Category: music

Taylor Gang or Die…

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Wiz Khalifa. If you haven’t heard that name, you will. Cameron Jabril Thomaz (more often refered to by his stage name Wiz Khalifa) has come a long way since 2005. From his first mixtape (Prince of the City: Welcome to Pitsolvania) to his most recent single (The now infamous “Black & Yellow”) he’s had the kind of journey most rappers only dream of. Now age 23, he has released eight mixtapes and two albums as well as making two mainstream hits, the first being “Say Yeah,” the electronic hip-hop style track from 2007, and the second being “Black & Yellow,” which is currently one of the five hottest songs in America.

Wiz Khalifa lives a life of ambition and focus when it comes to his career, saying on his second album, “It’s lonely at the top, I’m tired of having company.” Well, he may not be there just yet, but he’s been rising fast. This can be attributed to many things, including time and talent, but also his clever and resourceful use of the internet and other new media. He constantly updates his twitter page, telling his fans about anything from how his new song is coming to just how flat-out drunk he is, and his fans love him for it.

As he says at the end of his first verse in Black & Yellow, “No keys, push to start.” And as it would happen, push to start seems to be exactly the case. Wiz Khalifa has started the road to mainstream success, and he seems to be loving how it looks from here.

Stornoway

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Stornoway are a unique and individual folk band. Known for the hit Zorbing they have captured the attention of Indie and Folk lovers all over the globe. With sweet and melodic symphonies the country songs transport the listener to an idyllic spot.

Beachcomber’s windowsill is the perfect album for a sunny day. Reaching number three in the British indie charts, it includes singles such as I heard you Blink and Zorbing.

Classified as British alternative indie folk the band appeal to many. Originating from Oxford they typically portray the sounds of the British countryside. If foreigners want to familiarize with quaint English music this is the album for them.

Signed to the British Label 4AD the friends collaborate with a variety of instruments to create a sublime sound. This is a band to see live. Accompanied by a trumpeter they take to the stage awing the crowds.

With a selection of fast and slow songs their quirky lyrics transform what one would define as classic folk. Debuting at numerous festivals over the summer months including Glastonbury they have captured the hearts of many.

They are a real talent in their own right. Steering away from any real music genre they have managed to create a sound that is truly beautiful.

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Mariah Carey’s Baby Bump

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Just a few months ago, fans noticed an unfamiliar bump around Mariah Carey‘s usually fit and toned stomach. They were curious to know if Mariah Carey’s new tummy was a sign of pregnancy. Last October, Mariah Carey, American singing prodigy, confirmed the fans’ suspicions and announced that she was pregnant. Today, just a few hours ago, Nick Cannon, Carey’s wife, announced that they were expecting twins.

Nick Cannon informed the crew on 92.3 Now Radio that Mariah had first broke the happy news to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama after a performance.

“I haven’t even told my wife I was doing this, so I am probably going to get yelled at for not getting permission.” Nick Cannon stated.

Two years ago, Mariah and Nick suffered a miscarriage and were trying to keep the news relatively secret. According to Nick of a recent ultrasound, the babies are “healthy, in tip-top shape.”

Mariah is expecting the twins sometime in the upcoming spring, and the couple have yet to reveal the sexes of their twins. Fans are anticipating the arrival of the twins. Perhaps they will have Mariah’s voice or Cannon’s rhythm but only time will tell.

Imagine

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There’s a spot in Central Park under a cherry blossom tree just off the road where carriage drawn horses pass by next to yellow taxi cabs. It’s the place you know where nothing is real, this one section that’s simplistic meaning and powerful emotion flow freely in warm shafts of color in a cold, hard city setting. Looking through bent back tulips, we come across what is known as “Strawberry Fields.” It is a lovely, tiled, circular piece on the ground. Set as the sun, one word graces the center, partially covered by flowers and photographs laid there by thousands of adoring fans; “Imagine.”

imagine

John Winston Lennon, what is there that can’t be already said. The stories you’ve told and lives you’ve touched shall never be paralleled. Whether we’d be picturing ourselves in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies, or being welcomed by an Octopus into his safe and loving garden beneath the waves, there is nobody I’d rather listen to 8 days a week.

You took us on lyrical journeys through Yellow Submarines, to the wings of Black Birds, to the emotion carried in Oh Darling! and Here Comes the Sun. You’ve given me reasons to dance in Twist and Shout and I wanna hold your hand. You’ve given me headaches in Hey Jude.
Your words of wisdom have guided the many who have been fortunate enough to listen to your work. You’ve always reassured us that there will be an answer in our times of trouble and after Hard Days Nights we must remember, “Ob La Di, Ob La Da la la la la life goes on.” The world is lucky to have known you, and twice as lucky to remember you.

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I hope that there is a place for you to sing again. A place where you can preach your message of peace and love among all mankind, where you can tell the world that the Beatles are “bigger than Jesus,” and that you can supply Shea Stadiums biggest attendance figures, upstaging the New York Mets. Come to think of it, there is a place like that. Across the Universe, you are revered, celebrated, and your music will always be listened to rather than just heard. The message that we should all Come Together and Give Peace a Chance, is one that will never go away, all thanks to you. A symbol of love and friendship, a singer of song, a general in the British Invasion, and a true icon. So long John.

