#Which as we know acts pretty similarly to Elias

[teamfortresstwo]

To be honest I think a lot of the horror of Elias comes from just how unlikely it is for someone to notice he’s missing

[magusfanatic]

yeahhhh, i havent really put much thought towards a queerplatonic angle but maybe i should

but yea smth i dont think a lot of people really like hearing but is pretty inarguably true is that the series isnt a romance in spite of what the marketing and fandom will tell you. its something ive thought about making some kind of short essay on but always put off. even if we get their relationship solidified as romantic by the end (which, same as you, i would prefer it not be bc i think it works better that way), the focus has never been on romance-- otherwise, we wouldnt have such huge periods in time where the topic doesnt get brought up at all. the college arc is even bigger proof of this, seeing as the amount of time chise and elias have on screen together is reduced dramatically.

really hoping that with season 2 airing, we dont get a repeat of the whole "the college arc is boring because theres no chisexelias moments" stuff that was overwhelming discussions when the arc started. sorry, but there were a lot of people who just did not get the point.

and yea, agreed with both the points on philomela and joseph! i think its really great that joseph wasnt just cast aside as soon as the first arc ended, and that instead yamazaki leaned even more heavily into the parallels between the two. joseph didnt do all the things hes done because hes an inherently evil person, we know he isnt. so, how will chise react when shes forced into (mostly) the same hands that were dealt to joseph? more similarly than she wouldve liked, clearly. chise sympathizing more and growing closer to him is something thats really nice to see

and philomela, shes so.... *chefs kiss* her character is done so well. chise relating to her through her own trauma is done so well, and i am SOO so happy and excited for her to start healing.... i would never forgive yamazaki if she had died before reaching that point

zoey and lucy are really cute together and id still love if they became more concretely canon, but id be lying if i said im not rooting for philomela x lucy more, im all for that hurt/comfort man. lucy at her core is very kind and understanding, and im sure shes going to be a lot softer on philomela from now on after knowing what shes been through and why she acts the way that she does..... not to mention their shared trauma of the webster tragedy (and both losing their parents). ouchie

GOD I WANTED TO SCREAM WATCHINT THE OPENING THAT SHIT IS SO FUCKING GOOD?????

[thecatsaesthetics]

Ashara's baby. The whole thing seems so weird to me. What do you make of it?

This is probably gonna be unpopular and let me say this I’m okay to be wrong. So many people write theories and act like they can’t be wrong. I’m fine if I’m wrong. Also, I don’t give a single fuck what the show did. The show to me will never define all the canon. As Martin said when answering if it was the correct ending yes… no…. yes…no. Meaning yes some things were probably “plot points” but just because the show didn’t go into certain things doesn’t mean it won’t matter in the books. So please no “BUT THE SHOW” cause I don’t believe everything has been revealed at all. 

I tend to think if Ashara’s baby is gonna pop up it will be Dany. I know a very very controversial opinion. But let’s look at Lemongate, which doesn’t prove Ashara but raises doubt on Dany’s parentage. Lemongate is undeniable, anyone who says otherwise is completely fooling themselves. 

Martin confirmed it’s important:  

Livejournal Question: “Dany remembers a lemon tree outside the house with the red door in Braavos, but citrus trees shouldn’t really grow in Braavos’s cold, foggy climate. Is this discrepency significant? Does it point to future revelations about Dany’s past? Thank you so much.” 

Answer: “Very perceptive of you. Yes, it does point to … well, that would be telling.” 

This means no matter what Lemongate matters. There is a reason Martin put it in the plot. Whether I am right or wrong doesn’t matter, Martin has confirmed it points to something. Something he will be revealing. So for anyone who claims Lemongate is nothing is wrong. 

Rhaella and Aerys infertility. Rhaella had Rhaegar, 3 miscarriages, 2 stillborns, and 3 short live children. There is obvious fertile issues with them and she has all of these losses under the best medical care. But we’re supposed to believe Rhaella gave birth to a healthy living child, without a maester, after an incredibly stress war, the loss of almost her entire family, flight to Dragonstone, and the constant fear of being caught by Robert Baratheon. 

Dany has violet eyes. People might not think this is important but it is. Viserys has lilac eyes and Rhaegar has indigo eyes. No keep in mind Martin is pretty much you get either “mom or dad’s traits.” recessive genes don’t seem to be a thing (the whole reason the “black of hair” nonsense drives some fans nuts). On top of that Dany is supposed to be the daughter of two generations worth of brother-sister marriages. These violet eyes are a mistake. Even Viserys points it out in Dany’s first chapter he makes her wear a purple dress to “bring out the purple in her eyes” Viserys is terrified she doesn’t look like a Targaryen Princess. But will get into that later. The only person in the timeline of Dany’s conception that had violet eyes was Ashara. Barristan Selmy even says Dany’s eyes remind him of Ashara. 

Back to the Viserys point. He is terrified she doesn’t look enough like a Targaryen. The first chapter is him dressing her up and trying to convince himself that she looks enough like a Targaryen. It’s the eyes that are worrying him probably, they are wrong. 

Viserys doesn’t speak High Valyrian but Dany does. When they speak with in front of the Dothraki they speak in The Common Tongue. We know Dany speaks High Valyrian, a language few would know where they were. So it seems like Viserys didn’t know High Valyrian.   

 Dany says she was born in the worst storm in Westerosi history. Not a single person has a memory of this storm, this storm that supposedly smashed the Targaryen fleet (leaving them defenseless) and made the stones at Dragonstone come down. This doesn’t make for many reasons. First Stannis has a naval battle at Dragonstone, Davos mentions that Stannis led the assault against Dragonstone which implies there was a battle. Furthermore, Dragonstone castle isn’t made out of stone, it’s made out of magically fused Valyrian stones. Dragonstone couldn’t crumble the way Dany said it did. On top of that Stannis, Davos, etc never mentions repairs made to Dragonstone. 

Further disproving the “stormborn” Dany claims the storm happened in the summer during her birth. Which doesn’t make sense, we know that winter/autumn storms are in The Narrow Sea with the worst being winter. 

Dany remembers Willem Darry as a “great grey bear” of a man and also that he died wasting away of sickness. He remembers Willem Darry never leaving his bed, and him walking with a cane. She remembers he had soft hands, but Willem Darry was a knight and master-of-arms. His hands would be rough.

Dany says she and Viserys were robbed when they left the house with the red door. Leaving them with nothing. But Dany also said that Viserys sold all there Targaryen treasures, including there mother’s crown. So the servants stole everything but just missed all that good Targaryen treasure? 

Dany tells us they went from Dragonstone-Braavos- Myr-Tyrosh-Qohor-Volantis-Lys-Pentos. Just look at a map. Tell me how this makes sense. On top of that Dany specifically says she remembers the flight from Dragonstone to Braavos. Dany was an infant apparently, how would she remember it? 

Dany says in her first chapter they lived in Pentos for 6 months, Illyrio says that the marriage between Drogo and Dany was “years in the making” and also mentions to Viserys not to ruin plans that have been in the works for “years”. 

And finally, Lemon trees don’t grow in Braavos. The smoking gun, Dany remembering a Lemon Tree outside her window: here is the specific quote 

“That was when they lived in Braavos, in the big house with the red door. Dany had her own room there, with a lemon tree outside her window” 

Now many have claimed it’s possible that they lived with the Sea Lord and that the Sea Lord had a glasshouse similar to the Starks. Now that’s possible, but Dany doesn’t remember a glasshouse. She remembers a Lemon Tree outside her window. If you look at the Sea Lord’s Palace it doesn’t seem like the room Dany would be in would be close enough for her to see the Lemon Tree. Also in The Stark glasshouse, it’s interesting that Lemon Trees aren’t grown. Considering Ned Stark had a daughter who loved lemon cakes. 

Lemon trees are most associated with Dorne. This has been repeated in the text a bunch of times. Similarly the idea that Braavos grows no lemon has also been mentioned. And as I mentioned in the first point Martin has said this issue will be brought up and revealed, and I’m sorry if I don’t believe Dany will have it revealed to her she once lived at a place with a glasshouse. I think it’s probably a little more.  

