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greysrank · 2 years ago

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Kendrick lamar bitch dont kill my vibe lyrics

The song, produced by frequent collaborator Sounwave of Top Dawg Entertainment in-house production team Digi+Phonics, heavily samples "Tiden Flyver", by Danish electronic group Boom Clap Bachelors. Even in the midst of an effort to “stop all pollution,” Lamar is yelling the titular protest."Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" (edited for radio as "Trick, Don't Kill My Vibe" or simply "Don't Kill My Vibe"), is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his major-label debut studio album Good Kid, M. The song’s gold-hued beauty is infused with contradiction: its a languid meditation on trying to elongate a transitory moment. “Look inside of my soul” are Lamar’s opening words and he maintains this introspection even while expanding his thoughts to encompass the city that puts him on stages and we fiends waiting on his records “like the first and the fifteenth.” It has a delicacy defined by its precariousness Kendrick is a sinner certain to sin again, but there’s hope too: in the change he feels coming and the new life approaching. Jonathan Bradley: Hip-hop isn’t usually this internal in its focus it can get personal or spiritual or contemplative, but “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe” notably turns away from an outside world with which rap is inerrantly to engage. Whatever the reason, this one’s still going to be monopolizing my iPod whenever I end up passing by the “k’s.” So maybe I should take Lamar’s advice and cut out all the talk. Maybe it’s something about the very first words here - “I am a sinner/whose probably going to sin again/Lord forgive me/Lord forgive me thing’s I don’t understand” - that’s achingly human. It’s also in the way Lamar zig-zags through it, managing to be awe struck by where he’s ended up (“put me on stages/to me that’s amazing”) while also throwing out a bunch of disses. It’s partly in the way those strings give way to the beat, the two eventually synthesizing into one fly-as-hell production. Yet I find it difficult to put into words why this song sticks with me. It’s probably one of my most played tracks period of the last year. Michel: This is the Kendrick Lamar song I’ve listened to the most since last fall, on long train rides and walks to work and times spent preparing dinner. Well-observed, still too damn garrulous, and Lamar’s dork impersonation still sounds misconceived. Sounwave digs up some Danish downtempo fluff and strikes smoke if only Kendrick could show the same curiosity about the actions of others.Īlfred Soto: One of my least favorite good Kid, m.A.A.d city tracks gets a sonic spritz, although this incarnation lacks the desperation of the other diva-addled editions. The vibe doesn’t really seem endangered: he says he’s shouting but we can’t hear it. What actually matters, though, is Kendrick - his verses are so insanely good on the remix that they won me over to a song I was initially cold on, but when I go back to those original verses, I remember that they really weren’t anything special.Īnthony Easton: The music is lush, seamless, and gorgeous…like a slightly cryptic luxury product you didn’t know existed five minutes ago, that you will dispose of in two or three days, but you need now! It’s too bad so much effort is put on the cliched lyrics and tired flow of the hyped-to-death Kendrick.īrad Shoup: Lamar’s exceptionalism grates against his declarations of fallibility. But oh lord does the “bitch” belong, if only to give the song its bite and keep it from wafting away on air.Īl Shipley: It’s interesting to listen to the solo album version given how much it’s been framed and defined that the superstars that have touched it in other incarnations: Lady Gaga on that increasingly laughable, thankfully discarded early draft, Jay-Z on the event remix. For the single version, it’s been changed to “trick,” turning the chorus into something lighter and more accessible. And the word “bitch” hits like a brick, a spiky detour from the rest of the song’s measured atmosphere. It’s a curious song – curious meaning that it feels singular, but also that it shows Lamar trying to understand the world around him as he tilts his head at finding something new. It floats along calmly despite being based around a withering put-down, stands alone on an album entirely concerned with thematic cohesion and showcases craft over savvy marketing (Lady Gaga was supposed to be singing the hook once upon a time). Pharrell Williamsĭaniel Montesinos-Donaghy: For all that’s been written in the wake of last year’s good kid, m.A.A.d city (my personal favourite: Houstonian writer Matthew Ramirez’s tumblr essay), “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe” has retained an element of mystique despite the level of attention paid to its host album. Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment.I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES.Email (song suggestions/writer enquiries).

#Kendrick lamar bitch dont kill my vibe lyrics

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blognime444 · 3 years ago

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Autobiography

Hi my name is Lhiane Ramos and I was born in Imus City, December 4 2002. I am the eldest and my brother is 1 year old. The two towns where I have resided most of my life are Imus City and Taguig City. Different events in my life have directed this path depending on the circumstances I found myself in.

I grew up in a filipino family where the provider, my mother, was susceptible to layoffs every year. I quickly learned about the powers of an employer and a union’s visions. Unemployment insurance, as it was called back then, was a subject of discussion over many dinners. This way of life caused a great deal of stress for the family.

Fast Forward to now, I'm 18 years of age and I'm doing great. As a matter of fact, i'm graduating senior high school this coming week and i'm very grateful and happy because i've come this far.

Biography

Ariana Grande Biography (1993–)

Ariana Grande is a sitcom-star-turned-pop music sensation, known for such hit songs as "Problem," "Bang Bang," "Dangerous Woman" and "Thank U, Next."

Who Is Ariana Grande?

Ariana Grande began performing onstage when she was a child. Her involvement in a Broadway play at age 15, followed by some small TV parts, helped her land the role of Cat on TV's Victorious. She followed that with the spinoff Sam & Cat and then dove headfirst into a chart-topping musical career, releasing five albums: Yours Truly (2013), My Everything (2014), Dangerous Woman (2016), Sweetener (2018) and Thank U, Next (2019).

Early Years

Grande was born on June 26, 1993, in Boca Raton, Florida, to Edward Butera, a graphic designer, and Joan Grande, a businesswoman. She took to singing and acting at a young age and made her way onto the local theater scene before she was a teenager. Her first big break came in 2008 when the 15-year-old landed the role of Charlotte in the Broadway production of 13, a play focusing on life growing up in New York City. The early role led to accolades, and Grande won a National Youth Theatre Association Award.

Two years later, she appeared in the musical Cuba Libre and had a small role on a TV show called The Battery’s Down.

