#i feel like 80% of these muses are so niche

[saucyjothoughts]

What would be each of them's go-to song for sex?

I wasn't initially going to answer this because opinions are going to be completely different for every boo (and I don't know any Slovenian music they might be into) but I ended up spending way too long thinking about it so here we go.

Bojan:

Come Together - the Beatles

Kris prefers the Godsmack cover but Bojan prefers the classic.

Wicked Game - Chris Isaak

So erotic and full of emotional turmoil that it's cliché - perfect for Bojan.

Lube - Adam Lambert

We know Bojan loves Freddie Mercury and Queen so it's not a big leap to find Adam Lambert's queer lustsongs.

Beggin' - the Maneskin cover

This song slaps and you can't tell be Bojan doesn't appreciate the opportunity to think about Damiano David when he's coming.

My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

You know why.

Jan:

Toxic - Britney Spears

Jan probably has multiple Britney songs in his sexytimes playlist but this is his favourite.

FMLYHM - Seether

Fuck Me Like You Hate Me.

Shut Me Up - Mindless Self Indulgence

I love the idea of Jan finding this song/band as a teenager and being briefly obsessed. This song is still in his playlists.

Good Boy - Zee Machine

Kinda niche and Jan is always looking for new, lesser known artists. The fun 80s pop sounds that he likes, and shamelessly gay.

Beautiful Dangerous - Slash ft Fergie

You can't tell me Jan hasn't idolised Slash as some point and this song has such dirty female vocals.

Jure:

Hit That - the Offspring

Jure gives me strong Offspring vibes and this song gives slutty stray cat vibes with a perfect thrust tempo.

You Could Be Mine - Guns n Roses

I really wanted to give Jure some GNR and this song is probably in his sex playlist and his motorbike playlist.

Batshit - Sofi Tucker

He particularly enjoys being physical to this song when enjoying recreational substances.

I Was Made For Loving You - the Yungblud cover

This is a brilliant fucksong and I think Jure would love these raspy, raw vocals.

Shake That - Eminem, Nate Dogg

Jure loves an ironically misogynistic party song with a good beat. He also loves ass.

Bonus:

Community Property - Steel Panther

Not sure if this would be in his sex playlist but I'd love to see him try to play it during soundcheck and have Bojan shut him down as soon as he realises what the song is about.

Nace:

Slow n Easy - Whitesnake

I think Nace would appreciate the classics. And the way this song builds echoes how I imagine Nace fucks.

Suck My Kiss - Red Hot Chili Peppers

We know Nace loves Flea and this song is hot.

Crazy - Aerosmith

So smooth and soulful. And have you seen the video?

I Wanna Know What Love Is - Foreigner

Emotional sex and finally feeling like you belong? Yep, that's a Nace song.

Kiwi - Harry Styles

Hard liquor mixed with a bit of intellect. It reminds him of someone.

Kris:

Apocalyptic - Halestorm

A song about breakup hatefucking.

Feeling Good - the Muse cover

I just love how powerfully this song builds and relaxes and plays, especially for a man who loves edging.

I Wanna Be Yours - Arctic Monkeys

There had to be some arctic Monkeys in here somewhere, and of course it's this song for Kris.

I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - the White Stripes cover

A perfect lapdance song. The yearning is real.

Kitchen Light - Xana

A heartbreak fucksong for the king of pining. It's not about anyone in particular. Nope, definitely not.

[themuse-if]

Another 20 (or so) Questions with Maxine Matthews

Interviewer: Welcome to another installment of our character interviews, where we dive deep into the lives and minds of our favorite cast members of The Muse. Today, we have Maxine Matthews with us, an aspiring dramatic writer who creates new worlds through her imaginative point of view. Max, thank you for joining us. Could you start by telling us what made you want to pursue dramatic writing?

Maxine: I've always been drawn to storytelling, whether through film, TV, or theater. Writing allows me to create worlds and characters that resonate with people, and I love the idea of evoking emotions and sparking thoughts through my work.

Interviewer: Could you describe your writing style in more detail?

Maxine: My writing is a reflection of my observations and insights into human nature. I can't say that I have a specific genre that I prefer because I want to try and be really well rounded as a writer, I still have a lot to learn after all. I do have a genre that I'm interested in exploring though. You know films like Labyrinth, The Never Ending Story, and Legend, 80's dark fantasy. I actually really enjoy those but I feel like they could be done even better with more diverse casts, better graphics, and more complex storylines. Honestly I think it's something that a lot of people would enjoy seeing in theatres again.

Interviewer: Interesting, isn't that a little niche? How do you think your work will be received by others? Better yet how do you want your work to be received?

Maxine: Personally I like the dark ethereal nature of those films, but I feel like now we could take them several steps forward. I think people would appreciate that same energy with richer plot and visuals. I think that audiences today are actually craving a more dynamic hero's journey.

Interviewer: And what about you? How do want people to see you outside of your work?

Maxine: I'm not really sure. Honestly I don't really care how people see me unless it's someone who's actually important to me. In general I would hope that people just see me as honest and unwavering, but besides that I can't say I really care.

Interviewer: I've been asking everyone else to describe their ideal best friend, but I think I want to switch it up for you. Could you instead describe how you feel about your best friend, MC?

Maxine: *immediately shifts her gaze away* I mean they're my best friend so I really care about them. They're like family you know...but not...actually family...thank god. Uh yeah honestly I just feel most like myself when we're together. We've been friends our whole lives and I can't imagine not having them around. I'm not really sure that I could have this kind of connection with anyone else.

Interviewer: Hmm, sounds like you feel very deeply towards MC. Would you say that you want a similar connection with your ideal partner.

Maxine: *shifts nervously* Probably...right? I mean obviously I want to have that really deep meaningful connection with someone...romantically. It would be nice if they were at least half as attractive as MC too.*covers her mouth*...fuck...did I say that out loud...

Interviewer: *tries to stifle a chuckle* Yeah you did. Alright next question? What was your first kiss like? Was it with MC?

Maxine: No! I mean, no, it wasn't. I was dating this girl, Jade, during sophomore year. She was great, super cool, but it just sort of fizzled out. It was nice...the kiss. We were just hanging out, studying together. One second we're talking about A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the next she's sucking on my bottom lip. Yeah it was a good kiss...she was a good kisser.

Interviewer: So I'm guessing you weren't in love with her. Have you ever been in love?

Maxine: Yeah you're right, I wasn't in love with Jade. I haven't really tried dating anyone since. I just haven't really felt that spark, that undeniable connection.

Interviewer: *leans in* Like the one you have with MC?

Maxine: I... I mean. *takes a deep breath* I know what your trying to do.

Interviewer: *raises their hands in surrender* I'm just asking you a simple question. After hearing what you've had to say so far I think it's a very valid observation.

Maxine: *rolls her eyes* You want me to say that I'm secretly in love with MC. And I don't know, maybe I am, but they are to important to me for me to risk exploring those feelings. What if they don't feel the same? What if they do and we try being together but it doesn't work out? I love how we are now. Even if I have these other...feelings.

Interviewer: Alright, I won't press you any further...for now. What’s your ideal Friday night?

Maxine: Well I love a good theme almost as much as I love a good movie. I like to plan these movie nights where we do a double feature and have a movie themed dress code and snacks related to the movies we're watching.