Now all of this is evidence that Dany’s past doesn’t add up. There are questions about it. There are many theories about it, but if Ashara’s baby is going to be important I would suspect it’s because she’s Dany. Now many have speculated Ashara’s baby is Aegon, it’s possible but I think it’s important that we’re told that Ashara’s baby was a stillborn girl. Also Ned’s guilt over the decision to kill Dany. Also, The Daynes hold Ned in such high respect despite him killing Arthur. It’s very odd. I mean Edric Dayne is nicknamed Ned… which seems to be for Ned Stark. There is something going on with The Daynes, I’m sure of that. I mean Barristan says when he looks at Dany it’s like he’s looking at Ashara’s daughter. So I think if anyone’s gonna be revealed to be Ashara’s baby it will be Dany. 

Now there are many baby daddies, Brandon, Ned, Aerys, Rhaegar… I still tend to think Dany is a Targaryen so I would throw out Brandon or Ned. I mean possible B+A=D, especially with the “looked to Stark” but idk I think Dany’s a Targaryen. 

Aerys is interesting Daenerys  Daen-erys Dayne-Aerys. Idk maybe the very name itself was meant to be a clue. Aerys was known to take mistresses, to be a rapist, etc. He was obsessed with Joanna Lannister for a while and Rhaella sent her away in order to protect her. It was said Aerys was interested in beautiful women and Ashara was supposedly the most beautiful of them all. Aerys would have had access to Ashara given she was his daughter in laws lady in waiting. Plus it was said someone “dishonored” Ashara at Harrenhall, Barristan claims. Who was known for dishonoring maidens? Aerys. 

Rhaegar is also a strong case, Rhaegar again had access to Ashara. It makes more sense for him to fall for his wife’s lady in waiting then Lyanna a woman he just met. Dany has strong ties to Rhaegar in the books, he’s mentioned so much in relation to Dany. Rhaegar being Dany’s father would make sense.  Again fits with the “dishonor” but I also argue it would fit with the “looked to Stark”. Let’s say Rhaegar and Ashara were having an affair, and then suddenly Lyanna showed up at Harrenhall and Rhaegar realized that only a child of “ice and fire” would be The Prince that was Promised. Is it possible Ashara took to the Starks in order to actively dishonor or humiliate them after being set aside for Lyanna? Again this is speculative but possible. We know she leaves Elia’s service soon after the birth of Aegon. It seems like she was set aside. 

So that’s it… again don’t take this too seriously. I’m okay if I’m wrong. I’m not someone set in stone when it comes to ASOIAF theories. But I just think The Daynes do have a role to play. 

[a-sky-full-of-skams]

Cries in French: Skam France Episode 1

Introduction:

Skam France is the first Skam Remake. Poor Skam France didn’t have much time to shine because Druck and Skam Italia aired before the first season had even finished. Skamfr has completed Season 2, and is renewed for Season 3 & 4. Despite its success, it doesn’t seem to be the most popular remake judging by the response on Tumblr. often called a “copy and paste” version of the original.

While there’s definitely a lot of similarities with the original, I still liked and appreciated some aspects of this episode.

This review is my opinion only and isn’t meant to offend anyone.

Clip One:

The episode begins with Yann’s video. I have issues already; isn’t the same dialogue as the original? Additionally, the video contains clips of the girl squad that occur later in the series. It breaks the realism. All criticism aside, when I watched this episode the first time I still felt chills seeing the yellow Skam logo again after the original ended.

Emma and Yann discuss his video project like the original. Ingrid and Sara (I see you Alexia!) walk by, with the Skam theme playing. Jonas tell her she’s better off without them. I guess Emma is supposed to feelsad seeing the girls, but the actress doesn’t convey any emotion. Hopefully, she’ll improve. Anyway, I’ll list a few thoughts on Jonas’s line.

1: It’s more reassuring and sweeter than the original scene.

2: I don’t think Yann has the right to say Emma is too good for Ingrid and Sara, when he used to date Ingrid.

3: For new French viewers who’ve never seen the original, it’s spoils the eventual confrontation between Emma and Ingrid at the party. They now already know the girls used to be friends.

I do like how the scene is shot. It’s a sterile, cold environment symbolizing Emma’s isolation, with the only color being Yann’s bright red jacket.

Bragging about his essay grade, Lucas walks up to them. The rest of the scene plays out similar to the original;Lucas and Yann tease Emma about her grade and then leave. I like Yann’s line about Emma making great pasta, it’s sweet.Yann and Lucas are decent actors, it’s only Emma who is unconvincing.

“Don’t Kill My Vibe” by Sigrid plays at the end. The lyrics highlight Emma’s loneliness and frustration at Yann.

Clip 2:

The song from the first clip continues. This scene is pretty similar to the original, Emma tries to write her essay and Lucas Skypes her. She questions him as to what time Yann left french!Elias’s (forgot his name, sorry). Yann climbs in through the window and sees Emma’s actual grade and reads the essay.. The only line I’ll point out is when Emma says he could have used the door as her mom isn’t home, alluding to the later reveal of Jonas never having met her mom. Skamfr is definitely more obvious than the original.

Clip 3:

Sitting in the library, Emma watches Ingrid be rude and dismissive to Daphne. I liked this little glimpse into Daphe, it makes her eventual attempt to reconnect with Ingrid’s group that much sadder as they didn’t treat her well to start with. This part wasn’t in the original and it’s one of the few changes that enhances the story. Theatre kids approach Emma, they’re amusing as usual. Emma agrees to attend said party.

Clip 4:

Emma tries to convince Yann to attend the party with her. Emma’s argument involves saying how cool is it that Adrian’s whole family will be there. First of all, neither she nor Yann know this guy so neither would care his family is coming. Secondly, how does that make the party more entertaining?

At the end of the clip, the camera lingers on Lucas’s disappointed face. For viewers unfamiliar with the original, it’s definitely a clue. They probably wouldn’t guess he likes actually Yann, but they’d think Lucas has a crush on Emma. The fake “reveal” of Lucas liking Emma is definitely foreshadowed. Most of these hints mentioned don’t add to characterization, they just make the plot more predictable.

Clip 5:

Emma sits at home, and there’s no watching Dr. Phil like in the original. Emma decides to attend the party after looking at Ingrid’s Instagram. I wished they’d replace that with an equivalent because “don’t let yourself be a victim” was a theme of Eva’s season.

Emma arrives at the party and is approached by the theatre kids who tell her about their after party. There’s a brief moment where Ingrid kicks Daphne off...whatever the french equivalent of Russ is. She finds Ingrid and the conversation happens similarly to the original. Manon approaches Emma. She seems a little nerdier than Noora, mentioning lab rats which I liked. The conversation has issues. Emma is barely listening to Manon and is dismissive, watching Ingrid dance in jealousy. Emma is physically not looking at or facing her. Manon is the one who is more invested. I can’t see Emma obsessing over whether Manon accepts her friend request like in the original or awkwardly fumbling her first message to Manon and worrying whether Manon dislikes her. Emma doesn’t care about her.

She heads to the bathroom and runs into Daphne, who is crying and asks for Alex. In the original, Eva had to ask a lot of people if they were male!Chris. He’s the first person she finds. It doesn’t have the same impact when Daphne tells her she has the wrong Alex. In the original, Vilde and girl!Chris talk about all the paper they bought and now can’t sell, later we find out Vilde was kicked off Ingrid’s Russ bus and can infer that the crying scene was after Ingrid kicked her off. Alexia tell Daphne they don’t need Ingrid or her friends. I like that Alexia seems more actively supportive than Chris, but after seeing Ingrid oust Daphne it’s very redundant and again, obvious.