Television Roles

Grande landed her breakout role in the Nickelodeon series Victorious. Victorious was set at a performing arts high school, and Grande was cast as a goofy aspiring singer-actress named Cat Valentine. While busy with the show, Grande nevertheless pursued a musical career, making her first appearance on a record with the Victorious soundtrack. And in 2011, Grande released the single "Put Your Hearts Up," a pop song aimed at the hearts of her young Victorious audience. The show's devoted fan base voted Victorious Favorite TV Show at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

When Victorious went off the air in 2012, Grande's character Cat Valentine survived. She went to star in the Nick spin-off Sam & Cat, co-starring iCarly’s Jennette McCurdy. Sam &

Cat wasn’t on long when rumors began to swirl that Grande wasn’t particularly enjoying the experience, and the show came to an abrupt end after 35 episodes (2013-14).

Albums and Songs

'Yours Truly' & 'My Everything'

“The Way” was the first single from Grande’s debut album, Yours Truly, a record that also featured the hits "Baby I" and "Right There." The album, produced by super-producer Babyface, showed a maturing Grande, and 1990s soul influences from pop diva Mariah Carey. The 2014 release My Everything sold 169,000 copies in its first week, debuting at No. 1. The single “Problem,” featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, preceded the album release and debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100, selling more than 400,000 copies upon its release. “Break Free” with Zedd and “Love Me Harder” with The Weeknd followed, each climbing toward the top of the charts.

"Bang Bang," "One Last Time"

During the summer of 2014, Grande teamed up with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj on the single “Bang Bang,” a track that debuted at No. 6 and peaked at No. 3 in the United States. The album spawned another hit single “One Last Time,” which reached number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Grande had three hit singles from My Everything on the Billboard chart at the same time.

Dangerous Woman'

In 2015 Grande released Christmas & Chill, a holiday album, and the single "Focus," which debuted at number seven on the Billboard's Hot 100. In February 2016, she released her third album Dangerous Woman, and the title track debuted at number 10 on the Hot 100 that March. She made music history with the track's success, becoming the first artist to have the lead singles from her first three albums debut in the Top 10. Dangerous Woman, which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, also features collaborations with Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Macy Gray and Future.

'Sweetener'

Grande returned to the charts in April 2018 with "No Tears Left to Cry," the catchy, upbeat response to the previous year's Manchester concert bombing. She followed in June with the dance track "The Light Is Coming," featuring Minaj; dropped the sultry "God Is a Woman" in mid-July; and delivered "Breathin" in September. The four releases were included in her highly anticipated album Sweetener, which debuted in mid-August, as was a track about her whirlwind romance with Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson. The overall success of Sweetener led to her first Grammy win, for Best Pop Vocal Album, in February 2019.

'Thank U, Next'

Grande quickly returned to the studio to produce her fifth album, Thank U, Next. The title track hit airwaves in early November 2018, and another chart-topper, "7 Rings," arrived in

January 2019. The album debuted in February to strong praise, alongside a new single, "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored."

In April 2019 the 25-year-old songstress demonstrated her drawing power by becoming the youngest performer ever to headline Coachella, as well as just the fourth woman to earn the honor. Her collaborations from around this time include "Rule the World," with 2 Chainz, "Monopoly," with Victoria Monét, and "Boyfriend," with Social House. Later that year Grande joined Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey for the single "Don't Call Me Angel," from the Charlie's Angels soundtrack.

Grande continued with the collaborations into 2020, her joint effort with Justin Bieber on "Stuck With U" hitting the Billboard top spot in May before she joined Lady Gaga for "Rain on Me" later in the month.

'Positions'

Her third album in just two years, Grande released positions in October 2020 to generally positive reviews.

Bombing at Dangerous Woman Tour

In 2017 Grande performed the title track for the soundtrack of the live action movie Beauty and the Beast. In February of that year, she began her Dangerous Woman tour across North America and then Europe. On May 22, 2017, tragedy struck after Grande finished a concert in Manchester, England and a suicide bomber detonated a bomb at the exit of the concert hall, killing 22 people and wounding 116, including many young adults and children. "All acts of terrorism are cowardly... but this attack stands out for its appalling sickening cowardice, deliberately targeting innocent, defenseless children and young people who should have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives," British Prime Minister Theresa May

said after the attack.

The pop star responded to the horrific act on Twitter.

Less than a day after the attack, Grande suspended her Dangerous Woman tour. She returned to Manchester 13 days after the attack to perform a benefit concert on June 4 for the bombing victims, enlisting friends and fellow superstars to perform including Bieber, Cyrus, Katy Perry, Liam Gallagher, Chris Martin, and Pharrell Williams. Before the concert, Grande visited fans who had been injured in the attack, and she also offered 14,000 free tickets to people who had been at the May 22 concert.

Grande resumed her tour on June 7th in Paris, posting in Instagram: "First show back tonight. Thinking of our angels every step of the way. I love you with all my heart. Grateful for and incredibly proud of my band, dancers and entire crew. I love you. I love you."

The following year, the singer revealed that she was still feeling the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder from the event. "It's hard to talk about because so many people have

suffered such severe, tremendous loss," she told British Vogue. "I don't think I'll ever know how to talk about it and not cry."

Awards

Among her many accolades, Grande has won six iHeartRadio Music Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards and three American Music Awards. She has also earned 12 Grammy nominations and one win.

Acting

The pop diva returned to television with a guest appearance on Scream Queens in 2015, and she hit the big screen in a cameo appearance in Zoolander 2 in 2016. She also starred as Penny Pingleton, Tracy Turnblad's best friend, in NBC's Hairspray Live! in December 2016.

Grande has also become a popular host of Saturday Night Live, bringing her musical and acting talents to the show, including uncanny impersonations of fellow pop divas Britney Spears, Shakira, Rihanna, Celine Dion and Whitney Houston in a skit spoofing the streaming service Tidal.

In February 2020 Grande made a guest appearance on season 2 of Jim Carrey's Showtime series Kidding.

Fragrances, Charities and Social Media

In addition to her musical and acting projects, Grande has launched two fragrances "Ari by Ariana Grande" and "Frankie by Ariana Grande" with her brother Frankie Grande.

When she is not performing, the pop superstar supports various charitable causes including Kids Who Care, a group she co-founded that raises money for charities in the South Florida region. She also has cultivated a massive social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, and landed on Time magazine's list of "The 100 Most Influential People" in 2016.

Personal Life

Grande went public with her romance with her "The Way" collaborator Mac Miller in August 2016. The pair split in May 2018 after almost two years of dating. "I respect and adore him endlessly and am grateful to have him in my life in any form, at all times regardless of how our relationship changes or what the universe holds for each of us!" Grande posted on Instagram.

