#top tier acting debut from him

[themoonismymarble]

JUST FINISHED EP 4 OF GROTESQUERIE

I’m eating this show uppp it’s so good and not just because Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Niecy Nash are in it (tho they are killing their roles), but the story, characters, and the cinematography are all so alluring. Anytime any of the actors are on the screen I can’t look away!!! Ugh and the shots, the scene, the setup??? Near perfection!!!

I actually can’t wait for the rest of the episodes to come out and again not just bc NAC’s bare abs/arms/back might be in it… or bc of Niecy Nash’s beautiful raspy voice… or bc of Micaela Diamond’s big green/blue/brown (?) eyes… 😻

[wumblr]

the way house of leaves has been revived for a cult following is so funny. it's completely backwards! it was a music industry book. the singer poe, who made waves with her debut for having a few tracks produced by j dilla and then if i remember correctly doing a 500+ show tour, essentially tanked her career to promote the book (written by her brother)

not like on purpose but it was supposed to be a paired project and there was a remix with a book excerpt read by mark (the kyrie bmw sex scene) and like, i don't know, a tie-in website -- but then her label got sold or merged or acquired and the project was eventually cancelled after languishing in limbo for a few years. there's also an aspect of this where like, a texas oil executive posed as a friend of her late father (possibly true) in order to manipulate legal proceedings (?) to ultimately own her writing and recording copyrights post-acquisition (dubious allegation, which also relies on her having signed away both types of copyright to her label in the first place, arguably a larger problem spanning the whole industry, even today, still coming up in legal proceedings from kesha and taylor swift and so on)

anyway the album (haunted) and the book were both inspired by the same event (death of their father, tad danielewsky -- as an aside, a professor of theater at brigham young university). the album features samples from a box of cassette tape recordings of his voice. and also some fake samples from a couple of guys pretending to be tad danielewski with an obviously ridiculous accent and a couple of kids pretending to be her as a kid. and it takes place inside the house. the growl is there and everything i swear

it really was one of the top tier 90s concept albums (it was released in 2000 actually) but it is usually FAR too much to handle for casual listening and a lot of it comes across difficult for being so sincere and so unfocused (it is a love letter to her dead father where one of the songs is a list of places she's gotten fucked, because, uh, this is a conversation she wanted to have with him. shrug). and yet it's hard not to take it as it is because it's so consistently well produced

so i know nobody's computer comes with a cd player anymore but to read the book without listening to the paired album implicitly packed in the back of the book jacket is kind of like missing the whole point. there's a whole second act of rashomon you guys are missing. and a third act hello the etsy teleplays. ANYWAY the point i wanted to make is that there are a couple of things about the album sticking to the roof of my mouth as being somehow prescient. there's a distorted "why (are you) so serious" sample that would have come across VERY differently post-joker, but there's also "tell me something dangerous and true," a far more interesting variation on the theme currently circulating. and i'm speaking to an empty room here because it's only the celibate 60% of this website who is reading the book because it allows them a patina of literary validity and several nested unreliable narrators to distance themselves from the sex scenes, but haunted is very authentically, directly and exclusively written in first person and to be honest it fucks too hard for you guys. i'm sorry

[darkdemeter]

Y/N “WOLFIE’S” PANEL

—- not my gifs, credit to original posters! -—

(Platonic) Avengers cast x GN/Female/Male Reader Feat. on the panel: Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie & Robert Downey Jr.

A/N — So this was delayed at first because I'd kinda gotten second thoughts, then did a bit of research (just watched some of the cast in interviews and stuff). And then I thought "fuck it, write it." So I did just that. Though I'm not counting on this being "top tier" and very well may be the only time I do this sorta thing. Because I have come to realise when writing this... I CANNOT write celebrities, so great kudos to those who can, and also they make it look so easy!

WORD COUNT — 1.7k

READER DISCRETION — Nothing that should be potentially triggering— maybe slight insecure reader? Nothing really, just that little "did I do good?" y'know? — just Y/N with the avengers cast— Y/N being a little blushing, embarrassed mess

SUMMARY— You meet your fellow cast members on the panel for Comic Con, the debut for the final instalment to Habits of Mother Nature's Will releasing that weekend at the premiere.

You can read the columns here — HABITS OF MOTHER NATURE'S WILL HABITS OF MOTHER NATURE'S WILL II HABITS OF MOTHER NATURE'S WILL II: AFTERMATH

You never thought you would hear anything louder than the sound of applauding fans and cheers as your name was announced by the panel moderator.

You swaggered onto the stage, your outfit was casual but styled in a way that could pass for formal dress easily. Your hair styled to what you favoured most. 

You raised your arm up and waved to the crowd who roared with such vigour, you silently admitted to yourself it was a tad bit intimidating. But you were excited for this panel. To be beside your cast members who you had bonded with over the course of production, and to finally meet those who loved the project as well. 

The Avengers series had been a cinematic hit and when you signed the contract, had anyone told you that the three part short series would have been a major hit for audiences, you would have scoffed.

Your co-stars each turned and greeted you with grins as they waved you over. “There they are!” Chris announced into his microphone with a wide grin.

 You were assigned to sit between Lizzie and Chris. Anthony sat on Lizzie’s other side. 

“Where you been, Y/N? We missed you,” Anthony questioned you with a pout, hands forming a heart over his chest. You chuckled and held up your other hand that held a cup of coffee.

“I needed my fix, leave me alone,” you grumbled. Lizzie squeezed your shoulder lightly with a shake of her head, ushering the others to stop picking on you.

“And you didn’t bring me one,” Anthony tutted and Seb called after him, “the betrayal.”

The crowd laughed and cheered.

“So we were just about to get to the fans' questions, Y/N, and I don’t doubt a lot of them have questions about your character in particular,” the moderator said to you and you nodded. 

“Prepare yourself for marriage proposals, Y/N. There is always at least ten for each of us,” Robert said, his voice deep and calm over the mic system. 

Your face went bright red. “Well…” you wanted to swear out of habit, but you held your tongue, your head fell forward. “Dammit.”

More laughs came from the audience. The microphone was set up and any fans who had questions were directed to stand in the queue.

The first fan was a young woman, probably about college age. You leaned forward, your arms folded on the table and made your clothes pull against your frame and you looked intensely focused on the fan. Engaged with what they had to say.