Emma walks away after Daphne tells her to leave. male!Alex asks if they were going to talk as well, I really like this line a lot better than the original don’t be a dick tease, it’s a lot nicer. “Homeless” by Maria Kaye plays. It’s a lot more overstated than a lot of the more understated music played in the original, but I like it. The shot of Emma walking through the crowd is very nicely shot, with the music they chose this is the first time I feel like Skam France has a district identity from the original. Also, there’s a scene of Emma walking outside the building texting one of the theater kids about the afterparty. They don’t respond and she heads home. They’re background characters, Emma, they aren’t coming back! Anyway, it’s sad because it’s another failure at a potential friendship for Emma and she’s feeling lonelier than before.

Conclusion:

I liked the music. There’s a greater examination into Daphne’s character so far than Vilde. Alex and Emma are cute. Yann and Alex seem nicer than their original counterparts. Some of the shots are very aesthetically pleasing. Hopefully, Alexia receives more character depth than Chris in the original because I prefer her at the moment. I enjoyed the final scene. The added diversity is also great.

Skam France not only struggles as a distinct show separate from the original, but also struggles even as a copy and paste version. Almost every change they make cheapens the plot by removing suspense or emotional impact. In regards to originality, there isn’t much yet. The actress portraying Emma’s acting isn’t great. I could be biased though, because Eva was my favorite character in the original.

I hope you enjoyed this review! Druck’s first episode is next.

[tsuki-sennin]

My honest opinions on the cast of DR1, as well as dumb nicknames I had for each one. (Spoilers, maybe.)

Makoto (The Main Boi): He fine. Both in the looks and character department. He represents the audience so that anyone can project themselves onto him, but he has just enough character to keep him from just being an observer/the resident Phoenix Wright. Rather fittingly, I didn’t have any strong feelings on Bryce Papenbrook before this game, but as I got to hear him talk more and more, I grew to really like him thanks to Makoto. Good job, man.

Hifumi (Random Nerd): Even after all these years, I still don’t like him. I just don’t. Matter of fact, I don’t think anyone did. Lucien Dodge deserved better than this guy. He’s got a killer tie, however.

Leon (Man who looks like he’s 20 more than the guy who actually is 20): He’s cool, but I honestly don’t like him either. He has a sick design, but I really wish I could’ve heard him try singing in game. Even if it sucked, I’d have loved to hear him try and move beyond his baseball problem.

Sayaka (Discount Maya Fey): T-H-O-T! Okay, I’ll knock her back up to the one who first caused me despair. I was pretty iffy on the game at first, but she convinced me to stick around once the first case came around. Still not a fan of her voice, with no disrespect towards Dorothy Elias Fahn intended.

Toko/Genocide(r) Jack/Jill/Sho/Syo (Novella, which I guess was a reference to Misao, and Man-Eater): BEST GIRL! BEST GIRL! BEST GIRL! BEST GIRL! BEST GIRL! FUCKING BOW BEFORE HER, YOU SUBHUMAN TRESH! I WILL GLADLY DIE TO HER! AND I WILL GLADLY BE GREEN WITH ENVY AT THE MEN SHE WRITES! Amanda Celine Miller and Erin Fitzgerald really made this literary cutie come into her own in a game with such good female characters already.

Kiyotaka (AP Buttfucking): You know that no-fun motherfucker in your class with a stick shoved up his asshole, and every class he has is AP? That was Kiyotaka for me the first time I played the game. I just couldn’t stand him, even long after I got to know him. I barely felt a thing when he got bludgeoned. Yet despite this, for some reason, I got really pissed when I learned that Hifumi and Celestia were responsible for his death. Maybe that was when I realized how admirable this guy really was.

Aoi (Baywatch): She’s awesome, definitely. Not only is she relatable, but her interactions with Sakura were a real highlight for me.

Mondo (Kuwabara): Now him, I liked through and through. I was already a fan of Keith Silverstein, but the way he pulled off the tough guy act was a damn riot to watch. Chris Sabat in the anime was also a joy to listen to.

Mukuro (Regina/The Boss): I wish we got to know her a bit more than we got to, but she’s great too. Tied for second-best girl, in fact. Guess Amanda Celine Miller strikes again.

Junko (Charlotte the Harlot): Gotta be honest, I feel Junko’s sadism in hindsight. She’s a damn good main villain, and her design just makes me just go wild. Amanda Celine Miller and Erin Fitzgerald strike again with their god-tier voice talent, but Jamie Marchi’s interpretation is just as awesome. And Monokuma is fucking hilarious, if not disturbing. The other half of the tie for second-best girl.

Chihiro (Miss Shrimp/Mister Shrimp): As soon as I realized that this boi, voiced by Dorothy Elias Fahn, who had spent the whole first chapter of this game convincing me that he was a chick, was a dude, I was like “...why am I not turned off by him?” And from that day onward I blamed him for my interest in pretty men. Alter Ego is pretty great too.

Kyoko (Naoto Jr.): OMFG I LOVE HER. SHE’S SO AWESOME AND I WANT HER TO FUCKING THROTTLE MY NECK WITH HER BEAUTIFUL HANDS. THIS WOMAN IS A BOSS-ASS BITCH, AND SHE GETS SHIT DONE BECAUSE OF IT. NAEGI IS SMASHING THIS WOMAN, AND FRANKLY I FUCKING ENVY HIM! Erika Harlacher gave her the perfect voice, and Caitlin Glass just... BARELY falls short.

Celestia (Killer Queen): This woman just... scares me. Marieve Herington really did well here, but... something about her just... made my skin crawl. I didn’t feel that way with anyone else, not even Hifumi, but when I pieced together that she was responsible for Kiyotaka’s death, she made me swear to avenge my bro who I never appreciated. So I suppose Marie Antoinette has that going for her.

Hagakure (Cheech and Chong... no, I didn’t know his VA was Asian, so SHUSH): I didn’t like him much, similarly to Kiyotaka, but he won me over with funny dialogue and how relatable his thought process was to mine at the time. Even if I wanted Chihiro to live more, I can live with him being alive.

Sakura (Akuma): Her interactions with Aoi are great, and you could grind meat on those muscles. She’s so cool too, and I legitimately cried when I found her dead, and even more-so when I realized why she killed herself.

Byakuya (Japanese Malfoy): ...I tolerated him... I dealt with him... I developed a mutual understanding with him... I didn’t like him, and even from in front of the screen I could tell he didn’t like me. That was fine by me. But the fact that this was the guy who Toko wanted made me angry, and it was because of that I declared him my rival. I swore that once we got out of Hope’s Peak, I would personally track him down and fight him... at least until I met the rest of his family through supplementary material and now... I just feel bad he’s related to such bland/boring characters when he is so much more interesting and likable. So yeah, I have no quarrel with you, Jason Wishnov/Josh Grelle... fuck your family though.

...I might make a follow up with Super Dangan Ronpa 2, if this gets any traction.

[thesportssoundoff]

“Watch This Show, Dudes” The UFC 223 preview

Joey

April 1st, 2018

Fights: 13

Debuts: 1 (Mike Rodriguez)

Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: 1 (Mairbek Taisumov OUT, Olivier Aubin Mercier IN vs Evan Dunham)

Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 16 (Tony Ferguson, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Rose Namajunas, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Anthony Pettis, Michael Chiesa, Al Iaquinta, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Felice Herrig, Ray Borg, Brandon Moreno, Joe Lauzon, Evan Dunham, Alex Caceres, Artem Lobov, Bec Rawlings)

Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC: 5  (Bec Rawlings, Joe Lauzon, Chris Gruetzmacher, Alex Caceres, Artem Lobov)

Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC:  9 (Khabib Nurmagomedov, Tony Ferguson, Rose Namajunas, Calvin Kattar, Al Iaquinta, Paul Felder,Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Felice Herrig, Zabit Magomedsharipov)

Main Card Record Since Jan 1st 2016 (in the UFC): 21-6

Tony Ferguson- 3-0 Khabib Nurmagomedov- 3-0 Renato Moicano- 3-0 Calvin Kattar- 2-0 Michael Chiesa- 2-1 Anthony Pettis- 2-4 Al Iaquinta- 1-0 Paul Felder- 5-1

Too High Up- Karolina Kowalkawiecz vs Felice Herrig

I get it I get it. The winner of this fight could in theory be the #1 contender given the dearth of options at 115 lbs. Karolina K has a rivalry with Joanna and a win over Rose Namajunas so she's a natural fit. Felice Herrig is not the world's most exciting fighter by any stretch of the imagination but she has a pretty sizable winning streak going and has a cult-ish following-ish out there. Here's the problem; this division doesn't produce many finishes if at all. It's a dry division when it comes to fight finishes as evidenced by its recent stretch of split decisions and so-so fights. This is the prelim headliner to get us into the PPV. You probably want a really exciting back and forth fight or a killer finish to get us into the PPV all hot and bothered. It's just not going to happen here chances are. I get putting it on the FS1 prelims but I'd prefer a different headliner.

