2 minutes and 1 second. Bets are being taken on whether Lovato will go longer or shorter.

Halftime show headliners are Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. Both entertainers have been known to wear daring outfits, so bettors are placing money on whether one of those will be as unintentionally revealing as Janet Jackson was in the Super Bowl XXXVIII wardrobe malfunction performance break 16 years ago.

Shakira and J-Lo ready to bring down the Super Bowl LIV house at halftime.

On a more family friendly halftime topic, you can bet on what songs will be performed at halftime and whether both of this year's halftime stars will sing in Spanish?

Given the musical celebrities who live in the Miami area, which is where the game is this year, there also are props on whether Ricky Martin and/or Pitbull will make unannounced state appearances.

And, of course, there are the bets on how many times Fox TV will show and/or interview J-Lo's fiancé Alex Rodriguez.

When the game is finally over, the odds right now are that the winning coach will be soaked in red Gatorade. That's not a surprise, since red is the primary uniform color of both teams, although it will be the Chiefs with the colorful jerseys since they are the game's designated home team. Last year, the blue-based Patriots doused Bill Belichick with blue sports drink.

Stay alert: Note that as with all gambling and sporting events, things can change quickly. If you're planning to put down a few (or more) dollars, keep your bookie on speed dial or, more likely, stay signed on to your online wagering option.

If you're into betting, VegasBetting.com has a list of current Super Bowl related odds.

The New York Post has what it says are the prop bets that give you the best chance to win.

The Washington Post lists what it sees as the best Super Bowl prop bets, from the serious to the silly.

Don't forget your taxes: And, of course, here's my annual obligatory reminder that if you win any bet, from tonight's lottery drawing to a local raffle to a Super Bowl wager (prop or otherwise), your winnings are taxable income that you must report to the Internal Revenue Service.   

Uncle Sam would greatly appreciate it if you would follow through after your big take.

Although folks no longer have to go to Nevada to place sports bets, thanks to the Supreme Court ruling that gave state the right to legalize gambling within their borders, the expanded legal wagering still doesn't guarantee the IRS is getting its legal cut.

You also might find these items of interest:

NFL wins, Super Bowl host city taxpayers lose

Presidential debate prop bets are 'bigly' business

Hungry for some football watching food? Your Super Bowl party budget better include party snack taxes

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[thesinglesjukebox]

KESHA FT. BIG FREEDIA - RAISING HELL

[6.38]

Kesha with Big Freedia Energy

Leah Isobel: Kesha has been saddled with one of the heaviest narratives of 2010s pop music, which combines uneasily with her career-long interest in more grounded country and rock signifiers. Now when she works with those impulses, as she did on Rainbow, the effect is one of refutation; Animal becomes an outlier that she made against her will, one that doesn't represent the Real Kesha. To work her way back to the party music that made her reputation, she has to adapt it to the new narrative frame that surrounds everything she does. If she's having fun, she's having fun in spite of what she experienced; partying is no longer an end into itself, but an escape from something else. Hence, "Raising Hell" deploys one of the hackiest pop tropes - gospel choirs used as a shortcut for sincere emotion - married to a pretty decent Big Freedia drop. It's not awful, but I miss the actual, honest-to-god trashiness that she made her stock in trade. In 2019, I guess I'm the only one. [6]

Thomas Inskeep: Finally, an uptempo Kesha record that a) isn't touched by the evil Dr. Luke, and b) doesn't sound like the result of a three-day vodka-and-Red Bull bender, and c) is actually fun. I'm not a fan of the EDM horns in the chorus, but apart from those, this works. I'm a bigger fan of Big Freedia in theory than practice, and accordingly prefer her in small doses; she's quite effective here as a kind of DJ Khaled-esque hype-person. And Kesha sounds free and happy, which makes me happy. [7]