Interviewer: That sounds like a lot of fun, make sure to invite me next time. Ok have you heard any good music lately? What’s the last song you listened to?

Maxine: "Ego" by Kennedy Ryon. I heard it the other day and I've had it on repeat ever since.

Interviewer: I'll have to give it a listen sometime. So what is your latest obsession?

Maxine: I just finished this really good book, The Star and The Strange Moon, by Constance Sayers. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished it. Annoyingly enough I don't know anyone else who's read it, so I can't discuss it with someone who gets it and it's killing me.

Interviewer: I'll make sure to give it a read, then we can chat about all the little details. Ok next question. How do you behave in a relationship?

Maxine: Mmm I don't know. I mean I've only been in one and that only lasted about 3 months. I think I was pretty...chill. It honestly just felt like we were friends who would make-out sometimes. If I was with someone that I had strong feelings for, I think I would be a bit more serious and maybe a bit territorial.

Interviewer: That makes sense. What about your approach? Do you go in first towards those you’re interested in or let them come to you?

Maxine: If it's just making friends then yeah I would say I'm pretty outgoing. And if we're talking about something more than that I think I'm probably a bit more cautious. It's nice knowing that someone wants me before I make a move.

Interviewer: Yeah taking that step first is quite the bold move. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Maxine: I can't stand arrogance. Like it's fine to be proud and confident but when you start to make others out to be less than, it's just really off putting.

Interviewer: I couldn't agree more. So, what do you notice first about a person?

Maxine: Their style, not in a judgey way. The way people dress tells you a lot about them. What they value, their hobbies, yeah it's just really interesting.

Interviewer: That's really true. A lot can be learned from how people choose to present themselves. Alright this is our final question. What did you dream about last night?

Maxine: Honestly I couldn't sleep I've been packing and getting ready for this big road trip. I'm riding with MC and Cameron to move in at NYU. It'll be a bit of a drive, but I'm pretty excited.

Interviewer: Well that sound like a side story just waiting to happen. Honestly Maxine this has been an absolute pleasure, but I believe that’s all the time we have for today. I hope that you find success on you journey through university. Thank you so much for coming in and sharing more about yourself with us!

[thethaliaclark]

Thalia Clark - 40 years old - yoga teacher & brand ambassador

biography

(this is long and I cannot write a realistic muse for the life of me, like I also can't believe I wrote this much)

trigger warnings - death, final girl trope, adoption

Her childhood was picturesque. A standard nuclear family in the fast growing Denver with a younger brother and parents who hated to sleep away from each other. Thalia was a happy but slightly odd kid with an early fascination with computers. Her father worked at one of the early computer companies in the 80s. Her life fell apart when her family was killed in a home invasion. Her hiding spot was on the roof where her mom used to take her up to stargaze. She went into the foster system for only a year.

Thalia was adopted into the Clark family when she was eight. She was sure it was just luck. Her adopted sister, Kathleen, was already in college but still stepped up to be a great older sister due to their parents already busy lives. Kathleen's friends called Thalia 'Wednesday' due to her ghoulish nature for the first few years of her life with the Clarks.

She lived as free a life as a kid could live. After her traumatic beginnings, homeschooling was the best option for her. Thalia was very smart and preferred her own company (or Kathleen's) for many years. The sisters became extremely close even when Thalia shifted to attend Providence Peak High School. She coasted between the science club and student council. Shifting from Wednesday Addams to Elle Woods was a shock to her family but the morbidity remained just under the surface.

Once she graduated high school, Thalia moved to California to follow in her dad's footsteps. She was dropped out of university pretty quickly after being recruited by a soon to be well known company: Apple. She was one of the leads on developing the first ipods. Thalia made a number of very clever investing decisions and soon made enough money to just live off her ever-growing savings. Then Kathleen called from New York after a bad day and Thalia moved her life to the East Coast.

Shifting into the socialite lifestyle was exhausting and Thalia found her niche in one of the newly growing exercise communities. New neighbors owned a pilates and yoga studio that she started working at more as a way to pass time. Her life in New York was easy if not predictable: teaching or personal training, attending events as a socialite, and spending as much time with Kathleen as possible. Then she fell in love and here world turned upside down.

Despite her sister strongly advising against it, she married Saul Weissberg and her life started revolving around him. How could it not? He was charismatic and attractive, intelligent enough to verbally spar with her, and he made her comfortable enough to drop the constantly preppy act. At first the electric chemistry and constant social outings was all she needed but Thalia soon grew unhappy. She was losing who she was and was unhappy at just being 'Mrs. Weissberg' (especially when she refused to give up the name of the family that was so kind to her).

With Kathleen back and thriving in Providence Peak, Thalia started reevaluating things. She had a very successful fitness brand and more investments than she knew what to do with. After enough pestering, Saul agreed to move back to Colorado to try to start his own firm. Unsurprisingly, their problems persisted and they ultimately separated. Thalia only permitted Kathleen an 'I told you so' referencing the ironclad pre-nup. Thalia took her belongings and bought a townhouse downtown.

She works at the Humming Bee teaching yoga and pilates at her leisure. Thalia doesn't do much day-to-day work with her brand. Instead she helps her sister at the university and tries to avoid her ex-husband who she still has very confusing feelings for.

Headcannons

She’s very anti-horror. Despite her gothic beginnings and general disposition of storm clouds, she hates watching or consuming any type of horror because it affects those parts of her she tries to keep buried

She has the weirdest luck. It’s not uncommon for her to win a pool game in a single turn then lose the next three. She’s very graceful and elegant in almost all of her movements but she’ll trip at any given moment if there’s even a pebble in her way

She very rarely expresses emotions on her face. After what happened with her family, Thalia retreated into herself. Even after growing up, only a few people could read her micro-expressions

Her eyes are very photosensitive and she rarely goes outside without sunglasses

She forgets to eat frequently. After her divorce, the reminder duty usually falls to Kathleen or her colleagues at the Humming Bee

Connections

friends: whether it's through yoga or around and about, Thalia could use some

friends with benefits/casual dating: she does still have significant feelings for her ex-husband so it would be fun and messy

[smaradog]

time for an introduction

hello! im smaradog but you can call me smara or mar for short, i have a weird sense of humor that feels edgy but i dont do jokes that are at anyones expense, or say weird things, since its not really something thats part of me at all, making others feel bad and/or uncomfortable is against all i stand for, at the same time my humor can kinda be silly/catgirlesque for lack of better description?? (??? ihave no idea what im saying) and kinda fecalfunny style humor overall.

dni if youre a bigot or a terf or some stupid shit like that

anyways im a neurodivergent asexual trans girl (she/her, it/its fae/faer, sli/slime pronouns please!) who speaks spanish and stuff idunno!! (i am not from spain dont pile me on with them IHATE SPAIN!!!! /j)

so yeah i draw a lot of lesbians and whatever else comes to mind

[art tag!]

i WILL start talking about something im working on or something i like for WHOLE PARAGRAPHS so be WARNED!! and heres some insane things i do!

