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fnafs-ex-boyfriend · 10 days ago

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1.) How many works do you have on ao3?

Only 9 😂

2.) What’s your ao3 word count?

182,401. Now if only I could put that into a novel.

3.) What fandoms do you write for?

Hooo boy. The official list is Hazbin Hotel, TADC, IHNMAIMS, Cooking Companions, YanSim, Deltarune, Great Comet, War and Peace, DDLC, FNAF, Bonnie’s Bakery, Undertale. However, I really just write for whatever I find interesting/have an idea for. Plus like five of those fandoms are one terrible fic so

4.) What are your top five fics by kudos?

1. I’m Sorry Your First Day Here Had To Be So Terrible

2. Caine’s Guest Collaborator

3. Sweet Dreams

4. The Two Princes

5. Daisuki Yo Bakery

5.) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Mostly. I try to respond to all of them because I am a small time nobody fic writer but for some comments I just don’t really know what to say

6.) What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Before the Story lol. One main character dies and the other one gets possessed.

7.) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Caine’s Guest Collaborator. They made it out of the Circus with that one, boys!

8.) Do you get hate on fics?

Nobody knows I exist. I am a specter on the wind who whispers about IHNMAIMS

9.) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

No lol I’m too asexual for that. If it’s not plot relevant it’s not to be seen

10.) Do you write cross overs? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I’ve written two crossovers. The worst one is Daisuki Yo Bakery, a horrible crack ship crossover in which Natsuki and Bonnie from Bonnie’s Bakery run a rival cafe against Ayano Aishi, Alice Angel, and Karin Kanzuki. Real dumb shit. I really got to get back to it.

11.) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not big enough for that lol

12.) Have you ever had a fic translated?

I wish! That would be swell

13.) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I wrote a fic in AnAsexualRobotWrites’ Deltarune lore, but she didn’t collaborate it with me, I wrote it myself.

14.) What’s your all time favourite ship?

Only oc ships for me. Ships in fanfic are more like an “aww cute thing in the story” rather than a think I’m super into.

15.) What’s a WIP you’d like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I had a lot of ideas for continuing Before the Story, but I don’t know if I would be able to figure it out now. Also it would be a lot easier if people actually showed interest

16.) What are your writing strengths?

My grammar and spelling is pretty good. Also I think my prose is good but I’m self centered so

17.) What are your writing weaknesses?

I don’t really care about fanon, I really just want to write ideas that appeal to me and no one else

18.) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I would enjoy it but would overthink it.

19.) First fandom you wrote for?

Steven Universe but that fic has been PURGED from the world

20.) Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

Probably Caine’s Guest Collaborator! Two of my favorite fandoms and I built a lovely little community out of it. Thanks again to @delihar for being my biggest fan!

@everettvanderwall @scribble-brain-aced

The fic writer questions :0

1.) How many works do you have on ao3?

15. A bit meager I know, but I’m proud of my work :)

2.) What’s your ao3 word count?

191,490! A lot more than I expected honestly. Obviously, the biggest contributor is Deltamonarch

3.) What fandoms do you write for?

A little of everything. When I get into a new thing, I usually write at least one commemorative fic for it. Currently I don’t have more than one fic for each fandom, but I have an idea for one more Undertale fic so I might write that in addition to the one I already have.

4.) What are your top five fics by kudos?

1. Angels in the Architecture (Hazbin, Pentious-focused)

2. Smoke and Glass (Slay the Princess, Voice-centered psych horror)

3. Gamers Don’t Die (Deltamonarch 2)

4. Because it Wasn’t a Dream (Deltamonarch 1)

5. Let Sleeping Royals Lie (Deltamonarch 4)

5.) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I get so thrilled seeing a comment that I want them to feel that I am grateful for them doing so, so I always try to respond. Even if all I say is “thank you!” I try to respond.

6.) What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

It’s not finished, but I think Ileum’s Wish has the bleakest ending. Someone dies, and it’s real sad.

7.) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably that LukeJamie one. The feelings are reciprocated, it was all just a big misunderstanding, and they’re going on a date this weekend!

8.) Do you get hate on fics?

No not famous enough for that lol. Also generally not controversial enough.

9.) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

No, as an asexual it doesn’t interest me at all. I’d probably be pretty good at it if I tried, but the passion just wouldn’t be there.

10.) Do you write cross overs? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Haven’t yet, no ideas for it.

11.) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

See 8.

12.) Have you ever had a fic translated?

See 8 and 11, but unlike those two I’d really welcome it.

13.) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I sometimes help other people with their fics if it counts. The Two Princes has me as a cowriter, but I didn’t actually write it at all.

14.) What’s your all time favourite ship?

Idk man I don’t think about shipping. I like plenty of ships, but not in like a “I’m a fan” way. I have the most passion for my oc ships

15.) What’s a WIP you’d like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I really want to finish all my WIPs, but the least likely to be finished atm is Ileum’s Wish. I hope to come back to it eventually, but motivation died.

16.) What are your writing strengths?

I have better spelling and grammar than the average, and I think my longform concepts are generally well thought out. Also I’m told I write pretty in character.

17.) What are your writing weaknesses?

I lose motivation so quickly. Rip smoke and glass

18.) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Depends on the context? I’m not really sure what this question is asking 😅

19.) First fandom you wrote for?

Deltarune! I joined Ao3 because I really wanted my Snowgrave epilogue out into the world.

20.) Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

It’s not finished as of now, but I love Smoke and Glass. I have so many really cool ideas for it. It’s really really hard to write though.

@scribble-brain-aced @literalcyborg @bluestrawberry7 @fnafs-ex-boyfriend @fourwingedsnake

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danny-chase · 3 years ago

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Batman (Comics), Batgirl (Comics) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Cassandra Cain & Stephanie Brown Characters: Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Dick Grayson (mentioned), Tim Drake (mentioned), Damian Wayne (Mentioned), Alfred Pennyworth (mentioned) - Character Additional Tags: Cassandra Cain is Black Bat, 2009 Batfam vibes, Stephanie Brown is Batgirl, talks about the batgirl mantle, Cass comes home to Gotham, technically she's Cassandra Wayne in this, but idk if people use that tag, Girl Talks, possibly romantic, no beta we die like Cass, POV Cassandra Cain, Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown centric, mentions Gates of Gotham, you don't need to read it though, Cass comes home from Hong Kong, sorry Bruce is dead folks, takes place in Dick!Bats era, sliding around in socks, a wee bit of fluff, Cassandra Cain gets a hug, Stephanie Brown Gets a Hug, because i think they should hug, romance or not, late night conversation between besties Summary:

Cass has a surprise visitor after returning home from Hong Kong. She hasn't been in Gotham long, a lot's changed, but there are still people here she's happy to see.

Cass glided through the halls of the penthouse; the floors were perfect for sliding around in her socks. Though, ‘halls’ was being generous, she supposed. It was large, the rooms were spacious, but there were only two hallways. So much smaller than the manor. Less rooms, though more people, and plenty of space to fit them all.

She could hear the chatter from the kitchen. The boys had decided to play a board game before she’d gotten back for the night. Dick wanted her to join in for the next round, but she found those games a little boring, and she wouldn’t fall for Tim’s puppy dog eyes tonight. But… she was tempted. It was a collaborative game, they’d explained. You don’t fight each other, you work together. That part, she liked.

She brushed past Tim’s guest room, which was slowly becoming more permanent. The door was cracked open, and she peeked inside. Neat and tidy, with trinkets lining his desk and shelves. Tim had changed a lot; his room was never this clean before. On a hunch she poked her head around the door. Behind it sat a mound of dirty clothes, just next to the bathroom door. Smiling to herself, she noted the mess of products on the sink. He’d changed, but not all the way.

Damian’s door, she found closed all the way. Tim said he liked privacy, so she moved on. Dick’s door was wide open. The room was empty, aside from a messy bed. Hers was the same.

At least she thought her room was empty.

As she approached, she heard something moving inside, or someone. Whoever it was, was light on their feet, not very large, in the range of 120-150 pounds, and a bit anxious. The door was closed. She thought for a moment, and swiftly threw the door open, without making a sound.

A blond girl in jeans and a green sweater stared out the window at the night sky.

“Stephanie?” She recognized. The girl jumped and swiveled around.

“Cass?” A joyous grin broke out across her face, though her shoulders stayed tense and anxious. They quickly strode toward each other and met in the middle of the room. Steph’s hands twitched, reaching up, as if asking for-

Cass buried Steph in a hug at the realization. Steph laughed, giggling at her enthusiasm, and squeezed her back tightly. “I missed you.” They said at the same time. Steph laughed again in delight.

They parted, and Steph sat on the edge of the bed, Cass following suit. She still looked a bit nervous but radiated happiness as well. They sat there, staring at each other for a moment. Cass smiled, also a bit anxiously, but eagerly, she hadn’t seen her oldest friend in forever.

“Are you back for good?” Steph broke the silence. Cass nodded, she’d decided, after the gates of Gotham case, to stay. The family had fallen apart after Bruce had died, but she was ready to give it another shot, and so far, things were going well. Board games, movie nights. ‘Team bonding’, Dick called it. It had only been a week, but she’d gotten a turn to pick already. Rooftop tag. It was fun.

“Things are good.” She replied. Damian was starting to trust her, and Dick and Tim were happy. And well, she was happy too. She loved having her own city, but it’d been lonely. Spending time with people was exhausting, but her family made it easier somehow.

“That’s good.” Steph replied. Not a lie, but she still looked anxious. A thought flashed through her mind.

“You’re not happy I’m home?” She asked quickly, her heart sinking at the notion. Steph’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What? No! Cass, I’m so happy you came back.” Not a lie. Cass sighed in relief, she didn’t want anyone to be upset she was back.

“Then why are you nervous?” Steph’s hands were fidgeting slightly, hadn’t stopped since they’d met.

“Huh, I’m not- Okay never mind.” Her shoulders dropped sheepishly. “I can’t lie to you, can I?”

“Nope.” Cass popped the p, just like Steph used to whenever they talked before. No one could lie to her. Well. Almost no one.

“Okay but… promise you won’t be mad.” She looked serious. Cass nodded slowly, watching as Steph pulled a box off the corner of the bed and carefully opened the lid. Her old Batgirl costume was inside.

“Why would I get mad over that?” She gave the suit to Steph after all, she had her Black Bat suit now.

“You let me borrow it and I ruined it!” Steph’s voice was guilty. Cass looked at the costume again. Bullet holes and tears marked it.

“Are you okay?” Cass asked, those were a lot of holes.

“Ugh, none of us deserve you.” Grateful. For what? Cass tilted her head to show the confusion. “I thought you would be mad because you can’t use it anymore. I thought you would want it back.” Cass shrugged.

“I have a new suit now.” She assessed. She didn’t really care what she wore. Besides, if she wanted another Batgirl costume, Alfred could make one.

“Don’t you… want to be Batgirl again?” Steph sounded concerned, but Cass wasn’t sure why.

“I’m always Batgirl.” Cass stated. She thought for a moment. “Like Tim is still Robin.” It didn’t matter what they called each other; they were still them. “And you’re always a Spoil-sport.” She grinned smugly at the pun. Steph rolled her eyes, but she was amused.