Kayla Beardslee: I'm glad Kesha got her balls back and all, but I'm not enthused that that means a return to honking 2012 pop-drops. I will admit, though -- the combined Kesha/Freedia "drop it down low" hook grows on me with every listen. The rest of the song is fine: it invites singing along and is fun in a hedonistic Ke$ha way, but it's also very, very noisy (lots of erratic shouts and claps in the background that, to me, lean more messy than energetic). My favorite part is the final chorus ("Can I get an amen"), which is a pleasantly melodic contrast to the rest of the track, a close second being the thrilling "aaugh!" Kesha does right before the second chorus. [6]

Alex Clifton: High Road appears to take the party-all-day spirit from Kesha's earlier work but mixed with the rawer, more down-to-earth material from Rainbow. In theory this is a dream come true, and there's so much about "Raising Hell" that makes it a joy to experience. The post-chorus is godawful, though. Tonally it doesn't fit and stalls the song from its natural flow. I'm also longing for the day that Big Freedia gets the feature she deserves: her appearance is mostly limited to drop-it-drop-it-drop-it-drop-it which is delivered well but also literally one-note. Kesha's trying to have it all ways she can--country and gospel and dance and bounce--which, as someone who likes a good genreproof song, I really respect. Unfortunately the whole package doesn't come together as fully as it could. [6]

Stephen Eisermann: "The best possible Andy Grammer single" is not what Kesha and Big Freedia should be collaborating on. This is a waste of time and talent and no amount of conviction from either participant can convince me otherwise. [4]

Alfred Soto: This sounds sacrilegious: instead of defiling a religion, it defiles my idea of Kesha. After proving herself up to thumbing her nose at any genre she experimented with, she acquiesces to gospel cliches. She's earned the right to want salvation in them, lord knows, but she needn't sound as if Julia Michaels was her pastor. [4]

Josh Buck: How do you have a hook like "I don't wanna go to heaven without raising hell" and video centered around prosperity gospel preachers and NOT make it a country song?? At this point, Kesha has proven that she can tackle a variety of genres, but this bounce effort just feels scattered instead of celebratory. I realize this a loaded statement and not at all meant to be a defense or endorsement of the man, but judging by Kim Petras' endless recent string of bangers, Dr. Luke may have been an irreplaceable ingredient in Kesha's more crowd pleasing, debauched pop efforts. In recent years, she's sound much stronger on her Struts and Eagles of Death Metal rock cuts, and i'd love to see her spend more time in that arena. This one reminds me a bit of the final album by The Donnas in terms of we-might-be-too-old-for-this vibes. [3]

Katherine St Asaph: The narrative, inevitable and damning, around Kesha was that in severing her ties to Dr. Luke, she lost her source of a signature sound. Rainbow, with its grabs at musical styles and Kesha's required-for-optics but personality-dampening show of penitence, didn't do much to dislodge it. Which is why "Raising Hell" is such a triumph: it's evidence that she was the source of her signature sound. The song feels massive; if sound alone determines a hit, this would be No. 1 everywhere. The hook is recognizably hers: a melody that's kin to "We R Who We R" and also to hymns. The drops r what they r; the interpolations are canny and nostalgia: an interlude of "My Neck, My Back" filtered through "Hollaback Girl," an interlude of preaching filtered through Prince. Freedia is incapable of sounding like she's phoning it in even when she is (I'm sure she'll do a lot of that in the next few years), and unlike Iggy Pop or the Eagles of Death Metal, she's an actually exciting guest pick, rather than one mostly exciting on paper to boomers. And throughout, Kesha recaptures the anarchic glee that made her career. [8]

Jonathan Bogart: Maybe it was my naïveté in 2010 that made her sound so recklessly out of step with the rest of pop; but her post-Luke music, however much better it has been for her soul, still sounds faintly like capitulation. The secular-gospel structure and chantalong melody followed by jump around breakdowns sound like every pseudo-celebration on the market: the saving grace is Freedia's booming authoritativeness (surely the angel Gabriel, when he tells the roll up yonder to drop it down low, sounds like her) and Kesha's impish use of language, dancing on the borders between sacrilege and piety, hooks it up to the great stream of American song, where there is no Sunday morning without a Saturday night. [8]