Too Low- Zabit Magomedsharipov vs Kyle Bochniak

So let's talk about Zabit Magomedsharipov right quick. He's a really talented 145er. It would not be a stretch to suggest that Magomedsharipov right NOW is a top 10 featherweight just without the wins to prove it. He can wrestle, he's a funky flashy striker and when it's on the ground, he's just swamping dudes with ease. He hasn't been tested yet which is why Kyle Bochniak, the sort of dude who can live as a high level gatekeeper, is a great matchup for him. The problem? Magomedsharipov is not blessed with the sort of personality that sells and has no home market to go to where he's insanely marketable. Making matters worse is he's the ultimate low reward high risk for a fighter in an era where fighters are choosier than ever before. As such, he's buried on the prelims on Fight Pass. I know Magomedsharipov is a no sell type of fighter but you HAVE to at least try. Put him on FS1.

Stat Monitor for 2018: Debuting Fighters (Current number: 7-11):  Mike Rodriguez

Short Notice Fighters (Current number: 7-3): Olivier Aubin Mercier

Second Fight (Current number: 9-10):

Cage Corrosion (Current number: 5-9):  Al Iaquinta

Undefeated Fighters (Current number: 12-9): Khabib Nurmagomedov

Twelve Precarious Ponderings

1- What is a fair buyrate for this event? This is Khabib's first shot as a headliner in any capacity (although he did co-main the NYE card) so right off the jump, we're in uncharted waters. Tony Ferguson has headlined events in the past and his first PPV fight vs a guy with no real name value did in the low 200K range. Joanna Champion as a co-main event has been apart of some major shows but without the BIG main event, she's been a comfortable support for events that do in the 300K range. This isn't the big numbers of 2015 and 2016 either so what's a fair buy rate? I'm thinking low 300Ks would be a success for this show. This is an awesome card people SHOULD be excited for. If they're not excited for it then I just dunno what to say to y'all, man.

2- On a scale of 1-10, how likely is it that Conor faces the winner?

3- What can be said of this main event? I don't think it's unrealistic to refer to Ferguson vs Nurmagomedov as the most proven pure talent fight since Garbrandt vs Dillashaw back in November. It might even blow by that fight as well. There's seriously no title fight I've been as excited for as this one; Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson is the title fight that MMA fans have been waiting for for the most part since the end of 2016. Khabib vs T-Ferg features the best wrestler at 155 lbs vs the division's most compelling submission grappler. Two of the best cardio machines in the entire UFC clashing over five rounds, both with punishing styles in their own capacities. So much is made of Khabib's wrestling but the fact is that his striking on the feet is no joke either. Khabib can generate power in short distances and he's got this weird smothered forearm-y thing that he uses from time to time which does some damage (he kind of buzzed Thiago Tavares with one prior to the finish). On the other hand, Tony Ferguson is sort of the total package without the fight finishing one shit one kill power. He just overwhelms and overworks dudes with volume, intensity, a variety of attacks from a variety of different angles and a total "Not give a fuck" style of fighting. Get taken down? Whatevs. Get mounted? Whatevs. Get rocked? Whatevs. Ferguson is just one of those guys who has a tremendous belief in himself with the ability It's not entirely unrealistic to refer to this as a battle of stubborn (Khabib Nurmagomedov) vs creativity (Tony Ferguson). Khabib has a gameplan and he's going to try to implement it whereas Tony Ferguson seems like the sort of guy who ha sno idea what he plans on doing from one second to the next. He's the sort of dude who can make reads on the fly, adjust and adapt and find new ways to flummox a dude over the course of a twenty five minute fight. Making matters even more complicated is we have no idea if we've seen the best version of either guy yet.

4-  Can Ferguson get Khabib's neck ONE time and if so, is that all he'll need?

5- We know that Ferguson can get taken down. Kevin Lee, Danny Castillo, Yves Edwards all found ways to get Ferguson down even if just momentarily. He's very comfortable and adept in scrambles and I get the feeling even vs Khabib, he's not going to panic if he winds up on his back for a stretch of time. My question is----will Ferguson be willing to get taken down if it puts him in position to challenge with submissions? Against Danny Castillo, Ferguson was taken down quite a bit but always seemed to use that to chase a d'arce or a guillotine choke. If desperate, will Ferguson be willing to wrestle to try and find a submission attempt? Similarly what are Khabib's submission chops? He had opportunities I felt against Barboza to score a sub. I remember him having a shot or two against Darrell Horcher as well. Could he sub Ferguson?

6- It sounds like it was Joanna's idea to try to reclaim her title vs Rose Namajunas again. It's not the worst idea in the world but given her struggles with weight, why even risk it? You have to at least admire Joanna's heart and fighting spirit to give it another go at a weight class she's clearly uncomfortable with going forward.

7- I don't know if this is by design or what but I like the idea of using the 3rd fight on these cards to try and showcase a potential future star. It's somewhat slick; putting them in a PPV card in a high capacity spot where you can, in theory, showcase them to a new audience. It's an imperfect act that at least has some purpose behind it. Sean O'Malley at UFC 222 was a good use of the concept, same for Tai Tuivasa I suppose at 221. If the UFC website is to be believed then Dern is third on the PPV card for UFC 224 as well. Here you have Calvin Kattar, who has been ultra impressive through two UFC fights, getting the 3rd billing vs the fantastic Renato Moicano. It's a really good FW fight and with Ortega and Holloway mowing through every 145er on two legs; the winner of this fight could get a quick bump up. Moicano probably has had the most success of anybody vs Ortega so a rematch would be pretty juicy.

8- If you had to describe Anthony Pettis' legacy in one word, what would you use?

9- The UFC tends to be a pretty reactive organization when it comes to problems with fighters but some of the labor hawks they've had on their roster tend to not get much blowback. I wonder if that'll change with Al Iaquinta who by all accounts they really don't like. If he loses, it might get a touch awkward.

10- Mike Rodriguez has a lot of pressure on his shoulders after Magomed Anakaleav's failure in his UFC debut. 205 needs more guys getting their careers off on the right foot and Rodriguez can be another guy in that mix, fresh off of a 30 second DWTCS win. Trains with Joe Lauzon, has a 9-2 record and could be valuable as an East Coast attraction going forward.

11- Can somebody at 115 lbs please finish a fight? I'm not asking for too much here!

12- The failures of the likes of Elias Thoeodoru and Hakeem Dawodu turns the attention back to Olivier Aubin-Mercier as the young fighter by whom Canada turns its lonely eyes to. There's no doubt Olivier Aubin-Mercier can grapple as he's found plenty of success on the mat with four submission wins in his six UFC wins----but the problem is what happens when the grappling doesn't work. Mercier has showcased solid striking in the past but it's so infrequent and inconsistent that it's hard to really get a feel for how good he is. There's an element of panic to his game. Sometimes he doesn't respond well to pressure in his face and his first inclination is to grab at something and hope like hell the fight goes to the ground. Evan Dunham has only been submitted once in his UFC career, vs Donald Cerrone in a fight where he was pretty much dead on the feet at that point. This is a really good test for OAM.