On June 11, 2018, People magazine confirmed that the singer was engaged to SNL's Davidson, her boyfriend of several weeks. Subsequent attention focused on their affectionate social media posts directed at one another, though the couple found themselves in an awkward position when footage surfaced of Davidson making a joke about the Manchester concert bombing months earlier.

Grande was devastated by Miller's death from an accidental drug overdose in September 2018, a development that seemingly impacted her relationship with Davidson. By October 2018, the singer and comedian had split.

Grande went on to date Social House's Mikey Foster, before sparking a relationship with real estate agent Dalton Gomez. The pair got engaged in December 2020 and wed in May 2021.

Reflection Essay

As I lay down to reflect, I can say that my life's getting better, unlike the past few months that I'm suffering from depression. I thought I couldn't make it to graduation but here I am realizing and writing down here my reflection in life. I may not be the best student, but I'm trying my best to do my work and to be alive. I could say that all of our suffering right now has an end. Whether it's big or small.

Memoir

One gloomy day, my friends and I decided to go to a cafe to unwind. We got our own wheels and drove to the nearest cafe. Once we got there, we ordered a lot of ice coffees and some food. After that, we decided to go for a road trip. Those were some of my unforgettable moments in my life because my mom usually didn't allow me to go to far places and had a curfew. After our road trip, we went to the nearest McDonalds and got some snacks.

Facial Recognition

In a world of chaos, pain and suffering. As I look forward to seeing you again, It makes my trials and tribulations less hectic knowing that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of the day I’ll see you again. You make me happy. Tall boy with dark hair and shy smiles and who smells good. I was in love. He was my type, manly and he had a smile that could save humanity. He’s supportive and encouraging. He always pushes me to do better . He has a unique voice and I realized, his voice is my favorite sound. He is wonderful in everything he does. He never really spends much time caring about he dresses. He keeps it simple all the time with his simple white round neck shirt and black sweat short. I love how he’s open minded and just vibe whatever I talk about. He have great strength and he always have a goal in his mind. His arm is

well-shaped. His eye are everything. Thick eyebrows are my favorite and also his long eyelashes he doesn’t deserve. He looks so perfect for me. His body was fit. He mean everything to me that’s why I like him so much. He wears strength and darkness equally well.

The man has always been half goddess, half hell. He is benevolent and easy to be with. Not only of his physical appearance, that made me fall in love, but the loving personality he has. He has one of those charismatic personalities that are hard to find as of now. He is a kind man, a gentleman one.

Travelogue

Hidden Beauty of Siniloan

October 30 year 2016, our family decided to go to a place where we can unwind. My mom is working at the Schools Division Office and guess what? They will be having a hiking at October 30 also, so we decided to come with them. Hiking with the higher officials of DepEd, it’s kinda awkward but it’s okay. I thought that I will be having a hard time socialize with them but I was wrong, they are amazing and very friendly that made our adventure more memorable.

The experience we’ve had before during and after our hiking was irreplaceable. I remember when were on our way to Siniloan, I vomited because the roadgoing to Siniloan was very curved and I feel so dizzy that time. That was an epic experience for me. When we finally reached our destination, we’ve had our orientation about the do’s and don’ts during hiking. The tour guide told us that the hiking will last for hours. I was so shocked that time, “Will I survive this?” I said to my cousins and we started ranting about it. During our hiking, I and my cousins kept on asking our tour guide, “Kuya we’ve been walking for almost five hours, when we will reach our destination? We are so damn tired”. Our tour guide was a liar, because he kept on saying that were near but the truth is were not yet near. After walking for almost six hours, finally we’ve reached our real destination, I thought it would be a normal hiking experience but I was wrong, the perfect flow of the water from the peak of the mountain turned my poker face into a very amazed one like a kid. A very beautiful twin waterfalls. I was so amazed and overwhelmed. We didn’t care how tired we were because the crystal clear water of the falls encouraged us to swim.

After that very tiring day, I realized that it’s okay to be tired because it’ll be worth it, and I realized that God’s creation is really a blast.

Self-Obituary

“If I could just turn back the time, I will correct all of my mistakes and wrong decisions in life.” As a teenager, we are known to be vulnerable, we are soft and weak that’s why we tend to do things that were not good for us and others.

I overthink, and overthinking kills my happiness. I usually think negative thoughts, which hinders my productivity because all that I think was everything that I do is a failure. I distanced myself to others and even to my parents and friends. I always feel that I’m such a disappointment to everyone. I always sleep late, staring at the ceiling and thinking of some random thoughts.

Everything’s a mess. Everything in me was a mess. I let other people come and go, I let them hurt me and leave me hanging on air. I made some quick decisions in life that brings a huge impact on what I am as of now. I am slowly dying.

Everything we do has an equivalent consequence. I nearly died not physically but emotionally. “If I could just turn back the time, I will correct all of my mistakes and wrong decisions in life.” We can’t deny the fact that the past are still ghosting us. Some will say that if they will be given a chance to change everything from the past, they will change some decisions they did; but I do believe that I will not be here today if I changed some events from the past.

Every little thing that I did before has been a great part as who I am today. Life is short and we should not be regretting about everything we did before. We make mistakes and I think it

is the stepping stone for us to achieve our goals. We grow from different aspects and I think it’s normal.

We can no longer go back to what we once were, but we can make the best of a bad situation and appreciate everything instead of regretting from the past and everything

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tabloidtoc · 4 years ago

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Star, August 31

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Chip and Joanna Gaines saving our family -- why they’re really back on TV

Page 1: Kristen Wiig sharing her IVF struggle -- the star opens up about the joy and heartbreak of becoming a mom

Page 2: Contents

Page 3: WOW! Roundup of the week’s WTF moments and other funny business -- Winner of the Week is Maya Rudolph who won an Emmy for impersonating on Saturday Night Live Joe Biden’s pick of Kamala Harris as his running mate, Song of the Week -- Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s seriously NSFW song WAP has celebs like Christina Aguilera and Viola Davis loving the raunch, the world’s last Blockbuster video store is now available on Airbnb for overnight stays, Nev Schulman left a $926 tip after bonding with a waitress