Kylo Nocom: Of all things, this reminds me of Vacation Bible School theme songs and the "Cheerleader" remix. I have scored this accordingly. [7]

Michael Hong: The bombast of early 2010s Ke$ha meets the soulful Kesha of Rainbow racing down that same road to self-empowerment. Ke$ha's talk-singing, a choir that makes a line like "bitch, I'm blessed" all the more enjoyable, drops mixed with the gospel influences, and Big Freedia's bounce make for a hell of a maximalist fantasy. [7]

Jackie Powell: When "Raising Hell" begins, it fools the listener. When the piano chords and Kesha's introductory vocalization grace my ears during the song's first five seconds, I'm convinced that a power ballad or at best a mid-tempo track is in store. But Kesha quickly changes direction. An explosion of camp from collaborator Big Freedia, a blaring saxophone in the chorus, the return of talk-singing in the verses and an epic build in the pre-chorus: it sounds very familiar. That's what Kesha wants. She wants us to feel like we are once again at a 21-century hoedown. (But without Pitbull this time.) On this track, Kesha proves that both she and her fans can be "animals" while simultaneously being people with "fantastic souls", which might have been something missing from the pre-Rainbow eras. Here, however, Kesha desires fun and a rebellion that are a rejection of evil behavior and suffocating authority figures. She's not just sticking it to the man without a purpose. That's the difference between Kesha of 2019 and Ke$ha of 2009. "Kesha got her balls back and they're bigger than ever," she said in the album trailer for High Road. But I don't agree with that. She's had them since her inception. Her evolution has been honest, which is something that not all artists can say. [7]

Isabel Cole: MY! GIRL! Having proven herself an actual musician to every idiot man in the country, Kesha (perhaps sick of being so serious) gleefully returns to her favorite stomping ground of, well, glee. Raising Hell makes text what has always been the implicit mission of the Kesha project: a commitment to the fundamental sacredness of joy. It's hard to imagine a more succinct encapsulation of her ethos than "I'm all fucked up in my Sunday best / no walk of shame cuz I love this dress": it's not that she takes no pleasure in the transgression of elevating ass-shaking to the level of the divine, but it's a gentle mischief born of the deep belief in the holiness of enjoying our corporeal gifts while we still can. Feeling good is a form of worship, and a killer beat is no less legitimate an access point than a hymn. When she combines markers of religiosity with artifacts of base delights (my favorite is "Solo cup full of holy spirits," although I also adore the the vulgarity of "bounce it up and down where the good Lord split it"), the point is not to revel in contradiction but to toast to the fact that there is no contradiction; and when she opens her scope in the coda, dedicating her preaching or perhaps this round of shots to the misfits of creation, there's a (frankly Piscean) generosity to it. Also, (1) it slaps (2) biiiiiiiiiiiiiitch I'm blessed (3) her voice sounds just wonderful, as dextrous with an implicit smirk as ever and with a thrilling power on the places she gets to soar; I love the bit of grit we get in the chorus, like she's singing this after a night out (4) it FUCKING slaps (5) "I'm still here still, still bringing it to ya": ten years since TiK ToK this month, and the party still don't start till she walks in. [10]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[lifebylyd-blog]