“Well, you can be Batgirl if you want. I kind of miss eggplant.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously, and the corners of her lips twitched up into a smile.

“It’s a good color on you.” Cass agreed.

“How about, we both be Batgirl, and we can switch costumes, and no one will know who’s coming.” Stephanie grinned in excitement. Cass grinned too. It sounded fun.

“Deal.” She flopped back on her bed. Steph followed suit. “How was Gotham?”

“It’s been wild. It’s different, you know.” Cass hummed in agreement. “I’m in college now, that’s going well. My mom’s working as a nurse. I mean, you’re right, things are good. It’s just… different.”

“Batman and Robin.” Cass noted. Steph sighed.

“Yeah, I mean it sucks Bruce died, but Dick’s doing great. And Damian’s coming around.” Steph shifted, turning to face her. “I’m sorry he died, I know he just adopted you, that must suck.” Cass took a deep breath, watching sympathy pour out of Steph’s baby blue eyes. It did suck. Her chest panged in regret, wishing they’d had more time together. But she didn’t want to focus on the past.

“Yes.” She thought for a moment. “I still don’t understand.” She confessed. Butterflies swirled in her stomach, she didn’t want to make Steph upset, but she needed to know. “Why did you leave?” It had hurt, felt like her world was ending. It had hurt Tim too, and Bruce. Steph grimaced, she was clearly uncomfortable, rolling back, she faced the ceiling once more.

“I was mad at first. I didn’t really choose to go.” She admitted. Cass understood, she’d been made to do things she hadn’t wanted to do before. It sucked. “But it was good too. It took time to heal.” She pointed at her head. “Up here too.”

“You hit your head?” Cass had been shot in the head once. Wasn’t fun.

“No like. I needed to think things out. Get in the right headspace.” She shook her head, not really understanding.

“Why’d you go to Hong Kong?” Steph asked. She thought for a moment.

“It hurt. To be around people.” She wasn’t sure how to describe it. She couldn’t stay in the manor. It was painful to be in the Cave. She never bled, but her chest had always ached, and something felt stuck in her throat. So, she left. And being alone hurt too, but in a different way. Steph looked at her sympathetically.

“That’s why I stayed, thinking about coming back hurt. I was scared, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just… didn’t know what to do.” Groaning, she rolled over again. “It’s a mess.” Regretful. But a little hopeful. “Can we… still be friends?” The hope made her heart flutter.

“Yep.” She agreed. Steph smiled, warmly, like the sun.

“Thanks Cassie.” She didn’t really understand what she was being thanked for, but as the nickname rolled off Stephanie’s tongue, she felt more at home than she had in years. They lay still, enjoying each other’s company for a while longer.

Eventually, Steph sat up, hopping off the bed. “Alright, let’s go do something fun kay? How bout we go kick the guys’ asses at Just Dance.”

“Wait.” Cass walked over to her suitcase. “I got you something.” She pulled out a box. She’d collected things, from everywhere she visited. Picked up things that reminded her of family. She hadn’t really planned on giving them away, but now she had the real people, she didn’t need them anymore. She pulled out a purple ‘Lucky Cat’.

“Oh my gosh! I love it!” Steph cradled it carefully in her hands. “Cass this is so sweet, I love it.” Cass beamed; she liked it too. And she made Steph happy with it, maybe it really was lucky. Steph smiled wider, clasping her hand and dragging her out through the hall, running so she could slide behind her on the perfectly slippery floors.

And so, with whatever luck the cat could grant them, they were on their way to kicking butt at Just Dance. As the night wore on, laughs grew louder, and Cass was reminded again, how things had changed, but how change wasn’t always bad. The penthouse wasn’t as big as the Manor, and Gotham wasn’t as big as Hong Kong, but with her family, somehow her life seemed larger, and fuller again.

Things could have turned out better, but they could have been worse too. And they would get better. Much better, as long as they all stuck together. There would be more difficult conversations to be had, but it was reassuring, knowing that after all they’d been through, she still had her best friend by her side.

#my writing #Cassandra Cain #Cassandra Wayne #sorry was stuck in a Steph Cass mood after the crocs story #so this happened #actually nope not apologizing #I love them both romantically and platonically together #read whichever way you prefer

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rainbowpacifiers · 4 years ago

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Twin Kingdoms (A3! Event story) - Chapter 9

Haruto returns to practice. Rehearsals run smoothly and before we know it, their first show is here. (Sorry for potential mistakes!)

Chapter 8 | Index | Chapter 10

Haruto: ...... Haruto: It's Haruto. Reni: Enter. Haruto: --Excuse me. Haruto: Please accept my apologies! Haruto: I sincerely regret that I missed rehearsals for two days and was absent without notice yesterday, in spite of having the lead role. Reni: Do you feel better? Haruto: Yes. Reni: If you're not recovered, say so right now. Before anything else, resting your body is most important. Reni: That you couldn't attend practice and were absent without notice couldn't be helped. Reni: Rather, I am the one that is sorry for not noticing your condition and only making demands on you. Haruto: Eh... Reni: You might be thinking that I'm unreasonable and only strict on the GOD Troupe members... Reni: But Shift and you are members of the GOD Troupe, and I think of you as something akin to family that I will continue to be involved with in the future as well. Reni: That's why I direct by thinking about the next performance, and the next, and the future, and what kind of actors I will raise you to. Reni: In that respect, Tasuku will only be treated as a guest performer of the collaboration. Reni: I will communicate the intention behind the directing with regards to the play, but it is not my role to get involved beyond that. Reni: In that sense, I think it is undeniable that there is a gap. Haruto: --. Reni: Also, I believe you have noticed, but... My directing policy should have changed a lot from before. Reni: My directing so far has been one-sided, killing the individuality of the actors and dyeing with the ideals I pursue. Reni: I believed that to be the very best in order to express the ideals of GOD Troupe. Reni: But you, Shift and Madoka threw all of my guidance to the winds at the recent act-off, and I was deeply moved by the performance you rehearsed overnight. Reni: It is also fact that we were defeated by the performance of MANKAI Company, where the thoughts and feelings of the actors are respected. Reni: I was keenly aware that I myself wouldn't be able to reach the ideals that the GOD Troupe is truly aiming for. Reni: My ideals towards plays, and the world view the GOD Troupe is aiming for haven't changed. But I felt that I had to try to change the approach. Reni: You may be confused by the change in what I demand from the actors. Sorry for the lack of explanation. Haruto: --No! You have nothing to apologise for! Haruto: I know that despite your guidance having changed, the direction the GOD Troupe is aiming for has not. Haruto: Thanks to my meeting with the GOD Troupe and being discovered by you, I was able to change my life. Haruto: And because of your strict guidance, I was able to become an inhabitant of a beautiful world of dreams, just like I wanted to become. Haruto: I feel nothing but gratitude towards you, Reni-san. Haruto: Even if the course has changed, my feelings of wanting to grant your ideals with all I've got are unchanged. Haruto: I will never forget your appearance as a former actor, nor your words to have spirit as an actor. Haruto: I plan to hold that in my mind and push forward as an actor of the GOD Troupe. Reni: Haruto... Thank you. Reni: Once this play's run is over, let's have a talk. About GOD Troupe's future. Haruto: --Yes! Haruto: (That's right... Just like Reni-san, the future I am aiming for has not changed. What I am aiming for is the ideal final stage that Reni-san and the GOD Troupe are aiming for. ) Haruto: (Whether I'm the "real deal" or a "fake", I will not be shaken. That is the sole truth within me.) Haruto: (I will continue to do my utmost to respond to the feeling of having Reni-san nurture me with an eye on my future.) Haruto: (I will devote my body and soul to repay Reni-san and the GOD Troupe for having changed my fate. That is what I must do in my life.)

Tasuku: "The 'Dragon's followers' [1] who worship the ancient dragon?" Haruto: "I've never heard of them." Shift: "Same here." Haruto: "Isn't the fact that magic tools were used proof that it's someone from South Agis?" Tasuku: "That may not necessarily be the case. In the underworld, they are traded by North Aria, too." Azami: "In all likelihood, they aren't just random rogues." Izumi: (I was worried about Haruto-kun, but he's made a complete comeback. He seems healthy too - I'm glad!)

Reni: After a 10-minute break, we will continue onto the second half. Haruto: Excuse me, but can I say something before that? Haruto: Once again, I'm sorry for missing rehearsals. Haruto: The whole time, I had my hands full with myself, and I feel like I wasn't very reliable, neither as lead actor nor as leader. Haruto: In order to let this play succeed, I intend to do my utmost as leader for the remaining rehearsal time. Haruto: For the purpose of adorning the dawn of a new GOD Troupe, I'm counting on all of you. Shift: Of course! Tasuku: We're counting on you too. Azami: Sure. Reni: I leave it to you, Haruto. Haruto: Thank you. Izumi: (Haruto-kun's expression says that he's ready to move on. He seems somewhat dependable.) Haruto: --Tasuku. Tasuku: ? Haruto: I got your message from Shift. Though it kind of felt like you just were pitying me--. Tasuku: That wasn't my intent... Haruto: For a long while, I was jealous of you. Haruto: Even though you joined after me, you easily climbed all the way to the top, and excecssively stood out with your blessed physique. Haruto: You were the thorn in my side who was constantly complimented by Reni-san. For the longest time, I hated you. Tasuku: ..... Haruto: Whenever we were together, I simply felt annoyed,　and when we co-starred together for the first time in a while, I remembered that feeling. Haruto: But I will put all of that into my performance as Cain and act it out. That is my Cain. Haruto: In order to draw closer to the ideals that Reni-san's new GOD Troupe is pursuing, I will make use of any emotions and do anything. Haruto: There is no doubt that I am acting for Reni-san's, for GOD Troupe's sake. That is something that you can never do again; a pride only permitted to me. Tasuku: ....You're right. That's just like Yamada Genta. Haruto: Hah? Don't ya get cocky! Tasuku: Pfft. Haruto: Geez, as always, you're annoying.

Haruto: Izumida, it would be better if you could put more anger into that. Haruto: Tasuku, it will be easier if you come out sooner. Azami: Got it. Tasuku: I'll give it a try. Haruto: And Shimohira-san, about this sound--. Izumi: (He doesn't just provide advice for acting, he also has extensive knowledge about the production. As you'd expect...) Izumi: Haruto-kun has become quite reliable, hasn't he? Reni: That's because he has the most stage experience and sees the whole picture. Izumi: (His aesthetic sense is similar to Kamikizaka-san's as well. It feels like Kamikizaka-san is at ease and leaving it to him.) Izumi: (Also... After his breakthrough, he's become able to make himself look beautiful and express Cain's deep emotions.) Izumi: (I'm excited for the first day of performance!)

Azami: Face down a bit. Shift: This is weird. Azami: That's my line. Shift: Having you stare so hard at my face in such close proximity is a first, isn't it? It kind of makes me want to laugh. Azami: That should be my line too--you can face forward now. Shift: ....You know, I really want to make this play with Haruto-san in the lead role a success. This is making me psyched up in a different way from that time when I was the lead. Shift: So far, I was fine with performing as long as I myself could stand on stage, but now I think this way. Azami: I thought the same when Taichi-san played the lead. Let's knock 'em dead starting with the first day. Shift: Yeah.