Page 4: Just two weeks into filming The Bachelorette Clare Crawley told producers she wanted to leave the show because she’d already fallen hard and fast for contestant Dale Moss -- panicked showrunners scrambled to replace Clare with Bachelor Nation’s Tayshia Adams but Clare was spotted at the resort in Palm Springs where the show has been filming leading some to conclude she’s being sequestered there to prevent spoilers because contestants don’t know what’s going on and producers don’t know what to do next; it’s a mess

Page 5: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s bromance is on the rocks thanks to the ladies in their lives -- Matt’s wife Luciana isn’t a fan of Ben’s new love Ana de Armas and the feeling is mutual and the friction has put Ben and Matt in an awkward position, Lady Gaga dropped some bombshells in a recent radio interview when she admitted that she can’t always control things that her brain does and she’s been taking the powerful drug olanzapine (Zyprexa) to help treat her symptoms and her song 911 from her album Chromatica is about the drug which belongs to a class of drugs called atypical antipsychotics, Cameron Diaz recently opened up about finding peace by stepping away from the spotlight and she left more than Hollywood behind; she also shed a number of her A-list friends including Jennifer Aniston and Leslie Mann and Chelsea Handler and Demi Moore and Sandra Bullock because the new mom can’t be bothered by the ones she sees as superficial

Page 6: After seeming to warm up to each other in recent months Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are back to battling in their epic divorce -- in the latest salvo Angie has asked to remove the judge overseeing the split and custody agreement for their kids claiming he had a preexisting relationship with Brad’s attorney and the move has some sniping it was a stall tactic on Angie’s part to punish Brad, after having $88K seized from her bank account last month to pay off American Express Tori Spelling has been performing virtual weddings to make some books during the pandemic, Star Spots the Stars -- Angela Bassett, Jennifer Lopez, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Alessandra Ambrosio, Tiffany Haddish, Ashlee Simpson Ross, 2 Chainz and Rick Ross

Page 8: Star Shots -- Tia Mowry-Hardrict gave herself a glam-up, Molly Sims on a boat in Montauk, Ariana Grande on a trip to the celeb-adored Amangiri resort in Utah

Page 9: Cindy Crawford in her outdoor shower, Jessica Simpson and her daughter Birdie modeling a jumpsuit from mom’s clothing line, Ireland Baldwin balances a few drinks while talking on her phone

Page 10: Reese Witherspoon gets kisses from her dog Lou, Rita Ora accessorized a peekaboo dress with layers of baubles during a night out in Ibiza, Spain

Page 12: Alessandra Ambrosio in a surf-side volleyball game, Kevin Hart

Page 13: Kate Beckinsale lay in a hammock while her cat snoozed in its own little hammock, Mark Wahlberg captaining a boat

Page 14: David Beckham and daughter Harper hit the water in Greece, Olivia Palermo walking her dog Mr. B while wearing a mask in NYC, Victoria Justice on Venice Beach

Page 15: Eva Longoria, Jay Leno riding in his 1957 Chevrolet Corvette

Page 16: Kylie Jenner stepped out of a business meeting in Calabasas, Hugh Jackman in a waterside shot, Mindy Kaling reading children’s books, Gwyneth Paltrow and mom Blythe Danner and daughter Apple Martin

Page 17: Nina Dobrev and her dog Maverick

Page 18: Normal or Not? Salma Hayek and her family played cards wearing masks and gloves -- normal, Queen Latifah playing golf -- normal, Gina Rodriguez organized her luxury RV ahead of a getaway -- normal

Page 20: Fashion -- Stars Shine in Silver -- Diane Kruger, Skai Jackson, Janelle Monae

Page 21: Elsa Hosk, Nicky Hilton Rothschild

Page 24: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom saying goodbye to Hollywood -- the pair are ditching Tinseltown for celeb-loved Montecito

Page 25: Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello split -- after spending lockdown at her home in Florida Shawn has returned to Florida and the plan was that Camila would go with him but they decided to take a break instead, Ed Sheeran and wife Cherry Seaborn’s secret pregnancy, before Tiger Woods even thinks of popping the question to girlfriend Erica Herman he has to protect his $800 million fortune and he will propose only if she agrees to sign an ironclad prenup

Page 26: Cover Story -- Joanna and Chip Gaines saving our family -- with their new Magnolia Network and Magnolia empire threatened Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna reluctantly return to their roots

Page 30: Prince Harry still searching for happiness -- as he settles into his first real home with Meghan Markle in Santa Barbara Harry is still haunted by his tragic past

Page 32: Weight Loss Winners & Losers -- check out who’s been shedding pounds in lockdown and who’s been hitting the fridge -- Rebel Wilson

Page 33: Adele, Porsha Williams, Alec Baldwin

Page 34: Tiffany Haddish, Heidi Klum, Christie Brinkley

Page 35: Nene Leakes, Serena Williams, Chrissy Teigen

Page 36: Style -- feminine shorts -- Joan Smalls

Page 40: Entertainment

Page 41: Q&A Robyn Dixon of The Real Housewives of Potomac

Page 48: Parting Shot -- Misty Copeland showed off her impressive moves during a photo shoot

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howaminotinthestrokesyet · 6 years ago

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A Star Becomes Relevant Again

Enough. No, I am not doing a Jennifer Lopez impersonation, but referring to all this nonsense related to music when it comes to the Oscars. This year was all about the past with the remake A Star Is Born and the Queen biopic dominating the buzz surrounding the awards ceremony. The first topic I will address is A Star Is Born starring Lady Gaga. This move back to relevancy has been happening for a while in regards to Miss Gaga. I will not begin to talk about the actual movie and her acting because that is not what I do. The last movie that I saw in the theatre was Suicide Squad, if that tells you anything. Everyone told me how amazing a singer she was in the movie, but nobody really told me much else about the movie. Yes, I know firsthand that Lady Gaga is an amazing singer because I was there at Lollapalooza in 2010. This was her second appearance at the festival, which I was also at in 2007 when she was part of the duo, Lady Starlight. I wrote an article in 2014 just before the release of her second album stating quite plainly that I was really pulling for her. I could see the future just as plainly as Sam Elliott in the film Gettysburg, “Hell to pay!” Consider the irony in the fact that he was in A Star Is Born as well as a human f bomb. She had multiple number one hits on her debut album, but the biggest song on the second album was “Born This Way.” That song is mostly remembered now for possibly ripping off Madonna. The other thing about early Lady Gaga was the fact that she shocked people left and right making her a sensation everywhere. Her headline appearance at Lollapalooza was the fastest rise to headlining performance that I can remember in over ten years of attending the festival. Being the eternal music pessimist, I felt that the shock value of Lady Gaga would not last and she would be judged solely by her ability to make good music. The pop music she has made since then was fairly uneventful and pretty average as far as mainstream consciousness is concerned. She was no longer relevant as in the beginning, which probably in her mind was something that she wanted to get back to in some way.