The very act made quite a few people swoon and scream, only your eyes flickered to your cast mates with a raised brow.

“I think the proposals have increased quite a bit now,” Chris said with a smirk. It didn’t help relieve the flush in your face when a few whistles of agreement followed his statement. 

The girl giggled nervously into the mic in front of her and you refocused your attention on her. “Hi,” she said through her giggles and you nodded, hand lifting slightly to wave. 

“Hey, how are you?” you asked and she nodded, “good thank you. I just want to say personally I’m a huge fan of the character, C/N, and I just wanted to ask you how you felt when you got the role to portray them?”

You raised your brows under the weight of the question. You smiled and thanked her for the question. “Hmm, well, I’m not gonna lie it felt scary that I wouldn’t be able to portray the character, but the script writer and director - along with my cast members - they really helped me where I felt I lacked in providing the performance that C/N would. So yeah, thank you for that question, and I’m glad you enjoyed my take on the character, other than that it was a lot of fun.”

She beamed from ear to ear and nodded eagerly. She thanked you profusely and expressed her excitement to see Aftermath in cinemas. Elizabeth patted your hand with a smile. “You did good,” she uttered away from the microphone and you nodded in thanks.

Another fan walked up and greeted the cast. “So I want to know, who would win in a fight against each other: Bucky or C/N?”

“Uh, the correct answer, obviously, would be Ironman.” Robert’s interjection made the crowd fall into a frenzy of hysterics. You grinned, the act natural and your own that you made signature component for your character. 

“Remember who killed your parents,” Sebastian taunted and Robert smirked down the table his way. “Uh,” Sebastian began as he leaned back in thought for a moment, “I kinda want to say Bucky. I don’t think C/N could bring themselves to hurt him. So I think he’d use that to his advantage.”

When the fan inquired about your opinion, you shrugged with a tsk. “I think C/N would only win if someone hurt Wanda.” Your answer made the fans giddy, the uproar of cheers enough to bring the roof down like an earthquake. 

“I have to say that the fight sequence was so intense, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The cinema I was in was in such a state, I thought it was gonna get shut down,” the next fan began with a giggle. You and your fellow co-stars couldn’t help but chuckle and smile. It really did make you happy to know that you had done well to provide fans with such excitement. The Avenger films were great and adored by the fanbase, your only wish was that you wouldn’t let the dedicated members of the production and the fans down. 

“The fight choreography was brilliant and I wanted to ask what you could share about what went on behind the scenes? Like, how was all of that done?”

Oh, that was a loaded question. “Well…,” you chuckled, “let me first tell you that the entirety of my character fighting in their ‘wolf form’ was me. I did all the motion capture for that–” The room was filled with applaus. “Thank you. Yeah, my stunt double thought it would be funny to visit their family overseas and leave me to do all the motion capture. So I have them to thank for the harness that was riding my ass for the next couple of days,” you answered, though everyone could tell you only meant to tease, that you didn’t mean anything ill about it all. 

The experience of doing all the intense choreography was actually one of the most fun aspects you’d ever done in any of your productions thus far. 

Anthony laughed into his mic then. “I kid you not, we all have a video around twenty minutes long of Y/N doing the motion capture from the gag reel. And it’s hilarious,” he sighed at the end and earnt a laugh from the crowd. 

“It wasn’t easy, man,” you whined, “but– but when I had to do scenes that required a more realistic build, I was saved the embarrassment and actually we had my dog, D/N, do all the motion capture for that.”

A photo of your German Shepherd appeared on the screen above, your arms encircled around them, their head tilted and long tongue hung from their mouth. 

“They’re so cute!” a fan in the crowd shouted and you chuckled. “Damn adorable, I love them. I had to be on guard, I was scared Chris would take them home.”

Chris leaned over in his seat, hand slapped to his chest with a toothy grin as he cackled to himself. “I love that dog so much, what can I say?”

The fan thanked you for your time and walked back to their seat. The next fans were two girls, again around the age of college students walked up together. “Hi!” one of them greeted and the other looked incredibly shy, her friend held her close around the shoulders. 

“Hey there, how are you?” you asked again. You always asked how the fans were, a habit that was just natural. Human. Kind. 

“We’re good thanks. Uh, so this is my friend, Taylor,” she said and indicated to the other girl next to her. She waved and mumbled a meek hello into the mic. Your cheeks folded out into a smile, adoring the girl’s shyness. It was adorable. “And it’s her birthday and I want to ask if you could give her a little birthday present as your character, C/N, please? And with a cherry on top, add your wolf voice?”

Your tongue danced over your teeth as fans left, right and centre cheered and hollered. You could tell it was as much wanted by them as the fans asking for it themselves. “Just out of curiosity, who else is here for their birthday?” you asked and quite a large amount clapped in answer, a view yelled their response.

“Okay, so you can consider this a gift to you guys as well.” You sat forward and rolled your shoulders, getting into the mind of your character. 

“Happy Birthday, Taylor.” You stopped to let the fans burn out their screams before you continued. “Told you, marriage proposals all of them,” Robert commented just as you went to speak and you broke out of character for a moment, face palming your hand. 

“Go on, Wolfie, you gotta appease the fans,” Robert uttered with a wave of his hand to usher you on.

“I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Wanna play fetch some… sometime in the park?” Despite the momentary hiccup, unable to contain the embarrassed giggle in your throat as your face brightened, you finished. 

Even some of your castmates imitated getting flustered, even Lizzie herself fanned her face. Taylor hid her face in her palms and her friend thanked you. 

The other beauty of your performance was that the sound editors had little to do with mixing your vocals for the werewolf voices, you had a knack for making it naturally guttural and animalistic. 

Anthony snickered playfully. “So I think we can agree that Y/N “Wolfie” has taken over the panel. Can we get a shout or clap if you enjoyed Y/N’s performance of C/N?”

You don’t know how it was possible, but that was the loudest you’d heard the fans. 

[phantomtrader19]

(HALF*) 2024/25 cast REVIEW 31.08.2024

Spent 2 shows yesterday at phantom which I haven’t done in a while! Planned this couple months ago to see the new cast however I had covers for Raoul, Mme Giry & Piangi and all swings on too! There was a lot of people off!

First off it felt so strange to not see some cast members who had been there since 2021!

Ensemble was made up of all 5 swings being on which is a first for me I think?