2011 Top Karaoke Pop Songs #1 - Rolling In The Deep - Adele (Many people assume Adele becoming a black singer due to sound of her voice but she's not. What you hear from her are powerful vocals while using feel of emotion behind every note. That is precisely what an excellent singer wants coming from a song. The challenge bluetooth speaker with microphone for almost any singer with 'Rolling In The Deep' is matching the emotion and feeling that Adele puts in her original version. Of course you can get away with the inability to match Adele's vocal quality yet still please your audience if you are a six years old girl singing this song with your heart, as did Alexa Narvaez on YouTube with currently over 13 million views.) #2 - Someone Like You - Adele (Yes, Adele comes in with all the top two Pop songs for 2011. 'Someone Like You' speaks of somebody going to terms with the fact that her past lover has moved. She wishes him the top and sings that she will quickly realize 'someone like you', claiming to possess come to terms with all the status with their break-up but obviously revealing otherwise. Perhaps this song became so popular since the majority individuals experienced our hearts broken in the same way that this song relates.) #3 - Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO with Lauren Bennett & Goonrock (Well I thought LMFAO must be a band, with possibly each letter of this group's name representing one of these members. Man, am I ever from the loop. LMFAO is short for for Laughing My Freaking Ass Off. LMFAO is truly a duo consisting of Motown founder's Berry Gordy's youngest son Stefan aka Redfoo and his grandson Skyler aka SkyBlu. The song was considered one of the most popular dance songs of 4 seasons. If it's fun to dance to then it have to be fun to sing.) #4 - On The Floor - Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull (If anybody remembers the Lambada from 1989 you'll without doubt see the borrowed beat for the main riff. What can we expect for J-Lo's newest single? Maybe a reworking technique main riff from 'Islands In The Stream' or 'Afternoon Delight'.) #5 - You And I - Lady Gaga (Unlike the majority of Lady Gaga's tunes as well as perhaps only a shade less successful as several of Gaga's dance songs, this tune was highly requested as being a karaoke song. 'You And I' is often a bluesy, rock and country inspired ballad that mildly samples the classic Queen song 'We Will Rock You'.) #6 - Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera (This song has a catchy hook and was popular among the karaoke crowd, and what has got more inviting is that it is really a female/male duet.) #7 - Mr. Know It All - Kelly Clarkson (The original American Idol continues to be going strong five studio albums later. This song yet again capitalizes on strong vocals as well as the hook 'you do not know anything about me' will remain in your thoughts long after the final note from the song is played.) #8 - Lighters - Bad Meets Evil & Bruno Mars (Bad Meets Evil is a duo consisting of rappers Royce da 5'9" and Eminem. This duo actually was formed before Eminem gained his mainstream popularity in 1999, they broke up and now have since reunited. The song 'Lighters' is an alternative hip-hop song, completely different from serious rap, especially with all the added vocals of Bruno Mars.) #9 - We Found Love - Rihanna (Rihanna yet again hits the very best with the charts having a catchy dance song. Many versions of this song also list Calvin Harris inside the credits but we have not heard a duet version or any version that feature vocals aside from Rihanna's.) #10 - I Do - Colbie Caillat (Like Colbie Caillat's first single Bubbly, this song is a happy, happy-go-lucky sunny day song that speaks of taking relationships one stage further. A perfect tune for the optimistic romantic.) Honorable Mention: Mistletoe - Justin Bieber (Some people may wonder why Justin Bieber is once more and not on the most notable 10. He also didn't make the very best ten with some of his songs this year, possibly because although his songs use a broad appeal, with regards to singing them you will see an extremely smaller audience. Collectively karaoke versions of his songs sold more than another artist in 2011; Justin Bieber was the best selling Karaoke artist of 2011. The late season discharge of 'Mistletoe' nearly made the superior 10. It was highly requested in late November and December. Many long for a whole new, new holiday song this also song filled that need precisely.) Top 2011 Karaoke Country Songs #1 - Dirt Road Anthem - Jason Aldean (This song covers country life but adds just a little 'country rap' within the mix. Very popular tune and choice for karaoke singers.) #2 - Just Fishin' - Trace Adkins (This song is approximately a father and daughter fishing together. Another feel good country song that pulls in your heart strings.") #3 - Country Girl (Shake It For Me) - Luke Bryan (This song is pretty not the same as the sooner hit by Luke Bryan 'Rain Is A Good Thing'. The title should be a clicking giveaway until this song is not a ballad or a story song. It is often a coming-right-at-you dance tune that caught on and became one of the most requested country songs to sing.) #4 - Hell On Heels - Pistol Annies (There are some songs which are country cross overs; songs that may be played on both the Pop Charts as well as the Country Charts. Not this song, it's definitely country. The Pistol Annies produce a statement of the woman's wrath, singing 'sugar daddy I'm comin' for you'. ) #5 - You Lie - The Band Perry (Another country tune about an unhappy relationship. You lie like a Persian rug, being a coon dog basking in the sun, as being a penny in the parking lot. It seems many a country song is all about that bitter feeling that you can achieve after they find out that their lover isn't so significant the ones really adore to sing about it.) #6 - Honey Bee - Blake Shelton (This catchy tune did well about the Billboard 100 in addition to going Number 1 for the country charts. The broad appeal from the song (along with the undeniable fact that individuals were singing it) helped use it into the superior ten of our list.) #7 - Barefoot Blue Jean Night - Jake Owen (This song reminisces about the fun one had on his southern summer barefoot blue jean night. His buddy Frankie got installed with a Cadillac with horns on the hood! ) #8 - Story Of Us - Taylor Swift (an upbeat tempo song that by it's title might indicate the song could be of a happy relationship. Unfortunately the chorus is 'the story people is a tragedy now.') #9 - This Is Country Music - Brad Paisley (Though significantly less commercially successful as a few of Brad Paisley's earlier hits, 'This Is Country Music' epitomizes what many feel a country song is all about. Country music fans usually takes pride in that their music often has some substance in it's lyrics or message, which is not typical with a pop tune.) #10 - Just A Kiss - Lady Antebellum (Lady Antebellum songs are extremely popular within the karaoke world because with their duet capability. The way that Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott effortlessly switch lead vocals of their original renditions make many singers want to do the same inside the karaoke versions. The challenge is finding two singers with all the same vocal abilities of Lady Antebellum's lead singers.) So, again, another year has provided us with a slew of new music. So you, the karaoke singer, must stop singing the same old tune. You don't want to subject the group to at least one more time of singing exactly the same song that you just sing week after week, it doesn't matter how good you sing that song. There is plenty of new karaoke music from which to choose. Sometimes it may seemed that there is no good new music on the market. However it might appear this way as you have gotten in the habit of playing your 'iPod' together with your pre-selected choices in music. Start making it a habit of listening to radio or activating a music channel more regularly, you are going to find plenty of the latest selections from which to choose.