A Star Is Born is concrete evidence of this need to remain relevant, but I saw it coming a couple of years ago. Her decision to do some performances live with Tony Bennett told me so when she performed at Ravinia in Highland Park, IL. At the time I thought, she pulled a Rod Stewart. This is essentially deciding to do cover songs because your ability to create good original material has gone away from that magic touch of years past. Stewart did something like 4 cover albums. You did not hear too much about these performances back then, but it signaled the hysteria I have seen concerning A Star Is Born. This was a 1920’s musical remade for a fourth time, updated for modern times. Did she just make a visual cover song or a really detailed music video of off Broadway songs? This film introduced her to an audience that never really knew how great a singer she actually was in reality. This was because the pop music she previously made never exposed her to this audience. I am not here to be critical of this switch because you have seen plenty of musicians go to Hollywood to rejuvenate their careers. I won’t even get into the fact that half the people love this because they want Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga to hook up in real life. Perhaps, this was a personal decision to move on and try something different, but I just don’t buy it. If she wanted to try acting, then why do a film tailor made for a musician pretending to be a musician? We are in a time of remakes because originality and creativity seems to have run dry. Hollywood these days is in love with stuff that worked in the past, not taking a risk to create something new and original. Look at all the damn remake television shows. Now, the question becomes as to whether Lady Gaga assumed the same mindset realizing her best days of creating innovative music were behind her. This brings up the question I have been asking for years since the rise and subsequent fall of The Skrillex Age in music. Did EDM kill Lady Gaga?

Her win for Best Original Song was an amazing personal achievement but that pesky pessimist in me rears its ugly head once again. Let’s be honest. Her only real competition for this victory was Kendrick Lamar’s song for Black Panther. This would have been a bit tougher, if the song were not in this movie. That is to take nothing away from her performance, but it probably really was not all that hard beating films like RBG and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. These are all probably fine movies, but the level of competition with a Grammy nomination would have been much higher. Please note I am well aware that she and Bradley Cooper won a Grammy for best duo/group performance. Seriously, why is that even an award? Did they make up that category this year so she could win a Grammy? I never got that about the Oscars because these artists get a little too excited about winning an Oscar. If it were me, I would be more excited about a Grammy or even a Brit Award. You didn’t win for your acting ability or filmmaking ability. I liken it to being presented with an honorary phD for being pretty much a celebrity. The primary thing I take away from the phenomenon that is this film...No, a star was not born, but a star did become relevant again.

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biofunmy · 5 years ago

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Donatella Versace Has Long Been a Gay Icon. Now It’s Official.

Donatella Versace said she hasn’t seen a movie since “A Star Is Born” last year. She’s hooked on the HBO series “Big Little Lies,” devoured Netflix’s “The Society” and has a new favorite book: “The Mueller Report.”

Ms. Versace had trouble understanding parts of the conclusions and findings of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. She keeps underlining things, wondering (as she often does) whether her English is getting in the way.

But, she said of Robert Mueller, the special counsel, “There’s something about lawmen I find fascinating. You look at him and know he’s telling the truth.”

And, she admitted, “he is good-looking.”

“Ugh,” she added. “Don’t print this. I’ll lose my visa.”

It was Thursday afternoon, and Ms. Versace was perched on a sofa in the gilded Versace-esque Midtown Manhattan hotel suite where she is staying while in town as a Stonewall Ambassador.

She wore checkered orange and blue Pucci-like pants from the Versace spring 2019 collection. Her white T-shirt was emblazoned with a rainbow flag made from Swarovski crystals, in the center of which was her company logo. Her jewelry was basically all gold.

Last year, she sold her company to Michael Kors for a reported $2.1 billion, but she got to New York via Emirates airline. “Commercial,” said Ms. Versace, who remains the chief creative officer of her label. “Always commercial. If there aren’t 12 rows of windows, I don’t get on.”

On Friday, she was scheduled to appear at the Stonewall Inn for an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the uprising there. Sunday, she had a commitment to ride around the Pride parade on a float. That evening, Ms. Versace “of course” had plans to see Madonna perform at the Pier Dance.

Madonna has history with the company.

She first appeared in a Versace campaign in 1995, when Steven Meisel photographed her looking just like Donatella.

Back then, Ms. Versace’s brother Gianni was Versace’s chief designer. His baby sister was the party girl/front row fixture who marshaled celebrities to fashion shows and helped conceive Versus, the company’s bridge line. She had hair down to her waist, wore slinky metallic gowns and showed off her cleavage. So that’s how Madonna was styled.

In 2015, 18 years after Gianni’s death, Madonna returned for another campaign. This time she paid tribute to boardroom Donatella, licking envelopes and putting her feet up on the desk as she tapped away at an Apple computer.

What is true power in fashion if not the ability to hire one of the world’s biggest celebrities to impersonate you?

Anyway, other people do it for free.

Ms. Versace can barely step outside without having a drag queen approach to thank her for providing them with inspiration. Ms. Versace attributes this in part to her “acceptance” of other people, who know instinctually they can walk up to her and that she’ll be nice. “I say, ‘Hi, I’m Donatella,’ and they go, ‘Aaaah!’” she said.

But it’s her appearance, too. “The hair and make up and clothes,” she said. “I do not blend.”

Gianni was the one who set her on the path.

When she was 11, he told her two important things: that he was gay and that she needed to become a blonde. Once she acquiesced to his wishes, their history together was secured. After it became clear that being gay was an impediment to having a life in Calabria, Italy, he moved to Milan. She followed him there.

In the 1980s, fashion was a business in which gay men could work with a fair amount of acceptance. But living life openly still wasn’t easy. “Our father was a very distant man,” Ms. Versace said.

So Gianni never came out to him.

When Gianni was alive, he and Donatella went to gay nights at big clubs. “Palladium, and what’s the one in the church?” Ms. Versace said, referring to Limelight.

After his death in 1997, Ms. Versace took over the company and became the unapologetic maven of Italian opulence.