Staff: Five minutes left. Haruto: ...... Shift: Alright, now a word from the leader! Haruto: Don't handle it so carelessly. Haruto: I don't know about MANKAI Theatre, but here at GOD Theatre, we are only allowed to show a complete 100% from the first day. Haruto: ....But, here, we have 3 people with experience as the GOD Troupe's top. 3 people who have been acknowledged by that Reni-san. Haruto: The remaining person only has 1 year of experience on stage, but he's a big newcomer with the attitude to manage such a big stage. Haruto: With these 4 people gathered here, there is no way that we can't do it. Shift: That's right! Tasuku: Naturally. Azami: Yeah. Haruto: Tasuku, even if you've left the GOD Troupe once, only for now, I will have you show the most beautiful play in this GOD Theatre. Haruto: Right now, you are one of the actors who embody the GOD Troupe's beautiful world of dreams. Tasuku: I got it. Haruto: Must be fabulous!

_______________

[1] The word used can also mean kin, clan or dependent.

Chapter 8 | Index | Chapter 10

#A3!#A3! event story #A3! translation #A3 event story #Act! Addict! Actors!#Twin Kingdoms #A3! Twin Kingdoms #GOD Troupe #MANKAI Company #Asuka Haruto #Arakawa Shift #Arakawa Shifuto #Kamikizaka Reni #Takato Tasuku #Izumida Azami #Godza #my translations #chapter summaries

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therappundit · 4 years ago

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***BEST OF 2020: The Best Rap Albums From a Historically Horrible Year***

So much has been said about this year, so on the last day of 2020 I don’t need to dive any further into exploration of what made this year so challenging (both at a personal and global level), but on the bright side I will say that two unrelated forces saved this year for me: 1.) my amazing baby daughter, and 2.) the seemingly never ending cycle of new, interesting music releases.

Before we dive in, just two points on my criteria for this list:

- must be released within this calendar year (1/1 - 12/31/20)

- must consist of at least 7 tracks

- rankings are according to a combination of my own favorite albums, and other impressive pieces of work that might not be directly up my alley, but I still found truly impressive

So for my last post of 2020...here are the Top 100 Rap Albums/Projects of 2020 (and a more than worthy list of albums that belong on that same list, further down the page):

10. HOMME by Kipp Stone

Without a doubt the most under-the-radar project on this list, and technically a mixtape and not an "album"...but that doesn't matter much to me, because this effort contains every bit of passion, every bit of perspective, and every bit of sheer love for rapping as any of the the best rap albums of 2020. It's hard to say whether East Cleveland is headed towards similar territory that Detroit, Buffalo, and Rochester now occupy, but with HOMME Kipp Stone captures the hunger, anxiety and forever shoulder-chipped struggle of having big dreams that seem more like unlikely fantasies. Kipp was buzzing a few years back, but making his grand return with this project is confirmation that he is next level talent and is more than ready to make a big splash in 2021.

9. Reasonable Drought by Stove God Cook$ and Roc Marciano

Quotes, on top of quotes, on top of quotes. Not sure what else to say about Roc Marciano's protege at this point, who came out of nowhere to close out 2020 as one of the most sought after feature-verse assassins in the business today. Yes, his bars are hilarious, but it's the outside-the-box references and unpredictable bar pairings that truly made this project such an impressive debut. Roc provided high quality instrumentals for Reasonable Drought, but it's clear that he was intentionally lurking in the background to allow the Stove God to stand on his own two. While the album is probably not at the level of Jigga's classic Reasonable Doubt debut that this project tips its' cap to, it's not hard to imagine that someday we will look back at Stove God Cook$' debut as the coming out party for one of New York City's finest MCs.

8. Àdá Irin by Navy Blue

I never imagined that one of the biggest challenges at this point would not be whether or not Navy Blue deserves to be recognized as having one of the top rap 10 albums of 2020, but rather which album to choose for the top 10!? From Earl Sweatshirt affiliate and Soundcloud producer to standout solo talent, the west coast born by east coast stationed MC/writer/producer/model/skateboarder (!?) had himself a banner year. Of his many gifts, his strongest is his ability to craft beautiful, soulful soundscapes that blend the best elements of the NYC lofi scene with shades of late 90's L.A. underground. Dealing with themes of love, loss, joy, and depression, Navy seems to possess wisdom well beyond his years, and it enabled him to craft not one, but two of the most inviting and accessible offerings from lofi circles that I have heard, and I mean that in the best way possible.

7. From King To A God (Deluxe) by Conway The Machine

He did it. Griselda's top muscle came through to deliver his most well-rounded, and arguably strongest overall project yet. Everything from the bars, to the varied production, to the bleeding soul of this project exemplifies the difference between an album and a "tape". The Machine was a machine in 2020, blitzing an astronomical number of feature verses, but FKTG was the gem he needed in his crown to solidify himself as a contender for best MC in the game moving forward. While this is not his actual Shady Records label debut (who knows when that will arrive now), this certainly feels like his major league arrival.

6. Alfredo by Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist

Two hip-hop specialists getting together to drop a project just for fun in the middle of a pandemic...what could go wrong? Well, almost nothing, actually. Freddie arrived dripping with soul and Al slid a nice little package of beats his way, and what we ended up with was a strong partner-project to FETTI (their previous stellar collaboration alongside Curren$y), only packaged with little snippets of personal revelations and free-flowing opinions throughout. Gibbs is one of the masters of hooking you in with his voice and contagious flow, so much so that his skills as a talented writer are often overlooked. While not necessarily the incredible revelation that his collaborations with Madlib have been thus far, there's enough strong chemistry here between MC and producer to lock Alfredo down as easily one of the best rap projects of 2020. And the Grammy's would certainly agree.

5. Descendants of Cain by Ka

One of the genre's true master writers, Ka albums feel like audio literature placed over hard-nosed rap beats. Many rappers view themselves as true artists, but few can say they are capable of weaving the type of rhyme poetry that Ka seems to wield with casual ease. The truth is that it's not easy, we just aren't around to witness the care and editing that goes into Ka's work. Featuring too many stirring quotes to single out (and let us not forget an incredible surprise verse from fellow Metal Clergy-man, Roc Marcinao), Decendants of Cain is yet another impressive addition to Ka's catalogue, doing more to capture the paradoxical surroundings of environments that are equal parts harsh and loving - and often doing so through religious metaphors - than many MCs can do in a year. His lyrical paintings of the world may be bleak, but they are not without hope.

4. As God Intended by Che Noir & Apollo Brown

Apollo Brown has been one of the most revered - albeit not loudly proclaimed - underground hip-hop producers of the past decade. He has joined forces with many talented MCs to drop full partner projects, but perhaps none as under-the-radar as Buffalo's Che Noir. But what Che Noir lacked in household name status heading into 2020, she more than makes up for with conviction, writing ability, and the skills of an elite MC. The result of this collaboration is a beautiful, personal, at times painful, and at times just straight badass album, and one that deserves recognition from top rap circles. In my opinion, this is the greatest production work of Apollo Brown's career thus far, and it's hard to say where it will rank for Che Noir since she seems to be a fresh talent that is very much still on the rise - but as of right now, you have to call her one of the best in the biz today.

3. Pray for Paris by Westside Gunn

Westside Gunn is one of the masters of the volume game. That's not to say he - or anyone in camp Griselda - sacrifice quality over quantity, but it's safe to say that you know what you're gonna get with a Westside Gunn album. Welp, WSG rewrote the script with this one. What began as an art-inspired passion project between album releases ended up being the overall strongest Griselda project of 2020, and one of the year's most fascinating rap albums. Since his highly regarded Supreme Blientele album, Gunn has gradually been pulling his own lyrical content out of the spotlight, opting to play cook and curator, throwing a mixture of in-house producers and rappers in a pot with outside talent, to mirror the ambiance of a dark, gritty rap fashion show. His projects are less statements of content, than they are audio "scenes" that the listener is invited into, as if they’re Basquiat level exhibitions quantum-leaping forward in time to now live amongst a hungry, thriving rap scene in upstate New York. That's not to say that PFP isn't a lyrical feast as well, with everyone from Tyler, The Creator to Joey Bada$$ to Wale to professional dancer Cartier William having their turn in the spotlight. All thanks to Westside Gunn, the rare MC that enjoys being the host of his own party more than being the center of attention at one.

2. A Written Testimony by Jay Electronica (featuring JAY-Z)

While some are waving the Act II flag as Jay Electronica's "real" debut album, I am less interested in a cool collection of mostly-finished old songs, and much more interested in a polished, brilliantly produced project with (again, mostly) new verses from both Electronica and JAY-Z. It's easily the shortest selection on this list, but I feel like the quality of each individual song makes up for the brevity. I couldn't care less whether anyone thinks this is more of a duo-album or a solo piece, because the themes are certainly coming from Electronica's wheel house, and the fact that Hov was able to tweak his content to meet him there, is one of the things that makes AWT so special to me.

1. The Price of Tea in China (Deluxe) by Boldy James and The Alchemist

No, it doesn’t represent a seismic shift in the culture, and no it’s not *the album* that we heard blasting out of everyone’s (or anyone’s) car speakers this year, but when it came to sheer execution, and mastery over the style of music they were aiming to make, there just simply wasn’t one flaw in Boldy James and The Alchemist’s The Price of Tea in China. From the distinctly moody production, to the guest verses, to the steady hand of a wizened veteran of the street life, intent on sharing unfiltered tales of his underworld without any additional bells or whistles, it all clicks so well that I can’t picture taking the project out of my rotation. Uncle Al went deeeeeeep into his bag with this one, and Boldy seems to have returned from the industry grave to reach the highest level of recognition of his career. In a year stuffed with a plethora of high quality examples of every flavor of rap music imaginable, The Price of Tea in China is the ideal pick for album of the year, because it’s prestige is built upon it’s ability to simply be what it wanted to be without turning an ear to trends or reaching for broader recognition. TPOTIC’s broader recognition is made possible due to Boldy & Al’s artistic commitment to just making the type of music that a MC from Detroit and a legendary underground producer from Los Angeles love to make, and for that we should be very grateful.