[what-the-fuck-the-world]

An Interview With Drug Money USA

By Adam Roye Artwork by Matthew Bellosi Photos by AR and DMUSA

*from scumrag #1 (nov. 2016)

Drug (ar)

NAME / AGE / ORIGIN ? If you see me in Atlanta, you're going to hear choruses of people calling me "Drug," but my God given name is Charlie. I'm in my late twenties and I'm from Texas. I miss it there.

WHERE ARE YOU BASED NOW ? I live in St. Louis (for ascetic reasons). I make the Atlanta trip a couple times a month, but I've lived there for longer durations too, like 6 months at a time. For a while, I lived down there in this huge house with Yakki (formerly Yakki Divioshi), who is one of my favorite rappers of all time. Lil Silk was in the building of course too. Lotto Savage. Shout out to Guccio & Yayo Gang in St. Louis. Free Twank Banks. Geek Monster Gang. Keep your eyes peeled for the Mansion documentary shot by me and edited by Silk himself. A very piped up inside look into the life. I was always, always filming, whatever we were doing.

Yakki (dmusa)

HOW’S YOUR DAY GOING ? Man, honestly, it was a stressed out, kinda shitty day. A lot of them are like that it seems, but I'm so, so proud of what I'm doing that I can't help but think it's worth it. I feel like I'm helping ensure that some very singular, important art comes to fruition. And at the end of the day, I couldn't live with myself not doing this. It's really taken over a lot of my life, but I think that this is the role I was supposed to fill.