Maya Rudolph impersonated her to great effect on “Saturday Night Live,” and Ms. Versace rolled with it. They stood on stage with each another at the 2002 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards, wearing nearly identical sequined gowns, basically competing to show the world which one of them was the most Donatella — the real or the fake.

Lady Gaga later did a tribute song to her. The lyrics went: “I am so fab. Check out: I’m blond, I’m skinny, I’m rich, and I’m a little bit of a bitch.”

Ms. Versace put her in a campaign.

Even in rehab, where Ms. Versace went in 2004 to deal with a cocaine problem, her biggest complaint was about wardrobe. “I said, ‘The only thing I miss are my high heels,’” said Ms. Versace, sober ever since.

She didn’t love that Ryan Murphy chose last year to revisit the past in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” So she hasn’t seen Penélope Cruz play her. Ms. Versace said there are some “errors” in the show but offered no specifics as to what they were.

“I know what happened,” she said. (The show, a limited series for FX, won seven Emmys and two Golden Globes.)

In person these days, Ms. Versace’s act is considerably toned down.

The tan has gotten less pronounced, and her famous hair goes just about to her shoulders. Even the cigarettes are gone. “Two packs of Marlboros a day,” she said.

Ms. Versace quit five years ago, after seeing a doctor in New York who told her not only that she was going to die from them, but also that he wasn’t going to see her again for checkups unless she stopped.

Ms. Versace was terrified at the certainty with which he spoke to her.

But there was also something appealing about someone with the nerve to say no to her. “No one else did,” she said.

Ms. Versace still misses the feeling of nicotine hitting her throat. She still thinks cigarettes look great and misses having her trademark Medusa lighter. “I want to go back,” she said, laughing.

But she didn’t seem to mean it. The recent deaths of two close friends who had cancer have made Ms. Versace more contemplative. She is aware that nothing is forever.

The first was Ingrid Sischy, the longtime editor of Interview Magazine, who died in 2015. The second was Franca Sozzani, the editor of Italian Vogue.

They were the ones Ms. Versace called for advice. “Any time I had a problem,” she said.

Ms. Versace, 64, doesn’t know how much longer she’ll run her own company.

In 2015, she starred in an ad campaign for Givenchy, whose designer Riccardo Tisci was an obvious steward to carry the Versace brand into the social media age. After his resignation from Givenchy, Ms. Versace and Mr. Tisci had what many believed was a long negotiation about him taking over her company. It seemed a fait accompli.

What happened?

“Nothing,” Ms. Versace said. “I stayed where I am, and he went somewhere else.” (Mr. Tisci is now the designer of Burberry.)

She doesn’t want to remain in her job for life, as Karl Lagerfeld, who worked all the way to his death this year at the age of 85, did. “At some point, you understand you need help,” she said. “But at the moment, I feel totally full of life.”

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mymoviesnob · 6 years ago

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A Movie Snob Predicts the Oscars – 2019 Edition

Hello fellow movie lovers! It’s been another busy award season. There were 121 nominations and I got to see all but 9 of the films this year. Not too shabby, all things considered.

This season, like the ones before it, was full of pleasant surprises, a few hours I can’t get back and films shining a bright light on topics which were painful to watch.

Now, for the four of you who still read this each year, let’s get to the movies! J

Best Picture:

· Black Panther – The first Marvel movie to be nominated for Best Picture. I don’t see this as the winner.

· BlacKkKlansman – Based on a true story, about a black cop, impersonating a white cop, to infiltrate the KKK.

· Bohemian Rhapsody – I loved this movie. I love Queen. I wish Freddie Mercury had been able to grace us with his presence for more than we were lucky enough to receive. I would love to see this beat Roma but unfortunately, the Director’s alleged shenanigans will get in the way.

· The Favourite – Dark and witty, full of strong performances. This however, was not my favorite. (Yes, pun intended…I know, I’m hilarious)

· Green Book – Another based on a true story, about a black performer in need of a driver/ body guard as he tours the deep South and how their friendship was formed. I really enjoyed this film. Mahershala and Viggo were both fantastic. I kept wondering how I had never heard of these men before watching this.

· Roma – While I can’t call this my personal favorite film in the bunch, I do think it will take the top prize this year. It’s been so lovingly received by critics while others on this list have been subject to controversy moving Roma to the top of the pile.I did enjoy it, just not as much as others here.

· A Star Is Born – I loved this too and when I saw it, I thought it would be a lock for Best Picture… until I saw the competition. I was equally surprised by Lady Gaga’s acting and by Cooper’s singing. I’ve seen the previous versions of this film and while I typically dislike remakes, this was well done. Cooper should have received a Director nod here.

· Vice – Based on the life and career of the notoriously private Dick Cheney. Something tells me he will never endorse this one, or confirm any of its story line. If you like Cheney, you will hate this movie. And if you hate him, it will make you question just how awfully distasteful you can find another human being to be.

Lead Actor:

· Christian Bale – Vice –When I first read that Bale was going to play Dick Cheney in a movie, I thought Central Casting was delusional. Then I saw it. If anyone is going to give Malek competition, it’s Bale. You literally forget it’s him buried behind the makeup.

· Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born – Cooper will get his Oscar one day and I thought he was fantastic in this movie, but this is not his time.

· Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate – He’s always great, this time as Vincent van Gogh

· Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody – Malek became Freddie Mercury. Every detail of his iconic performances, recreated to the letter. He must have studied Mercury’s every move. The commitment to getting that right is stunning and I think this win will be well deserved.

· Viggo Mortensen – Green Book – Another great performance by an actor who seems to be able to play anyone.

Lead Actress:

· Yalitza Aparicio – Roma

· Glenn Close – The Wife – I didn’t want to like this one. I don’t care for her, ever since she boiled a bunny back in the day, but she was amazing.

· Olivia Colman – The Favourite – I have a sneaking suspicion that we’ll be seeing much more of her.

· Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born – She was surprisingly great in this movie, but it wasn’t really much of a stretch… playing a singer and all. Don’t get me wrong. She’s an incredible talent and deserving of this nomination, but I’m curious to see how her film career progresses playing roles outside of the scope of her ‘day job”.

· Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me? – Another true story and another surprise. McCarthy in a serious role as the caustic (not to mention desperate) author, Lee Israel, as she resorts to forging letters for profit. If you haven’t seen this one, watch it. And someone please sign her up for more roles outside of the comedic space!