Top 100 (all belong in the Top 25-50, but…there’s only 100 spots in the Top 100, so here we go):

11. FlySiifu by Fly Anakin & Pink Siifu

12. Song of Sage: Post Panic! by Navy Blue

13. Eastern Medicine, Western Illness by Preservation

14. Too Afraid To Dance EP by Chuck Strangers

15. Noise Kandy 4 by Rome Streetz

16. Mt. Marci by Roc Marciano

17. Burden of Proof by Benny The Butcher & Hit-Boy

18. Battle Scar Decorated by Monday Night & Henny L.O.

19. We Know the Truth (Deluxe) by Drakeo the Ruler

20. The Allegory by Royce Da 5′9″

21. Bag Talk by yungmorpheus & Pink Siifu

22. Innocent Country 2 by Quelle Chris

23. Weight of the World by MIKE

24. Kontraband by Rome Streetz & Farma Beats

25. BRASS by Moor Mother & billy woods

26. Try Again by ovrkast.

27. Shrines by Armand Hammer

28. The Smartest by Tee Grizzley

29. Good Energy by Grafh

30. Substance Abuse by Rigz & Futurewave

31. Cold Water by Medhane

32. King’s Disease by Nas & Hit-Boy

33. Milestones by Skyzoo

34. Young & Turnt 2 by 42 Dugg

35. My Turn by Lil Baby

36. Manger on McNichols by Boldy James and Sterling Toles

37. The OutRunners by Curren$y & Harry Fraud

38. Mach’s Hard Lemonade by Mach-Hommy

39. Sages by Henny L.O. & Ohbliv

40. E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front by Busta Rhymes

41. Lake Water by SeKwence

42. At the End of the Day. by Fly Anakin

43. Sole Food by Deniro Farrar

44. The Oracle 3 by Grafh

45. The Blue Tape by Tree

46. lo&behold by lojii

47. Who Made The Sunshine by Westside Gunn

48. RTJ4 by Run The Jewels

49. Whitehouse Studio, Pt. 2 by Various Aritsts [Detroit]

50. Carpe Noctem by Big Ghost Ltd

51. Infinite Wisdom by Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon

52. The Throwaways by The Opioid Era

53. Anyways by Young Nudy

54. PTSD (Deluxe) by G Herbo

55. Holly Favored by Monday Night & Foisey

56. THE GOAT by Polo G

57. Dump YOD: Krutoy Edition by Your Old Droog

58. The Face of Jason by ANKHLEJOHN

59. Two4one by Jay Worthy

60. Poetic Substance by RIM & Vinyl Villain

61. ve·loc·i·ty by H31R (Maassai & JWords)

62. UNLOCKED by Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats

63. Slim E and Friends by CHASETHEMONEY

64. Alone Time by YL

65. FLYGOD Is An Awesome God 2 by Westside Gunn

66. OBLIVION by Black Noi$e

67. Sleeper Effect by Sleep Sinatra

68. Savage Mode 2 by 21 Savage & Metro Boomin

69. Thug Tear by Big Kashuna O.G. & Monday Night

70. II - The Next Wave by Quakers

71. Demon & Mufasa by Yhung T.O. & DaBoii

72. Eternal Atake by Lil Uzi Vert

73. Miles by Blu & Exile

74. IMMORTALKOMBAT by Al Divino & Estee Nack

75. The Baltimore Housing Project by Jay Royale

76. I’m Still Perfect by Baby Smoove

77. The Grotesque & Beautiful by Teller Bank$

78. Crime Scenes by Ransom & Nicholas Craven

79. Streams Of Thought, Vol. 3. by Black Thought

80. Ways and Means by Rasheed Chappell & 38 Spesh

89. Sacred Psalms by El Camino & 38 Spesh

90. As Above So Below by ANKHLEJOHN

91. Tomorrow Is Forgotten by Stik Figa & Conductor Williams

92. So Help Me God! by 2 Chainz

93. Sauce Monk Volume 3 by Sauce Heist & Camoflauge Monk

94. A Beautiful Drug by WTM Scoob

95. Don’t Play It Straight by Small Bills (ELUCID & The Lasso)

96. No More Humble Fashion by Flee Lord

97. Pharaoh Chain by Planet Asia & Tha Musalini

98. Numb by Sha Hef

99. Interstate 38 by 38 Spesh

100. Get Money Teach Babies by Heist Life & Spanish Ran

THE REST OF THE BEST (all belong in the Top 100 releases of 2020, blame 2020 for being such a stacked year for music) - in no particular order:

Assata by CV$ a.k.a. Con$piracy & Teller Bank$, Spencer for HIGHER 3 by Vic Spencer & sonnyjim, Big Bad Boldy by Boldy James & Real Bad Man, Da 5th Power by Mooch, Muthaland by BbyMutha, Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn) by Jay Electronica, Long Story Short by Heem, Eileen by 14 Trapdoors, Free Drakeo by Drakeo the Ruler, Da Fixtape by Da Cloth, The L.I.B.R.A. by T.I., Sinners & Saints by Rasheed Chappell & Buckwild, Black Schemata by yungmorpheus............... Polly by the Powder Keg by Chuck Chan & Pad Scientist, High Off Life by Future, Memphis Massacre 2 by Duke Deuce, LSD by The Leonard Simpson Duo & Guilty Simpson, Funeral by Lil Wayne............ RAW UNKNOWN by Spectacular Diagnostics, Nezzie’s Star by Eddie Kaine, ShrapKnel (self-titled), The Bluest Note by Skyzoo & Dumbo Station, WUNNA by Gunna, Meet The Woo 2 by Pop Smoke, Fresh Air by UFO Fev & Statik Selektah, Vito by Vince Ash, Avenues by Tony Seltzer & Adrian Lau, Spilligion by Spillage Village, GRIMM & EViL by GRiMM Doza, Closer Than They Appear by Lyric Jones, RUDEBWOY by CJ Fly, Wired Different by Ty Farris & Bozack Morris, Rocket to Nebula by Killah Priest, NO Blade of Grass by V Don, I’m My Brother’s Keeper by Yella Beezy & Trapboy Freddy................. Carhartt Champions by Tree Mason, No Hook 3 by Dunbar, Rowhouse Whispers by Ray West & Zilla Rocca, Magneto Was Right #4 by Raz Fresco, DUMP LIFE by Tha God Fahim, Jay NiCE & Left Lane Didon, FNTG: From Niggaz to Godz by Squeegie O, PANAGNL4E, Vol. 2 by Los and Nutty, Thank You For Using GTL by Drakeo & JoogSzn, Adjust to the Game by Larry June, BETTER by Deante’ Hitchcock, No Cosign Just Cocaine 3 by Ty Farris, Vangarde by Mr. Lif & Stu Bangas, MSYKM by Tsu Surf, Your Birthday’s Cancelled by Iron Wigs.................. LULU by Conway & The Alchemist, No One Mourns The Wicked by Conway & Big Ghost, Talk Soon by Nolan The Ninja, FULL CIRCLE by Medhane, Detroit 2 by Big Sean, Juno by Che Noir & 38 Spesh, Send Them To Coventry by Pa Salieu............... Marlowe 2 by Marlowe (L’Orange & Solemn Brigham), The Versace Tape by Boldy James & Jay Versace, The Balancing Act by Statik Selektah, Capital Gains by Willie The Kid, Deutsche Marks 2 by Willie The Kid & V Don, Keep Going by Larry June & Harry Fraud, The Sharecropper’s Daughter by Sa-Roc, Seven Times Down Eight Times Up by Elzhi & JR Swiftz.................... The Ghost of Fritz by Jamal Gasol, Don’t Feed the Monster by Homeboy Sandman & Quelle Chris, Anime, Trauma and Divorce by Open Mike Eagle, Brentwood by Poloboy Nunu, The Listening Session by Billy Danze & TooBusy, Midnight Sons by Zilla Rocca & Chong Wizard, A Piece of Mine by Bub Rock, The Rock Period by Bub Rock, WINTER by DJ Muggs, Bartier Bounty 2 by Sada Baby, Cincorginals by Tobe Nwigwe, Director’s Cut (Scene Three) by Ransom & Nicholas Craven, Rather Be A Real One by Vic Spencer.............. Exhibit Q by Deniro Farrar, After 12 by Che Noir, Blank Checc by Baby Money, Jesus Is My Homeboy by YL, The People’s Champ by Flee Lord, In The Name of Prodigy by Flee Lord & Havoc, Culture Over Corporate by Uptown X.O., Sell Sole 2 by Dej Loaf, Progress by Struggle Mike, Merry Wickmas by Shawny Binladen, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Donsmith, Serene by VRN Hayes, In My Life by Dat Boi Vic, Ho, Why Is You Here? by Flo Milli, Limbo by Aminé........................................thank you, and cheers to a happier, healthier New Year. 🙏

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emilianatorrini · 5 years ago

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I am a guest and Music Advisor for @youarentdoingitwrong the new theater venture by the brilliant @rachblackers YOU ARENT DOING IT WRONG - IF NO ONE IS WATCHING the crew got inspired by that and we all did our photo version in the spirit of the play, making good creative use of the 4 foot of snow out the back of my house. A little interview below @youarentdoingitwrong #brightonfestival #tinyfailures Photo by Rowan Cain. . . 1. What are you enjoying doing most at the moment? 💥Travelling to London once a month to write music with my friends and long time collaborators. 2. What do most people know you for? 💥Singing and writing a song called Jungle drum, writing Slow for Kylie Minogue and singing the credit song for Lord of the rings The two towers 3. Tell us about a time you felt professionally ridiculous. (Or just ridiculous will do!) 💥When I was tricked into headlining a festival that turned out to be a hip hop festival and that I was not asked to headline at all but to jump in for Lauren Hill who had cancelled. They could not get anyone stupid enough to do it in time so my agent threw me in there and did not tell me anything. You can imagine the around 10.000 peoples faces when I came on and started singing ‘sunnyroad’... calm folk music. Turned out they did not know either that Lauren hill had cancelled. @emilianatorrini website: www.emilianatorrini.com @youarentdoingitwrong @rachblackers #TinyFailures #youarentdoingitwrongifnooneknowswhatyouaredoing#yadiwinkwyad #feelingridiculous #creativeinspiteofbadodds #brightonfestival2020 #ridiculous #brighton #hove #emilianatorrini https://www.instagram.com/p/B9tNxoygSbF/?igshid=ee022ut1ekc0

#brightonfestival #tinyfailures #youarentdoingitwrongifnooneknowswhatyouaredoing #yadiwinkwyad #feelingridiculous #creativeinspiteofbadodds #brightonfestival2020 #ridiculous #brighton #hove #emilianatorrini

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lovehatinganime · 6 years ago

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Time for another BNHA and DC Comics crossover post!

Secret Society of Villains starring...

All for One as LEX LUTHOR

(He the villain of villains, the one who always has a master plan and the true enemy of Superman, who is kind of the equivalent of All Might. I believe both AFO and Lex Luthor share an ideological motivation / ruthless personality)

Shigaraki Tomura as THE JOKER

(Their danger level is completely different, I am well aware of that. However, when Shiggy gets rid of his cartoonish and absurd attitude; he becomes quite terrifying too. Each of these villains are the most popular in their respective franchise and the two have similar characteristics in terms of nasty appearance, deranged mind, chaotic evil...)