Must Win

1- Tony Ferguson

I LOVE Tony Ferguson as a fighter and wish more people loved him. I even enjoy his stupid zany off the wall madness that he tends to produce outside of the cage. In a sport searching for guys who are "different", Ferguson is different and he's just so weird. On the other hand, it's obvious to me that the UFC doesn't see Ferguson the way I do----and perhaps the fans see him in the same spectrum the UFC does. Ferguson is not the chosen one at 155 lbs; that would be Khabib Nurmagomedov who may be the key to some Russian windfall. Ferguson is a bit like RDA; reliable and dependable but not "the guy" as the uFC attempts to find out who "the guy" at 155 lbs is. Ferguson needs to not be like every other Khabib opponent or risk the long road back that RDA had.

2- Michael Chiesa

So there's a little bit of an issue here with Michael Chiesa. Chiesa is clearly a good fighter and he's the kind of guy who can rack up win after win vs the mid levels of the division. Wins over Jim Miller, Beneil Dariush and Al Iaquinta (before he developed into the fighter he is today) suggest he can be one of the best fighters at 155 lbs. That said, every single time he gets a step up, he gets quickly checked back to base level. Losses to Masvidal, Joe Lauzon and Kevin Lee all put him back to trying to prove himself in a division where a backwards step can be a killer. THIS is the sort of fight that Chiesa has to win; it's a somewhat faded version of a guy who has become more of a struggling grappler over the past few years. This is a fight he pretty much has to win if he plans on really making a run at 155 lbs.

3- Karolina Kowalkiewicz

I really like Karolina K. I think it says a lot about you as a person if you DON'T like Karolina K. She's a fun fighter who has good action fights and has this great personality. The downside is that after wins over the likes of Rose Namajunas and Randa Markos, she lost two straight to the very good Claudia Gadelha and then champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk. She rebounded vs Jodie Esquibel but whether Esquibel is UFC quality remains to be seen at this point. Karolina gets Felice Herrig in what is on paper a UFC title contender fight.

Five Can't Miss Fights

1- Tony Ferguson vs Khabib Nurmagomedov

2- Zhabit Magomedsharipov vs Kyle Bochniak

3- Joanna Jedrzejcyk vs Rose Namajunas

4- Paul Felder vs Al Iaquinta

5- Ray Borg vs Brandon Moreno

[theculturalvacuum]

A Dance with Fan Fic Ask Round Ups

I have a confession: I was a little terrified that everyone would be mad at me for going to a cliff hanger with the groom storming out to a pretty unrelated chapter involving middle-aged ladies and repression, not least because it took me two months to get it out. But the feedback on this chapter has been so sweet. Thank you.

Now that the next chapter is out, I’ve finally decided to catch up on all of these….

Anonymous said:

I don't think your buying into stereotypes with your dornish women, they aren't all identikit, they're all just reflective of a place which expects women to be a bit more involved in everything. From outside of Dorne you've got Sarra who was assertive in her own way by telling eliott how to behave with his new wife, it was a gentle type of assertiveness but she took control and had that conversation no matter how awkward. Lady Darklyn too certainly seems not lacking in confidence.

Well, good. I sometimes worry about women who are less assertive and how they cope in this society. With Sarra, what I was more going for was more encouraging her son to be gently assertive about his marital rape license.

Anonymous said:

Elliot, you are my sonion, and I understand that you're upset, but you're acting like an asshole. Stop being an asshole.

I’ll pass this on, but I’m not sure El will be able to hear me over the sound of his raging hangover right now.

Anonymous said:

Your fic is so much fun, I find myself going yeah oh poor Eliott's he's going to marry a whore, and then im like, wait what the fuck corret man. I get so into each chapter that by the end of it im agreeing with these twits. that's when I know im hooked and your good at your thang.

Thank you? POV bias is a bitch, though.

Corret has a very logical brain, and he’s very normative. He just doesn’t question the assumptions of his society. And he didn’t say Loree was a “whore”! He said she was “little better” than one. Big difference, dude!

Anonymous said:

A few ask rounds ups ago, someone mentioned Dylan having high hopes that Ellaria Uller will get a prominent job in KL, oh my god I need this. I need Corret to just have no clue what going on and why is buddy would want such a thing when he has a second son to put those hopes onto. Maybe Dylan thinks Ellaria is his cleverest kid or something and he's excited of her progress report from the water gardens/tutors at Hellholt or something, and Corret is just so uncomprehending.

Lil’ Ellaria aces all the math tests.

I can’t think of any reason why Dylan would stop hanging out with his old buddy Corret or why he wouldn’t be one of the famous Dornish Proud Papas.

Anonymous said:

Hey my Jeyne Swann love is perfectly reasonable and normal!!! Sorta. I just feel bad for her she went to a place where she could have done anything (within reason) and shiteros had screwed up her view of herself and marriage and life so much that she was never able to take even one second of advantage of it then she got a disgusting growth in her body and died. I feel much better now and zen knowing that she as some fond times with her girls to give her happy memories as she wasted away.

I’m sure she thought she was the luckiest woman in the world.

Anonymous said:

I kind of feel sorry for eliott and how unprepared he is for the world he's walked into. I mean there are limits to my sympathy given his attitude and his opinion on stuff, but if someone (ADWIN!!!!) had just given him a few more facts from the start or they'd journeyed through Blackmont and he'd been able to see Meria and Simon and have a little chat with him, it wouldn't have fixed everything but he'd have at least been more like a good little scout and been (a bit) prepared.

I mean, Adwin threw a pile of books at him. Was that not enough?

Eliott’s problem is sometimes connecting theoretical knowledge to the real world. He can know things about Dornish culture, or even that some historical Princess So-and-So had half a dozen paramours in her life or something, and still not have it occur to him that it would apply in this situation.

Anonymous said:

Something I sort of noticed as the Rowan caravan was journeying was they never stayed anywhere where there was a marriage like Eliott was about to enter into. Manwoody, Fowler and Vaith there is no spouse in residence, Allyrion the dude is the Lord, so everywhere they went of the big houses he's not getting the chance to really see the role he'd have which probably keeps the shackles on for even longer.

I suppose that’s true, I didn’t plan it or anything. But the most important thing keep the shackles on is Eliott and his Brain Virgin. I’m not sure if swinging by Sandstone would have helped him much except maybe that he would think that Allin ain’t a real man or something.

Anonymous said:

Given everything that happened between AWiS and the present, would it be fair to say that Edgar Yronwood was right, or at least had a point when he said that the Martells trying to win the favour of the Northerners wouldn't yield the result they wanted? A bit rich coming from the man who backed the Blackfyres, but still...

Well… ask Elia how it all worked out. Though, to be fair, the amount of autonomy they seemed to have under Robert is a little ridiculous.

Anonymous said:

I'm excited and sad for the upcoming Alysanne chapter. Excited because she's a brilliantly written character; sad because she's spent her whole life getting shit on and thanks to patriarchy brain, thinks it's all her fault. Which makes me sad.

I feel guilt about how long it took me to get this round-up out. Like, that was two chapters ago… I hope it lived up to your expectations.

Anonymous said:

On your favourite subject of Jeyne Swann, whats the age gap between her two girls? did Allyster try and get two kids on her relatively quick so they'd be able to stop making appointments? Must have been a bit weird for her not to have anyone pushing for the her to birth the prodigal penis, even with huge amounts of pb that must have been kinda nice, even if she did probably think she'd failed or some crazy shit like that.

The gap between them is maybe five years or so, and Jeyne (the younger) didn’t marry as early as Rebanna did, so her kids are quite a bit younger than Maron. There may have been some infant mortality between them, or even after as well. I’m not sure, I don’t want to pile on. Allyster stopped making appointments because he could tell how not into it she was, and that got weird after ten years.

Anonymous said:

why is alyse ladybright not tagged for your fic? she appears plenty and yet the poor Lady doesn't get a tag.

Ha. I think I only tagged people who already had tags.

Anonymous said:

Is Lewyn's paramour someone we've already met in a AWiS? Jennelyn Sand mayhaps?

No and no.