Overall lovely performances from all, new corps de ballet were gorgeous as always!

For the Principals I’ll start with Millie Lyon as Meg who was brilliant - lovely youthful voice, feisty characterisation and a BLONDE wig! I’ve missed the blonde wig! Fantastic Meg looking forward to seeing her much more.

Martin Ball as Firmin is an absolute triumph! Hilariously pompous and arrogant and such a grumbly kind of voice he was a standout last night, he seemed to play the role like he was tipsy drunk the majority of the time and he was just not interested in all the dramas going on. Great chemistry with Adam which I admittedly thought may have been difficult to achieve after Matt Harrop but I absolutely loved his take on the character!

Hywel Dowsell was on for Piangi, last time I seen him he was second cover and was on for the first time in 18 months! Lovely nuanced performance with little ad-libs and added acting pieces - really enjoyed!

Victoria Ward was on for Mme Giry I’ve seen her once before and I really enjoyed her and even yesterday she was such a standout! Beautiful voice and again such nuanced acting and more motherly to Meg!

Joanna Ampil as Carlotta was very different to what we’ve seen before, less operatic and more ever so slightly belty sometimes her voice got a little lost in the music, still some gorgeous top notes but I just was hoping for a little more oomph from her voice. acting wise was generally great but I did hope for a little more over the top like Carlotta should be, looking forward to seeing how she grows into the role over the next year!

Enjoyed Michael as Raoul - super strong voice and some great acting choices! I’ve now seen him as many times as I’ve seen Joe! (6 times) Joe is admittedly more my cup of tea acting wise but I enjoyed him nonetheless.

Lily was on fire yesterday, gorgeous voice and acting was out of this world, a top tier Christine by miles! My only slight gripe is her last note in think of me I’m not sure if the orchestra is rushing her or something else but it’s very short, her other high notes are held much longer but I just wish she got to hold it slightly longer as it felt super rushed, 8th time seeing her and always finding new things I love about her Portrayal! Her chemistry with Dean was also insane!!!

Now for Dean, I heard the opening night audio and I’ll admit I wasn’t crazy about his voice and didn’t hear too much acting albeit through audio so my expectations were mid however, I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY that was how a Phantom should sound his voice literally vibrated the auditorium and was just ridiculously gorgeous!!! Acting wise he was more gentler with Christine until the final lair when he let loose. I’ll go out on a limb and say from all the Phantoms I’ve seen he may have been my favourite in line with Earl Carpenter - vocally 100% my favourite he reminded me of Colm Wilkinson, Tim Howar & Killian Donnelly in some musical points. a firm favourite!

Really great cast, will be back to catch the full principal cast so I can see Helen Hobson as Mme Giry!

Aiming to see Eve with the new cast too as I last saw her nearly a year ago and must’ve caught an off show as she wasn’t sounding great but after hearing more recent audios she sounded as beautiful as her debut! Would also love to see Zoe on as Carlotta as she has a voice that lifts the ensemble to new heights!

I do have audios from the 2 shows yesterday, please message me to trade but disclaimer that my replies are not great rn as work has been super hectic!

[frasier-crane-style]

Okay, that's True Grit. That's entirely True Grit. Exact same plot, exact same tone, exact same Coen-wannabe dialogue (and Tom King is no Coen Brother)... all King did was transpose a bit of a by-now-generic high fantasy/space opera setting onto True fucking Grit. It's not even that obscure a work to rip off. There was a remake in 2010. Hailee Steinfeld debuted in that movie and she's still playing a 'Young' Avenger.

Oh, but hey, there's Supergirl in the Rooster Cogburn role. That's different, right? Because Supergirl is Supergirl and not a drunken, cynical badass type?

And if you've seen True Grit, either version, you pretty much know how it goes (aside from a shock value ending that is, surprise, deeply cynical and mean-spirited). King mercilessly mischaracterizes Kara into this very 90s bad grrl caricature--she calls Superman a little bitch at one point, because he's not as tuff as herrrr--and the bad guys all go "oh, you can't beat me, you're just a girl!" Aren't we past this?

I found the premise pretty unbelievable... I know comic writers have to know up with far-fetched scenarios, since the real top-tier superheroes are unbeatable otherwise... but Supergirl has turned 21 and wants to get drunk. She doesn't want to do this with any of her friends, apparently, so she takes a barely controllable starship to a sector of space with only red suns... she can't just borrow a red sun room in the Fortress of Solitude or wherever... and she lands on this world that's a hellish dictatorship where people are killed for laughing at jokes about the king... she brings Krypto along, who is also depowered... and she doesn't bring any kind of communication device so she can call a Green Lantern or someone for help... and she's gone for months, but no one thinks to look for her.

And the villain... this is another one of the very few changes from True Grit, where the killer is just a random thug, the kind of guy you'd expect to impulsively kill someone. Here, he's a criminal mastermind that can summon up magic that nearly kills Supergirl and he almost randomly hooks up with this gang of superpowered mass murderers (who indulge in ethnic cleansing so frequently that you'd think a Green Lantern or someone would go after them--seriously, they are depopulating planets on a weekly basis) so it takes more than five seconds for Kara to rout him.

There's also a super heavy-handed segregation/racism metaphor. I mean, it is TOS, "all his people are black on the left side and white on the right side!" blatant. Like, embarrassingly hamfisted.

And this comic is WORDY. Not only is OC donut steal Hailee Steinfeld doing her Coen act every time she speaks, but she also narrates, choking every panel with multiple paragraphs of PROSEPROSEPROSE. Everything is a speech, everything is a monologue. Mike Flanagan would read this and say "hey, buddy, don't you think you're overdoing it a tad?" And there's some good art here--that's the one real positive of the comic--but it is just drowned out by King not trusting his artist one iota to tell a story.

Supergirl is given this really stock "it sucks to be Superman" angst, which we're all tired of with Clark, right? Is it really fresh to just transpose him being broody and violent onto Kara? All the cursing and casual violence would be a little more appropriate for Power Girl, but I guess that wouldn't subvert expectations like making the main character an embittered Supergirl. Clearly, we're supposed to find all this shocking and edgy, but it just comes off risible. You're really going to have Krypto the Super-Dog and dead babies in the same exact story?

And since when does Supergirl hang out with Krypto? I thought her pet was Streaky. King goes all pre-Crisis with Comet the Super-Horse showing up and really being a man with a magic spell cast on him, but he doesn't know that Supergirl's pet is Streaky the Supercat? Boooooo.