Kurogiri as OSWALD COBBLEPOT

(Sophisticated and gentlemanly. Very important, I am not using the villain name `Penguin` on purpose because that power hungry alter ego does not fit Kurogiri)

Sako Atushiro A.K.A. Mr. Compress as THE RIDDLER

(The style and the strategy of always trying to outsmart the heroes are what they have in common. Also, not being particularly violent comparing to most of the other villains)

Dabi as TWO FACE

(Let me explain: Assuming the `Dabi is a Todoroki` as true, this boy was in the path of becoming a hero and doing so much good to society. Unfortunately, he suffered too much during said journey, physically as well as psychologically. His face and body were disfigured, giving him a scarier appearence. With this new twist his life had given, Dabi could not help but succumb to his demons, getting the best of his darker self. Just like Harvey Dent did)

Himiko Toga as HARLEY QUINN

Jin Bubaigawara A.K.A. Twice as MR. FREEZE

(Two Face would have been the obvious option for him, cause they share the bipolarity/multiple personality spectrum of mental ilnesses. Sadly, I had already picked him for Dabi and liked the explanation behind it better. Then again, Deathstroke could have worked too. At least for the sake of the Deadpool parallel. Despite this, there was something about giving Jin a mercenary that didn `t rub me the right way. Twice was truly one of the most difficult to find a counterpath. I finally opted for the tragic backstories and a emotional character vibe. Moreover, Victor Fries has to stay in his suit to keep himself alive whereas Twice has to put on his mask not to completely lose his head. If you think about it, the villain role is almost an obligation for them).

Suichi Iguchi A.K.A. Spinner as KILLER CROC

Hikiishi Kenji A.K.A. Magne as BANE

(I know it seems super random, the link I made was that Bane had to carry the weight of being the son of his father and pay for his crimes. Magne, on the other hand, had to struggle because the world was trying to tell her who she had to be. They became completely brutal because of those unjust experiences).

Muscular as DOOMSDAY

Moonfish as CHEETAH

(In order to justify it, I will simply say: hunger for human flesh)

Mustard as THE SCARECROW

(TBH, I only paired them due to the gas thing. Nevertheless, I believe that Fox´s Gotham made Scarecrow a teen, so if you take that version, the ages adjust perfectly)

And a special collaboration of Chisaki Kai A.K.A Overhaul as RA'S AL GHUL

(One is the head of the league of shadows while the other is the boss of the yakuzas, pretty much the same. They kill for their beliefs which, in both cases, are basically that people are a plague)

Young Justice Momosquad starring...

Yaoyorozu Momo as TROIA (The original Wonder Girl)

Mezo Shoji as BUMBLEBEE

(Okey, this is exclusively based on their seriousness and teamworker nature)

Jirou Kyoka as BATGIRL

(If I had to name exactly which one of the batgirls, I would be torn between Barbara Gordon and Cassandra Cain. Given that the second has never been affiliated to the team... we can say that Jirou will be a great Oracle in the future)

Kouda Kouji as BEAST BOY

Ojiro Mashirao as ROBIN

(The batkids are always the best in martial arts. I am taking the Tim Drake version because is the calmest and most hard-working one out of all.)

and

Hagakure Toru as SECRET

(DC is way too dark to find a character with the right personality for this cutie. I have decided to go for quirk/power similarity and nothing suits a invisible girl better than an actual ghost. In addition, Secret has a crush on Robin who I have made the equivalent of Ojiro ;P hahaha)

... with the guest Itsuka Kendou as BLACK CANNARY

(My rocker girls who have a quirk/power that doesn`t seem like much, but they make it ultra badass)

-This squad was almost impossible, I swear. So I apologise if you think they are lame or do not make any sense -

Author Note: Take a look at the Titan Dekusquad and Outlaw Bakusquad one if you want. If someone with talent wants to draw any of this I would be more than pleased. Feel free too to comment and tell me what you think! :)

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fnafs-ex-boyfriend · 11 months ago

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And another one from my fanfiction! Was really fun to draw considering how much I don’t like drawing normal Caine :Z

#tadc fanfic #caine tadc #the amazing digital circus caine #the amazing digital circus #i have no mouth and i must scream harlan ellison #i have no mouth and i must scream #am must scream #my art #my fanart #tadc human #my fanfic #Caine’s guest collaborator #Caine’s guest collaborator fanfic #fanfic on ao3 #writer on tumblr #writer on ao3

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personalcoachingcenter · 3 years ago

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Leadership Development and Org. Politics

New Post has been published on https://personalcoachingcenter.com/leadership-development-and-org-politics/

Leadership Development and Org. Politics

On the first Monday of every month, Bonni and I respond to listener questions. This month, we shared thoughts on leading change, leadership development, organizational politics, and certifications.

Here are the most useful links from this episode:

Full audio and show notes

Leadership vs. Management episode from The Look & Sound of Leadership by Tom Henschel

Association for Talent Development

Teaching in Higher Ed podcast from Bonni Stachowiak

Submit a question for future Q&A shows

If our responses helped, these episodes will be useful too:

CFL249: How to Succeed with Leadership and Management with John Kotter

CFL328: How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries

CFL337: Six Tactics to Achieve Extraordinary Performance

MemberCast 7: Seven Steps to Landing Professional Development Funding

Recommended Reading

Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey?: A classic article from Harvard Business Review on delegation. A few of the examples are dated, but the lessons are as real today as ever.

Which is Missing for You?: I like the checkpoint in this brief article on how you react when others make mistakes.

The #1 Reason Leadership Development Fails: This is the exact reason our Academy focuses on collaboration and coaching — not curriculum.

How Extroverts Are Taking the Top Jobs – and What Introverts Can Do About It: Helpful pointers, including a few from past guest Susan Cain.

Great at Work: Article with more details on the research of recent guest Morten Hansen. See the bottom for the three cards that Heineken started using in meetings to get people engaging in meetings.

Audio Gems

Humanizing the Interviewing Process: Academy member Emily Leathers was recently a guest on the SimpleLeadership podcast teaching how to interview better. Especially helpful if you are a technology leader who’s doing lots of hiring.

Received from a friend?

Activate your free membership for full access to 7 years of interviews with leadership experts — or subscribe to the Coaching for Leaders podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher.

Original source: https://coachingforleaders.com/leadership-development-org-politics/

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thedeadgameblog · 5 years ago

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@ArtbyAthena1

The reflection staring back at him appeared sad and grim with a hint of nostalgia for happier times. Lord Bloodgrin stood before the full-length mirror, adjusting the white cravat at his neck, waving his insistent valet from the room. Tonight, Mars needed to prepare without the usual help or interference. He reached for his gray silk waistcoat and slipped it over his white shirt. After buttoning his vest’s buttons and adjusting the cuffs, Mars shrugged into a dark gray tailcoat, completing his ensemble for a gentleman’s night on the town. The opera would offer him the best cover as he slipped from the last seat in his box to attend to this evening’s business.

A lopsided grin settled on his face as Bloodgrin placed the tall black top hat atop his curly brown hair. As he stepped from his suite, Mars grabbed his trustworthy cane, useful as a fashion accessory and for defense with its retractable blade.

Hurrying through the hall, Mars called to his housekeeper, who hovered nearby, “I’ll be home late tonight. Don’t bother with dinner.”

The stout woman ran after him as Bloodgrin descended the staircase. “But ye will eat?”

Mars turned his head as he reached the front door. “I’m meeting friends.” Lord Bloodgrin tipped his hat to his butler, holding the door open for him, then hurried to the carriage, waiting at the front steps. A sigh escaped his lips as he settled into the cushioned seat. He was impatient to execute the plan he’d put into action years ago.

His mind drifted to Elizabeth Manchester as he’d last seen ten years ago. Her wavy black hair wrapped in a tight bun fought to be free as cascading tendrils swept around her face. Her fingers attempted to confine the wayward strands, but they couldn’t be controlled, just as her blue eyes refused to stay cool and disconnected as they watched him. Each time he stared into her eyes, the blue irises darkened and danced to the frenzied pace of his heartbeat. When Mars had gazed at her ruby red lips with undisguised passion, those lips lifted in response, causing him the intense agony of desire. She had taunted him, but he’d been powerless to fight back.

Lord Bloodgrin fought to control his thoughts, shoving the image from his mind. He grimaced. She made him powerless. Tonight, he would face her again. Rumors circulated of her wild followers, women who danced at night, enticing men to their rooms. Mars refused to believe Elizabeth had become wanton in the ten years since he’d last seen her. In 1888, she’d been pure. An intellectual who’d studied medicine and the ways of the human mind. Such a person couldn’t fall as far as the rumors speculated. A picture of Elizabeth bathing in blood repulsed him. As his carriage brought him closer to the opera and Elizabeth, he damned himself and whatever evil had befallen his one true love.

With a swipe at the curtains of the coach, the steps of the London Opera House appeared busy. Carriages lined the crowded road. Colorful flashes of gowns and jewelry darted between dark suits of men in top hats. One of these women was Elizabeth. As Bloodgrin descended the carriage steps, his gaze darted through the crowd. Red. A lover of blood would wear blood red to showcase her passion. But none of the gowns belonged to his beloved. He followed the throng inside and upstairs to his box. He nodded to his friends, seated in the first two rows, then settled in the third row. As Mars sat in his plush seat to watch the opera, the lights dimmed. He moved farther back into the shadows. The music started. The curtain lifted. Lord Bloodgrin disappeared from his seat.

Bloodgrin drifted through the seats at a speed that enabled him to stay undetectable by mere mortals. His shadow roamed row after row until he spotted Elizabeth, his Elizabeth. In a dark red gown, rubies glittering at her neck, she sat between two young women, wearing white gowns and no jewelry. Mars stood in the shadows, watching Elizabeth smile at her women as her blue-eyed gaze wandered to the other guests. Her black hair, pulled back from her face with jeweled hairpins, flowed in waves at her back. She hadn’t aged one bit. If possible, Elizabeth looked lovelier than she did years ago. Mars experienced the same frenzied heartbeat and pang of lust. He stepped forward.

Elizabeth’s startled gaze met his. The smile slipped from her mouth. She turned to whisper to the young girl at her side, then came to her feet. Elizabeth moved through the row with grace as she nodded her thanks to the elite of the ton. In moments, she stood before him, a questioning look on her face.

“Hello, Elizabeth.” Bloodgrin lifted his hat and nodded to her.

“Mars.” Her whisper floated in the silence between them.

“We should talk.”

A grimace marred her smooth features. “Not here.”

He waited.

“Meet me outside.” Elizabeth turned and hurried through a side curtain.

The young girl, sitting in the seat beside Elizabeth’s empty one, stared at him through light green eyes. She tilted her head and smiled. Mars felt her innocence; it called to him. Betrayal. Elizabeth took these girls’ trust and betrayed them. This must end. No matter who she’d been to him, Elizabeth must be stopped.

Mars shoved aside the curtain and strode through the narrow hallway. He took the staircase, leading outside the opera house. Emerging in an alley, Mars drew the blade from his cane, ready to meet Elizabeth.

A hiss came from behind him. As he turned, a glancing blow hit the side of his face, throwing him to the ground. His head pounding, Bloodgrin struggled to his feet and came face to face with Elizabeth. She resembled his Elizabeth, but this one showcased an evil grin on her face. A blade in each hand, the creature stalked him.

“Who are you?” Mars ducked the long blades that flew near his face.

“Elizabeth Bathory at your service.”

He charged at her. “What happened to my Elizabeth?” Bloodgrin wasn’t ready to show his true face yet.

She sidestepped his cane with a snarl. “I was reincarnated.”

“What are you?” After the last swipe of her sword, blood gushed from Mars’ upper arm. He fell at her feet.

Her foot on his chest, Elizabeth stood over him.. “I’m the same as you. A scion of Cain.”