the insane things i do in question:

art (digital and traditional)

pixel art

sound design

3d modeling (learning the basics)

music (regular music and chiptunes, and whatever weird experimental thing i can make also it kinda sucks but shh)

storyboards

modding/romhacking games

kind of a jack of all trades really! so yeah thats basically it! have a list of me dumping like a million interests i have

music: the strokes, arctic monkeys, gorillaz, daft punk, indigo quest, red vox, muse, crx, albert hammond jr., royal blood, enjambre, bandalos chinos, comisario pantera, lemon demon, tally hall, the voidz, fish in a birdcage, nelward

chiptune (counting psg chips, fm chips, low quality samplers, etc.) [fade, tim follin, jeroen tel, squarewave, shoob2000, 4mat, rushjet1]

animated shows:

the owl house

amphibia

ena

one piece (at enies lobby arc rn)

yu yu hakusho

jojos bizarre adventure (i cant deny it even if i dont talk about it, stopped at part 5)

one punch man (kinda, dont remember a lot)

adventure time (havent kept up since grass sword episodes)

ok ko (literally dont remember what the last thing that happened was)

regular show (stopped keeping up at some point) showing interest in: gravity falls, infinity train, hunter x hunter and mob psycho

films:

literally any spiderman movie from anything 2002 - now (i know theres older obscure ones)

(cant think of anything else whoops)

games:

terraria

halo (anything pre 343 sorry)

castlevania series

bloodstained

undertale/deltarune

omori (kinda lost interest)

doom (classic series, havent played 2016 and eternal)

half life series

sonic series

mega man series (classic)

minecraft (kind of? i'd rather play beta 1.7.3, but especially a fan of better than adventure)

celeste (havent finished, one of the few insane people that didnt use assist mode at the hotel chapter)

umjammer lammy

parappa series

castle crashers & battleblock theater

serious sam series

splatoon series (havent played splatoon 3)

dont starve together (i dont play often and im not super familiar with the lore) night in the woods (looks nice but. didnt finish at ALL)

portal series (i 100%ed the first game)

streamers:

vargskelethor joel (probably on top along with jerma)

vinesauce vinny

jerma985

grayfruit (i watch sometimes)

simpleflips (i watch very rarely)

i also like a few webcomics but honestly i dont remember at the time of making somehow, you can ask me about one of them though! (its not homestuck i swear /gen)

i ALSO also have super weird interests over niche little 80s - 2000s technology and stuff

due to personal reasons, i have 3 things i dont wanna hear about, but im not gonna mention them on this post.

if you made it this far reading you are insane honestly but shoutouts to you

[daemondaes]

tentative muse list for the upcoming multi

you can tell so much about me from this list it’s kind of disgusting (but please send more suggestions)

LITERATURE

Artemis Fowl, Artemis Fowl

Opal Koboi, Artemis Fowl

Howell Jenkins / Howl Jenkins Pendragon, Howl’s Moving Castle

Mosca Mye, Fly By Night

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Archibald Haddock, The Adventures of Tintin

Felicia Hardy, Marvel Comics

MOVIES / TELEVISION

Ignacio, Nacho Libre

Peter B. Parker, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Cobra Bubbles, Lilo and Stitch

Ralph, Wreck-It Ralph

Klaus Hargreeves, The Umbrella Academy

Jaskier, The Witcher

Yennefer of Vengerberg, The Witcher

The Duke of Detroit, Motorcity

Texas, Motorcity

Eddie Brock (and Venom), Venom

Steven Grant (and Marc and Jake), Moon Knight

Layla El-Faouly, Moon Knight

Austin Powers, Austin Powers

Nadja, What We Do In The Shadows

GAMES

Razputin Aquato, Psychonauts

ANIME

Daisuke Jigen, Lupin III

Fujiko Mine, Lupin III

Kimihiro Watanuki, xxxHOLiC

Mamimi Samejima, FLCL

Arataka Reigen, Mob Psycho 100

Renton Thurston, Eureka Seven

SUGGESTIONS I’M WAFFLING ON

Murdoc Niccals, Gorillaz

Robin Buckley, Stranger Things

Dustin Henderson, Stranger Things

[olderthannetfic]

“assigned gender is the defining characteristic of the audience” <— potentially this is one of the places where radfems start pulling people into their orbit bc most people know there are specific times when this is true, but they also get yelled at for being terfs when discussing.

--

Very likely.

Radfems exploit times people feel their women's space (or lesbian space or similar) is under attack. And realistically, fujoshi space is under constant attack on tumblr (like actual attack, not the reasonable musings I was just responding to)... except one has to keep a sense of perspective:

1. Those attacks don't materially change the reality that BL type niches are like 80% women, 15% nbs, and 5% men or something. The attacks make people feel guilty, and they might chase off a handful of fans, but cis-ish women still make up an overwhelming majority, so it behooves us not to descend into "I am the most persecuted minority" paranoia.

Even though women lack power in the world in general and even though we get yelled at a lot in this particular context, we do still, in a certain sense, have more power than other consumers of BL. That fact should give us a sense of security and allow us to extend some empathy to other fans, pushing back against "girls don't belong here" but not going all the way into "only girls belong here".

2. Plenty of those attacks are white knighting by cis-ish women, and plenty of trans men are like "Fuck off with your weird sexism" when they see all the crying about "mlm only!" I think it's unfortunate when I see young trans men falling for this crap because it's bad for them to ally themselves with transphobes, but it would be stupid to blame my trans brothers for a problem that is coming from many quarters.

There's no surefire defense against being called a TERF because anybody can call anybody anything. But there are defenses against worrying it's true.

Namely, if you understand the underlying TERF and other radfem rhetoric rather than only its surface expression, and if you keep a sense of perspective as above, you can roll your eyes when someone starts slinging mud and move on with your day.

[filthforfriends]

who: Ethan

what: fluff

when: day time

where: Tiny hole in the wall record store

why: The band is stuck in New York for a couple days because of flights being a bitch. So they go exploring and find a sign that takes them down an alley to the store. The lady at the counter is there and Ethan finds a Muse.

"It smells like old people."

"I think that's a good thing, means it's authentic."

"Guys, don't be rude," Ethan scolds. All four of them traipsing through Hell's Kitchen was a sight, but what better way to kill time. An epic storm in the middle of the Atlantic had delayed their flights. Victoria dragged Thomas over to the Joni Mitchell records. Damiano was flipping through the many glam rock live albums, some of which were actually made in the 80s. Ethan perused the isles, people watching just as much as record shopping.

Various characters moseyed around the store. An old man with a rat-sized dog that also resembled a rat and a couple of people in giant coats the reeked of mildew There was a group of high schoolers who were obviously trying on the hipster identity, chattering excitedly. Of course there was some vintage record fanatic with his glasses down to the tip of his nose, squinting and gaffing at rough edges.

Ethan wasn't planning on buying anything and lugging it to the other side of the world until he saw the Deep Purple records. He flipped through the discography at record speed, in search of their Made in Japan live album.

"Ian Paice rules," said a voice next to him.

"Yeah he's one of my idols." Ethan didn't look up when he spoke, too focused on his quest.

"So you're a drummer then?"

"I am actually," he responded, pleasantly surprised. Most people saw the hair and didn't figure anyone behind a kit would bother with it. When he looked up he was met with garish clash of color and pattern. A textured skirt over psychedelic, 70s trousers. Some sort of short sleeve chiffon blouse over a bright orange long sleeve with a Stevie Nicks' shawl on top. When Ethan's eyes finished the epic journey to this person's face, he found it surprisingly bare of makeup, adorned with only eyeliner and freckles.