[gmmtv-bl-tournament-but-evil]

throwing my hat in the sotus pit but i really do love sotus and wanna defend it a bit. it has its issues, sure, but it’s a debut drama for ks and the first full-on bl from gmmtv so I forgive it for the growing pains and. well honestly i actually really love some of it and can’t get what i get from sotus in other shows.

i love arthit’s character (the way you learn he’s a totally different person from how you first perceive him, especially in sotus s, is really compelling to me. you’re really taken into kongpob’s pov in finding him out in sotus and while I see why this might not work if you weren’t endeared by him, i think that if you WERE endeared by arthit, it was incredibly fun and i found arthit an interesting character to think about). i love seeing their cute awkward little relationship (which, yeah, feels a bit awkward even after they get together, but they are sickeningly sweet still) and how the characters deal with the workforce and coming out in a professional setting after being out in university. most of our uni bls never get to show us what their working life will be like and seeing arthit struggle through it was really important to me. i actually really liked all the office stuff.

i think kongpob is really easily likable from the beginning and when kongart really settle as a pair, i really love the two of them together. i actually have a lot of thoughts on them and their our skyy ep was top tier imo. i think it’s so sweet how they got an incredibly fitting and heartfelt wrap-up to their story and it felt right for the characters (more than i can say for, say, our skyy petekao). i really love our skyy kongart. very in character and accurate to their characters, in my opinion.

i watched sotus in 2023, so it isn’t nostalgia. and it definitely feels dated in multiple aspects but, man. it’s a show i really really enjoyed despite that and i think it really is part of the best of what was out at the time (well, not that much WAS out then). i totally get why people dislike it but damn. i love my little hazers.

This is a wonderfully eloquent defense of SOTUS, hats off to you kind Anon.

I have to be honest - and this is not a secret - I am not the biggest fan of the show and even though I agree with some of your points, I just don't feel Krist's acting I'm afraid and I wasn't super into the story either. As for Singto on the other hand, SOTUS did manage to endear him to me a whole lot and I'm now ravenously following the rest of his career (how about that Shadow!?!).

So yeah, I get where you're coming from with this, I will defend Theory of Love to my death even though I cannot in good conscience say it is an excellent show and many parts of if I would change if I had the funds haha, but it resonated with me on a very personal level so I completely get the passion you're all displaying! Keep being into things wholeheartedly, that's the spice of life!!!

[444lpblue]

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End #6 - The Hero of the Village

Screenplay: Tomohiro Suzuki Storyboard/Episode Director: Tooru Iwazawa Chief Animation Director: Reiko Nagasawa Animation Directors: Keisuke Hiroe, Akiko Takase Key Animation: Mayuko Kandori, Ayaka Satou, Airi Takahashi, Dana Akahara, Hidekazu Ebina, Toshiya Kouno, Kohaku (Yutaka Nakamura), Kai Shibata, Hironori Tanaka, TOMATO, Keisuke Namioka, Ruoyu Wen, Tsutomu Miyazawa, Yukiko Busa, Eiji Yamamori, Rai, Keiichirou Watanabe, Hiroyuki Kobashi, Toshiyuki Satou, Yoshiko Matsumura, Shun Enokido, Chris (Yen bm), Mark Kenta Corcoran, Takahito Sakazume, Mami Takaishi, Youko Tsukada, Hiroo Nagano, HAHI, Houjicha, Saho Miyano, Shingo Yamashita, Tatsuya Yoshihara, Ruochen Liang

IT WAS SO GOOD, IT WAS SO GOOD..Uhh mhmm.

This week's Frieren episode was a showcase of the animators that the show continues to hold, top-tier level animators who you would typically see creating "sakuga" moments for just a few moments in a show. However, they are constant animators throughout the entirety of Frieren. And while you should have already been impressed, the Stark fight scene against the dragon truly showcased their talents.

An underrated role that people don't typically mention is the animation producer, who is mostly responsible for gathering the animators for a show. In this case, it's Yuuichirou Fukushi, who has been the animation producer for Sonny Boy, takt op.Destiny, One Punch Man, and more. The staff he assembles for his shows is simply top-notch almost every time, and I felt like I needed to mention that, especially when he is now responsible for two of my personal top shows, Frieren and Sonny Boy. Takashi Nakame is also listed as an animation producer for the show, but I don't know as much about him. Nevertheless, he should also be mentioned. In the Stark fight scene alone, you have Hironori Tanaka, Keiichirou Watanabe, Shingo Yamashita, Tatsuya Yoshihara, Chris (Yen bm), and Yutaka Nakamura. That's a team of multiple superstar animators that you wish one of them would be in your own show, but Frieren has all of them together, and the result is something you just have to see for yourself.

While I never really read Frieren's manga for its fight scenes, I was excited to see the action scenes in the animation. We did see it in the four-episode debut, but that was a more stationary wizard magic battle (which was still very cool). However, Stark vs. the dragon feels greatly enhanced compared to the manga. Just from the moment Stark runs to engage, the camera naturally follows him as he charges in, continuing to track him as if it were a boss fight in a video game. The fluidity and character acting amidst all of this action are phenomenal and it's all done in completely 2D including the backgrounds and dragons which is rarer nowadays.

The decision for a closer, more dynamic adaptation of the fight scene can be credited to Tooru Iwazawa, who is the action director for this episode. He also storyboarded and directed the entire episode.

Setting the action aside, I loved the episode as always. The attention to detail in translating the characters' expressions from the manga to the anime never ceases to amaze me. As someone who used to collect Fern's funny faces in the manga, I'm delighted to see all of them in their full glory. It's also heartwarming to witness the budding relationship between Fern and Stark in this episode.

[yourolddunsparce]

Benny the Butcher - Everybody Can't Go

Y.O.D, signing on,

WE ARE SO (kinda) BACK BABY

Alright, before I get into this, I gotta apologize for not dropping part 2 of my other post. I got like zero interaction and was massively discouraged, but after talking with other tumblr people I learned a very valuable lesson. Reblog all your shit. I told myself I was going to react to this album as soon as I could and not wait for the weekend, and I've had it on repeat for all of my work day, so I'm massively excited. Especially because I quite enjoy this album! This will act as my first "review", but I don't have the musical knowledge nor background to elaborate on what I really want to describe, so I'll be saying a lot of "I like this, I don't like this". If you want some actual in-depth critique from a huge Griselda fan, go watch B-Side Rap Reviews when he eventually drops a reaction video, if he even does. He's not a particularly huge fan of Hit-Boy, so he may skip on this all together, but who knows? It looks like he still has to react to Boldy James's latest project as well, but I like his content, so I hope he does. Let's get back into this though, for real.