Anonymous said:

If Casson had married Loreza would that mean that Ellaria would have been Lady Vaith one day?

I suppose so. Unless it prompted Vanella to bite the bullet and get hitched.

Anonymous said:

Speaking of trophy consort, I always thought he'd be younger but not young enough to be her son. More in the vain in your fic verse of Emerik Qorgyle or Trebor Jordayne if he wasn't heir. that way he's very much a man grown when they marry and has plenty of life experience so he has something to offer as a ocassional advisor. But he's still a younger hottie too.

Okay.

Anonymous said:

I like owain a lot. He seems like a real good guy. Plus he's got Tully links too which makes him dynastically well linked along with his Reacher and married Martell links. Alyse is going to be all over that, but I imagine there might be a queue.

Owain is the pragmatic one. Marq is a mini-Corret with all his ISTJ-ness. Lymen is the racist one. Jon the Green is also there. Maybe he’s the funny one.

Yeah, Eliott’s peeps aren’t as cool as Loree’s.

Anonymous said:

I have sympathy for Jeyne Swann lover anon because I'm actually drawn to your background characters more than your POV's. I like all your POV choices and they're a nice spread but its the unknown with the background characters that interests me. I like Deria, Deneza is someone I really wish for more of, Adwin's a professor in another life, Owain is just perfect, Sarra/Aelora are just the cutest, I need more Dylan, Simon Leygood's life intrigues me even if he's only a name, Alyse is a dream.

Alyse has dreams.

Anonymous said:

How do Rebanna and Allyster feel about the fact that Maron is almost 30 and not married? I get that the Dornish don't push marriage as hard as some, but they still do succession through bloodlines. Would the fact that he hasn't married make them question if he's responsible enough to rule Wyl?

Well, he had his heart broken once.

They’re probably in Wyl right now talking about how they’ll totally bring it up as soon as he hits thirty. Also, keep reading.

Anonymous said:

Does Lenelle have ladies-in-waiting, or is that a right reserved for Martells proper? Similarly, does Jenny have ladies, or is her status low enough, and scandal that she caused great enough, that no knight or lord wants his daughters to serve her?

Lenelle does have ladies of her own, I just haven’t really thought about who they might be or had cause to mention them. Emelyn was one, once upon a time.

I have no clue about Jenny. She would probably ditch them if she did have them.

Anonymous said:

This is a bit of a random comment but I loved your response to my asking about where the Fossoways were. It just highlights how different peoples minds work. once I read who the groom was on the Dramatis personae my first thought was who were his cousins on the other side of his family and thought they must be young or female for him not to have any of them as his little group of companions. When I saw none were there I just immediately jumped to conspiracy theories like a normal person...

I mean, we can weave a tale about how Sarra doesn’t get on with her family ever since they found out that she doesn’t like apple pie, or something.

Anonymous said:

Besides GRRM, who would you say the biggest influences on your writing are?

Jane Austen is kind of obvious. Especially in the dialogue, probably.

Actually, Martin doesn’t influence my style nearly as much as I would like him to. My descriptive passage are always very, like, functional.

Anonymous said:

Whether or not it occurs in on page, I'd imagine that, at some point during the events of AWiS, some Reach Bros got drunk and decided to loudly sing The Dornishman's Wife. They couldn't understand why their Dornish hosts didn't find the song amusing.

I think their Dornish hosts just find it dumb. And it will be quite the wedding feast, I’m sure. Literal wine fountains.

Anonymous said:

Will AWiS feature anything like Martin's weirder, trippier passages? Either a character having a fever dream or ingesting a hallucinogen of some sort?

I’m not sure if I’m up for that. I did once write a dream for Eglies, though.

I’m not sure which pov character is most likely to eat a magic mushroom. Probably Ormond.

Anonymous said:

Aside from Loreza being dornish and set to be ruling Princess of Dorne, I can't help but feel like anther problem Eliott may encounter with her is she's very much a grown woman. Whereas there seems to be so many really young brides elsewhere, some criminally young but even 19 year olds like Olenna haven't really lived, they're in a lot of ways children in women's bodies due to the way they get infantilized. Loreza isn't any of that and that is a new experience even before the political stuff.

I think that’s quite insightful. And Loree has this confidence about her sexuality that I don’t think Eliott will know what to do with.

Anonymous said:

Love Deria, she sounds like she has a bed warmer and wants to find someone for her new friend, lol.

Deria’s a classy lady. She doesn’t kiss and tell.

Anonymous said:

I volunteer to kill Tybutthole, it would be my pleasure, I'd even pay you for the honour. As realistic it is, I hope there can be something positive to come out of this even if it only sadly Marigold getting out.

I suppose that all depends on how you define “positive outcome”. As I believe I’ve said before, this society is tailor made for men like Tybutt, but I think Alysanne is starting to realize that that may be problematic, so I would say not all hope is lost.

Anonymous said:

Princess Trystana and Lord Gargalen totally seem like marriage goals for the setting. they've found a way to function as a couple, communicate and raise their kids together with respect and support.

I mean, maybe they seem like that now. You should have seen them in the old days.

Anonymous said:

Daenella seems kind of Targ to me, like she inherit all the privilege like a Martell has but without any of the dutiful nature that goes with it, which seems Targ-ey. By the time she was born her dad was gone/or almost, so her mother had to help Rhodryn in his new role, and child bearing problems and grieve and adapt so Daenella probably just got to have all the fun of being born into such great position but without any of the lessons in duty.

All the best royal families have that “only two kinds” thing and in the Martells’ case it the whole “hot and cold” thing I made up for The Princess and the Septa. It was kind of, like, institutionalizing the contrast between Doran and Oberyn, (a contrast so obvious that even GoT noticed it...) And Daenella is kind of this generation’s Oberyn. Though, so is Arion, so…

But, of course, the sharp contrast is also an oversimplification. Like, which one is Lewyn, for example?

Anonymous said:

Linette!!! nice to hear about her a bit. I wonder if a tiny bit of Duran's appeal to Alysanne, as she gets to know him better, if his obvious pride in his daughters, and the fact he's ''satisfied'' with them.

Tiny bit?

Linette’s a pro. She has charts.

Anonymous said:

Daenella and Trystana seem like they just don't understand each other at all. they try in their own ways to connect but they're so different that the other just doesn't see these overtures as being meant to be kind or loving. Little Trystana might momentarily unite them when she's probably likely to be born at the most inopportune time. They're sisters, they clearly care for one another they just have no clue how to communicate with each other.

Anonymous said:

The princess of the breeze seems to bring the worst out of her sister. I think Trystana just has no idea how to relate to her, and as she's so used to being in control and knowing what she's doing she can't quite function as she wants to around her sister and they just end up having this escalating back and forth, that Trystana seems to know if ridiculous but can't quite break the cycle.

Deanella always has the best intentions for things, but she just gets overwhelmed by her emotions and can’t focus on things enough to actually follow through. She wants to be a good mother and a good sister but… omg, that dog has a fluffy tail! No one sane would trust her with any actual responsibilities.

And Trystana is very dutiful, but she also wants to make sure everyone knows how dutiful she is. Specifically that she’s more dutiful than Daenella. That being said, she would drop everything to help her sister in a crisis, even after the twentieth time.

Anonymous said:

Whilst I'm enjoying the little romance Alysanne has going on, I'm particularly enjoying her simple joy at having people notice her and making a few new friendships and how she just seems to spill to these people because she's probably never had anyone to really talk to for years aside from her daughter, and you can't tell you child any of this sort of stuff. I could see her and Deria becoming great friends, and Trystana too if Alysanne's world continues to open up.

Female friendships are important for women.

Anonymous said:

Someone needs to engineer ''accidents'' for certain assholes so that Daisy and Marigold can be left the fuck alone.

Anonymous said:

LMAO, Alysanne thought she was in for an earful and instead she was being set up with her dreamboat again. Honestly when this is all over however it goes or doesn't go she's going to need a good neck massage from all the whiplash she's getting trying to get her head around all these dornish ways.

Those mysterious Dornish ways of, like, consent and stuff.