*note: I'm having a better day as I'm coming back to finish these questions. They aren't all bad. I have to remind myself sometimes.

CARE TO BREIFLY DESCRIBE YOUR HISTORY / INVOLVEMENT WITH MUSIC, BANDS, SHOWS, ETC ? I've definitely been involved in music for a long time. I grew up in the hardcore scene in Houston. I'll always have love for that place and those people. All of my dogs in Austin too, of course. I released the Total Abuse demo on Drug Money Records and I've gone on tour with them almost every time they've ever toured. Rusty and I go way back. I collect records pretty hard, or I used to and now I mostly just enjoy what I have, because I'm so busy with everything else. I was always into rap, which isn't that special of a fact or anything, especially in Houston. My friend Masoud was an OG coach of mine back like way back on Houston rap. You could still buy the tapes from the old Screwed Up Records & Tapes location on Cullen then. I'll never forget that he advised me on picking up Dancin' Candy, P's n Q's, and maybe another one. I wonder where all those tapes went. He also tipped me off on K-Rino way back when. So because of Masoud, I was corresponding with K-Rino in high school. And I should mention too that there was a band from Houston called Eyeagainst and they touted Aquemini super hard. that was probably my first really serious dance with Atlanta rap. I was awed.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE DMUSA... ? ANY LABELS YOU WOULD PLACE ON IT, MAYBE TO DESCRIBE TO SOMEONE WHO IS COMPLETELY CLUELESS ? Good question. I would say that I'm involved with all levels of making rap music. The range of shit I have to do really has no limits. I release singles on my YouTube channel (and some on Soundcloud too), and now I'm releasing mixtapes. I connect the rapper and producer, arrange for the studio time to go down, and help conduct the goings on. I shoot videos and take photos of the process and life in Atlanta constantly. I set shows up in Atlanta and St. Louis when I can, and DJ, and make cassettes of my mixes (titles available from WTFTW and 6/27 Tapes). I get a lot of help from my friends. It's really refreshing to work with my dear friend Brodinski, because he has the same tireless drive to make this shit happen that I have, and really shares my vision more than anyone else I know. We are on the same page to a pretty wild degree. The projects I work on with him bring me great joy and make me feel like I'm not totally losing my mind. He's a true kindred spirit and I really value him. Total master of his craft, too. But yeah, bottom line, I would say Drug Money USA's central mission is making rap happen the right way.

HOW DID DRUG MONEY START, AND HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE EVOLUTION TO NOW (IF ANY) ? Really, I would say that it started off with a man named Stebo, who is a mover and shaker behind the scenes. I debuted a few of his tracks. I debuted a couple serious heaters from him at the beginning that really gave me some momentum. After that, I just started making more and more connections. Early on, I was getting joints from some guys I knew from their music and early affiliation with Young Thug, like Yung Zoo, YL Stunna (one of my favorite rappers of all time, also on Thug's ICFN2), and Justin Hunter (then Raymond Reedy). I'd do all this work for their own songs, so guys like Zoo would float me their songs with Thugger as exclusives too. Free Zoo. Joints from Papertrail 550, who is the fucking man, some of those featuring Casino and Bloody Jay and the Black Migo Gang. I was just connecting the dots between all the music I loved and making lasting friendships along the way. And these songs I was getting were (and remain) among some of my favorite rap music being made, so I was like, I guess I really have to do this, like, all the time. I had been working on this stuff for a couple of years before I started spending real deal time in Atlanta, and I didn't exactly know how it was going to translate when I showed up in person. But I went down there and had a place to lay my head, thanks to Guccio, living with some of the most vibrant talents in Atlanta in Yakki and Silk and company, and I got a call from Bloody Jay the night I arrived in town. We had a talk that brought a tear down my cheek within seconds, I kid you not. That is an incredible man. Free Bloody Jay. He's one of my favorite rappers ever. Of all time. And just an indomitable creative spirit. He's going to rule the world with words when he gets out. We need his voice right now, especially now. But anyway, Jay and I link up that night, which was surreal and a real dream for me (as well as a whole story unto itself), and around 5 AM, I get back to the house, where Yakki teases me for going to sleep because there was still something to be smoked. And that first night set the tone for my time in Atlanta that continues to this day. There's been hard times and losses and frenzied, really stressed out moments, but I've kept my head up the entire time, ever forging ahead. Now I have more songs to release and more work to contend with and more projects to work away on than I could have ever imagined. It really evolved into a scene unto itself. I'm working with all the people I want to work with. I'm helping make the music I would otherwise be clamoring for, so it's really a dream.

YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL HAS 40K+ SUBSCRIBERS, ARE YOU SUPER RICH NOW ? I'll go to bat for my people and zealously advocate for the artists I work with, but I'm not so business minded when it comes to my own stake. I never wanted to impede anyone from listening to these new artists or cheapen the experience, especially for the music I was personally presenting. And it just stuck that way. No advertisements. No YouTube monetization. I really like when my friends tell me that they spent a few interrupted hours listening to my uploads. I like that my channel doesn't promote anything but the music and the people behind it. I'm just too invested in that vision to break away from it right now.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE EARLIER TRACKS YOU HELPED EXPOSE THAT INCREASED YOUR LEGITIMACY/VIEWERSHIP ? I started off with a bang, or a couple of bangs actually, courtesy of the very underrated Young Stebo, who I mentioned before. They were these songs with Young Thug ("Foreign Cash") and Ola Playa ("Started From the Bottom," also featuring YC). Really these very underrated songs that are almost like Killed by Death style Atlanta rap cuts. He has incredible songs by himself as well as as true classics with all of the then-burgeoning stars. Thug, Playa, Bloody Jay, Wicced, Yung Booke, Rich Homie Quan, everybody. His recent music has been incredible too, so stay on the lookout for more from Stebo.

Twice (dmusa)