(EDIT: Okay fine, I dropped it Saturday, sue me)

Background

As a small introduction, you should know that Benny the Butcher is an absolute fraud, because his real name is Jeremie. Carving out a niche in Buffalo, NY with his cousins Alvin and Demond, he's since started his own label, Black Soprano Family. The majority of his output for last year were features with many of his B$F crew, as well as some higher profile appearances on various projects with his Griselda brothers and a Smoke DZA + Flying Lotus collaboration album (I still need to check that one out). This followed up a huge 2022 when he dropped the latest installment to his critically acclaimed Tana Talk series, culminating in Griselda Records collectively receiving their first ever GOLD certified record. Safe to say, the Butcher has kept busy these past couple of years, especially with the crafting of his Def Jam debut in the new album. Originally set to release as early as August of last year, it got pushed back to this first month of this year. With dual production from Hit-Boy and The Alchemist, it's easy to be concerned with the lack of credits from Daringer and the Griselda stable of producers fans are used to hearing. As you'll soon find out, however, it makes for a mostly solid debut album on his first major label, so I think it all worked out well enough! No, we will not be talking about his mediocre Freddie Gibbs beef.

Track by Track

Jermanie's Graduation - The first Alchemist beat, and holy shit does it hit. Benny the Butcher has quite frankly never missed on intro tracks, and this is no different. A classic piano loop accompanied by a 3 minute verse and no hooks, Benny at his finest. He spits about his come up and keeping his clique together (and emphatically dispels any rumors of leaving his Griselda ties behind on his path to the mainstream), going from the streets to private jets as he flows over the beat. I could definitely do without the poop bars though ("So I'm shitting around these pussies just like a all-gender restroom"), but it's a top tier intro track that sets up new listeners for what's to come while exciting Griselda fans.

BRON - The first Hit-Boy beat, and probably my favorite one, but I don't think it holds much of a candle to Alchemist's beats. You'll see my point later on, but the layered horns make you bounce in your seat while Benny flexes about rich people things. Third single off the album, but I'm confused as to why it wasn't the first. Lebron has been seen vibing out to Burden of Proof and many other Benny projects before, dropping this as the first single probably gets this much more hype then the Lil Wayne feature. I know he's probably going to post a clip of him working out to this though, this track bangs hard.

Big Dog (w/Lil Wayne) - The big single off the album, I like just about everything except the hook and the outro. Benny and Tunechi are sliding on this beat with no effort, and Wayne especially delivers a great verse. The sample sounds like this synth being reversed accompanied by clattering piano chords that pop in occasionally. Not my favorite Alchemist beat, but the dog barks he adds lend to the theme well. The only thing I'm really caught up on is that stressed hook, I'm not convinced Benny can make it work. I especially dislike the outro being a refrain of the hook, and I don't think it adds much to the track, but overall it's an enjoyable listen. Wayne shouts out the Suns too, but they're barely clinging on to the 6th seed, come on.

Everybody Can't Go (w/Kyle Banks) - By far my least favorite track, it's a definite skip for me. The actual song itself isn't that bad, but I think the chipmunk sample is tuned up way too much, to the point where it actively annoys me. It sounds eerily similar to Burden of Proof's Thank God I Made It, which is where I think most of my frustration comes from. It's got a better sample, a better hook, and Benny delivers a sweet tribute to both his mother and shouts out his deceased brother Machine Gun Blak (a very important footnote in Griselda history). Not that this track's lyrical content is lacking, but he's setting himself up for some terribly aged bars depending on this year's election cycle ("Know ima win, like the election if Trump run again").

TMVTL - Griselda fans, this is the one. Vintage storytelling from the Butcher on a double beat switch from The Alchemist. Benny switches up his flow in the first beat switch before reverting back when the second one rolls around, and the eerie soundscapes provided let him tell some haunting stories, with a repeating sentiment of trust over love in some chilling bars. It really turns up in the third half, when he's rapping about himself in third person in a story mirroring a real-life incident where he got shot in the leg. I'm not sure if Benny's done any post release interviews to confirm my speculation, but it would add another layer to the highlight of the album if it were intentional. If you're not into Hit-Boy and the mainstream direction Benny may be headed, this is the first track you'll want to hit up.

Back Again (w/Snoop Dogg) - Probably tied for my favorite hook on the album with a little help from the Doggfather. Snoop doesn't pen an actual verse, but his catchy hook fits in this bass driven beat, courtesy of Hit-Boy. The drums hit nice, and the little xylophones in this sample bring this shit together. Nothing special from Benny as far as rapping here, but he flows well on the track for a solid performance. I wish Snoop could have dropped a verse at the end to cap everything off, but I've now added "boogie" back into my lexicon, so thank you Snoop. I could easily see this track sliding into Burden of Proof, and it's a nice change of pace being placed immediately after the grimy TMVTL. Dub for the sequencing.

One Foot In (w/Stove God Cooks) - 2nd single off the album, and it is a damn shame we don't have Stove on the hook. The adlibs Benny throws in the hook feel way too wordy to work, I think keeping the empty space between his bars would have been fine. Either shorten the adlibs or have Stove come in, but it really takes the song from potentially being great to being just good for me, like with Big Dog before. Everything else about the track is great though, and I love hearing Stove over Hit-Boy as opposed to drumless loops or chaotic Conductor Williams beats (I love Conductor though, check out his new video on his YouTube channel). His verse is funny as hell too, and Benny continues to display his chemistry with Hit-Boy in the beginning verse.

Buffalo Kitchen Club (w/Armani Caesar) - THEY AIN'T FUCKIN WITH LIZ AND THE BUTCH. Tied with Back Again for my favorite hook, I think this is probably my favorite track on the whole album. Armani Caesar fucking murders the hook, and she has a nice verse before Benny comes in to finish the job. I'm not generally a fan of sex bars in general, especially if they're older dudes (looking at you Drake, Nas), but Benny doesn't try to hammer it in, and it feels natural with his flow. This is also probably my favorite Alchemist beat on the song, the bass is absolutely perfect with those piano loops. Low key would add this to the workout playlist as well, but I'll be bumping this regardless.