"I'm Ona, and you should listen to this." Ironically, an album with the word Rainbow on the cover was thrust into his hands. "It doesn't have Paice, but it's part of that whole convoluted, family that started with Deep Purple." Ethan was struggling to keep his grin close-lipped. It was rare to meet people that nerded out over this particular niche of music. Most people only cared for the enigma of Ozzy Osbourne and raw power of Black Sabbath.

"Thank you," he exclaimed, trying to put enough emphasis on the words and failing. "Really! This is...this is really cool. Who is it? Or -sorry my English isn't very good"

"Its chill. My mom speaks basically no English, so I'm good with accents. It's Richie Blackmore's band. If you ever find an album that says Blackmore's Rainbow it's valuable. They didn't print those for long." Ona points out where the title would be different and their hand brushes Ethans. He's aware of exactly how close they're standing, can maybe even feel the heat from their body as they speak.

"I'm surprised he convinced anyone to be in a band with him. again."

"Right?" He adores the squawking laugh Ona lets out and the round apples of their cheeks as they smile. He can imagine making a drum groove in the style of their voice's cadence. The kick drum would be the beating heart and the high hat their giggle. Even the creak of their boots as the rock back on heel has a compelling rhythm.

"Can I record the way you talk?" Ona's eye brows raise in surprise.

"You're the one with the cute accent, babe."

"I -" Ethan feels himself blush, and looks back at the record. "You remind me of a song I want to write. I'm not sure how to say it." His hands gesticulate as he struggles, but no better words come. "Cazzo," he mutters. Ona reaches out a delicate hand to rest on Ethan's wrist, assuringly.

"Fuck the English language, thats the best compliment anyone has ever given me in this life."

the album:

the convoluted family tree:

send me a who/what/when/where/why blurb request!

[africanization101]

Do you know of any blogs or sites that write about the blacking of a west from a part-social, part-erotic perspective, like you do? All I can find is porn, porn and more porn, which is good, but not what I am seeking

I answered a question like this back in February 2019 and it turns out that every single tumblr recommendation I gave back then is now gone. Amazing! So it’s probably time for a new list; hopefully this one will last longer.

@snowbunnywatching is probably the blog that would feel most like mine to a reader. She has the same interest in mixing politics with erotica, though she comes at it from a slightly different angle than I do, which is good because it makes for more variety. I suspect we have a follower overlap of 80% or more, but in case you don’t know her yet, you know what to do.

@bl4ckrenaissanc3 had an amazing start so far in terms of text-based posts; unfortunately there aren’t as many yet, but if you guys start following them and being encouraging, maybe we’ll see more.

@becoming-more-together also takes a part-social, part-erotic perspective, though their content mix is a bit more visual and less wordy than mine. It’s great though and you should go check them out, too.

@gilded-youth has been posting some intriguing musings and responses to questions lately. I don’t know how central a part of their blog they want to make this, but you’ll find some good stuff there as well.

@baby-got-curves has some great commentary on her page as well, much of it added as further thought to other people’s writing, so you often get two intriguing pieces of text in one go from her. You’ll also learn some things about actual social justice politics, unlike here, where I just leave you horny. Be nice and encourage her to write more. :p

I would’ve loved to make a longer list than that, but like I said in my older post, there’s a reason why I created this blog: it’s because this niche is so terribly underserviced. If any of you anons feel like making a commentary-based interracial blog, I’d be happy to give you some exposure. We really need more writers in here.

[sailorvinus]

🍓 + these gifs tho???

✨ @goodluckgokudo. meme. still accepting!

my actual partner in crime!!! every day is a faster descent into madness as i send you niche net media from the 80s / 90s / 2000s on discord and then u show me something equally awful. *great value morris day voice* THE GLAMOUR BOYZ...!!! omg we go together like ketchup n mustard... tea brewed in grandma’s southern kitchen and sugar... ham and burger........ distantcry and dolphin noises in a beat... our ships r so....... we worked on those damn things!! especially wes and vi. what a stupidly slow burn even tho vi thought wes was cute as fuck from the jump!!! hideo and vi.... no comment. brainless, the both of them.

you have such a unique color!!! its different between your muses, too...

for wes, your writing feels like a medium bodied sweet red wine that’s been chilled for a couple of hours in a glass. and it’s sweet and nice and smooth. your writing for hideo makes him feel like he is like a $2 white zinfandel. luke warm. the vessel is an old dasani water bottle found in the back of ya car.... gflkdjgklfd. i mean that in a good way. ur brilliant. brilliant!!!

:( and we’ve always just been great friends and talking to u is easy. ur angelic in the quality of the soul n ur one of the unwackest people ive ever met. like you just get it. you get it!!! i could make a flavor of love 2 reference outta nowhere and i dont gotta explain nothin..... omg im luv u -_- .... even tho u just reminded me of raven symone’s ‘ backflip ’ 

[nprmusicwnyc]

Jordan Hawkins: Gen-Z’s Neo-Jimi Hendrix [Q&A]

Virtuosity in the creative space is a long upheld ideal in our society. Though the role of the artist has changed significantly from the time of classic virtuosos like Mozart or Liszt, our infatuation with such lofty levels of creative actualization is tried and true. Achieving virtuosity is a combination of nature and nurture, as raw talent is only a skeleton without the famed 10,000 hours necessary to achieve expertise in a field. Hence the stories of these creative geniuses often begin in humble settings, where our future virtuoso is some form of a student with an insatiable desire to learn their chosen craft.  

This is the story of 23-year old artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jordan Hawkins. Hailing from North Carolina, he grew up singing in church, shortly after picking up the guitar, honing his musicality amid the spiritual setting. Often dubbed the Neo-Jimi Hendrix, this comparison is well-deserved, as his years of self-instruction and later formal education at the Royal Danish Music Academy are exemplified by his striking mastery of his instruments.    

Upon moving to California and graduating from Pomona College, Hawkins took the leap of faith into the City of Angels, with the hopes of an artist career rising over the horizon. Following the hustle of live gigs and consistent writing amongst the Los Angeles creative community, Hawkins was discovered by multi-faceted music company Since the 80s, home to the likes of EARTHGANG, Dreamville, Njomza, etc.

Embarking on the next phase of his career with dual single release "Daydreams/Sunset" written during the peak of pandemic, Hawkins muses of needing an antidote for quarantine-induced loneliness over a breezy, psychedelic R&B instrumental.

We had the chance to catch up with the young creative, chatting on an array of topics ranging from his Southern musical roots, life realizations during quarantine, and the albums accompanying him on a hypothetical stay on a deserted island.

 When did you first realize you had a gift for music?

Jordan Hawkins: First time I sang a solo in church, when I was eleven or twelve, seeing how people genuinely reacted to me singing. My mom just told me to get up there and sing. And when people told me how it moved them, I realized I had a gift.

Growing up in the South, do your roots influence your style?  

Most Definitely. I feel like specifically, gospel, blues, and honestly, the best R&B comes out the south. Anthony Hamilton came straight out of North Carolina. So many other greats came from the surrounding area.

Did you start singing or playing guitar first? Did the two niches always naturally coexist?

I began singing first, started playing guitar around seventh grade as well. At the point that I started writing songs, I began writing on piano first. But by the time I started playing guitar, that switched over to my primary instrument when writing songs.  

You can only bring three records to deserted island, which records are you bringing?

