#“the messiah of the underground”

[skeksismars]

So, real talk right now. Since it's basically confirmed now that Viktor's going to get a full redesign and gameplay update after Arcane, does that mean that in Arcane he's going to get the third mechanical arm...or are they going to make a new model without it? It wouldn't make sense to me because every art of him has it, it's part of his design and his model...are they just going to scrap everything that Viktor has been and start from scratch from the bottom? That doesn't seem respectful to me they would be basically replace him with a totally different character...idk what my thoughts on this are but I don't want for current League Viktor to be completely remade, scrapped and forgotten.

[thelensofyashunews]

MAVI SHARES NEW ALBUM SHADOWBOX

Following a years-long hiatus, Charlotte's own MAVI has returned with his highly-anticipated third album shadowbox. The LP features an appearance from Michigan indie-R&B singer Malaya on "open waters" and arrives on the heels of recent singles "i'm so tired" as well as "drunk prayer", the visuals for which marked MAVI's first ever direction credits. 

Adorned in emotional, ultra-personal confessionals, the album follows the announcement of his forthcoming shadowbox tour, which kicks off in Raleigh, North Carolina, on September 7th and features MESSIAH! as support for the entirety of the tour as well as stints from PinkSiifu, Ovrkast., Chenayder, Vayda, Sideshow, Niontay, Igwe Aka, and Ahmir. On the new album, in the words of MAVI:

“I was really sad about the last album. I didn’t really know how to get back into making stuff into the way I like. I felt really hopeless about it, started getting really drunk, dealt with love and heartbreak, having to be there for my family. I had to come back and really learn how to make art all over again. My path back was centered around visual art, fashion, interior design, and design as an artistic framework and as an organizational force in society. A lot of the backbone of the album came from my time with this design book, 'The Black Experience in Design.' The idea I gained from that is design is power. The ability to determine the order of things, the way things are supposed to be…that’s power. The orderliness in the lives of the devoutly religious became an attractive subtext during the creation of this album.” Rooted in autobiography, MAVI's new album is bookended by raw vulnerability and soul-baring lyricism. The storybook success of his 2022 LP Laughing so Hard, it Hurts coincided with an onslaught of real-life problems, as MAVI battled the stark effects of grieving for a lost loved one, a messy breakup, and family issues — as well as the alcoholism and mental health struggles that soon followed. Inspired by substantial time spent in art museums during the making of the album, shadowbox is an unflinching portrait of this harrowing period in his life, as MAVI puts his heartbreak on full display, faces his struggles head-on — and often finds that he's shadow-boxing himself.

[therappundit]

PUNDIT PICKS: "THE CREAM" of the Crop [My Favorite Albums of 2024 (*so far*)]

ICYMI, my ongoing series on the best of 2024: https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/756082881246461952/the-pundits-picks-more-of-2024s-finest-part

***Please note: the selections on this list had to have dropped by 8/31/24, FYI***

Back in June/July, I began compiling what would become my ongoing "best of" list for 2024. I wasn't trying to rank my favorite music at that point, I was mostly concerned that the weekly onslaught of new music throughout the year could lead to a noteworthy piece of art missing these ears, and slipping through the cracks. I wanted to close out *the summer* with a list of my favorite albums of the year up through the end of summer, and I planned on releasing that list to public scrutiny at the end of Labor Day weekend...

It is now October.

Welp, plans are meant to be flexible, I guess. 😬 Timing be damned, I want to share with the world all of the shout-outs I possibly can, the cream of the crop, my favorite albums of the year as we closed out the summer season (bring on hoodie season, that tends to be when I feel like me the most).

And in no particular order, here are some of my favorite albums of 2024 [*up through the end of summer*]: Out Of The Blue by Blu & Shafiq Husayn, Lil Old Town by DJ Lucas & DVNTBEATS, WE DON'T TRUST YOU by Future & Metro Boomin, Pinball by MIKE & Tony Seltzer, For Hustlers Only by WB Nutty, MMCHT by Nickelus F., The Pride & Glory by Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious, Nubian Cruiser by Ronday, Black Box: JOSHUA IS DEAD by Joshua Virtue, Black & Whites by Big Hit, Hit-Boy & The Alchemist, the First to Make Contact When We Dap by R.A.P. Ferreira & Fumitake Tamura, Shadowbox by Mavi, EMBERGO_ by Nakama., DOOF & ESCEE 2 by Doof, Escee & August Fanon, So Much Enrgy & Sav by Ysr Gramz & enrgy beats, Mr Beat The Road by Bossman Dlow, soul food for the family by rimhan, WATCH THE THRONE by Jaeychino, Marciology by Roc Marciano, PLAYWAY OR NOWAY by RRB LILMEL, My Story Got Stories by Bruiser Wolf, BIG MYAAP, NOT THE LIL ONE by Myaap, The Tonite Show The Sequel by Curren$y & DJ.Fresh, Nobody Planning To Leave by ShrapKnel & Controller 7, CHUPACABRA by JasonMartin & DJ Quik, Scoob Wav by WTM Scoob, LOYALTY: BIRTH OF SUPER RUFUS by Rufus Sims & Billionaire Boyscout, Flint 2 Detroit by YN Jay, Plea$e Don't Think I'm Actin Funny by Bub Rock, BLUE LIPS by ScHoolboy Q, Memoirs In Armour by Navy Blue, Can't Go Bacc by Nino Paid, Day Shift, Vol. 1 by Lil Tre, Pigmen In the Vitreous by Knoweye, Brown in America by HOODLUM, Alchemy by Jay Cinema & Chow, All Infinite by Kooley High & Tuamie

24. A Forsaken Lover's Plea by Chuck Strangers

(I always look forward to new Chuck, who frequently racks up accolades as a producer, but never seems to get his just due as the great MC that he is. A true double-double threat with every release.)

23. Deathtape 2: We Gon' Need Each Other by Quelle Chris, Cavalier, and Denmark Vessey

(Any time one of these artists releases anything, you know it's must-cop art....so naturally when they all collaborate, they make one hell of a short but sweet haymaker of a project.)