Pillow Talk & Slander (w/Babyface Ray & Jadakiss) - I've listened to this song maybe 20 times now, and I still don't know what to think about it. It is by far Benny's best hook by himself on the album, I feel like he should lean more into simply 4 bar hooks then try and do what he did on Big Dog and One Foot In. I understand he wants to get in his bag though (And he really does try his hardest, believe me), and he's really showing off his versatility throughout the entire album. The beat itself is this chopped string sample with some hi-hat stutters and a piano? I feel like I've heard this melody in JRPG before, but I know I'm wrong. Babyface Ray is a really interesting artist to me, he could easily have shown up with fellow Michigander Babytron on Lyrical Lemonade's latest album, but he's clearly a big Griselda fan. He has Westside Gunn on his latest album, Summer's Mine, and he's also featured on an Alchemist project as well. Even with those influences, however, his music has stayed predominantly in the trap soundscape, so he sounds right at home with Hit-Boy's production, and he holds his own next to Benny and fucking Jadakiss. Jadakiss's voice sounds like it's steeped in gravel, but it makes his bars more menacing as he snags the third verse of the track. I honestly still don't know how much I love this track, but I do enjoy it nonetheless.

How To Rap - This beat came straight out of Roc-A-Fellas vault. I love the throwback, and this synth sample is super sick. This bass kind of hits like a whoopee cushion though, I know FL has to have better sounds then that. There's also a very faint cowbell sound you can hear, and it's kind of bugging me out, but it's still a nice beat. If anything, Jadakiss should've probably hopped on this joint, and even at 2:42, it still feels like a short track. Benny is still bringing his A-game though, and it makes for another good track coming to the finish line of this album's tracklist.

Griselda Express (w/Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine & Rick Hyde) - To air out a personal grievance I have with this track: Where is Conductor Williams? You got a track named "Griselda Express", you have Benny talking about "the Griselda train not stopping" (which happens like 16 times in the outro), and it's not produced by the dude whose entire shtick is being a Conductor?! No, I don't care if he's not actually a conductor, you're telling me we could've had these 4 on this immaculate shit?!

Anyways,

Solid track, even if it isn't the classic Griselda Big 3 (sorry Mach-Hommy) cypher you're used to on their albums. Benny, Rick, and Conway all do their thing while Gunn takes the hook (WHY I SHOOT LIKE THAT x24), which they've done in the past on Benny's projects. Personally, Rick Hyde doesn't do much for me, and I'd be okay with cutting his verse so you could make Gunn's hook slightly more tolerable. I understand putting your people on though (even if How To Rap is right there), so he's alright with me. It isn't my favorite Alchemist track, but if you're producing for a cypher, it's best for the beat not to be too busy, so I get it.

Big Tymers (w/Peezy) - Alright, this is going to be the main talking point of this album, I fear. Griselda fans, please proceed with caution, because that is Benny the Butcher using autotune on this hook. I honestly don't mind it, personally, but I'm also not sure if it actually enhances the hook either. I guess he's trying to compensate for not having the range of Mach-Hommy or the charisma of Westside Gunn, but even with auto tune, it's a super low energy hook that's almost hard to hear. Still, it's a decent track, and it definitely showcases Benny's ability to flow on trap beats (not that it was ever in question) (I know it's not an actual trap beat but it's so SICK). I had no fucking clue who Peezy was before this, but he does well enough, I think. Maybe this shouldn't have been the closer track, but I also don't know where else you put this on the tracklist.

Overall Thoughts

This was the only GIF I could find here with Benny in it, but why does Jay-Z look so perturbed? Did he forget his laundry? Is this when he found out Beyoncé knew he cheated?! That's a clean suit though, no lie.

I don't know what Benny's looking for in his career at the moment, whether it be going mainstream or simply making music he wants to make easier now that he's with Def Jam. If it's going mainstream, I think he could have definitely done a few things differently (I'm sure this dude has J. Cole on speed dial), but if he's just dropping music? Fuck it, let him do his autotune hooks. I think this was a solid project that's going to put a lot of eyes on Griselda moving forward, just as Gunn's AND THEN YOU PRAY FOR ME is currently doing. As long as these dudes make music, that's all I want. I would've loved to see Rome Streetz on this project as well, especially after learning that he's built like this:

HELLO??? WHAT IS THIS??? Get this dude on the runway immediately!!

In all seriousness though, this is a very good project for me, even if there's a few misses and not many truly "great" moments. The one song that I think will really be talked about in high regard for Benny is TMVTL, but otherwise, these all range from decent to great for most Griselda fans. For those not familiar with Griselda, however, this serves as a good base to find out what you like in Benny the Butcher. He showcases a lot of different things, and delivers (for the most part) on varying his performances and highlighting specific things about him. Maybe you enjoyed Back Again, which could lead you to Burden of Proof. If you liked Buffalo Kitchen Club, I would highly suggest Tana Talk 4. Even with more curated cuts like TMVTL, Tana Talk 3 will satisfy your tastes. If this was Benny's end goal, then mission accomplished.

You have to fix the fucking hair though dude, for real.

This is Y.O.D, signing out

[rishabhjainactor]

Rishabh Jain Actor of Delhi and Mumbai

Rishabh Jain, a prominent name in the Indian modeling and acting industry, has built a career that reflects sheer determination and an undying passion for the performing arts. Born and raised in a business family in Delhi, Rishabh’s journey is an inspiring tale of following one’s dreams and excelling in diverse creative domains.

Early Life and Education

Hailing from the vibrant capital city of India, Delhi, Rishabh Jain completed his schooling and graduation within his hometown. Despite being rooted in a business family, his heart always resonated with creativity and performing arts. This inclination led him to explore modeling as early as the 10th grade.

With his charming personality and good looks, Rishabh quickly became a sought-after name in the modeling industry. He participated in various fashion and print shows, marking the beginning of a thriving career.

Rising Star in the Modeling World

Rishabh’s modeling journey is nothing short of stellar. He has worked with several top-tier corporate brands like Raymond and walked the ramp for prestigious names, including NIFT. His dedication and talent didn’t just win him national recognition but also opened international opportunities. A notable highlight was his participation in the Fashion Week in Russia, where he showcased collections for acclaimed international designers.