Anonymous said:

On a scale of 1-10, how concerned should we be for Alysanne's safety? Tybutt doesn't seem the type to take his wife showing agency lying down.

If Tybutt gets on Trystana’s wrong side you should be more concerned for his safety.

Anonymous said:

Trystana girl, you looked in the mirror lately, Daenerys is wilful? lol. Maybe their wilfulness comes out in different ways but they've both got bucket loads of it. I did enjoy her chat with Alysanne in general though, she likes her husband and wants him to have some happiness and joy. the fact the lady he likes is the biggest sweetheart that ever sweethearted is a big bonus though.

How dare you! Dany is nothing at all like Trystana!

[thesedays-posts-blog]

Chicago Artists To Watch 2017

Each successive year here in Chicago has been marked by a string of breakout artists since the 'renaissance' truly kicked into gear back in 2012. In the time since, we've seen one act after the next ascend to the loftiest of plateaus in the music industry and as we look back on a record-breaking 2016, we simultaneously are prepping ourselves for the next wave of talented artists ready to follow in their contemporaries footsteps. While last year may have seen the rise of acts like Joey Purp, Towkio, Eryn Allen Kane, Saba and more, 2017 appears to lay the groundwork for a similarly eclectic, talented crop that should well be pacing the national scene by this time next year. Want to know who they are? The TheseDays team has you covered, with all of our picks for who's slated for a breakthrough 2017 in our humble opinions. Let us know your opinions on who you think will be killing it this year and make sure to look back on our 2016 predictions for added insight. 

Jake's Picks • The O'My's, Ravyn Lenae & Phoelix

The O’My’s • Admittedly, The O’My’s are a band that has probably been on a list like this for me several times over the years. While it’s undeniable at this point that the local outfit led by Maceo Haymes and Nick Hennessey are a soulful force to be reckoned with, they’ve yet to truly breakthrough the glass ceiling of the city and find the widespread success their talent deserves. A year largely away from the public was spent working on a new project with more depth and thought than anything the team has tackled thus far in their career. A launching pad for musicians like Carter Lang, Boyang Matsopola, Nico Segal and many more. One of Kids These Days’ first gigs was opening for The O’My’s and that trend of looking out for the next up continues as 18-year-old wunderkind Eddie Burns has taken up drumming duties. At this point, the band’s place in Chicago music is unquestioned and with a new look, a renewed spirit and an intense year of steady work under their belt, expect big things at long last from the city’s ‘Purveyors of Soul’.

Ravyn Lenae • Perhaps no artist I’ve seen in the last five years has seemed to encapsulate all the good of contemporary teen celebrity while staying undeniably grounded than 18-year-old Ravyn Lenae. Since stepping out with her impressive and genre-bending debut, Moon Shoes EP last year, the Chicago High School for the Arts senior has made huge waves across the city and country. The bubbly, talented Lenae has all the tools to become a name we talk about for a long time, possessing a sort of real disposition and laid back demeanor that seem almost impossible given her innate talent and creativity. Having linked up with Monte Booker, Smino, Jean Deaux and the Zero Fatigue crew, with Classick Fam at her back, the girl seems primed for huge things in the very near future. Having just headlined her first tour with none other than Sahar Habibi handling DJ duties before heading back to high school for finals, the world is only just beginning to open up for young Ravyn Lenae.

Phoelix • I went into 2016 knowing just a little but about the producer known as Phoelix. Save for some loosies and varied production credits that scattered themselves around the Internet, it was really only the Internet trolls who harvest the internet and rarely leave their homes who seemed to really be up on the fairly new face. A few months into the year and it seemed he was everywhere. From having worked extensively on NoName’s long-awaited debut project Telefone to Saba's critically-acclaimed Bucketlist with appearances alongside the likes of Zero Fatigue, THEMPeople and many more, it's obvious that this beatsmith has certainly found himself in the right company. More than that, he utilized 2016 to effectively prove he had the ability to stay there and perhaps take things even further heading into 2017.

Eric's Picks • Knox Fortune, Cam O'bi & Appleby

Knox Fortune • A couple years ago now, ahead of the release of their album Season, I ran into Joey Purp & Kami who excitedly told me they found the secret third member of Leather Corduroys. Once the singles started to roll out, the production was gave it away - that third member was none other than Knox Fortune. As great as the overall sound he helped create was, what really caught me was his vocal part at the end of "Remember" as it was the first time I realized this fool had the voice of an angel. As time marched on, Knox continued his behind the scenes work, executive producing both Purp's iiiDrops and Kami's forthcoming album Just Like the Movies, while lending his talents to others along the way. The whole time keeping pretty quiet about the fact he had an album of his own completed. Then one night Knox had me & Pat the Manager over to Chiller's Paradise to hear some of his solo material that we had been hearing whispers about. Knox proceeded to play hours worth of incredible material. Last year, he provided fans with a taste with "Seaglass" - which, while an enjoyable track, really only skims the surface of the gold this man is sitting on. With Kami's album ready to drop and his feature on Chance the Rapper's "All Night" making his name more recognizable than ever, 2017 will be a huge year for Mr. Fortune. 

Cam O'bi • Similarly to Knox, Cam O'bi's most notable work is that in which he's done for others. In fact, many of the songs where we hear the stars of this Chicago Renaissance (Noname, Saba, Chance, Mick, Vic, etc) at their best are with Cam behind the boards. Outside of Chicago, Cam's production resume is no less impressive - producing tracks for Big Sean, J Cole & Isaiah Rashad to name a few last year alone. However over the last few years, Cam has been working on an opus of his own. Entitled Grown Ass Kid, it will be O’bi’s debut album, and will see him as the lead vocalist. Now if that catches you off guard, you've likely heard him sing before and didn't realize, as his vocal features date back to Vic Mensa's 2013 fan favorite "Orange Soda" to more recently Noname's Raury-assisted collaboration "Diddy Bop" - both of which he also produced. When transition from solely being a producer, Kanye once said he had an advantage as a rapper because he gets to hear his beats first, and that logic applies here too. Paired with the fact the album is shaping up to be sonic self-portrait of one of the most kind, caring and positive people I've ever met in music, "Grown Ass Kid" is on the top of my 2017 wish list.

Appleby • To date, it's always been a personal rule of mine when doing these types of lists to never include an artist that I've said was one to watch in a previous year. In 2015, I included Appleby in a list of the same sort for Hypetrak, however with the turn his music has begun to take I'm making an exception. When Appleby began to release material in 2014, the metaphorically masked musician was giving fans moody R&B sounds, made in a dark bedroom to be listened to in dim basements. Despite receiving a solid amount of buzz with that approach, Appleby decided to take a step back and pursue a different path. Looking ahead to 2017, it's a literally a night and day difference. This transition presents itself best in the form of a song,  "Miss Sunshine”. Unfortunately, he's currently holding this song hostage from fans, but I’m working on that. Bright and energized, the song connects to a different point on the emotional spectrum than Appleby has tapped into in the past, and the results are incredible. If you look closely, there are breadcrumbs in Apple's career that show the potential for things to head in this direction - at first in features with the likes of Litany and Raven Lenae, but around the time he began to work with Elias Abid the vision began to come into focus. With Abid at his side, a new sound locked in and a new batch of material, this should be the year we're properly introduced to Appleby

Brent's Picks • KAMI, L.A. VanGogh & Joseph Chilliams

KAMI • Aside from his work alongside Save Money brethren Joey Purp as one half of Leather Corduroys, most of the world is still unfamiliar with KAMI and his solo efforts. Releasing just three singles in 2016 may not be enough for some to rank him as one of the promising artists to be on the lookout for in 2017, but each single was stronger than most releases by KAMI's peers and contemporaries. A result of KAMI's powerful rhymes, vocals and curated production by another up and comer on the verge of breaking out, Knox Fortune. Knox has played a role in each of KAMI's recent releases and is rumored to have a prevalent influence on KAMI's upcoming solo debut Just Like The Movies.  What we've heard from the project thus far foreshadows a sharp stray from what we already know about KAMI, but an exciting stray nonetheless. Something different. Something experimental. Something his Save Money cohorts Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa and Joey Purp haven't touched. Truly blazing his own trail. KAMI's debut is sure to have ears perking up and all eyes on the Chicago collective once again. 