22. DECON$TRUCT!ON by Maassai

(What was pitched as a collection of loosies recorded over the past few years came off as a sharp, memorable showcase for one of Brooklyn's most talented MC's.)

21. Save The Bees by Big Flowers & Messiah Musik

(Big Flowers is part of one of the greatest communities of exciting NY talent that we have seen in years, so pairing the thoughtful MC/producer with Messiah Musik - one of the most potent producers in underground hip-hop right now - yields a palette of sounds and messages that feel stronger with every listen.)

20. WOODSTOCK '99 by Nick Satchel & dp0mmy

(Nick really seemed to put his foot down into this one, shining alongside an old friend in Atlanta-by-way-of-St. Louis producer dp0mmy...who continues to raise the bar of what he can achieve sonically, remaining one of the greatest secret weapons in hip-hop right now. More on dp0mmy in the weeks to come...) 👀

19. Bag Man Julio by Jaysanityy

(A name you are sure to be more familiar with in the near future, the DMV's Jaysanityy is one of the most complete artists you will find in underground hip-hop. Check out any of his work, and I guarantee you will wonder why he's not already mentioned in the same breath as artists like Mavi, Pink Siifu, and Maxo.)

18. 74: Out of Time by Ol' Burger Beats

(Another fantastic, less heralded producer helms this compilation album, which is stacked with great songs from some of the indy world's finest, and sounds far too cohesive to leave off of my favorite album list.)

17. WAKING UP AND CHOOSING VIOLENCE by YUNGMORPHEUS & Alexander Spit

(Few MC's are able to sound so cutting with their words without sounding enraged quite like YUNGMORPHEUS, who has steadily put out some of the best rap music out of anyone's catalogue over the past 5-6 years. He's joined by another one of 2024's MVP's, Alexander Spit, who happens to be one of the most skilled producers at creating cool instrumentals to help support, rather than outshine, the messages of his MC's collaborators.)

16. This Too Shall Pass by Yo OG

(Rapidly becoming onf of my favorite MC's, No Label collective's Yo OG - sometimes shortened to just OG - is strong enough to carry an album on his own, but when he joins forces with other talented affiliates from No Label, it's clear that this whole team is about to be a force in hip-hop music.)

15. Black Blues Brothers by HALAL BOYS

(Representing Phoenix AZ, I knew nothing about Lord Ra and Gorgeous Jefe heading into 2024, but leaving 2024 they're high up on my radar as one of the most exciting duos I have heard in a while.)

14. Memory(ummm) by Sleep Sinatra & bloomcycle

(Speaking of 2024 MVP's...Sleep Sinatra is a tried and true veteran MC/producer that seems to be going the fine wine route, while bloomcycle - the producer alias of previously mentioned Big Flowers - also seemed to be making an impact on various different projects this year. Together they created a standout album, equally effective as a tightly made cohesive personal work as it is a collection of great collaborations with fellow amazing artists.)

13. SOLACE by Marco Plus

(To make a name for yourself coming out of Atlanta's deep, deeeeep music scene, and to do so without being already tied to a major industry name, or even delivering the "typical" type of crossover rap music that the ATL is known for, is pretty impressive. But once you hear Marco Plus spit, it's not too surprising. His ear for beats is only surpassed by his hungry delivery on the microphone, so of course it's no surprise that this year he has received dap from some of the most established artists in the ATL, like JID. I would say keep an eye out for Marco more in the future, but my guess is that he will knock down more doors and make a name for himself without anyone having to dig too deep to find his work.)

12. Almighty So 2 by Chief Keef

(Am I surprised that Chief Keef dropped one of my favorite albums this year? No, I'm more surprised that in 2024 I am so eager to hear his work at all. I was woefully late to - dare I say, straight up refused to board - the bandwagon for Keef. He has been buried on my "happy for him and his success, but I don't feel the need to hear anything else from this man" list since the "Bang" video. Sure, I dug more than a few Keef cuts over the years, here and there, while he was putting in work on project after project to become a better all around producer and recording artist. He really understands rap, trap, and how to deliver a sonically appealing album that in spite of his relatively limited subject matter, doesn't come off as cookie cutter. Almighty So 2 has been very well received, but garnered some "meh" responses from his core base, since this is probably his most accessible, polished, mainstream-ready project to date. But make no mistake, there is no lacking in raw energy and clever commentary, both are provided in abundance here, and we're all better for it. I can now say what I began to feel back with 4NEM in 2021: I am a Chief Keef fan.)

11. PERSEVERANCE by Jay Cinema & JUNE! as JUNECINEMA

(Sure they share great chemistry as MCs & Producers, but what shines through the most on PERSEVERANCE is their pure love of music. It's one thing to come off hungry, but to come off as being excited just to make and release music? That's become an increasingly rare commodity. JUNE! and Jay Cinema have really put their mark in underground hip-hop over the past two years, and this album feels like a culmination of their growth and confidence as recording artists. Take Jay's classic NYC MC swagger, plus JUNE!'s delivery that often reaches construction site levels of gravelly, then interweave clear shout-outs to their loves and musical influences, and you get a dope underground collaboration with strong replay value.)

10. Sour Dub by Rich Jones & SINAI.

(A unique talent that threads the needle between singing and rapping in a casual and authentic way - possibly the best to juggle both since a certain famous Canadian actor/rapper/singer, Rich Jones is always guaranteed to put out some interesting work. Here he joins forces with SINAI. a.k.a. Sleep Sinatra - and boy what a year he's had - and the two deliver some of the most grounded, feel-good somber music that I have heard in quite some time. I'm not sure if "feel-good somber music" is even a thing, but if it is, Rich & Sleep are maestros at the artform.)

9. 3rd Shift by J.U.S. & Squadda B

(I'm not as familiar with Squadda B as I probably should be, but I know he made an impact as one half of Oakland's Main Attrakionz. Here he delivers engaging, diverse production for Bruider Brigade's J.U.S, who I am more familiar with, as he has been near the top of my personal "most slept-on MC" list for several years strong now. Together their chemistry is sublime, with Squadda's slappin' beats providing ample space for J.U.S to speak his mind over.)