FAVORITE PROJECT OR EVENT YOU’VE DONE ? My favorite project I've dropped so far has to be Twice's Zachary: Double It Up 2, which you did the artwork for. I put my everything into that project. Twice and I had already been working together for a while when he caught a case. After that, we really ramped it up and spent his last free days recording in his mom's basement while he was stuck sitting on an ankle monitor. Spaghetti J engineered over mostly Spaghetti J beats and we pumped out some unreal songs down there, with these pretty serious pitbulls looming behind us in the backyard. Big dogs like Tay Slime Ass and YL Stunna dropped by and recorded classics with Twice. Young upstarts Lil Patt and Slimelife Shawty came by and made some magic with Lil Double Up too. There's really no one like Twice, and I mean that. In South Atlanta, this mixtape is seriously a cherished classic. That's the correct school of thought, in my mind. It should be celebrated everywhere. It's really lyrical, thoughtful trap music straight from the heart of the jungle. He's got a real classic on there with Young Thug as well, called "No Wendy's", which you actually did the single artwork for too. Bless you for that. It's over the "Controlla" beat and it's one of my favorite songs of all time. He's not like other rappers his age. His favorite rappers are Drake, Jadakiss, and Fabolous, and he goes in over an Eve beat on "Runnin' Up", but his rap is still distinctly Atlantan. It's the perfect balance. He's an old soul with a serious voice, wise behind his years but prone to mistakes, just like anybody else. I pray for his release. Free Twice. I actually dropped his first songs (with YL Stunna) back in February of 2014, so Zachary was a long time coming for me. I listen to it everyday.I'm really, really excited about Young Slime Season, the upcoming 20 track mixtape featuring all the young Slimes, the young crew, that I'm dropping with Brodinski and Bromance Records a couple of days before Thanksgiving. We've been working on it for a long time. It's a really huge project. It really represents the voice of the youth of Cleveland Ave. The central players on the album are Babysnake, B Slime, Lil Clockk, Maja Got It, No Mask Nuk, Lil Patt, Lil Reek, Slimeball Kelly, Slimelife Shawty, Lil Tay, The Homie Cashyy, Twice, YL G Baby and Zack Slime Fr. But it features contributions from a couple of the big dogs too, like YSL Hitta, YL Zoe, MPA Bukk Bukk too, as well as a couple of tracks featuring Atlanta star B La B, who is an entity all his own. It's really a sprawling journey, running the gamut from these perfectly crafted melodic gems to these very rambunctious songs with like 6 rappers a pop. You can hear the urgency and vitality of the youth on every track. The production is really otherworldly too. I'm dropping YSS with Bromance Records, so the producers on it are either directly from that camp or close affiliates. Peerless music. I have actually been listening to Myd, who produced a few flawless tracks on the project, since 2009, when Air France put his track "Train to Bamako" on an online mix. And now I have tracks with my favorite young rappers today rapping to his music. It's unreal. So it's these very fresh, often unorthodox rappers with this production that also isn't like anything else in rap music either, or any music period. The production is indispensable, and the music just couldn't have come from anyone else, with regard to both the rapping and the production. The producers on there are Amine Edge & DANCE, Bobby Swan, Brodinski himself, Ikaz Boi, Mister Tweeks, Myd, Myth Syzer, and Ryan Hemsworth. It could not sound better. It's such a vital document. I'm like dying, I can't wait for it to drop. I'm so proud of what we made.I'm really proud of The Return of Cheat Code too. My friend Diaz and his big dog James really helmed all the mixing and mastering and a lot of the preparations for that one. Then Bame Cheat Code is his next project, which we will also be releasing. It'll be here in December and it might just happen to feature a certain big snake, if you know what I mean. Welcome home, Cheat. His influence can't be overstated. Just listen to yesteryear's "President Slide Show" with Kwony Cash and Young Thug.

Patt, Slimelife Shawty, Twice (dmusa)

I'm going to present the Black Roses mixtape, the first offering from the YL camp as a unit together, featuring an all-star cast of some big Slimes. It features YL Stunna, YL Zoe, YSL Hitta, Taliban France, and Money Game Boo. I have tapes coming out individually from each of those artists, as well as tapes on the way from B La B, YSL Maybach, Zack Slime Fr, and Lil Patt.

I also have a tape coming out with the Atlanta production duo Spaghetti J that is centered around Cleveland Ave/Jonesboro Rd. Spaghetti J are incredible, and we have been working on music for a couple years now actually, really amassing a library of killer, homegrown music that we are always still adding to. Our first installment is on the horizon though, and it's going to be something serious. We also have single artist projects we'll be releasing together with some of the rappers I listed above. Remember the name Spaghetti J, for real.

I've always shot the documentary footage, but more recently, I've been shooting a lot of music videos that I'm really excited about. The first three I'm dropping are from Tay Slime Ass, Rari Rokket aka Ferrari Smash, and Solid Lil Chris. Free Chris. After that, it's the "Drug Money" anthem from YL Stunna, YL Zoe, and Twice. I filmed it a while back. It's a perfect storm. That one is going to be my opus, I think. Double LP vinyl edition of Ola Playa's Slime Season is almost ready. Years in the making. The interview I did with Playa on my blog, actually, is one of the labors I'm most proud of. I'm also working on a petition for Money Game Boo to sing the National Anthem. Talk about a singular talent. His tape is going to cause earthquakes.

Hitta, Patt (dmusa)

IN ONE SENTENCE, WHY DO YOU DO DMUSA ? Because there has never been anything like this music and I feel uncontrollably compelled to do my part in making it happen.

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