L.A. VanGogh • We've quickly come to appreciate this south suburban native in the past year. Originally from Dolton, Illinois and currently residing in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, we were introduced to L.A. VanGogh's musical talents with the release of safeNsound Presents L.A. VanGogh alongside producer and bandmate Ambi Lyrics in early 2016. Since, L.A. has proven to be a talented emcee, producer and performer, his charismatic personality and ambitious work ethic has placed L.A. on a short list of who you should know in the coming year. Having recently released Friends First and headlining his first local performance at Wicker Park's Subterranean, L.A. VanGogh closed out the year strong and set the foundation for his takeover following the release of his upcoming sophomore project Everything Is Subjective. While still early on in his career, his music and the team behind it has L.A. on a fast track to notoriety in 2017.

Joseph Chilliams • Pivot Gang's Joseph Chilliams has been tested in 2016, but everything is on an upward swing for him in the new year. Brother of the buzzworthy Saba, Joseph Chilliams is doing anything but following the trail his sibling has paved for himself. While the rhymes are of equal caliber, Chilliams uses his music to paint a picture of his experiences growing up on Chicago's west side. Both Joseph and Saba grew up in the same home, but everyone's experiences are slightly different and how they choose to express their experiences can vary as well. Joseph finds comfort in using humor to tell his story. Watching Joseph perform his music live can often be confused with a stand up comedy set, comedic intermissions substituting brief talking breaks while he catches his breath. Joseph has only released a couple tracks this past year along with an amazing video for "Buck", but everything is leading up to his still untitled debut. Rumor has it that the project is complete, but we're waiting patiently on the final cut. Regardless of the limited content over the years, Joseph Chilliams has constantly proven himself to be worthy of our attention and when he decides to officially step out, we know you'll agree.

Ray's Picks • BigBodyFiji, UG Vavy & Lud Foe

BigBodyFiji • Where to begin. By the end of the year BigBodyFiji had become my favorite rapper of 2016. Some hip-hop fans may take time to acclimate, but the sooner the better because when it does, you’re getting hit like a ton of bricks. He’s got a perspective, a funny motherfucker weaving a wild web of suburban street fairy tales (“growin up rich, I ain’t never struggled bitch”) with the chops to match. He knows who he is, and is probably waiting for a thank you. Figuratively and literally, he’s got a voice, and knows how to deliver. And what a voice it is - to be honest, I’m not sure if I’ve heard anything like it, a rubber band that’s stretched out, hit the blunt and forgot to bounce back. His ear is crazy, the way he combines hook-verse-and-beat is so intuitive it's borderline effortless. But that would be cutting him short. His work ethic goes crazy, and I’m sitting on a deep playlist of BigBodyFiji tracks and verses from the last 12 months  that still gets daily play. He performed what is easily the best 30 person show at a soccer field I’ve ever seen (sounds sarcastic but not, it was fucking awesome). But if there’s one takeaway, it’s this; there’s no gimmick behind Fiji, and if you draw that conclusion you aren’t listening closely enough. Expect very big things in 2017.

UG Vavy • UG Vavy, a hitmaker in the flesh. In 2016 he began peppering Chicago with singles, and fighting his vibe was an exercise in futility. There was stopping power in every track, each a stepping stone in the local music ecology. No small feat, with so many artists, so much static noise to break through. UG Vavy set his sights on a big year and got it done at the most efficient level, never even dropping a project. And don’t get me wrong, we want a project. But shit, he rode these singles far because he could. The fact is, his tracks were just too damn catchy, and with every release he was able to show a new side of himself while simultaneously fleshing out the various corners of both his sound and persona. Catch a live show and you’ll understand, his energy moves effortlessly and the audience rushes closer to the stage at the opening measures of each consecutive track. No denying good music, and as a producer / rapper / singer triple threat he’s able to write songs that are 100% UG with 0% compromise. It’s why every single sounds a little different, and yet when you press play you know exactly who you’re listening to. It’s a common trait you’ll find with all our 2017 artists to watch and it’s why he belongs on this list.

Lud Foe • Lud Foe put out a mixtape called No Hooks that, from what I can tell, literally had no hooks, and that’s fucking cool. It almost feels cheap to call him an artist to watch in 2017, because he’s got thousands of eyes and ears on him already. But the fact is, in 2016 Lud Foe has been regarded as a local phenom, yet his potential has a ceiling far higher than that, way beyond “outwest, 290 shit”. Yes, Lud Foe has bars for days and attacks each rap like it’s his last (although his recent Chance feature showcases his ability to switch it up). Most importantly, he has something to say. Every verse has endless lines and wordplay to unpack, and even subject matter which a surface judgement could deem 'played out' is described with loving detail. Take Lud Foe on one of my favorites, “Ambitionz Of A Rider”, discussing cars - “26’s blow kisses / Forgiatos and candy paint”. That’s a damn near perfect two lines, crazy imagery packed into seven words. His delivery is dripping in drive. He barely reaches for air. He’s got it, he’s hungry, and he’s going places.

Patrick's Picks • wheathan, Bunny & Emily Nichols

Whethan • I firmly believe that an artist is as great as the team they've built around them. 17-year old DJ/Producer Whethan (aka. Ethan Snoreck) shares management with fellow Chicago DJ duo Louis The Child, whom rocketed to success as streaming and festival darlings in 2016. He's also signed to booking agency powerhouse AM Only. Whethan started off mid-2016 with his single "Can't Hide" which is over 5 Million streams on Spotify (2.3 on Soundcloud) with the follow up single "Savage" featuring Flux Pavillion and MAX coming in at over 2 Million in just a few months. Whethan starts of 2017 by graduating high school early before he heads up on a 15+ date national tour including an all ages hometown Chicago show on February, 10th at Lincoln Hall.

Bunny • Despite just a handful of bite sized releases since their founding in Feb. 2016, Bunny is still an artist I'm optimistically going to be watching this year. Bunny wrapped 2016 recording some new material with Joyful Noise recording artist and fellow Chicagoan J Fernandez. The band is fronted by the Jessica Viscius, who is also a Senior Designer at Pitchfork. Considering that Bunny's artwork and visuals are what first hopped in front my eye, I'm excited she and the rest of the design heavy band pulls off as music and mixed/media come together. Having designer Drew Ryan (illustrator/branding behind the fantastic Chicago tiki bar Lost Lake) as your drummer helps. Guitarist Tim Makowski has a stunning collection of mixed media online. Bassist Alexa Viscious is the band's in-house photographer too! The band has played at Coles, Beat Kitchen, East Room, The Observatory, The Hideout - all the first right steps for a Chicago band. Simply put - Bunny is some visually pleasing, plain 'ole Chicago rock n' roll. I think we could all use a dose of that!

Emily Nichols • I was fumbling between a few acts for my third pick and was swayed by a familiar voice in the final hours. I caught a live set from Emily Nichols over the New Year's Eve weekend. Despite an early set time and small crowd - she absolutely crushed it. Nichols was a part of my artists to watch last year, as lead singer of the funk band Woo Park (who soon after took an abrupt hiatus). She's taken that already confident front woman spirit and applied it tactfully and tastefully toward her solo stage performance. Emily peppered 2016 with local live shows and a sonically graceful 6-song EP called Strange (which got a glowing review in the Chicago Tribune from one of my favorite music tastemakers Britt Julious). She also lent her vocals to few electronic pop songs and popped up on the road with festival powerhouse DJ Manic Focus. I have a feeling that in 2017 Nichols takes everything she's learned over the past few years and applies it toward those next big steps an artists needs to take. My favorite part about Emily is that she let's her freak flag fly. You can genuinely see it (her style is sui generis) and hear it (her voice is voluptuous) - I love that.