8. F.U.N. T.O.Y. by Sideshow

(Alexander Spit got busy on this one, tossing a varied collection of sounds at Sideshow to work with. In turn, the L.A. MC delivered another interesting piece of work, touching on a rolling list of thoughts, but not staying long enough in any one passing thought to reach a completion. While this could be problematic for a lot of artists, for Sideshow it works quite well, in my opinion. F.U.N. T.O.Y. feels like the equivalent of going on a long drive alone to clear your head, and jumping from song to song on the car radio. That might not be the most purposeful and effective drive in the world, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable or thought provoking. Sideshow is the epitome of a "leave them wanting more" MC.)

7. The Thief Next to Jesus by Ka

(The writer's writer returns. At this point, I don't know what else can be said about this man's pen, but from a longevity standpoint, let's talk about how challenging it must be to maintain a certain level of elite rapping - and well into one's fifties. Ka's experience as a MC is well documented, but as a producer, Thief lives amongst his finest, dare I day accessible production work. Here he keeps the darkness at bay with powerful soul, grit, and determination, delivering a fantastic album that doesn't denounce the purposes of devout faith, but parses the complexities behind keeping a religious mindset in today's world.)

6. sunscreen by shemar & Child Actor

(Likely the shortest project on this list, but surely one of the year's most potent. shemar speaks to a generation of artists that have grown up in and around NYC accepting the music of artists like Armand Hammer, and not as "alternative underground rap", but simply where the bar happens to exist today. In turn, on sunscreen shemar comes off with a stream of consciousness flow and a chip on his shoulder, which when combined with the raw and majestic smokiness of Child Actor's instrumentals, makes for an ear gripping listening experience. This is peak 3:00am on the L train music.)

5. Los Angeles by Blu & Evidence

(I'm not sure if any other MC can brag about having the sheer volume of dope music drop within the first 3/4 of a calendar year at Blu's level. The underground vet seems to be enjoying a hungry renaissance, releasing three albums by my own personal deadline for this list (another great piece of work with Exile has also been released since). The news of Blu releasing a full project with fellow west coast underground legend Evidence, was only surpassed by the actual final product. Los Angeles is a sonically phenomenal, lyrically on-point love letter/indictment of the coast's most infamous city. Hip-hop history is stacked with unforgettable releases that perfectly capture the soul and feeling of L.A. life, but I don't know if it's ever been done this successfully with such a full a collection of beautifully curated vintage 90's underground vibes.)

4. Different Type Time by Cavalier

(Cavalier had a great year. Folks in the know have been not-so-patiently waiting for this one, because whenever Cav drops anything it might not be the loudest album in the room, but it will always be one of the finest. When fans learned that this album was going to be released through modern day Def Jux-esque powerhouse and bily woods boosted record label Backwoodz Studioz, even higher expectations were bestowed upon Different Type Time. Cavalier might not be a New York City resident anymore, but the feeling across this album is an open diary of a wizened New Yorker, a grown man in the rap game that's seen enough light and darkness to know that day to day life will always end up being somewhere in the middle. Similarly to other razor-penned MC's like Ka and Skyzoo, Cav is not preoccupied with knockout punchlines as much as he is focused on making each bar land like it's own story, each a bittersweet memory over a swooning jazzy backdrop.)

3. Service Merchandise by Previous Industries [Open Mike Eagle, Video Dave, Still Rift]

(Sometimes the only thing capable of being funnier than a great stand-up comedian, is a group of old friends just shootin' the shit together. Comedy is dependent not only on well-written jokes, but also impeccable timing, chemistry, and a certain level of connection with the audience. Open Mike Eagle, Video Dave, and Still Rift have no trouble making a connection with their audience, and they know their voices well enough to probably finish each other's sentences, and stick the landing on any cultural reference within a verse. Service Merchandise is an underground rap album that could only be made during these times by middle-aged hip-hop artists that have long since come to terms with the fact that they just aren't destined to be flashing rollies in glossy rap videos surrounded by gyrating bikini models...and that's okay. Stacked to the brim with nerd nostalgia, pop culture references, and thematic homages to fallen retail chains - not to mention expert rapping, lyricism, and a laundry list of some of hip-hop's finest underground producers - Previous Industries excel at balancing the art of waxing nostalgic without dismissing the positivity that could come from the present and future. Fellow writer/music thirster, the great Son Raw, spoke positively of the album as well, matching it to De La Soul vibes, and surely that's a comparison to be proud of.)

2. #RICHAXXHAITIAN by Mach-Hommy

[The mysterious Mach man strikes again. After what felt like a long enough delay to start asking "is it actually dropping, or was it scrapped?", Mach-Hommy released #RICHAXXHAITIAN in May to strong reviews, albeit with less hype than what came with the first album listening session back in 2023. A handful of familiar guests, as well as a handful of expected trademarks (Mach is still successfully "flippin' _____ like" whenever possible) made the album feel like a Mach album, but musically he was working with a higher level of pristine selections. Without losing any hint of his unpredictability or raw delivery, Mach managed to work in an additional layer of polish or two, curating each song on the album as if "this could be the one". Thoughtful, culturally attuned to his Haitian American status, and as willing to dip a toe in experimental territory as he's ever been, if #RICHAXXAITIAN isn't Mach-Hommy's most well-rounded album thus far, it's damn near close.]

1. Sewaside III by Mike Shabb

(Montreal, stand up. Whatever Mike Shabb may lack due to his youth, he more than makes up for it with his body of work in hip-hop, utility knife of talents. Shabb is an elite beatmaker and MC, and he possesses a rare assortment of skills that work equally well with both trap and boom-bap sensibilities. He may have the highest ceiling of any MC on this list, because like other gifted artists like MIKE, Earl Sweatshirt, and Vince Staples, he represents a modern MC that doesn't see a problem with placing Lil Baby and Roc Marciano back to back on the same mixtape. Sewaside III is a great representation of how Shabb continues to grow more polished with each release, without sacrificing his raw underground essence. Staring at the last few months of 2024, if this one ends up being my favorite rap album of the year when the ball drops on Dec. 31st, I will be quite fine with that.)