Transition to Acting

Modeling was just the beginning for Rishabh Jain. Deep down, acting was his true passion. After establishing himself in the modeling world, he took the leap into acting. To hone his skills, he joined the Barry John Institute of Acting in Delhi, a renowned training ground for some of the biggest Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Varun Dhawan.

Following his training, Rishabh moved to Mumbai to pursue acting full-time. His television debut was in a hit show alongside Bhagyashree, where his performance was widely appreciated. He then portrayed the historical character Raghoji in the critically acclaimed Colors TV series Veer Shivaji, earning accolades for his compelling performance.

Bollywood and Beyond

Rishabh Jain’s Bollywood debut came with Salman Khan’s blockbuster film, Veer, where he played the character of Ramu Rath, a close friend of Salman Khan's character. His journey in the film industry continued with remarkable performances in movies like Mamaahiya – Call of Love and short films for international festivals.

One of his recent projects includes a lead role under the direction of Rakesh Sawant, with the movie slated for release soon. Fans are also eagerly waiting for his upcoming music video, sung by Shahid Mallya, known for hits like Saayian from Lootere.

Beyond Acting: Fitness, Hobbies, and Social Causes

Rishabh Jain is not just an actor but a multifaceted individual. A fitness enthusiast, he lives by the mantra: Healthy Food + Right Workout = True Fitness. His fitness regimen includes yoga, horse riding, swimming, and a disciplined workout routine.

Apart from fitness, Rishabh has a keen interest in astrology and exploring universal concepts. He also has a philanthropic side and actively participates in social campaigns, lending his support to causes close to his heart. His short film Rebellion, which addresses social issues, is a testament to his commitment to making a difference.

Awards and Recognition

Rishabh’s journey has been dotted with achievements and accolades. His recent honor, the Mahanagar Global Award, recognizes his contributions and accomplishments in acting.

A Bright Future

With his talent, dedication, and charisma, Rishabh Jain continues to shine in the entertainment industry. From his humble beginnings in Delhi to gracing international ramps and the silver screen, his journey inspires countless young talents.

To know more about Rishabh Jain, visit his official website at rishabhjain.info.

[omghallucinations]

Hi babes 💖 I recently got back into astrology and happened to stumble upon your blog and it's so so so good 😭😭😭 ngl some of the stuff went over my add brain but best believe I will reread when I'm in a better frame of mind (reading hard-core astrology after work is not one of my best ideas). I especially loved the one on Bang Chan, he's my ult bias but ngl I read your analysis like "I thought I was the only one who perceived that", like besides him being intense (obviously), he really gives off vibes of someone with a looooooot going on down under, especially about him being different than how he typically shows himself to people. I've seen quite a few clips of him doing or saying stuff "out of character" aka not being all sunshine and roses and just been like hmmmmm that's gonna stick with me. Like, the dude moved to Korea when he was 13 and experienced a complete culture shift and isolation from his family, watched all his friends either leave the industry or debut before him, is expected to act like an idol, and experienced death threats and bullying when Woojin left like yikes, I can only imagine how much he has stored up, judging from your analysis. But your analysis are genuinely top tier and your passion for astrology is shining from your posts and it makes a person interested in what you post. All the best 💖

thank you!!! yeah it was so interesting how that juxtaposition is shown so clearly in his chart--like it's kind of textbook lmao with jupiter conjunct mc and pluto/mars on the descendant.

[legion1227]

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Review

I miss Chadwick Boseman. 

Chadwick Boseman will always be The Black Panther, T'Challa. When news broke that the actor passed from colon cancer in 2020, it was heart-wrenching. Beyond portraying an iconic superhero, the world lost a genuine, kind soul. One that inspired children to want to be like him. One who donated thousands of dollars to programs like the Boys and Girls Club. His passing was tragic, and there will never be another like him. 

As news broke of a Black Panther sequel in the works, everybody wondered, "How do you do a Black Panther sequel without Black Panther?" 

Well, there was an attempt. And it was great. 

After the death of King T'Challa, Queen Ramonda, Shuri, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje work together to protect their nation from other world powers looking to intervene. The Wakandans are skeptical of the other countries that aren't Wakanda. Tensions and emotions are high after the passing of T'challa. And as the Wakandans are so focused on the humans, a new force presents itself as an enemy to Wakanda: the Talokans. 

There's so much in this film that works. Acting-wise, everybody performs amazingly. Letitia Wright, as Shuri, has grown up since the last Black Panther film and has no choice but to grow up and take a role she thought unfathomable. The loss of her brother affected her deeply, shaking her foundation to its core. She found faith in science over tradition for a considerable amount of time. Danai Gurira, as Okoye, grieves in her way and provides excellent chemistry with Shuri and other cast members. But Angela Basset as Queen Ramonda? Her presentation is immaculate. When Ramonda presents herself to her subjects or enemies, she's a majestic beacon of royalty. She's that bitch. But when she's alone with Shuri, she takes off the headwear and appears more vulnerable with her daughter. Basset tightropes between both displays effortlessly. In one of the trailers for Wakanda Forever, there's a snippet that shows Ramonda as she says, "I am the queen of the most powerful nation in the world, and my entire family is gone. Have I not given everything?" The delivery of that line is perfect. That scene is enough proof that Angela Basset deserves an award for her role. 

And as far as antagonists go, Tenoch Huerta makes for a fantastic Namor. In the comics, Namor and his people appear Atlantean with Anglo-Euro origins. Injecting Latin flavor into the character and his civilization was an intriguing choice that I loved seeing as a person of Hispanic heritage. Namor is a top-tier foil to Shuri and the others. His motives are understandable, and the character is menacing. He's not even a villain. I emphasize that he's more of an antagonist. The fight scenes between the Wakandans and the Talokans are energetic and make for a fascinating watch. A particular favorite of mine involves a Talokan and Okoye on a bridge. 