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“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.”
-John Winston Lennon

Jimmy Reed

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The blues world has had a great number of musicians, BB King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter. But one of the best, most underrated musicians is Jimmy Reed.  Jimmy Reed was the amazing, blues singer of the late fifties and sixtes. Some of his hit songs include “Ain’t that Lovin’ you Baby,” “Down in Virgina” and “Bright Lights, Big City.”

He was known not only for  his guitar playing and lazy singing, but also for his rampant alcoholism.  He would show up so drunk to his album recordings, that his wife would have to help him remember the lyrics. In one of his recordings, he even stops the song, talks about something else, then keeps it going again because he is so drunk. This later led to a case of epilepsy.

But no matter what his personal life was like, he will always be remembered as a pioneer for blues.

 

Daft Punk

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I can hardly believe I’ve gone this long without a Daft Punk post. Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo are not just legends of electro house, but icons of a musical generation.

While attending a French university, Bangalter and Manuel started a band with Laurent Brancowitz called Darlin’. The members themselves now admit the project was not their best work. A negative review by Melody Maker magazine claimed it was “a bunch of daft punk”. The trio had the last laugh however, as Brancowitz went on to form Phoenix and dominate electropop while the others donned robot helmets and made history.

Daft Punk rose to fame with the single Da Funk off of their debut album, Homework. The single entailed a music video by Spike Jonze for MTV. Shortly after, the duo signed to Virgin records and hired Pedro Winter as their manager. Eight years later, Busy P created the powerhouse French record label, Ed Banger. Daft Punk truly has the Midas touch.

Five studio albums later, the group is now producing the soundtrack to the upcoming Tron Legacy for Disney, which I can assume is the heftiest paycheck the duo has received in a while. That said, I’m sure they enjoyed the challenge of producing a movie score instead of a new album (See: SebastiAN’s OST for Notre Jour Viendre).

Daft Punk are legends of the French house scene. They headline and sell out every stadium they play. In fact, It has become somewhat of a rite of passage for DJs to remix a Daft Punk song with justice to the original (See also: SebastiAN’s Human After All remix).

Cultural context can transform your perception of music. Hopefully the next time you see Daft Punk, you think Daft punk, and not those guys with the robot helmets who made “One more time.”

MICHAEL

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This Is It… For the children of the 60’s all the way through to the 21st century it was hard to learn that their idol, role model, and King had finally sang his last song and passed away. But we all know that Michael Jackson’s music will live on throughout history for years and years.

King of Pop

Even after Jackson’s death his fans will be running to every store across the nation and around the world to buy his newest album. The  record entitled Michael contains 10 of the hundreds of songs that Jackson produced just a few years before his death. It is scheduled to make its debut on the 14th of this month and who knows how long it will be before every last copy is bought and the shelves of every department store, record store, and online store are empty.

M. Jackson

So, this is really it. One last walk on the moon after 51 years of musical excellence. Will we ever forget the man who put the “pop” into Pop Music? Probably not. His music will live on forever, continuously influencing todays artists.

In Loving Memory

Little Michael

Michael Joseph Jackson

(Aug. 29, 1958-June 25, 2009)

Spike Jonze

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Spike Jonze is not only one of the most versatile directors in the field, but his attention to minimalist style is unmatched. After all, how many directors do you know with their own stage name?

Jonze kicked off his career by making music videos for MTV back when they had music. He produced “100%” by Sonic Youth, solidifying his position as a directing prodigy. He makes high profile music videos to this day. His credits also include directing Daft Punk, Weezer, the Beastie Boys, R.E.M., Fatboy Slim, and recently Arcade Fire, with his beautiful take on “The Suburbs”.

Jonze is also one of the few people on this planet that can include both Where the Wild Things Are as well as the Jackass trilogy on his resume. Another interesting tidbit: his brother is the high profile DJ Squeak E. Clean, famous for his collaborations with the musical group N.A.S.A.

From super slow motion skateboarding videos with remote explosives, to elaborate costumes for CGI blockbusters, Spike Jonze is a brilliant director and one of the most respected names in the industry.

The Beatles Are On iTunes!

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“Tomorrow is just another day. That you’ll never forget.”

Apple displayed this arcane message on their website until 10 A.M. Eastern Standard Time on November the 16th. It has been replaced with a large monochrome picture of the Beatles with black bold letters reading, “The Beatles. Now on iTunes.”

This message is still presented on Apple’s website today. The Beatles have reached the Top 100 downloaded songs on iTunes within the first few weeks and still stands strong in its ranking.

Nerdfighters.

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Nerdfighter: (n) a person who is not composed of cells, bones, tissue, etc. but is instead composed entirely out of awesome.

Welcome to Nerdfighteria.

Hank and John Green, proud founders of Brotherhood 2.0 and Nerdfighteria, are two brothers who wanted to reconnect using only video blogs. The Vlogbrothers promote being weird or a bit off-center, proudly stating that being a nerd is one of the best things to be.

With three videos a week, Hank and John are still able to keep up with their “day jobs.”

Hank Green is the creator of the website ecogeek.org and is a comical musician, writing songs about Harry Potter, selling dogs on eBay, and giraffes.

John Green is an award-winning author, writing the books Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and the co-written Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

Their videos are humorous and sometimes rather informative.

I am very proud to be a Nerdfighter and encourage anyone to watch the Vlogbrothers’ videos and join Nerdfighteria.

DFTBA*, Nerdfighters, DFTBA.


*An initialism: Don’t Forget To Be Awesome