Next up...my favorite SONGS of the year (*as of the end of summer*)...thanks for reading, and stay tuned!

[damnthatnoise]

Welcome back to the a new life for Damn That Noise as a label. We’ve released two albums this inaugural year. My second record of the year with Messiah Musik & Iceberg Theory + guests, as well as the debut from Aurora, CO MC ManDaMyth. We have so much more on the horizon for 2023 so follow the page here, and follow www.damn-that-noise.bandcamp.com

[juchily]

ive come to the conclusion that sophie it's music taste far surpasses my mere mortal existence

and i shall hope to offer in sacrifice the form of what I think everyone should listen to no matter who they are (probably besides if they're christian), Rufus Wainwright's "Gay Messiah" to please for the fact i can not recognize a single artist on sophie t's spotify playlist...

[motherofdogs1010]

Of Messiahs and Seeds III (Dark!Paul Atreides x Reader)

Summary: The game has begun of one monarch against another, and with the fate of the colonies at play and winter fast approaching, Y/N is forced to think of hard decisions to make just to keep her people safe.

Warnings: 18+ only, NSFW dark!fic, obsessed Paul, yandere! Paul, eventual forced marriage, eventual pregnancy, talks of war, eventual NONCON/DUB CON

Dividers @firefly-graphics Banner @vase-of-lilies

Part I Part II

The Apollo Colony was the first to lose contact and it felt like the beginning of a long game; one where Y/N knew her rule was soon to be tested.

And the dreams had only gotten worse and more frequent; Y/N found that practically any time she closed her eyes, Paul was there to whisper in her ear and it was beginning to be difficult to figure out what was reality.

Y/N looked at the heirloom crystal in her hand as she sat on her balcony; she wondered how her mother would be handling this right now.

The moon hung bright and full as always with her scaly children sleeping below as she stood up, her nightgown clinging to her body as she saw the city around her with the people happily bustling around for the night life.

She sighed as she walked into her bedroom, winter was coming in a few weeks and the winters were always harsh on Terra M above the equator. It looked like a tundra when the winters arrived and felt like the inside of a ice cube, which prompted so many resources to keep everyone afloat.

Paul felt pleased with himself as he sat in his room, the hologram of his future bride in front of him. He had invaded her dreams, filling them with their promised future that he had seen; he could practically feel her hair through his fingers, and hear the newborn cries of their son as he came into the world.

It was all falling into plan, Terra M was about to go into its harsh winters and be left vulnerable if he was correct. They heavily relied on their built-up resources to make it through the three-month-long brutal winter since the population lived above an equator.

Those dragons of his beloved would go into hibernation underground; that would leave one defense gone and away. He wouldn't dare to hurt them, they were an extension of his love and he knew how she cared for the scaled beasts.

"Paul", his mother said as she entered the room.

Her blue eyes bore into his as she said, "It's been taken care of, Irulan will no longer sand in your way."

Yes, everything was falling into place.

There was just one final thing left to do...

The smell of ash made its way into her nose as she felt the harsh winter air against her skin, she breathed out and saw her icy breath as she exhaled. Her skin prickled from the cold as she looked around, seeing the white, virgin piles of snow around her as she tried to get her bearings.

"Hello, my love."

Quickly turning around, Y/N saw him, saw Paul standing there with his cheeks and nose pink from the cold.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, "Terra has done nothing to the Empire."

"It isn't what Terra has done, but rather what you have done, my Queen."

Paul slowly began to circle her, the crunching of snow under his weight as he did. Snowflakes fell at a soft, slow pace as he spoke, "You have overtaken my mind, left me vulnerable to feelings that I thought I was immune to feeling again."

"That is not my fault", she argued.

"Oh, but it is", Paul smirked, "your very existence is your fault and that is something that your people will pay for."

Jolting awake, Y/N found herself alone once more as she scooted up the bed and pushed her hair back. She tried to steady her breathing as she felt as if it she looked out into the darkness, she would be able to see the glimmer of him smirking.

🌎

"We must devise a plan", Sir Lance argued, "they have taken the Apollo Colony. The only logical choice for them to grab next is the Athenian Colony and we must devise a plan of attack."

The Council meeting was buzzing with ideas, and arguments of what to do as Y/N listened to the proposed ideas. It was true, she needed to confront the Empire and its might but it has to be logical, fool-proof.

"Lord York", she finally said, the man looking at her. "Get as much information on the Great Houses and the Empire's armies. There will be a weak spot."

"And once we have the weak spot, your grace?"

"We rip them out like a weed, one by one."

TAGLIST

@ninastyless @james-bucky-barnackle @astarborntowrite @maggiecc @radiantdanvers @croatianprincess @deluxeplanteater @szapizzapanda @khaleesihavilliard @deathsimp @frickyea-guacamole19

[sarbcat]

ARCANE SPOILERS SEASON 2 EPISODES 1-3

okay you wanna talk let's FUCKING TALK

okay everyone's saying Viktor is Jesus now WRONG!!!!

incredibly loud incorrect buzzer!!

because yes, the crowd of sick people are kneeling for him - but he's FUCKING kneeling too.

in fact, he's kneeling and he's looking up at sky! or at least, the picture of sky his mind has conjured up for him.

and yeah, viktors goal has seemingly always been to help the people of the underground and that's what he's doing, but i don't think he would be doing it without a sort of light in the dark!!! his sky!!

and ITS HAPPENED BEFORE.