Channel Orange, Continuum, & Voodoo. Voodoo, I appreciate how D'Angelo blended the super soulful vocals with great musicianship throughout that album. I’m a longtime fan of John Mayer, and I feel that Continuum was super influential in inspiring me to keep getting better at guitar. Channel Orange, it’s the stories for me. It’s a record I always go back to to see how impactful songwriting is.  

You're from North Carolina originally, how did you end up pursuing music full time in Los Angeles?

I moved out to Los Angeles five years ago to go to school at Pomona College. Once there, studying economics, I discovered that music was my true passion and what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  

Tell us about your time at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. How did your time there influence you musically?  

I really honed in on production and mixing during my time out there. I had a personal teacher and made friends with students in the masters program that had been there for awhile. Through them I was able to learn and pick up a lot, which allowed me to come along much quicker.

What was the inspiration behind "Daydreams"?

I wrote this record at the top of quarantine when I was going through bouts of feeling isolated. There was a desire to feel a sense of connection with others, and from that Daydreams was born.

And "Sunset"?

I also made this during quarantine. It was my frist time on acid and I was literally watching the sun set when the idea for this track came to be.

Is there a full length project on the way?  

Yes.

Tell us about your quarantine experience… any life realizations or new hobbies?

The biggest realization is recognizing the importance of having people around you that have your genuine best interest in mind. As for hobbies, I’ve been taking more trips to the beach. I’ve been playing a whole lot of spades with my roommates. And I definitely enjoy watching sunsets more now too.

Who are your Ones to Watch?    

I’m really fortunate to have a lot of really talented friends who are also artists as well. A few that come to mind include Hello Yello, Santos Silva, Maryann Vasquez, Tempest, BK Habermehl, Mills, and Reggie Becton are a few that come to mind. Definitely go and check all of them out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXIQVY1Fb54

[onestowatch]

Jordan Hawkins: Gen-Z’s Neo-Jimi Hendrix [Q&A]

Virtuosity in the creative space is a long upheld ideal in our society. Though the role of the artist has changed significantly from the time of classic virtuosos like Mozart or Liszt, our infatuation with such lofty levels of creative actualization is tried and true. Achieving virtuosity is a combination of nature and nurture, as raw talent is only a skeleton without the famed 10,000 hours necessary to achieve expertise in a field. Hence the stories of these creative geniuses often begin in humble settings, where our future virtuoso is some form of a student with an insatiable desire to learn their chosen craft.  

This is the story of 23-year old artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jordan Hawkins. Hailing from North Carolina, he grew up singing in church, shortly after picking up the guitar, honing his musicality amid the spiritual setting. Often dubbed the Neo-Jimi Hendrix, this comparison is well-deserved, as his years of self-instruction and later formal education at the Royal Danish Music Academy are exemplified by his striking mastery of his instruments.    

Upon moving to California and graduating from Pomona College, Hawkins took the leap of faith into the City of Angels, with the hopes of an artist career rising over the horizon. Following the hustle of live gigs and consistent writing amongst the Los Angeles creative community, Hawkins was discovered by multi-faceted music company Since the 80s, home to the likes of EARTHGANG, Dreamville, Njomza, etc. 

Embarking on the next phase of his career with dual single release “Daydreams/Sunset” written during the peak of pandemic, Hawkins muses of needing an antidote for quarantine-induced loneliness over a breezy, psychedelic R&B instrumental. 

We had the chance to catch up with the young creative, chatting on an array of topics ranging from his Southern musical roots, life realizations during quarantine, and the albums accompanying him on a hypothetical stay on a deserted island.

Ones to Watch: When did you first realize you had a gift for music? 

Jordan Hawkins: First time I sang a solo in church, when I was eleven or twelve, seeing how people genuinely reacted to me singing. My mom just told me to get up there and sing. And when people told me how it moved them, I realized I had a gift. 

Growing up in the South, do your roots influence your style?  

Most Definitely. I feel like specifically, gospel, blues, and honestly, the best R&B comes out the south. Anthony Hamilton came straight out of North Carolina. So many other greats came from the surrounding area. 

Did you start singing or playing guitar first? Did the two niches always naturally coexist? 

I began singing first, started playing guitar around seventh grade as well. At the point that I started writing songs, I began writing on piano first. But by the time I started playing guitar, that switched over to my primary instrument when writing songs.  

You can only bring three records to deserted island, which records are you bringing? 

Channel Orange, Continuum, & Voodoo. Voodoo, I appreciate how D'Angelo blended the super soulful vocals with great musicianship throughout that album. I'm a longtime fan of John Mayer, and I feel that Continuum was super influential in inspiring me to keep getting better at guitar. Channel Orange, it's the stories for me. It's a record I always go back to to see how impactful songwriting is.   

You’re from North Carolina originally, how did you end up pursuing music full time in Los Angeles? 

I moved out to Los Angeles five years ago to go to school at Pomona College. Once there, studying economics, I discovered that music was my true passion and what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  

Tell us about your time at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. How did your time there influence you musically?  

I really honed in on production and mixing during my time out there. I had a personal teacher and made friends with students in the masters program that had been there for awhile. Through them I was able to learn and pick up a lot, which allowed me to come along much quicker. 

What was the inspiration behind “Daydreams”? 

I wrote this record at the top of quarantine when I was going through bouts of feeling isolated. There was a desire to feel a sense of connection with others, and from that Daydreams was born. 

And “Sunset”? 

I also made this during quarantine. It was my frist time on acid and I was literally watching the sun set when the idea for this track came to be. 

Is there a full length project on the way?   

Yes. 

Tell us about your quarantine experience... any life realizations or new hobbies? 

The biggest realization is recognizing the importance of having people around you that have your genuine best interest in mind. As for hobbies, I've been taking more trips to the beach. I've been playing a whole lot of spades with my roommates. And I definitely enjoy watching sunsets more now too.

Who are your Ones to Watch?    

I'm really fortunate to have a lot of really talented friends who are also artists as well. A few that come to mind include Hello Yello, Santos Silva, Maryann Vasquez, Tempest, BK Habermehl, Mills, and Reggie Becton are a few that come to mind. Definitely go and check all of them out.

Check out “Daydreams” / “Sunset” below! 

[dearmrsawyer]

Creator Tag Meme

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2019. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

Thanks so much to @writcraft for tagging me in this! I’ve taken so long to do it, we’re almost a whole month into the new year, but i’m gonna do it now \o/

1. First on the list is definitely If My Velocity Starts to Make You Sweat!! my killjoys au \o/ because it took so many years and i was so unsure i could do it about 80% of the way. i feel so accomplished to have achieved it, and i think its pretty good?? I’ve gone back and just read it with some distance from writing it and i genuinely enjoy it :)

2. Bigger Than My Body, Octolou 2.0 when he is very very big! I love it because i wrote it for steph and also because it helped me start to see that animal 1d was an area i could really work in. I’ve loved animal 1d fics/art for soooo many years and this helped me realise it wasn’t just something i wanted to consume, it was something i wanted to create!

3. This Bond Between Us, the latest installment in my pokemon/1d series. I wrote 4 little pieces for this series last year, i’m not sure if i have a favourite but i chose this one because i think its pretty funny lol, and also really silly, and i’m enjoying the extended time i’ve spent in this silly world! More silliness for all

4. Moving away from proper fics, i speculated 1D as students in my library as part of the 1d-as-your-job posts that went around last year. The thing i mostly love about it is that its based on 100% true things that have happened, all of which seem to fit one 1d member perfectly. Everyone’s posts were amazing!! I was glad to contribute!