Supporting Actor:

· Mahershala Ali – Green Book – Everything I’ve seen him in has been excellent. This was no exception.

· Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman – I love, love, love Driver.

· Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born – About time you nominated him, Academy!

· Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me? – I’m not sure I’ve seen him before but watching him here made me want to find everything else he’s ever done. I don’t think he will beat Ali, but if he did, I wouldn’t be disappointed.

· Sam Rockwell – Vice – Another consistently consistent character actor, this time as a weirdly convincing G.W. Bush. I love it when the Indy guys get the attention they deserve!

Supporting Actress:

· Amy Adams – Vice – We get it… the Academy adores Amy Adams. She did not blow me away in this movie.

· Marina de Tavira – Roma

· Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk – I must confess that this was one of the films I was not able to see. It left the theater too soon, and as you may know, I won’t use bootlegs on this journey each year. I’ve chosen her for a few reasons… one, she’s won virtually every other award known to man for this performance. And two, this has been a long time coming. She’s always great!

· Emma Stone – The Favourite – Stone and Weisz here a glorious team.

· Rachel Weisz – The Favourite - She’s married to Daniel Craig so she’s basically already won at life.

Director:

· Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman - Spike Lee is finally nominated here! I do believe he will take home a statue one day but I don’t think it will be this year.

· Pawel Pawlikowski – Cold War

· Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite

· Alfonso Cuaron – Roma

· Adam McKay – Vice

Animated Feature:

· Incredibles 2 - this gets my kid’s vote, just for the record.

· Isle of Dogs – Another year where I have the opportunity to declare my love for Wes Anderson. Another year where he will go home empty handed.

· Mirai

· Ralph Breaks the Internet

· Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – I can’t believe I’m choosing a non-Disney / Pixar for the win, but I am. It’s visually stunning.

Animated Short:

· Animal Behaviour

· Bao – Pixar for the (predictable) win. Every one of the films in this category is a gem! Watch them all!!

· Late Afternoon

· One Small Step

· Weekends

Adapted Screenplay:

· The Ballad of Buster Scruggs – I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and would recommend it.

· BlacKkKlansman – This category is tough. I think this may be where Lee picks up a win, but…

· Can You Ever Forgive Me? – … I really loved how this was written… and I think it can bump Lee out of the top spot.

· If Beale Street Could Talk

· A Star Is Born

Original Screenplay:

· The Favourite – The quick witted dialogue may push this one over the top to win.

· First Reformed – I want my two hours back

· Green Book – The Favourite is the favorite in this category, but I think the story line in our current climate will give this screenplay well warranted votes

· Roma

· Vice – Another film where the writing definitely shined!

Cinematography:

· Cold War

· The Favourite

· Never Look Away

· Roma - There is just something about the way this movie was shot which immediately grabbed me at the opening scene. The very things I loved about it are things that others found to be a turn off, but the crisp black and white, tight, artsy shots were mesmerizing. Maybe it’s my love of photography, particularly B&W, but this film made it easy to see the beauty in the mundane.

· A Star Is Born

Best Documentary Feature:

· Free Solo – Will probably win, but…

· Hale County This Morning, This Evening – A film about regular people doing regular things. I hope the point is not lost on those who see it.

· Minding the Gap - This is an interesting narrative on the leap into adulthood and just how hard that is to navigate.

· Of Fathers and Sons – Watching this literally made me feel physically ill. If you question whether or not hatred can be taught, this confirms it.

· RBG - … I’m rooting for RBG, tonight and every single day for every single reason! Someone please put this woman in a bubble and preserve her for all of eternity... or at least until the next administration.

Best Documentary Short:

· Black Sheep - The Shorts this year were difficult to watch. This is about a young black man and his experiences growing up in a suburban white British town.

· End Game –This film is about the painful process of helping a loved one through the last days of their life and the humanity of the doctors and nurses who are walking alongside them. This is my vote.

· Lifeboat –About refugees fleeing their war torn home in the hope of a better life.

· A Night at the Garden – Actual footage of a 1939 Nazi rally at “The World’s Most Famous Arena”. The fact that this actually happened in this country, and so long ago, hurts my heart.

· Period. End of Sentence – About young women in India just trying to survive being a girl in a culture that demonizes something which is utterly (and biologically) out of their control.

Best Live Action Short Film:

· Detainment – A reenactment of the interrogation of two ten year old boys in Ireland, accused of murdering a toddler. Terrifying. And true.

· Fauve - this won at Sundance, but…

· Marguerite – my pick to win

· Mother – As a parent of a 6 year old boy, this one kept me up at night.

· Skin

Best Foreign Language Film:

· Capernaum

· Cold War

· Never Look Away

· Roma – If this doesn’t win I’ll be shocked, but since it’s a likely winner in other categories, voters may spread the love and throw Cold War a bone.

· Shoplifters – I really liked this one, about an unlikely group of outcasts in Japan, trying to survive on stolen items while flying under the radar.

Film Editing:

· BlacKkKlansman

· Bohemian Rhapsody

· Green Book

· The Favourite

· Vice

Sound Editing:

· Black Panther

· Bohemian Rhapsody

· First Man

· A Quiet Place – I’m selecting this because of how profoundly important sound was to the entire concept of the film. I know I’m probably wrong... it will probably be Black Panther

· Roma

Sound Mixing:

· Black Panther

· Bohemian Rhapsody – Because of the music

· First Man

· Roma

· A Star Is Born

Production Design:

· Black Panther

· First Man

· The Favourite – Period piece + Castle = Win

· Mary Poppins Returns

· Roma

Original Score:

· BlacKkKlansman

· Black Panther

· If Beale Street Could Talk

· Isle of Dogs

· Mary Poppins Returns

Original Song:

· All The Stars

· I’ll Fight

· The Place Where Lost Things Go

· Shallow – if there is one certainty about tonight, this is it.

· When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings

Makeup and Hair:

· Border

· Mary Queen of Scots

· Vice – Because I forgot Christian Bale was in there….

Costume Design:

· The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

· Black Panther – This is hard because any one of these could take it, but this is my gut feeling

· The Favourite

· Mary Poppins Returns

· Mary Queen of Scots

Visual Effects:

· Avengers: Infinity War

· Christopher Robin

· First Man

· Ready Player One

· Solo: A Star Wars Story

I’m sad to see this season come to an end as the summer blockbusters approach. Here’s hoping there are some hidden gems among the moneymakers this summer to keep me company!