“Damn.” Mars lost consciousness.

Lord Bloodgrin awoke in a dark room, chained to a wall. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he spotted bars on the window. The rest of the room appeared empty. He still had time.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. He had less time than he’d hoped. Mars held his breath as the footsteps passed the door. He closed his eyes and prepared himself for battle.

His body heated as his face stiffened. After the transformation, Bloodgrin lowered his head to reach the chains at his wrists. Blades tore through the metal like they were paper. His fingers pulled blades from his mouth, using them to slice the shackles at his feet. Satisfied, he rose to his height of six feet. No more games. His transformation complete, Lord Bloodgrin loosened the bolts on the door with bare fingers. He grabbed his cane from the ground and strode to the dark hallway.

Mars followed the sounds of laughter, emanating from the closed-door ahead. He stepped into a scene of young women, food, and blood. A lot of blood. As Mars wove through the dead bodies of girls, pale from being blooded, many headless, he averted his eyes. Needless death sickened him, while the flowing blood from the damned filled him with joy. His Elizabeth understood his sickness. This Elizabeth didn’t. She lounged in a swimming pool of blood while young girls fed her food and played music.

“Damn you.” Bloodgrin strode forward. “This must end tonight.”

“And who made you a god?” Elizabeth stood as blood dripped from her naked body. “I’m in charge.” She stared at him. “You are ugly with blades replacing your mouth. You’d been a stud.”

“Go to hell.” He halted before her.

“I’m already there.” She climbed from the pool and grabbed the towel a girl handed to her.

Mars pulled a blade from his cane and lunged at her.

Elizabeth stepped back, her stomach gaping open, revealing her twining intestines. “Oops,” she said, shoving her organs into her body. The gash began to heal, and the wound closed. Her eyes raised to his, she smiled. “I regenerate.”

Bloodgrin froze in place.

“You can’t kill me.” The creature walked to him. Her eyes glittered, and her nails elongated to sharp blades. “But I can kill you.”

Continued next month.

The collaboration of authors for Lord Bloodgrin can be found at https://allthehorror18.wixsite.com/event/lordbloodgrin-finds-elizabeth

https://allthehorror18.wixsite.com/event/

#bloody #supernatural horror #horror story #paranormal romance #paranormal suspense #lovers #creepy #scary #eerie #deadly #games #fear #dark fantasy #darkside #creatures

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carlageronimi · 6 years ago

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Here, there and in-between: Concert 2, There – Performance

This series of three concerts curated by Cathy Lane for Reel Lives will feature performances and works from emergent and established sound artists from the UK and Europe. Through these events you will be invited to sonically engage with aspects of the voice and language, places near and far and recent and current events through the different styles, ears and perspectives of each of the artists. The performances will take place in the main gallery space at LCC which will feature an eight channel system surrounding the audience to reconfigure the gallery as an immersive listening space.

Artists include Ain Bailey, Caroline Bergvall, Kate Carr, Viv Corringham, Poulomi Desai, Caroline Devine, Lisa Hall and Hannah Kemp-Welch, Cathy Lane, Lina Lapelyte, Brona Martin, Else M’bala and Karen Power.

Concert 2: There

This concert will feature works and performances from Ain Bailey, Lisa Hall & Hannah Kemp-Welch, Karen Power and Brona Martin.

Ain Bailey is a sound artist and DJ. Her current practice involves an exploration of sonic autobiographies, architectural acoustics, live performance, as well as collaborations with performance, visual and sonic artists. Bailey has exhibited and performed both nationally and internationally and Oh Adelaide (2010), her collaboration with the artist Sonia Boyce, has shown at Tate Britain, the Whitechapel Gallery and The Kitchen, New York. In 2016, Bailey was commissioned by Art Basel Miami Beach to compose for the Soundscape Park. Bailey also devised a Study Week at Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge, that considered the role of sound in the formation of identity. Bailey was guest professor in sound at Kunsthochschule Kassel for the winter semester 2017/2018.

Lisa Hall & Hannah Kemp-Welch

Hannah is a social practice sound artist, working collaboratively with communities, educators and artists, to listen to the world around. Using a range of strategies such as sound recording, audio interventions, broadcasts, performance and digital making, works explore communication and ask how do we listen? and who can be heard?

Lisa is a London based sound artist exploring urban environments using audio interventions and performative actions. Interrupting behaviour and questioning design, these works aim to make space for something new.

Hannah and Lisa have worked together since 2012, on commissions for galleries including Tate Modern, Firstsite, and October Gallery.

Karen Power’s work utilises two primary sources; acoustic instruments and everyday sounds, spaces and soundscapes. Her output is diverse - both in its approach and delivery - and her primary aim is to capture and translate the essence of an idea through any artistic means necessary. Recent projects include; Gorging Limpet, a collaborative project between sound and experimental film with Max le Cain; where lost weight is found for UK pianist Andrew Zolinsky - focusing on the subtle individual tuning of pianos; hearSpace - an exploration into the world of Radio with a new interactive radio art composition, sounds of a time and place for Bozzini Quartet, a DAAD Artist-in-Berlin Award, Instruments of Ice (2015) for Quiet Music Ensemble (QME) + Arctic Ice, once below a double installation + soloists based on Berlin’s underground bunkers, veiled babble for Ensemble Mosaik+ underwater Spree River sounds + here not here for Sonar Quartett merging string quartet with Laotian ricefields + Berlin.

Brona Martin is an electroacoustic composer and sound artist from Banagher, Co. Offaly, Ireland. Brona's research interests include narrative in Electroacoustic music, soundscape composition, acoustic communication and spatialisation. Brona's portfolio of works explore the layers and textures of sounds that contribute to the overall sonic-makeup of specific places both real and imaginary and offers an in-depth and alternative listening perspective and experience where the complexity of everyday sounds are examined and rearranged into a new context. Her acousmatic works composed in stereo, 5.1 and 8-channel have included the creative exploration of soundscapes from Ireland, Manchester, East Coast Australia, Spain and Germany. Her works have been performed internationally at EMS, ACMC, ICMC, NYCEMF, ISSTA, ZKM, BEAST, Balance/Unbalance, SSSP, iFIMPaC, Sonorities and MANTIS.

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marianajacqueline45 · 8 years ago

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today meets years Dwayne Johnson 45 is a actor, fisiculturista and fighter profesionalestadounidense, also known as the rock (translated to Spanish as rock), working doing visits sporadic for wwe.entre their achievements as fighter stand out ten world championships: eight as champion of the WWF / and (its seventh reign was as champion undisputed of WWE) and two as world champion of the wcw. also was twice champion Intercontinental, and five times world champion in couples. he was also the winner of the Royal rumble 2000 was champion of the three crowns. it is also known for end all his speeches in the ring and submitted scene with the phrase "can / if / do you smell !! what the rock is cooking?" you can translate as: can smell ... what's cooking rock? this phrase is a variation of question-response, a idiom of words that aims to make a game with the public, in a question, "if you can smell?" and the public answers mode choir, "what the rock this cooking", or also use the phrase: finally, the rock you have come back .... and gives a reference of the city your country. holds the record the fight shorter in WrestleMania beating Erick Rowan in six seconds. the rock is cousin rikishi. career as an actor the success of Johnson in the ring, allowed him to get to the popularity appearances guest in the song "it doesn't matter" (which is one of the phrases favorite of the rock and singer a & breakfast Wyclef Jean), appeared also in the video for the song. that same year participated guest in the program, Saturday night live, presenting his co-fight triple pm, the big show, and Mick Foley. according Johnson, the success of chapter caused began to receive offers the Hollywood studios. participated as actor guest on television series star trek: Voyager and that '70s show. its first appearance film was a brief appearance in the film the mummy returns, the blockbuster of this, led to a prequel, the King Scorpion, where obtained the lead role. your next job would have been in the project feature film Johnny Bravo, but production is suspended. since its removal WWE in 2004, left the fight and concentrated in the film career. However your company continued selling brand products the rock and Johnson usually appear in presentation of their TV shows. followed with appearances cinema, wearing their talents and skills sports, as in the film the game plan, where interprets the challenging football player Joe Kingman, and in the comedy superagent 86, such as agent 23 has appeared in the Guinness book of world records (2007), for being the actor who has received pay higher ($ 5 million), in his first role film. (the mummy returns) in 2007 he also cameo in the series of Disney channel Hannah Montana starring Miley Cyrus where you played himself for a episode. was the presenter the ceremony Academy awards 2008, for the best special effects. it was also nominated for the award kids' choice awards 2008, for his role in the film the game plan, which finally won Johnny Depp, by Pirates of the Caribbean: at the end of the world. collaborated on the award ceremony Nickelodeon kids' choice awards in March 2009. 2011 appears on fifth film the saga fast & furious called fast five with the role of the agent Luke Hobbs, joining as lead actor by Vin diesel and Paul Walker. 2012 appears on journey 2: the mysterious Island with Josh hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzman and Michael Caine. in 2013 reappears in the sixth film the fast and the furious, next to Vin diesel and Paul Walker this time third. that same year, and in 2014, confirmed by the same and through ad entertaiment, which is in final negotiations to play a character of ad comics & new line cinema. 2015 participates in the film fast and furious 7 where came despite 141 kg. since 2011 its role in fast five his Fame and his career as an actor rose to the highest repeating in several action films that were successful in box office, some as pain & gain, g.i. Joe: retaliation, snitch, San Andres, fast and furious etc. is known for its appearance muscular, your skinhead, and the voice penetrating. one of the best actors today, especially the genre action & adventure. he has related to a role in the mercenaries 4 of Sylvester Stallone, but for the moment are just rumors. his career as an actor in the small screen was based on cameos in series, in addition to your program participation relay WWE as fighter. currently is the main character of the television series chain American hboballers in which plays Spencer strasmore, a sporty removed now is dedicated to helping athletes of elite for not wasted money earned in sprees and them away from scandals. series has had a great host by the American public. in Spain series is relays by HBO via television services cable or satellite. at the end of 2016, opened his new film featured called Moana that is a film Disney, which gives you voice to the character of Maui.

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blackkudos · 8 years ago

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will.i.am

William Adams (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will-eye-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, actor, musician, DJ, record producer and philanthropist. He is best known as a founding member of the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas, with whom he has received multiple awards.

Will.i.am has also released four solo albums. The first, Lost Change, was released on October 2, 2001 through Atlantic Records and is an original album. The second solo album, Must B 21, was released on September 23, 2003. The track "Go!", was regularly used as the theme for the NBA Live 2005 and Madden NFL 2005 seasons. The third album, Songs About Girls, was released on September 25, 2007. He released his fourth studio album, #willpower, in 2013.

Will.i.am is also a music producer. He has produced with other artists including Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Kesha, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, David Guetta, U2, Rihanna, Cheryl, Lady Gaga, Usher, Justin Timberlake, A. R. Rahman, Nicki Minaj, 2NE1, and Baby Kaely. In collaborations and with the Black Eyed Peas, he has a total of 34 top-40 entries on the UK Singles Chart since 1998, and has sold 9.4 million singles in the UK.