5. Lastly i’d probably say my ongoing musings about various animal louis thoughts, all of which can be found somewhere in my animal louis tag (there’s also a broader animal 1d tag that prob has a few more things incl. the rest of them). i loved taking the fun i had with octolou and finding more ways to have fun, and sometimes getting to explore ideas with some of you! It’s a niche in which i feel safe and also capable and that i feel like my creativity can thrive and i’ve loved that!

i wanna know what everyone’s proudest of! fic, art, gifs, thoughts, ideas, anything! @1000-directions @silveredsound @ticklefightharry @nightwideopen @dinoflangellate @candybarrnerd @warpedtourniall @queerindeed @citricac1d @astorytotellyourfriends @ferryboatpeak @lunarrua @broken-drums @magicalrocketships

[phoebehalliwell]

I just. really love your blog?? and I really love Charmed?? and I'm kinda thinking about starting my own sideblog, so would you happen to have any advice? Either way, your blog is such A+ content and I adore it so much, between your stuff on the next gen (my CHILDREN), underappreciated characters like the Morris's and Henry and Coop and Bianca (my CHILDREN), and your AU's, like, everything is just v good, okay, thx u and have a v swell day, you suberb person you.

🥺🥰💖😊💕💞🥺💜💛 thank u anon

and as far as advice for a sideblog, the one thing that i would really recommend is like,, consistency?? if that makes sense. like i love the queue feature. when i first started thing blog i think i had my queue running 11 times a day and i would just like keep my queue full at like 80 or so posts and then once it started to run out i would spend you know an hour fill it back up and then go back to not worrying about it. bc like the advantages of being an active charmed blog is that you are in the small niche of charmed blogs, and then the even smaller niche of active charmed blogs. and then my second recommendation beyond that is just post things. like when i first started this blog i really had no idea how to make gifs, so i would just make like aesthetics or i’m looking through my archive it was basically just aesthetics but you know. just things. lil textposts, incorrect quotes, obvi gifs if you can make them as those really gain traction, but just you know things that aren’t just original but also sorta show who you are. which leads me to my third & final point like have fun with it and make it Your charmed blog. i know for me personally i really like when blogs show the op’s personality, especially with concentrated blogs (i.e. blogs that only post in one fandom or one idk category or something). so like write things in the tags and maybe post some of your musings this that and the other. like if you feel like you need to dull down your “voice” to make yourself seem less annoying,,, don’t man it’s tumblr we’re all annoying and if you really sound like yourself you’re gonna come off as more earnest imo. but those are just sorta the things i did i really don’t know if it’s applicable for all or really a surefire way to land anywhere but i think it’s a p good place to start 💞💕

[repentingrph]

Creating Atypical/Original Characters

In my personal experience, it shocks me how many times I go into an RPG and see a vat-full of sarcastic "too-cool-for-school" type characters. One or two is more than enough to fill that quota, but the last RPG I was in, I'd say about 80% of the group were just that. I get it, though! We all secretly want to embody that vibe. The cool vibe of IDGAF, where you can say anything you want and be praised for it. Let me tell you, though, if those are the only characters around, you're going to wind up with annoyed players because there's always going to be that one person that's going to compete for the top-dog spot of the MOST sarcastic and MOST IDGAF character of all time. It's not cool.

So! I introduce you to alternative ideas or at least the process to your own alternative ideas!

Me? In spite of what I just said, I love those sarcastic bastards with all my heart and I have a few of my own. However, if you really love that brand, give them depth! Do NOT make them be a one-note. With that said, the go-to is adding in a tragic past like someone died. When I say depth, I mean in terms of personality, not just backstory alone. This is where we are going to start with creating our atypical/original character.

PERSONALITY

1. Find your dominant personality trait, and then sprinkle in some undertones.

Let's say you're going for someone who's outgoing. Are they going to be bubbly sunshine or talks just way too much, making inadvertent awkward conversation? Just because you choose one path does not mean there is only one way to travel down it. You can have someone who is outgoing but also terrible with social cues. They could have a good heart but they also make people cringe when they see them coming their way, and I find that beautiful. Mix it up! Sometimes throw in contradictions that shouldn't work, but somehow do. Why do you think anti-heroes are a thing?

2. Set a moral compass.

This is something I always think about when I'm creating my characters. On a scale of Ted Bundy to Mother Theresa, where do they fit? Sometimes it's not even as clear cut as that either. I have one character who is an absolute monster, a total sadist and manipulator, but he has an odd sense of civil justice. Characters, like people, will probably have a gray area somewhere in their moral compass. Tap into that, explore it. It can definitely shape their personality. Why do they think that way? What are their boundaries? How do they justify what they do? Are they a hypocrite? If you're creating a murderer, are they really executing it personally or dictating that someone should be killed? Would they have the moral backbone to do it themselves?

3. The Scales.

Humanity boils down to a few scales, in my opinion. You have intelligence, sexual/romantic prowess, class/manners, and temperament/stablity. For example, I have one character who is very book smart. He is mediocre in common sense. He is asexual with repulsion towards it, but he's an awkward romantic. He is highly well-mannered in a Victorian-esque way. Temperament-wise, he can be irritated but usually cowardly.

Some of these may sound as though they overlap, so think of it like this:

Intelligence is self-explanatory (and if you break it down to three sub-sections of book-smarts, street smarts, and common sense, it helps even more)

Sexual/Romantic Prowess is more or less like the sex-drive or the kind of forwardness they would have. Think of it as a scale from a prude to a professional and experienced escort. Even if your character is asexual, are they still flirty or are they reserved?

Class/Manners is related to how they present themselves. Are they crude or are they refined? You can have someone with a filthy mind actually be incredibly cultured, charming you right into their pants. On the flip-side, you can have someone super reserved with the crudest sense, cursing under their breath with words that'd curl your hair or eating with their unwashed hands. Uhg.

Temperament/Stability is more of an anger test. A good litmus test would be having your character stub their toe. Do they wince but move on after a moment? Does it bother them at all? Or do they fucking flip the goddamn table and yell at it for just existing? Think about how volatile they are or how utterly zen-like they are. Just like I mentioned before, you can have someone that is super crude be really chill. You can also have someone with fantastic class be ready to blow your head off. It's just all in how you play them to show that.

Remember, if you think of more scale-types, go ahead and add them! The more you expand, the more unique they will become! The ones I've listed are just the main ones I immediately go to.

BACKSTORY

I think all of us (and I am particularly guilty of this) tend to favor a dark backstory for their characters, and it usually revolves around some kind of deep, personal loss. There is nothing wrong with that, but it can be repetitive if it's something that frequently pops up in your character portfolio.

1. Try not to kill anyone.

Killing NPCs off is so damn easy. Having a hard time thinking of their family? Kill them off when they're too young to really remember them. Boom. Problem solved, right? Yeah, but then what? Now, I love a good orphan, self-made character. Love them to *bits* (especially since I have one of my own), but let's try something different if you've already done that. Why I say this is not only to deviate from the typical but also to put something away for the future. When you lose your muse, hit up that little bank of family ties. Once you've killed them off, there is no taking that shit back unless you have an elaborate plot about them faking their death. Maybe keep them around instead. Give them a strained relationship. Keep only one in the picture. How about an overbearing relationship, where they just love them way too much and still cry whenever they call them up? Are they an only child? The favorite child? Did they find another mom/dad replacement as years went by?