WHAT IS HE DOING??? he is looking UP AT HER. UP.

and do I think Viktor is Jesus? NO. BECAUSE HE'S FUCKING MOSES. i said it! he is MOSES thank you very much!! he's a MESSIAH. a MESSENGER for HER.

plus, whenever he's looking up at her, homeboy is BATHED in light. in the cave in s2 and when he's a child and sees her. it's HER LIGHT. LISTEN.

and symbolism-wise?? it KEEPS WORKING OUT. because who else has a fucking STAFF?

yeah i fucking said it. the cane IS a mobility aid don't get me wrong but listen. listen. hear me out. i brought this point to my oomfie and they said that all the biblical figure have staffs but shhhh that's not conducive to my machinations

anyways he's Moses not Jesus and he will always look up for the Sky, his Sky, and in this essay i will- *distant gunshots*

[stackslip]

so after a second watch, the thing with arcane s2 so far is that near all the plot beats are really good and exactly what i wanted, but they also almost all desperately needed more buildup. it's like we're missing 10-15 extra minutes an episode for the scenes that would really flesh out a lot of the characters' motives for the choices they make and to build up the world! it's so painfully obvious that they're craming in plot bc they're missing a season or have cut time per ep, and as a result while im ecstatic at a lot of the developments v few of them feel earned!

vi choosing to become an enforcer, her agonizing feelings re jinx in particular feel like they're missing. we should have seen the moment cait chose to use the vents to target the undercity and others' reaction to this, especially vi. it's great to see the hole silco left, but we needed to see the underground falling apart in something that's not a shiny league amv. we needed to see the kid spend more time with jinx for her choice to defend jinx to hit harder. we needed to see more of jinx's suicidality and her voices disappearing. i would have been so grateful to see mel trying to do more to rally to counter her mother's influence and being foiled at every turn. more hints of ambessa's manipulation too! would have loved to see ekko and his peers rescuing undercity people and dealing with the aftermath of the war there directly!

and like tbc i think they v clearly considered what they did have the time with and chose to trim or cut off near anything that wasnt a super cool fight scene or important plot beats. the ACTUAL beats are near all a win to me tbh! i am ecstatic about cait's character arc, her using the vents made me gasp; the mel and ambessa situation is sooooo fascinating and fucked up; i love the revelation about hextech poisoning the ground; sevika and jinx dealing with the gaping wound of silco's death is so good; viktor's ominous messiah arc is hitting for me; i loooooved cait hitting vi and vi just breaking down.

in terms of missteps, i wish ekko didnt feel like he's just being explained plot at (i like his dynamic with jayce so far tho), i think vi of all the characters suffered by far the most of the sacrificed time to make her choices and words mame proper sense, caitvi kiss felt far more like they had to kiss before they broke up but in context did not work, and made me roll my eyes so hard, we did not need a five minute cait angst montage, i did not care for how "league" the zaunite chembarons felt instead of an organic part of zaun like they did in s1, half the songs are a complete miss to me, etc etc

i dont think the season is a loss and again im interested in the actual beats, and tbh i kinda feel sorry for fortiche and the writing team bc it's obvious that this is less like, active clumsiness on their part or shite writing and far more that time was a deeply limited resource for the story they wanted to tell and they had to make choices. you could argue if it would have been better to drop some plot threads entirely and focus more deeply on others but imo it wouldnt work for a series like arcane where the cast' actions have such massive ramifications on each other so. i get it. it's just really unfortunate considering how tightly written s1's tragedy was

[machinesonix]

Somehow I have made it this long without realizing that none of the screen adoptions of Dune so much as mention the Butlerian Jihad. Like I guess it's burned into my brain so hard I sort of assumed it was part and parcel of the universe. Don't get me wrong, I think that's probably the first thing you learn if you want to dive deeper into the setting, but it still hits me like if the LotR movies showed us the big flaming eyeball tower and was like ‘Oh, that's why there are bad things, but don't worry, that's just background stuff.’ Yeah, you can understand the movie, but if the story is just like Frodo vs. The Witch King you are losing out on any of the conversation about the corruptive allure of power or theological undertones. So without further ado let's pretend this is for the benefit of interested new fans roped in by the movies and not part of my desperate attempt to silence the howling specters of literary analysis that live in my blood.

The Butlerian Jihad is an event set ~10k years prior to the events of Dune in which humanity won their freedom from the machines that they had enslaved themselves to. As a result, it is a religious taboo to create a machine that thinks like a human. That's frankly the bulk of the information presented by Frank Herbert in the text without dipping into books 7+, but whether or not those are canon is frankly an enormous can of worms, which really makes sense when you consider the size of the worms. But boy howdy, Frank loved his subtext and parallelism. Everyone has a foil character, every theme is hit from multiple angles, and Villinueve has been doing an excellent job of capturing a lot of that in repeated imagery and dialogue. The Butlerian Jihad happens off camera, but it's themes are absolutely critical to the big picture.

The Butlerian Jihad was a holy war. It was not merely a rebellion against the machines, it was a crusade against them. The prohibition against thinking machines isn't just a law, it's in the pan-universal Bible. Absolute psychopath Pieter DeVries himself claps back at the Baron for insinuating he might have a use for a computer, and this is a guy who has been hired specifically for his preternatural absence of morals. Let's hold onto that idea for a minute. 

Probably my favorite scene in the first book is the one where planetologist Liet-Kynes is dying out in the desert. As the last of his strength fades to dehydration he hallucinates conversations he had with his father concerning terraforming Arakkis for human habitability. He's told that the means are not complicated. There is already enough water on the planet, the Little Makers just have it all trapped deep underground as part of the sandworm reproductive cycle. You just need to isolate enough water to start irrigating plant life, and once it's established that'll keep the water on the surface on its own. The hard part is making sure everyone on the planet is environmentally conscious enough to foster a developing ecosystem. Nobody can drink any of that water while it's being collected, because they'll just introduce it back into the water cycle where the Little Makers are. It's going to take generations, so that sort of water discipline is going to have to go above and beyond a social convention. People need to be willing to die before they'll take a sip and compromise the plan. Ghost Dad Kynes concludes that the only mechanism in the human experience to enforce this consensus is religion. 