Early life

William James Adams Jr. was born in Eastside Los Angeles, and was raised in the Estrada Courts housing projects in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, where he and his family were among the few African Americans living in a predominantly Hispanic community. Adams has never met his father, William Adams Sr. He was raised by his mother, Debra (née Cain), who encouraged him to be unique and to avoid conforming to the tendencies of the other youth in his neighborhood on the east side of Los Angeles. To encourage his musical career, she sent him to public schools in affluent West Los Angeles. While attending John Marshall High School, he became best friends with Allan Pineda (stage name apl.de.ap), who was also a future member of The Black Eyed Peas. While still in high school, Adams and Pineda performed in East L.A. clubs and were soon joined by three other entertainers to form the socially conscious rap group, Atban Klann. Atban Klann caught the eye of Compton rapper Eazy-E and was signed to his label, Ruthless Records in 1992.

Adams used to attend raves while in high school. He later said his history with rave culture is why he chose a more electro sound for The Black Eyed Peas' albums The E.N.D. and The Beginning. Despite the use of electro and house music elements, will.i.am prefers to separate the underground from pop. In an article with Los Angeles Times, he mentions that secrecy over the whereabouts of raves is what made raving special, and different from the mainstream.

Music career

1988–2000: Formations and The Black Eyed Peas

will.i.am's music career began in the summer of 1988, when as an eighth-grader, he met up with fellow rapper Allan Pineda (apl.de.ap) and fellow student Dante Santiago. They began performing together around Los Angeles and were soon discovered by rapper/entrepreneur Eazy-E, who signed them to his label Ruthless Records in 1992. At the time, Will was known as "Will 1X". The Atban Klann's first ever official track, "Merry Muthafuckin' Xmas", was included on Eazy-E's EP 5150: Home 4 tha Sick. After this, the trio began recording an album, "Grass Roots", with the help of producers Mookie Mook and DJ Motiv8, however, the album was never released, due to Eazy-E's death in 1995. After Eazy's tragic death, Atban Klann changed their name to the Black Eyed Pods, and Will replaced Dante with Jaime Gomez, better known under his stage name of Taboo. In 1997, they once again changed their name, this time to The Black Eyed Peas, and began recording their first album, Behind the Front, with the help of soul singer Kim Hill. They were soon signed to Interscope Records, and released their debut single, "Joints & Jam", in early 1998. The album was successful enough for the group's contract to be renewed, and in 2000, a second album, Bridging the Gap, was released.

2000–03: Lost Change, Elephunk and Must B 21

Following the release of Bridging the Gap, Will began recording his first solo release, Lost Change, which was the official soundtrack to the film of the same name. Featuring collaborations with Medusa, Planet Asia and Terry Dexter, the album was a critical success.

In November 2001, work began on a third Black Eyed Peas album, Elephunk. Development of the album began on November 2, 2001 and was released just under two years later in 2003. At the time of development, only will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo were to feature on the album. During the production of "Shut Up" (the second single released from the album), they realized that a female vocal would work well with the song. Originally, Nicole Scherzinger (lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls) was approached to make a guest appearance on the record. She was forced to decline because she already was signed to a contract with Eden's Crush. Danté Santiago then introduced Fergie to Will, who was impressed with her vocal talents. She immediately formed a bond with the band and became a permanent member of the Peas and her photo was printed onto the album cover. Nine out of the fourteen tracks were composed by lyricist Robbie Fisher, who has been working closely with the band since the beginning stages of the album. In the United States, Elephunk reached number 14 on the Billboard Top 200 and is their first album to chart in the top 15. It gained even more commercial success in the UK Album Charts where it reached number 3. It has sold over 1.6 million copies in the UK and 8.5 million copies worldwide. The singles "Where Is The Love?" and "Shut Up" reached number 1. "Hey Mama" has been used for several advertisements including advertisements for Apple and iTunes. "Let's Get It Started" also received universal acclaim in the media section where a cover version of the song appears in the film Hot Tub Time Machine. After the success of Elephunk, the Peas were approached by EA games to feature some of their music on the 2004 game The Urbz. They remixed some of the tracks on Elephunk and translated it into Simlish and created new tracks for the game. They also feature in the game as playable characters.

The group released their breakthrough single, "Where Is The Love", in November 2002 (featuring Justin Timberlake, although he did not appear in the video). On the strength of that single and follow-up singles like "Shut Up", Elephunk went on to sell 8.5 million copies worldwide. During this time, Will recorded a second solo album, Must B 21. In 2002, Will recorded the song "Secrets" for the soundtrack to Dexter's Laboratory: The Hip-Hop Experiment, a musical accompaniment to the Cartoon Network original series. Prior to this, he had also composed the theme music for another Genndy Tartakovsky series, Samurai Jack.

2003–06: Monkey Business

In November 2003, work began on a fourth Black Eyed Peas album, entitled Monkey Business, the second album with new band member Fergie. Upon the success of Monkey Business, which was released in 2005, the album was certified three times Platinum by the RIAA in the U.S. and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. The Canadian Recording Industry Association (or CRIA) has certified Monkey Business 6x Platinum, with sales of over 600,000 copies. The Australian Recording Industry Association (or ARIA) has also certified Monkey Business 6x Platinum, denoting sales of over 420,000 copies. The album's tracks earned the group four 2006 Grammy Award nominations and they also won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Don't Phunk with My Heart". According to IFPI, over 2 million copies have been sold in Europe. In the UK alone, it has sold over 1 million copies, although this is significantly lower than their sales of Elephunk, which stand at over 1.6 million copies and 10 million worldwide. the band announced they were going to take a break to focus on their own personal projects. Will went on to produce Ferguson's first solo album, The Dutchess, which was released in 2006, before beginning work with Michael Jackson, who had requested Will's expertise for the recording and production of his new album. Work began on the Jackson album in 2006, and continued until the singer's death in 2009, at which point Will revealed that none of the material recorded during the period would be released. However, remixes recorded for Jackson's Thriller 25 anniversary album were released in 2008.

2007–09: Songs About Girls and Change Is Now

In 2007, Will announced that he had co-created an all-female soul band entitled the Paradiso Girls, who he intended to work with on an upcoming solo project. The album, Songs About Girls, was released in 2007. The album spawned three singles, "I Got It From My Mama", "One More Chance" and "Heartbreaker", and fared slightly better than his previous solo efforts, however, failed to shift more than 75,000 copies. Will also did a remix to the song With Love by actress and singer Hilary Duff.

In 2008, Will contributed the song "One Tribe" to the Survival International charity album, Songs for Survival. Also in 2008, Will featured on rapper Flo Rida's debut album, Mail on Sunday, where he produced and featured on the song "In the Ayer", and featured on Usher's fifth album, Here I Stand. In January 2008, Will announced plans that he was masterminding a political album, Change is Now: Renewing America's Promise, in support of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. The first single, "Yes We Can", featured a music video directed by Jesse Dylan. The lyrics of the song are composed almost entirely of excerpts from Obama's speech on January 8, 2008, following the New Hampshire presidential primary election. The video features appearances from numerous celebrities including Scarlett Johansson, Tatyana Ali, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Adam Rodríguez, Kelly Hu, Hill Harper, Amber Valletta, Eric Balfour, Aisha Tyler, Nicole Scherzinger, Nick Cannon, Bryan Greenberg, and Common and first appeared on the website for Dipdive. The video racked up three million views within a week and over four million subsequently on YouTube. On June 13, 2008, "Yes We Can" won an award at the 35th Annual Creative Arts and Entertainment Daytime Emmy Awards for "New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment". On February 29, 2008, the album's second single, "We Are the Ones", was released on Dipdive and YouTube. Including cameo appearances from Jessica Alba, Ryan Phillippe, Kerry Washington, pop punk band Yellowcard's front man, Ryan Key, John Leguizamo, Regina King, Tyrese Gibson, Eric Mabius, Tichina Arnold, Adrianne Palicki, comedian George Lopez, and singers Macy Gray, Zoe Kravitz and The Black Eyed Peas' Taboo, the video features everyone chanting "O-BA-MA" as a portrayal as their hopes and wishes for Barack Obama and his presidential campaign. On November 4, 2008, will.i.am spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper about his support for then-Senator Obama using CNN's 'hologram' technology (actually tomography). Following the 2008 election, and Obama's victory, Will released the album's third single, "It's a New Day". The video reflects on the historical events that led to the election of the first African-American president and the public's reaction to his election. The video features celebrities such as Fergie, Olivia Wilde, Kanye West, Harold Perrineau, Kevin Bacon, and his wife Kyra Sedgwick. The video debuted on The Oprah Winfrey Show. In honor of the inauguration of Barack Obama as president, will.i.am collaborated with producer David Foster on the album's fourth single, "America's Song", with contributing vocals from Seal, Bono, Mary J. Blige, and Faith Hill. In response to Barack Obama's reaction following Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, will.i.am penned the album's fifth and final single, "The Jackass Song". Will. I.Am It features a sample of Kanye West's "Heartless". Will wrote a blog post which featured the song on Dipdive, and released in February 2009. will.i.am attended and spoke at the FIRST Robotics Competition Kickoff on January 8, 2011, declaring, "I am a FIRST fan." He has also named FIRST Founder Dean Kamen "one of [his] heroes" on his verified Twitter account.

2009–present: Black Eyed Peas reformation, #willpower and "Songs About Partying"

In March 2009, will.i.am announced plans for The Black Eyed Peas to return, and within months, their comeback single, "Boom Boom Pow", had reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and Billboard Hot 100. They went on to have three number 1 singles before releasing their comeback album, The E.N.D. The album's success warranted a second comeback album, The Beginning, released in November 2010. The album spawned another three hit singles, but the band soon announced plans they were to break again, following the conclusion of their world tour. In 2009, will.i.am worked with rappers Flo Rida and Akon for Flo's second studio album, R.O.O.T.S., and recorded four tracks with Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole for her debut solo album 3 Words. He also worked with Rihanna on her fourth studio album, Rated R, for a track called "Photographs". In February 2010, he wrote and produced the single "OMG" by Usher, which appeared on Usher's seventh studio album, Raymond vs. Raymond. In a YouTube video posted by YGLifeOfficial on March 15, 2010, will.i.am expressed his desire to work with Korean K-pop girl group 2NE1, and help them achieve international success. Will has recorded a collaboration with Britney Spears, "Big Fat Bass", which features on her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale.