Thanks for sticking with me to the end, all four of you. :)

#moviesnob

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recentnews18-blog · 6 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/celebrate-50-years-of-barbra-streisands-funny-girl-with-this-amazing-tribute/

Celebrate 50 Years Of Barbra Streisand's 'Funny Girl' With This Amazing Tribute

Barbra Streisand celebrated a professional milestone this week, as Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of the release of “Funny Girl,” the movie musical that won her an Oscar for Best Actress.

Legions of Streisand fans commemorated the anniversary of the 1968 film ― starring Babs as legendary singer-actress Fanny Brice and based on the 1964 Broadway musical ― with screenings and online tributes. On Saturday, performer Steven Brinberg will pay homage in his signature way, performing as Streisand at The Green Room 42 in New York.

HuffPost got a sneak peek at Brinberg’s performance with the above video. In it, he croons the classic “Funny Girl” ballad, “People,” which remains a Streisand concert staple.

But Brinberg is not your average celebrity impersonator. The New York native, who describes himself as “ageless and evergreen,” has performed as Streisand for 25 years, toured with legendary composer (and Babs’ longtime musical director) Marvin Hamlisch and appeared in films like 2003’s “Camp” and 2016’s “Thirsty.” He’s also recorded two albums, “Steven Brinberg Is Simply Barbra” and “Simply Barbra: The Duets Album,” both dedicated to the Streisand songbook.

“Barbra is in a class all her own,” Brinberg told HuffPost. “She’s so unique and opened the doors for so many great ladies that came after her, from Bette Midler to Lady Gaga. I love that she can just stand there, sing and draw you in, like Peggy Lee or other great artists who don’t run all around the stage to make you pay attention.”

Courtesy of Steven Brinberg

“She’s so unique and opened the doors for so many great ladies that came after her, from Bette Midler to Lady Gaga,” celebrity impersonator Steven Brinberg (pictured) said of Barbra Streisand.

As to why Streisand remains a queer icon after six decades, he said, “She has done so much for the community … she was among the first to speak out and do something when it wasn’t popular.”

Though Brinberg has yet to meet Streisand in the flesh, he’s come pretty close, attending an intimate 1986 concert held on the grounds of Babs’ Malibu, California, home. That show, which featured performances of songs like “The Way We Were,” “Happy Days Are Here Again” and, of course, “People,” was captured for posterity on the 1987 live album and television special “One Voice.”

If he ever gets the chance to shake hands with Streisand, who is currently at work on a new album and a memoir, Brinberg would ask her when she plans to release expanded soundtracks for two of her other films, 1969’s “Hello, Dolly!” and 1970’s “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.”

The rest of their prospective conversation, he said, would be more personal.

“I’d love her to be in the audience sometime,” he said. “She’d like it! And give me tips, too, I’m sure!”

“Simply Barbra: Steven Brinberg Celebrates 50 Years Of ‘Funny Girl’” plays New York’s Green Room 42 on Sept. 22.

Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/barbra-streisand-steven-brinberg-funny-girl_us_5ba2b469e4b0181540d9c2b9

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tiedyepix-blog · 8 years ago

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The Grammys 2017

vThe Grammys were awarded this week, honoring popular American music across original genres. I’m looking at you, Best Urban Contemporary Album. The ceremony and its accompanying performances are the most visible musical event in the country. Part of the Grammys’ appeal is celebrity. These musicians are stars, and the fanfare surrounding their appearance, behavior, and politics carries as much weight as the audience reaction. While a lot of pixels have been committed to the style behind the show, the musical performances and the winning musicians will receive the attention here.

The host opened with a rap in the style of Lin-Manuel Miranda about the show to come. Ardent and earnest, but on a mundane topic (”tonight’s presenters include...”, “performances by...”, “... and I’m your host, James Gordon. We have a great show for you tonight, so stick around...”), the style -- pioneered by Eminem in 8 Mile’s “Lose Yourself” and brought to apotheosis by Miranda on the soundtrack to Hamilton -- was killed live at the 2017 Grammys, an event akin to Hollywood and Broadway, by the host of a late night talk show. The form has exhausted its emotive potential for the moment, a turn in the right direction for those who don’t like their parents listening to rap.

Now, to sacrifice a person, I offer Paris Jackson, the daughter of pop legend Michael Jackson, and presenter of the Weeknd’s “I Feel it Comin’”. Jackson got pity-applause for mentioning the Dakota pipeline and uttering something about #GOdapple,which sounded like a pose, more than a conviction. She further embarrassed lovers of mother Gaia by flubbing a quote. “A legend once said,” she said, launching into the introduction proper, “that a star can never die. It just turns back into a smile, and melts, back into the cosmic music.” She then called the next act cosmic. That is how you talk on ecstasy. Hook.

The first performance of the night, by the Weeknd and Daft Punk, was nothing short of solid. The song grooves on a single lyric, sung with melodic variation. Little differences. Abel Tesfaye sang in falsetto over the beat and commanded the stage at a slow tempo, like watching a candle burn for three minutes. Good entertainment.

The award for best new artist went to Chance the Rapper, the most exuberant individual living. He thanked God for Chicago, and the crowd applauded. The people love bubbly, and Chicago, apparently.

The night was long, and much of the performances missable. Looper solo singer-songwriter; country stars; Beyonce; cover songs; impersonation. Things picked up when Katy Perry sang a mediocre new track before a set of white picket fences that morphed into the preamble to the Constitution. This theme continued with A Tribe Called Quest performing “We the People” with Busta Rhyme denouncing President Trump to the moniker “President Agent Orange.” Real people of minority race and religion marched onto the stage, dressed in everyday clothes (both hijab, and Mexican going-to-work boots) alongside the rappers. Not angry enough, but a step in the right direction.

Metallica and Lady Gaga performed together, and, if the costumes were phony, the vibe was, on the whole, sheer fun. Props to Metalliga.

Adele won best Album in what maybe was the safe/obvious choice. Traditional verse-chorus-bridge-chorus arrangements of real instruments. New York Times music critic Jon Pareles notes that the votes fear the drum machine. Frank Ocean boycotted and Kanye just didn’t show.

The Tye Dye Pixel will continue examining American pop music. Sound good?

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repwinpril9y0a1 · 8 years ago

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Monday's Morning Email: Tom Brady Delivers Super Bowl Comeback For The Ages