In the context of this whole parallelism thing, you have probably noticed that the Butlerian Jihad is not the only holy war in the narrative. Paul sees a new jihad as the only way of creating a future where humans can flourish. Now you might be saying ‘Wait now, Machines. I thought the point of Paul’s holy war was to avenge Leto and disempower established power structures by taking away the control of the spice!’ And you’d be right. The thing is, without getting into spoiler territory, Dune Messiah is not going to be about how everything just gets so much better now that Paul has destroyed the economy, government, and untold billions of human lives. This isn’t the endgame. Dude can see the future and the way he does it involves looking into the past. Paul lives in a society defined by a holy war and his goal is to redefine society. 

Putting it all together you can see what I mean about the Butlerian Jihad being essential to the themes even though the story never shows us a thinking machine or a narrative beat where the absence of computers changes the outcome. It helps us see the big picture. I’ve seen a lot of dialogue lately on whether Paul is a tragic hero or a consummate villain and I’m not here to answer that, but I am here to underline the critical detail. Paul intends to be seen as a tyrant. Just like Kynes’ hallucination says, religion is the lever to make a value stick around forever. He wants to traumatize humanity to hate chosen ones and emperors the same way the machines traumatized humanity to change them forever. The Water of Life ritual doesn’t invert his values, it lets him realize these visions of war are the means, not the ends. He is absolutely not happy about it, but this is Paul’s terrible purpose. 

[reality-detective]

David Saltzman, a member of the Chabad-Lubavitch Synagogue in Brooklyn, New York, where underground tunnels were discovered earlier this year, admitted on a podcast that rituals were being performed underground.

He said the mattresses were stained because they were performing rituals on dead bodies to bring back their messiah. "We hope the messiah's spirit comes into that"

Anyway, I'll let you decide 🤔

[invivoinsomnium]

These are still two of my favourite fantasies...

Yet, thanks to The First Omen, Immaculate and The Devil's conspiracy, a new fantasy is taking the top spot.

I've been kidnapped and being held prisoner in a convent (alternatively, I was brought there against my will or was an orphan raised there). Artificially inseminated (could be medically or even Rosemary's baby-esque with an alter and surrounded by religious figures) I'm forced to carry either the Antichrist or a new Messiah, forced to endure the pregnancy and subsequencially the birth under the watchful eyes of nuns and priests who care nothing for me and see me as merely a vessel. There is something so terrifying and fascinating when cults meet religion meet science and medicine.

[thelensofyashunews]

MESSIAH! SHARES NEW ALBUM THE VILLAIN WINS

Charlotte rapper MESSIAH! has just shared his new album the villain wins— out now along with an accompanying music video for "god's fav" (feat. Vayda). 

the villain wins boasts features from MAVI, Niontay, Vayda, and Malaya and follows the announcement that MESSIAH! will be opening for MAVI for the entirety of his forthcoming shadowbox tour, which will also feature supporting stints from PinkSiifu, Ovrkast., Chenayder, Vayda, Sideshow, Niontay,Igwe Aka, and Ahmir. 

"I've been surrounded by music for so long, and I've been a writer all of my life," MESSIAH! says of the villain wins, which marks his first project since 2022. "This project really came about by accident, but the storyline is so intentional." 

Bolstered by glittering synths, a wavy trap beat, an an appearance from Vayda, who recently opened for Veeze on his Ganger tour, MESSIAH! is all smiles on the celebratory "god's fav", which sees him take a well-deserved victory lap while reminiscing on the obstacles he had to overcome to get to this point ("Only thing came in this playbook is 'win'/I had to take that lil' hate to the chin/But really, I'm God's favorite/What it is?"). The LP arrives on the heels of the Surf Gang-produced single "our daily bread"(feat. MAVI), released earlier this month alongside a Moshpxt-directed (Yeat, Cash Cobain, Xaviersobased) visual, as well as "burden of truth"(feat. Malaya), "can't stand it!!", and standalone single “silent heel" (feat. MAVI and Ovrkast.).

the villain wins was borne out of what proved to be a prolific creative period for the Charlotte native, as recent months have seen the ever forward-thinking artist expand on the soulful sound that earned him his cult following with releases like PERFECT 7 and Thru the Winter. After two years spent meticulously fine-tuning his craft in the studio, as well as recent stints supporting MAVI on his 2023 Laughing so Hard, it Hurts World Tour and Wiki on his April 2024 Midwest tour run, MESSIAH! is turning the page on a new chapter with the villain wins — and showcasing why he’s one of Charlotte’s must-watch young artists in the process.

[whereserpentswalk]

There's a door somewhere that's been closed forever. As long as people can remember, the first records of its existence, it's been closed. And even in the first records of its existence, people were watching it, waiting for it to be opened.

It's a massive door, in an underground chamber, the room its in is the largest room on earth. It's beautiful and ornate, and so strangely alien. After the initial hallway the room with the door is the only room in the chamber, like it's the entrance to a massive complex that humanity will never see. It's architecture is like no known culture, there are carvings on the walls of animals that don't exist, and writing in a language nobody knows. Some think that it's the work of aliens, some think it's the work of an advanced ancient culture, others that it's the work of beings from another dimension. Scientists and historians find all of those possibilities disturbingly possible.

There are tons of theories as to what's beyond the door. Every single religion that has come in contact with the door has managed to tie it into its mythology, especially ideas about the end of the world. And secular conspiracy theorists love it just as much. There are theories that the door will lead to hell, and that the rapture will start when it opens, theories that the door is where the messiah waits, or where God's body on earth is. There are theories that behind the door lies the secret of eternal life. Theories that aliens will open the door when they're ready to contact humanity. Theories that behind the door are the secrets to the universe, that it'll usher in a new age of humanity when opened. Theories that there's treasure behind the door, or technology that will change the way humanity lives. But there is one throughline amoung almost all theories, at least those belived by those invested in it, which is that they believe the door will open soon, and that those who see it opened will benefit the most. And there's been theories like this for thousands of years.