2. Create a different bad experience.

I can't help it. I'm a sucker for dark backstories, but we're going to keep going with the first suggestion and not kill anyone. Instead, we're going to focus on other solutions. Could be criminal, or personal, or even stupid but with meaning to your character. I don't know if anyone remembers Courage the Cowardly Dog, but there was an episode of a whale that was so hell-bent on revenge, and do you know what he wanted revenge for? For some guy cheating him out of his favorite accordion in a poker game. That shit blew my goddamn mind as a child, and as you can tell, it still blows my goddamn mind today. That's the kind of backstory shit I can get behind and make me want to learn more.

3. Look on the bright side.

So, enough about those bad memories. Maybe your character had a charmed life! Oh, how I hate that nice characters somehow equal boring characters to people, and this would be the same to backstories. Nice backstories don't have to be boring. Your character could have won the fucking lottery. They could have been class president by releasing an unhinged scandal against their opponent without remorse. They could be just lucky, which means that luck can definitely change when you play them. Also, as a bonus, how would they even handle a downfall when they've never experienced it before? What kind of dramatic fucking character arc could they fall into? Sign me the fuck up.

GENERAL ADVICE/FINAL NOTES

1. Every character should be forged from a part of your soul. Forget about the term self-insert because if you don't feel a personal connection to your character, that character has no life. End of story. You're playing an asshole? Don't tell me you've never had a terrible thought in your mind before, just funnel all of that into them. Any aspect of yourself that catches even you off guard is something to tap into and run with.

2. Look back at those that you've already created and see what you're missing. I do this all the time. I usually oscillate my moral compass between the wretched and the innocent just to keep myself in balance. I try to find something I haven't tried before and then build on it. If you have a ton of bubbly characters, try someone emo. If you have a ton of moody shits, go for the flower child.

3. Everyone creates their character from a different building block. Some will start off with an FC. I start with personality usually. On occasion, I will also start with a profession. This is especially true when I see an RPG I love and try to find my little niche to settle into. Go through masterlists like [x] or [x] that can help mold your muse into something that has your own spin on it.

[laboratorysciences]

vol. 2 (early preview)

The first of three films, JEEN-YUHS is essentially a Kanye West home movie and it’s nostalgic and dreamy and narratively complex for being a work of nonfiction. The film is most effective in that it doesn’t pander to its audience or to the subject, because in JEEN-YUHS nothing about Kanye’s pre-fame years is up for interpretation. Everything is out on the table, face up, for the world to see and it’s incredible to watch for any Kanye West completionists. 

JEEN-YUHS: Part 1 is Dorothy Gale of Kansas pulling back the curtain to reveal the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz is nothing more than a man, a mortal. 

JEEN-YUHS feels a lot like that, and gave me honestly all the clarification I needed on ‘The Man behind The Man’ or ‘the guy behind the guy,’ because really, to know one’s future you must know your past for a complete picture and JEEN-YUHS is comprehensive.

This is Kanye in full focus, no photoshop. Stripped nude and bare, and whether you love him or hate him, it all tracks and it's a lot of fun to watch. (Kanye buying a porn magazine is hilarious and makes sense with what we know about him now). JEEN-YUHS is the missing piece of the puzzle. 

Fast-forward, It’s the year 2022 and multi-hyphenate, billionaire lothario, Kanye West, is divorced (in the process, but not yet. from reality television star and law school graduate, Kim Kardashian, who he currently shares 4 small children with (North, Chicago, Saint, and Psalm). 

For work, Mr. West collects handsome paychecks from not one, but two lucrative multiyear corporate merchandising deals with Adidas and Gap, as well as income from his other independent musical/merch endeavors– he’s practically printing cash. 

Kanye West is a literal human ATM machine who as of late has been linked to Instagram personality and actress of Uncut Gems fame, Julia Fox, who he claims to be his new muse (but rumored by many as a PR revenge stunt to get back his now ex-wife and her relationship with SNL cast member and scum-bro-cover-boy, Pete Davidson). 

In another strange development, Kanye also bought a house (literally) across the street from Kim, which feels a bit disconcerting and a little OJ =which is a bit on the nose if you ask me.

But based on the narrative Instagram suggests, Fox is his new muse and girlfriend– one he dresses up in the newest Balenciaga and takes on dates to fancy dinners at famous New York restaurants and introduces to friends like Dave Chappelle and Marilyn Manson and Madonna, (real networking opportunities) and per most recent gossip columns–Fox was Kanye’s official date to this year’s New York Fashion Week. Fox reports about her and Kanye’s ever evolving relationship, bi-weekly, for Interview Magazine in a segment (cheekily) titled: Fox News. 

Their relationship continues to puzzle the citizens of the internet to this day. (Also, Kanye appears to want to really beat up Pete Davidson, like really bad).

Quickly, for time-reasons, some other noteworthy achievements are that he: ran unsuccessfully for president and voted for himself; and gave his life over to God and scripture, and has become a self-proclaimed, self-righteous, self-absorbed weapon for Christ, born again, I guess, to like, also sell $80 sweatshirts. (I don’t know).

There’s so much about “Kanye West”–or “Yeezy” or just “Kanye” without the “West” or “YEEZUS” which was during the time when he actually thought he was a god or now, most recently, just “Ye” but now it’s like “ye” but all lowercase because that’s how much he loves typography, I guess. He’s an anomaly and we can’t fully comprehend his antics really, because how could you? 

He’s all over the place; he’s such a Gemini, and we think we know, but we have no idea, which is a line I stole from MTV’s Diary (MTV is featured heavily in the film). So whether you’re a Day-One Stan, the occupational onlooker, some gossipy bottom feeder, or an amalgamation of the three–or practically any other niche “Kanye West” online forum subculture–we all have our assumptions about who we think the “real” Kanye West is but trying to understand Kanye West is like trying to quantify the unquantifiable. That is until now. 

JEEN-YUHS recontextualizes West through the intimate nuances of his larger-than-life personality and the events leading up to his superstardom. 

The film breezily peels back the thick, leathery Balenciaga layers of arguably one of the most talked about artists of all time–but what makes JEEN-YUHS so special, and lightyears ahead of any other modern music documentary, is that the subject, in this instance Kanye, doesn’t have final cut. So obviously concerned, Kanye aired out his grievances on his Instagram: 

“I’m going to say this kindly for the last time. (sic) I must get final edit and approval on this doc before it releases on Netflix. (sic) Open the edit room immediately so I can be in charge of my own image. Thank you in advance (rosy-cheek smiley face emoji)” 

Thankfully, that didn’t happen, because JEEN-YUHS is raw and unfiltered and unfettered and untouched by Kanye which is why the first film succeeds. It's USDA ‘Grade-A’ certified high-quality top sirloin, it’s juicy and gritty and with no hormones. Which is an enthusiastic way of me saying that it's cinematic in this Y2K-era MTV reality show but produced by Stan Lathan and Russell Simmons sort of way. Sincerely, I watched much of the film’s runtime, eyes wide open and sometimes forgetting it was archival footage and not a biopic of Kanye reenacting his rise to fame. 