During the recording of The Black Eyed Peas' sixth studio album, The Beginning, band colleague Fergie announced in an interview that will.i.am was in the process of recording a new solo album, tentatively entitled Black Einstein. will.i.am formally announced that he was in the process of recording a fourth solo album, with some material being recorded under the pseudonym Zuper Blahq. In January 2010, a cut from the album, "I'm In the House", a collaboration with Steve Aoki, was released as a single, charting at #29 on the UK Singles Chart due to strong downloads. In October 2010, a second cut from the album, "Check It Out", a collaboration with Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj, peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart. In February 2011, a third cut from the album, "Dance", a collaboration with Natalia Kills, peaked at #62 on the UK Singles Chart. The music video was directed by James Sutton, and features a cameo by Natalia. In April 2011, will.i.am recorded four songs for the soundtrack of the animated film Rio, in which he voiced a character. "Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)", "Drop It Low", "Real In Rio" and "Advice For The Young At Heart", featuring an array of artists including Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway and Tears for Fears. None of the songs managed to chart, however, Will announced that he was going to remix the tracks for inclusion on Black Einstein. In September 2011, a fourth cut from the album, "Forever", a collaboration with Wolfgang Gartner, was released as a single. It was around this time that will.i.am announced that he changed the title of the album from Black Einstein to #willpower. The video premiered on August 26, 2011. In November 2011, Will premiered what is intended to be the album's official lead single, "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)", a collaboration with Jennifer Lopez and Mick Jagger. Will announced via his Twitter that the video for "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" was filmed in LA, and that before he returned home, he stopped off in Brazil to film the video for the album's second official single, "Great Times". In December 2011, a fifth cut from the album, "Party Like An Animal", a collaboration with Dutch singer Eva Simons & LMFAO, premiered at the HTC Beats Launch party. will.i.am also announced he has collaborations with Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Busta Rhymes, Swizz Beatz and a couple others on the album. He also stated there is a possibility Shakira could feature on the album. #willpower is due for release in 2013. will.i.am later confirmed that Cheryl Cole and Justin Bieber would also appear on #willpower. In mid-October, Britney Spears confirmed on her Twitter account that she had filmed the music video for the single she was featuring in called "Scream & Shout".

He was among the performers at the Diamond Jubilee Concert held outside Buckingham Palace on 4 June 2012.

The first song broadcast from Mars was his new single, "Reach for the Stars". He discussed and listened to it with a live audience at NASA in Pasadena, California after it was returned from Curiosity rover.

will.i.am featured in the song "Hall of Fame" by The Script. It debuted onto radio on July 23, 2012 and was released for digital download on August 21, 2012. He later featured in Priyanka Chopra's debut single "In My City". It was announced in October 2012 that will.i.am will feature on Kesha's second album Warrior on the track "Crazy Kids". He also co-wrote and co-produced the Dr Luke produced track.

In November 2012, will.i.am released the third single from #willpower which was "Scream & Shout" featuring Britney Spears. It debuted in the top 20 on the Billboard 100, eventually reaching a peak of number 3 and debuting at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and reaching number one in January 2013 for two weeks.

During an interview with Capital FM, will.i.am confirmed he had collaborated with Justin Bieber for his next release "#thatPOWER" and premiered the single on the same day it was released onto iTunes in the US the same day and debuted on the Billboard 100 at number 42.

In April 2013, will.i.am and Chris Brown's track "Let's Go", also from the #willpower album, became the centre of a copyright controversy, with trance producers Arty and Mat Zo claiming that will.i.am used elements of their 2011 track "Rebound" in his song without permission from the artists or their label. This claim was later backed by Anjunabeats, the record label behind Arty and Mat Zo.

will.i.am's fourth studio album #willpower was re-released in December 2013 featuring several new tracks, including the lead single "Feelin' Myself" featuring Miley Cyrus, French Montana, and Wiz Khalifa.

will.i.am was also featured in Britney Spears's song "It Should Be Easy" her eighth studio album Britney Jean and he co-wrote and produced several tracks from the album.

On April 4, 2014, Will appeared on Alan Carr: Chatty Man, where he talked about plans to release his own Smartwatch. He revealed that it can be used as a phone, to store music, and use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He also showed a preview of a music video for a song called "It's My Birthday". On May 20, 2014, a 90-second snippet was uploaded to SoundCloud. It features American singer-songwriter Cody Wise, is produced by Will and Damien LeRoy and is written by himself, Cody Wise and Keith Harris. It was released on July 6, 2014.

In an interview with Capital FM, Will confirmed that The Black Eyed Peas were getting back together. On April 7, will.i.am released the single "Boys & Girls" featuring Pia Mia. A week later on April 14, a new remix of "Mona Lisa Smile" featuring Nicole Scherzinger was released. He produced the song "Drop it" on the upcoming [Pitbull]'s album "Climate Change" set to be released in 2017.

In an interview, will.i.am revealed that "Songs About Partying", his fifth solo album, is scheduled to be released in January 2018.

Other ventures

Acting

will.i.am first started acting alongside the rest of the members of The Black Eyed Peas in the commercial series "Instant Def" to advertise Snickers. He starred in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa as the voice of the character Moto Moto. He contributed a number of tracks to the movie's motion picture soundtrack in collaboration with industry heavyweight Hans Zimmer. will.i.am played John Wraith in his major film debut, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a prequel to the X-Men film series. He also guest starred on the CBS drama Joan of Arcadia as God, one of several actors who played this role during the series. He also starred in the 2011, animated film Rio and Rio 2, as a rapping red-crested cardinal named Pedro, and like Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, he contributed his singing voice to the film's soundtrack, along with his fellow co-stars. will.i.am played a fathering role in The Urbz: Sims In The City, which uses The Black Eyed Peas' songs as its own soundtrack. He briefly played himself in the Tina Fey and Steve Carell comedy film Date Night.

The Voice UK and Australia

On 25 October 2011, it was reported that will.i.am would be joining The Voice UK as a coach. A source said, "Will is 95 per cent a done deal. He is a big star and loves nurturing new talent. He shoots from the lip, and will not be afraid to tell it like it is. Although, I doubt The Voice will be as bitchy as The X Factor". will.i.am was later confirmed as a coach on The Voice UK, of this he said, "I'm proud to be doing The Voice UK because the UK was the first place I saw success," he said. "It's the place I'm the most creative outside of home." Cohen added, "I am thrilled that will.i.am has signed up to be a coach on The Voice. He is a huge star who will bring a unique creativity to the show." Talking about the differences between the show and X Factor, "I won’t be a judge on X Factor. The Voice is different. You can’t even compare the two. One, you have people in the music industry, current and legends, coaching the next generation. The other format you have judges critiquing, giving their opinions on things when they don’t really know, other than Randy Jackson on Idol".

In preparation for the role as a coach, he asked advice from friend and ex-The X Factor judge Cheryl Cole. Talking to Capital FM he said, "I reached out to Cheryl for advice on keeping your cool, having a poker face, the importance of sticking with the singers – it's their dream, a lot of the times when you have other performers a part of the show, celebrities tend to want the shine so they hog up time. So my whole thing was that I want to do The Voice, but I don't want to hog up time to where the singers up there are looking like, 'Is this about you guys?'. In March 2012, it was reported that he had turned his "plush" dressing room into a recording studio, and "instead of just listening with his headphones, he has installed some mega bass bins".

On November 26, 2013, will.i.am was announced as a coach for the 2014 series of the Australian version of The Voice, along with fellow Voice UK judge Kylie Minogue. He didn't return for series 4 in 2015, neither did Minogue.

He has contributed to The Voice UK since 2012.

As well as returning for the sixth series of The Voice UK, which is now on ITV from 2017, he will also be a coach on the first series of the UK Version of The Voice Kids.

Fashion

Before joining The Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am attended the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. In 2001, he began designing his own signature clothing line, i.am, which made its official debut in 2005 at the Magic Apparel Trade Show in Las Vegas. In 2007, will.i.am teamed up with Blue Holdings to design a premium denim collection, i.am Antik, that was scheduled to debut in August 2007 at the Project Show in Las Vegas. will.i.am instead had new partners and was launching i.am. will.i.am is currently being sued for $2 million for abandoning the project for which, the label states, he was obligated until 2016, but will.i.am insists is already over.

Other activities

will.i.am appeared at the kickoff event for the 2011 FIRST Robotics Competition, Logo Motion held at Southern New Hampshire University. He stated that he is "a big fan", and that the newly unveiled game was "dope". He also performed a concert for FIRST at the 2011 FIRST World Championship at the Edward Jones Dome. will.i.am appeared in concert with the Black Eyed Peas as a part of a special concert for 2011 FIRST Robotics Championships. It was recorded for a special aired by ABC on August 14, 2011 at 7 pm. will.i.am continues to support FIRST, and at the 2013 FIRST World Championship he became the first recipient of the Make It Loud award, which is given to the person who has contributed the most in increasing the awareness of FIRST to the general public.

In January 2011, Intel Corp. named will.i.am as director of creative innovation, with input in developing smartphones, tablets and laptops. In January 2012, he appeared on the BBC TV series Top Gear, as the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car, where he claimed he was starting his own car company called IAMAUTO.

will.i.am has made history by being the first artist to stream a song from the surface of Mars on August 28, 2012. The event took place at 1 p.m. PDT (4 p.m. EDT) Tuesday, Aug. 28, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. Song title: Reaching for the Stars.

Expanding his forays into iPhone accessory development, will.i.am has announced plans to release a camera enhancer that will "dramatically enhance the clarity and definition of iPhone photographs," by making the 8-megapixel sensor into an effectively 14-megapixel one. Termed the i.am+, the device is said to be the first in a series of "digital real estate" for the singer. In April, 2016 it was announced that i.am+ acquired Tel Aviv machine-learning technology start-up Sensiya.

Will.i.am was appointed CCO of 3DSystems January 8th 2014

"The German telecom has teamed with i.am+ to market a new smartwatch across European countries." Since retiring from music he has taken into helping assist the design of Smart Watches for a Dutch company in late 2015

In 2016, The Verge reported that will.i.am would join actress Gwyneth Paltrow and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk on Apple TV's Planet of the Apps, calling the trio "successful" and "big names" with experience launching companies.

Personal life

According to an interview with the British tabloid The Sun, will.i.am says he suffers from tinnitus, a disorder which is common among musicians who have been exposed to loud music for prolonged periods of time. In April 2013, he stated that he has ADHD.

He is the nephew of former NFL player Lynn Cain, who played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Rams. will.i.am spent a large part of his life looking up to his uncle as a role model.

On June 22, 2009, gossip blogger Perez Hilton accused will.i.am and his entourage of assaulting him in Toronto after the MuchMusic Video Awards, a charge will.i.am denied in a video posted on his blog. No further action was taken.

Discography

Studio albums

Lost Change (2001)

Must B 21 (2003)

Songs About Girls (2007)

#willpower (2013)

Songs About Partying (2018)

Filmography

FilmsTV seriesVideo games

Tours

The #Willpower Tour (2013–15)

The Vans Warped Tour (2009)

Awards

Daytime Emmy Awards

2008, New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment: "Yes We Can"

2011, Best Original Song: "What I Am"

Grammy Awards

will.i.am has won 7 Grammy Awards:

2005, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "Let's Get It Started", The Black Eyed Peas

2006, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "Don't Phunk with My Heart", The Black Eyed Peas

2007, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals: "My Humps", The Black Eyed Peas

2009, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Be OK"

2010, Best Short Form Music Video: "Boom Boom Pow", The Black Eyed Peas

2010, Best Pop Vocal Album: "The E.N.D.", Wil.i.am

2010, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group: "I Gotta Feeling", The Black Eyed Peas

Latin Grammy Awards

2006, Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album: "Timeless", Sérgio Mendes (producer)

Television Rack Awards

2012, will.i.am. has won ten Television Rack Awards Altogether (five with The Black Eyed Peas and five as a solo artist).

Wikipedia

#will.i.am #03-15

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