People of all religions will save up to make holy pilgrimages to the door, skipping meals, depriving their children of toys, so they can sit in front of the door for a few days, hoping to be the ones to see it open, returning home disappointed. There are conmen who'll sell the smallest things from the door, from water thats touched it, to pebbles that have fallen off of it, and people will believe it'll heal the sick, or work miracles. In ancient times conquerors would go to the door, making such a big deal out of it being in their lands. In modern times a small republic of a few thousand people, as old as the first world war, controls the territory of the door, they do their best to let people of all walks of life come to it, and try to stop any single group from dominating the space.

And of course there are people who live near the door. The entrance to the chamber is now surrounded by a modern city, and the room the door is in, and the hallway before it, are so large that they basically contain an entire town/neighborhood. The people who live in the room of the door are all those who are waiting for it to open (and a small population of people making good money off of them). They all have their own sections within the giant room, from evangelicals waiting to see Jesus behind the door, to alien theorists waiting to see the secrets of the stars, to new agers waiting for the opening of the doors to enter earth into a new era. The underground town is one of the most crowded places on earth, and as long as you're outside you can see the doors. Basically everyone who lives there thinks it's the only place they can ever be, as dark as it is down there they need to live where the doors will soon open. Some even go so far as to never leave the room even temporarily, many people living and dying in this one underground room, never being anywhere else, never seeing the sun. When those who where born in the room grow up to move somewhere else, abandoning their hopes of seeing the door open, their parents grieve as if they've lost their chance at salvation, and mourn them as if they were dead oftentimes.

Trying to get very close to the door is nearly impossible. It gets more and more crowded the closer you get to the door. And the space where it's close enough to actually touch the door is constantly covered with people, you have to sift through the thickest crowds on earth to get close enough to touch it, and people, thinking it has mystical properties, will. People have been trampled to death trying to touch that door. The entire underground town is unreasonable crowded, but nothing comes close to that small sliver of space where the door can be touched.

Science has had a rough relationship with the door. In older times people have tried to open it. The last time it was tried was when it was under British rule in the 19th century. It didn't go well. They might be able to do more now, but most of the people the door is important to don't want them to. There was a scientist who was beaten to death by an angry mob in the 1970s for suggesting there might he nothing more then an empty room behind the door, not even that it was likely, juet that it was possible. Science has spoken little on the door since then. And the government that has the territory of the door now does not allow any door based science to occur.

The reason why I bring all of this up, is that a few days ago the doors opened just the slightest amount. Not enough for anyone to step through, but enough to be noticeable. It's so hard to see through, but reports are starting to come in. They say that behind the door is a short hallway, and at the end of the hallway is another set of doors, of similar size and shape, waiting just as patiently to open.

[yandereunsolved]

F.I.T — Fucking In The Afterlife - ,, yandere ghost Kai Anderson

cw(s): yandere themes, general Kai Anderson fuckery, asphyxiation, drugging, religious imagery, suggestive themes

☾ You really thought his death would be the end of all of it. He stalked you, harassed you, tried to assault you when he was still breathing. He sent his followers after you and kidnapped you. You barely made it out alive. At least you didn't have any physical scars. The hickeys faded away after a few weeks. Why all this you may ask? You were the perfect representation of something pure in this dark world. Your eyes didn't hold the same disdain towards him that everyone else's did. Maybe it was just his imagination, but he saw it. He swears he did.

☾ Once he crossed over to the other side he has nowhere to go. He had been betrayed by back stabbing bitches. That female, Ally, had been the reason for all of it. It's what he suspected and what he found out after his death. He connected all of the pieces and decided to play payback. He was just wandering the streets after all. So he did it. He killed her. He killed the rest of her family that he could find (that was in Michigan). He took down her little 'cult' and all of her pathetic 'connections'. It was all over the news. No one knew who did it. He wanted it that way. After that, he was all alone in the afterlife once again.

☾ He was stuck in Michigan. He was tied to the very earth of the state. He wasn't able to leave much of the town either. It was weird. The boundaries of him being able to move kept changing. He needed to find a way out of it. An opportunity was presented to him so naturally he took it.

☾ The revenge demon manifested itself in front of him. This demon was the one that had been allowing him to walk over the earth. This demon was the one that manipulated those spiritual boundaries for him. It presented itself with the name Ultio, meaning revenge in Latin. Kai could be able to walk upon the earth, present himself as a human, and have a demon at his side. With a few conditions, of course. Kai had to sell his soul to the demon and he also had to feed it with human souls. Perfect.

☾ After making the deal the first person he went to was you. He broke into your house— it was pretty much his anyway. You just don't know that yet. He crawled into your bed and woke you up with kisses all over your face. No matter how hard you fought he kept you in his arms. 'Stop struggling, bitch. You better not have fucked anyone other than me. I'll kill any of your side pieces and sacrifice them.' He wouldn't admit it, but he melted into your presence. He choked you until you fell asleep. Stupid whore. He loves you but you were gonna report him to the authorities. That is stupid whore behavior. He doesn't have time for that shit.

☾ In the morning he has a short conversation with you again. He hushes your warnings tenderly. He swears at you and threatens to kill you if you move. You try to escape again when he talks about moving you somewhere else. Naturally, he wraps his arms around your neck again and chokes you until you pass out. You liked it everytime before. There's no need for you to complain now.

☾ He kidnaps you and keeps you drugged for a few weeks as he sets everything up. He has Ultio watch you and threatens it. If it so much as lays a hand on you the deal is off. It just enjoys getting under Kai's skin.

☾ Kai rebuilds his cult while you are under your drug haze. He paints himself as the messiah of the world. See? He rose from the dead! He is the second coming of Christ! FIT grows to hundreds of thousands—millions—in just a few weeks. As long as the cult sacrifices non-believers to Ultio it keeps growing. It is still mostly underground as the followers keep his second coming a secret. There are whispers but Kai refuses to make the same mistake again. His regulations and rules are even tighter this time. Rats and liars get sacrificed to the revenge demon.