JEEN-YUHS is like staring into a magic mirror and is engrossing from front to back just like The College Dropout (an album that has yet to have been released during the events of the film). Shot primarily during Kanye’s younger years, in 2002 to be exact, and almost 20 years ago–Kanye West was out there hustling to get signed; a visibly bright and impassioned young man with an undeniable gift for production but who dreamed of becoming a platinum selling rap star. 

The footage in JEEN-YUHS is incredible and you feel like you’ve stumbled upon never-before-seen footage from the Disney Vault or something. One of my favorite scenes from the doc involves Kanye sitting in the driver's seat of a car next to Talib Kweli while Mos Def stands just outside the passenger window, vibing to the music. Kanye, playing one of his tracks forgets to take out his retainer (because Kanye once wore dental braces) and pulls it out with a slobbery slurp in front of Black Star, and on camera. It’s awkward, but so brutally honest that it’s endearing. 

The Kanye West depicted in JEEN-YUHS, the ‘2002 Kanye West’ is a lovable dweeb (like an Aziz Ansari character), an affable outsider struggling to make it into  Roc-A-Fella Records, who–Dame Dash included and Jay Z excluded–obviously don’t (and secretly do) see Kanye’s vision of the future. 

But ‘2002 Kanye’ is Steve Urkel meets Roger from Sister, Sister; he's dorky, but charming and he’s got skills, and he’s trying to land a record deal. Even if he was unsure of his place in the hip hop zeitgeist, Kanye knew was a unique talent even back in 2002, when he first blurred the lines between conscious and mainstream rap lyricism by crafting a style and sound that for the time was unheard of. 

JEEN-YUHS highlights this point with some of the most unguarded and tender footage of Kanye West you'll ever see. But what the film makes blatantly clear is that Kanye differs from everyone else because he puts himself out there, relentlessly and undeterred, regardless of the outcome, because deep down, he knows he’s the dopest person alive. Even back then, Kanye knew he was a “JEEN-YUHS” and he was waiting for everyone else to catch up; bold and truly unafraid. Sometimes in the film, Kanye’s eyes go dark and void of life like a great white shark, which is eerie. 

There’s a line in the documentary where the co-director and narrator describes (and I’m paraphrasing) that in order for Kanye to succeed in the music industry, and secure a deal, he would either be offered one or he’d force his way into one somehow, but failure was never an option. Ever. 

If anything, by JEEN-YUHS’ account, Kanye failed upwards and onwards–but I wonder if having the cameras rolling 24/7, for nearly two decades, aided at all in Kanye’s ultimate success? Hear me out, but I believe that the subtle but consistent act of recording one’s life and actions and feelings with the sole purpose of reaching an intended goal, the chances of it happening, especially in Kanye West’s case, are highly probable (because it's basically, if you think about, long-term self-affirmations, which are proven to help people reach their goals and get what they want). 

If you say something enough times, you start to believe it, and if you have friends who follow you around and tape your every move–or awkward moment trying to get Jay Z to acknowledge you or when you staged an impromptu performance of an early demo of “Through the Wire” unsolicited in the Roc-A-Fella Records New York offices wearing a Tim Burton’s “Sleepy Hollow” movie merch tee, and to minimal fanfare–filming everything you say and do, every thought and opinion, can groom a person’s mind and their sense of importance. Kanye altered the threshold of his own brand of success by changing the rules of the game. 

And I’m sure at the time it felt like “The Kanye West Show” in his head, but at the time there was no real way of knowing if it was ever going to work out and what makes JEEN-YUHS so incredible is how even when it feels like his chances are hopeless, even though you know that the ultimate outcome is his success but you’re still straddling the edge of your seat hoping someone takes a shot on him.

In a memorable scene from the film’s climax—Kanye meanders through Times Square, wearing a t-shirt from Blade Runner and buys a porno mag from a sidewalk stall for 8 dollars, which he initially scoffs at for being expensive just before deviously claiming it (porn) a secret addiction of his. JEEN-YUHS is all about the context and clarification it provides.

As a way to shamelessly quote Kanye, part one of JEEN-YUHS is “that old Kanye, chop up the soul Kanye,” but in the grand scheme of things is nothing Earth-shattering, but all-around fun to watch. It’s not like I discovered any new things about Kanye that I didn’t already know, it's just now I have the verbal and visual confirmation of what I already assumed. That he worked tirelessly in the single-minded pursuit of bringing his unique cinematic vision that was ‘his life’ to the world. That he adored his mother and she adored him; and that he was (or still is) a pervert (all truth, no shade; “a fisherman always spots another fisherman” and all that). 

I’ll leave you with this, JEEN-YUHS is basically a remake of Revenge of the Nerds starring Kanye, a super-nerd who based on current day events got revenge on any/every single person who ever wrote him off, by (quite frankly) spazzing his way to the top of the charts and ultimately our hearts. Like I said, it's oddly endearing like watching one of your buddies make it. 

9/10 (Grade-A: BEEF)

[mdmasum1977]

The tea Length Dresses for women of any age at cheap price

Vintage Style Black & Gold Embroidered Mesh Edwardian Gown

Turn it into a lavish affair, darlings! An ethereal Edwardian inspired dress full of vintage vibes, the soft black tulle overlay cascades over a gorgeous gold lining for a flattering silhouette. The sultry scoop neckline is framed by sheer butterfly sleeves while golden embroidery and Swiss dots dance throughout you.

House of Mooshki is best known for the stunning tea length wedding dresses. You create your first tea length designs and what was the initial reaction to it

We are in our 10th Collection this year and our first tea length was completely by accident in our first collection samples. We had designed the “Olivia” dress which we still sell to this day and had initially designed it as a ballgown however it just didn’t seem to do the dress justice. So, after going backwards and forth with ideas we decided to make it short and took the brave step with a pair of scissors and to say the rest is history is an understatement. The dress was the most successful in the very small collection and from that one design we gathered a cool vintage vibe and following. We realized very quickly we had hit upon our niche market completely by accident but actually we were really good at it and spent the next few collection really honing in on making not just the designs different but the quality of our dresses a little bit different to what was available at the time. Each gown has a 24 bone hidden corset inside the dress which enhances any brides figure NO MATTER WHAT HER SIZE. Most brides, even those which are a lot curvier do not need to wear a bra with our gowns and we have had a UK size 30 bride in a dress without her bra. She was absolutely astonished that this could even be achieved. All our gowns are actually designed with the curvier bride in mind. The smaller girls have much more choice therefore if we want to make the curvier brides rock too. tea length dresses

 The Mooshki gowns are very classy and unique at the same time. Where do you get your inspiration from and how do you stay creative.

Our inspiration comes from so many different places. We have always been influenced by the couture design houses of the 1950’s like Dior and Balenciaga but we also have ICON muses who we turn to each season. Audrey Hepburn is right up there in Goddess status and this season it’s the turn of Jackie Kennedy in the early 60’s. We have diverse designers within the team. Olivia was the quirky one, Phil the 50’s and 80’s glam, Grace is the fashion forward and I design with lumps and bumps in mind so together we pull together great collections each year.

Icons are just a small part of the inspiration. We tend not to follow trends but set our own, therefore we do not really look at what other people are doing just do what we feel is right for us and staying true to who a Mooshki bride is and who we are. Fabrics are a huge part and influence. I have seen us design a dress in the middle of a fabric store in 10 minutes, other designs come in the middle of the night, and others spend a few months on a bust being stabbed with pins and lace until we feel its right. https://motherbridedress.com/product-category/length/tea-length-dresses/