☾ He lies and wipes away any thoughts of his death. He rids everyone else who thought he had died. He speaks his condolences to the loss of the woman who had him killed. He acts like he is nothing but the victim of a woman who had manipulated him. This female, Ally, had made do those horrible things. It wasn't his fault. It was hers. He gets in good with the public once again. In the next election he becomes the governor of Michigan.

☾ It all comes back to you now. Once you fully awake he demands you make him dinner. He drags you into the kitchen and glares at you as you make something with the groceries he bought. Ultio is in the back of his mind. It's trying to convince him to just take you right then and there. It speaks such lewd thoughts into his mind. It makes him hard and he glares at you if you notice his problem. He won't allow the revenge demon to break his concentration. He needs his manwich, dammit! He needs to have a conversation with you. You two can 'make up' after that. Still, it's so hard. Ultio keeps telling him how much of a pretty partner you'd make. It whispers of how attractive you are in your natural state. It makes observations at how good of an at home spouse you'd make. You could hold his messiah baby so well. You'd look so good with a baby attached at your hip.

☾ He snaps from those thoughts when you finish dinner. He eats the food like it's his last meal. He won't tell you how much he wants to reach across the table and have you beneath him. How much he misses that bratty mouth of yours. He shoos his desires and Ultio away in his mind. He gets very serious and has a heartfelt conversation with you. He refrained from even calling you a list of profanities because of what you did while he was 'dead'. He tells you of what will happen now. He speaks of how you will be like the virgin Mary. You have been reborn as his spouse and now the both of you will rule together. You just need to sit at his side, clean his house, make his food, and occasionally whisper those intelligent words of yours into his ear. Perhaps intelligent is a bit of a stretch, but at the least you can be a little helpful. He tells you the basic information about the revenge demon. It's really nothing that you have to worry your dumb, ditzy head about.

☾ He makes sure everyone in the cult has heard of you. He only allows his inner circle to see you. You can be good for secretly attending his meetings and being an ear for him. He is also able to tell if you're lying because of Ultio. So it is really a win-win situation for him. He won't allow any member to touch you though. That is the only thing. Even if the others haven't seen you, they have a sneaking suspicion that it is you Kai is always speaking of. Just by the way his eyes always land on yours during meetings. By the way he tenses whenever another member interacts with you. By the fact that you always leave with him.

☾ Kai has his ghost abilities. Ultio may be able to make him temporarily human but he is still technically dead. He isn't even undead. He's just dead with a sometimes living recreation of his body. During the times when he is able to just be full ghost— well, he uses those times to the fullest extent. He will be there but not appear. He'll just watch you. He'll jot anything down you do that displeases him. He'll stack each punishment up. Sometimes he appears right behind you with a smug and knowing expression. 'Acting naughty, are we? Do you need to be taught who your master is again?'

☾ You should always assume that you are never alone. You should always assume either Kai or the revenge demon is watching you. They are just waiting for you to slip up. Kai just loves teaching you how below him you are.

☾ The cult grows, grows, and grows some more. Kai gains more power as this seconding coming and God-like creature. You are stuck at his side. You know all his secrets and you are sworn to never tell a soul. He will kill you if he has to.

☾ Ghost Kai is so obsessed with the thought of killing you. You are his messiah mommy, his virgin Mary, his future house spouse. He just wants to kill you so that he is able to keep you forever. He'll lock your soul away in a ring he wears so you'll be attached to it. That way he is always able to have you. That way you always have to stay with him because your energy is in the ring. It's such a romantic gesture to him. You ultimately submitting to his will through the ring(s) you both are married with.

☾ Unfortunately, that thought will have to stay a thought... for now. He needs to appear more of a family man in some of demographics. So of course he finally shows you to the world. He tells everyone that you are planning to have a baby. That he stands with Americans. Family first. How exactly would a semi-ghost-ghost have a baby with a human? Well, Kai is no longer a ghost. He is a demon. So there's no need to worry of complications. The baby will be just fine.

☾ Wait— Kai is a demon? Yes. Due to his influence growing Kai knew the revenge demon would want more. He knew it would want more of everything. He couldn't stand it. So he completed a ritual he found on Reddit. He managed to trick Ultio as he tore out his heart. He devoured it. He did the rest of the ritual and became a demon. He is now the revenge demon. The only real complication that comes from it is him not being able to be near religious things. As long as he has his wards up, and is being blasphemous towards God, he is safe. He still fears is cautious about being exposed.

☾ In his demon form he is trying to make that messiah baby as soon as possible. The people want to see him with a child. He needs to marry you as well. He needs it to look good for his presidential run! He's trying all day and night. He'll even use magic if he has to. He will not be adopting a baby. And yes, he will be mad if you try to make a baby girl. He will just make sure it is a boy while it is still in its early stages.

☾ It's extremely hard for him to control his demonic urges. He has all these new abilities that he wants to try out. He has cemented himself as a worthy cult leader and a possible presidential candidate— and now he just wants you. He craves you. He craves to be near you. He craves to be inside you 24/7. He wants to crawl into your soul and wrap himself around it.

☾ He spends a lot of time on your chest because of that. He is absolutely enthralled with your heartbeat. He is addicted to hearing the sound of your blood rushing. He is still himself but he's also a bit more now. It's strange to him. He always craves you and your attention. It's like a plague. He did before, but being a cult leader and running the world were more important. Now— it's only you.

☾ He would place ghostly marks on you before. This was as a way to mark his territory over you. He does something more extreme with his new-found demonic powers. He marks your soul. He brands his marking into your right shoulder which brands into your soul. It doesn't exactly hurt. It more feels like you have mild heartburn. Oh boy, it makes Kai incredibly proud. He doesn't show it. He doesn't even explain what the mark is. He just tells you not to worry. 'Little lamb, has your divine leader ever led you astray?'

☾ He marries you soon after he gives you the mark. He makes sure that you have no chance to escape. If you aren't already pregnant or cannot get pregnant, he'll use his magic to make it so. He'll do everything to keep his not so virgin Mary with him— ghost or not.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

taglist: @bluerthanvelvet444 @cxndiedvi0lets @coentinim @slutforgarlogan