Unfortunately, there are some gripes I harbor with the film. Dominque Thorne plays Riri Williams and makes a fine debut. Her scenes with the Wakandans are a bit lacking. Her character reminds me of Shuri in the first Black Panther. I would've liked something more substantial with her, but I feel that may come in her upcoming show "Ironheart." I look forward to getting more of a taste of her there. Also, lacking screen time were the other Talokans. Namor remains stellar, but his subordinates Namora and Attuma are less memorable as characters. Attuma has a solid fight scene in the movie, but I can't tell you much of anything about either of the character's motives or personality or otherwise. M'Baku is not in the film as much as he should be. And finally, Martin Freeman and Julia-Loius Dreyfus appear in scenes mostly distant from Wakandan's direct conflict, and they're the least interesting parts of the movie. I like Freeman and Dreyfus immensely and in the other Marvel projects they have appeared in, but whenever they were on screen, I found myself wanting to see what Shuri or Namor was doing. Honestly, the scenes with them should have been replaced with more scenes dedicated to building up Namor, Attuma, and Namora's characters. 

So there are a couple of choices they could have made to improve the film but don't get me wrong, it's still great. The acting, action, and heart drive the movie to immense highs. It's my favorite superhero movie I watched this year, and in the top ten films, I saw this year. 4/5.

The movie deserves so much praise, even to the end. Without spoiling, there's only one credit scene in the film, and it's the best post-credits scene any Marvel movie has had. It's not an exciting, thrilling romp that reveals a game changer of a character, like "The Avengers" teasing Thanos. Nor is it something comedic or goofy like the ant playing drums in the end credits scene of "Ant-Man and the Wasp." What makes it the best is that it's a beautiful reveal. It's one more tug at the heartstrings that's sure to leave audiences teary-eyed. 

 A beautiful ode to the wonderful man that was Chadwick Boseman.

[nettlestonenell]

@coreancitizen​, you have asked for Asks to celebrate April 17th being the debut date of The King: Eternal Monarch

So, after awhile distracted by contemplating the hair in the photo below,

I’ve got some asks for you, and for anyone else who would like to take them on.

- LMH has taken a lot of online heat for his acting (in this project and others), what are your top three acting moments from him as Lee Gon in TKEM?

- What do you think Lee Lim intended to do with the power he was seeking via the flute? Do you think he had any intent on conquering other worlds, or only the Kingdom’s?

- Do you read the final scene between Kang Hyeon-Min (our Sin-Jae) and Luna in the repaired timeline as romantic?

- Do you excuse Jo Yeong from preventing Tae-Eul from seeing Lee Gon following the poisoning?

- What are some moments you feel undeniable chemistry on-screen between Tae-Eul and Lee Gon?

- Name your favorite third-tier character and explain why they are so.

Thanks! Here’s a tip for your trouble.

[glennk56]

Top 10 chubby actors in the 1940s

I’ve compiled a list of fat actors from the 1940’s, rated by the number of times and tier (lead or supporting player) their names appeared on the posters promoting their movies and number of credits.

I have excluded some actors which might be considered “Hollywood” fat or they got fat after the 1940s. Some of the actors I excluded are Thomas Mitchell, Orson Welles, Akim Tamiroff, Broderick Crawford, Alan Hale Sr., Cecil Kellaway.

The first list is of actors who got top billing or co-starred in many of their films.

1.       Short excitable chubby comedian Lou Costello. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello became the number one comedy duo in the 1940s, replacing Laurel and Hardy from the 1930s. There were 24 Abbott and Costello feature films in the 1940s.

2.       Raspy-voiced homespun comedian Andy Devine was popular with audiences in the 1930s. And the studio always found roles for him. In the late 30s and early 40s he co-starred with Richard Arlen in action/adventure B-movies. He started his career, big and athletic, often playing college football players. By the late 30s, he put on a lot of weight. After Arlen departed the studio, he was teamed with Leo Carrillo in the same movie genre. By the late 40s he was teamed with Roy Rogers as Roy’s sidekick Cookie Bullfincher.

3.       Charles Coburn was a respected Broadway actor when he started his film career at the age of 60 in the late 30s. He was in demand, gaining 15 starring or co-starring roles of 32 featured roles. He won an Oscar for The More the Merrier in 1943. He was also nominated for Oscars for The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) and The Green Years (1946).

4.       Charles Laughton was a well-respected actor and considered one of the best of his generation. Charles was often the lead actor in his films.  Among his best films in the 40s were Captain Kidd, The Canterville Ghost, The Big Clock and This Land Is Mine.

5.       Nigel Bruce, best known as the often befuddled Dr. Watson in the Sherlock Holmes films of the 40s. Nigel co-starred with Basil Rathbone in 14 Sherlock Holmes mysteries in the 40s after the first two in 1939. He was also featured in Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940) and Suspicion (1941).

6.       Edward Arnold was a fine actor, often playing imposing figures, businessmen, politicians and corporate villains. He started his career in the teens, in the silents, but quit to do real acting in the theater. He came back to film heavier and accomplished. He had more lead roles in the 30s,  but gave up dieting and gained weight in the 40s and played more character roles.

7.       Jack Oakie often co-starred in light-hearted romcoms of the time. While in the 30s, he could play either the love interest or the smart aleck best friend, in the 40s he was either the smart aleck friend or anther role as he gained weight in the 40s. His most memorable role in the 40s was as Napolini in Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator.

8.       Sydney Greenstreet was an accomplished stage actor when he started his film career at the age of 61 in his most memorable debut as the sinister Kasper Gutman in The Maltese Falcon (1941). Greenstreet’s on-screen rapport with Bogart and Peter Lorre led to more matchups in Casablanca, Passage to Marseilles, Across the Pacific, Conflict, The Verdict, Three Strangers, Background to Danger, The Mask of Dimitrios. Greenstreet was also featured in Christmas in Connecticut and The Woman in White.  

9.       Jerry ‘Curly’ Howard was the fat member of The Three Stooges comedy team and co-starred in 55 short films in the 40s with his brother Moe Howard and Larry Fine.  Columbia was the only film producer still making Short Comedy Films thoughout the 40s.

10.   Guy Kibbee. On the strength of six B movies, playing Scattergood Baines does Guy Kibbee make the list. Finishing with 10 starring or co-starring roles and 18 more featured roles in the 40s. He totaled 38 films altogether in the 1940s.

[freshthoughts2020]

HOW RECENCY BIAS WILL AFFECT THE NEW KENDRICK RELEASE.

HOW RECENCY BIAS WILL AFFECT THE NEW KENDRICK RELEASE.

APRIL 18, 2022.

I. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

It was a snowy day in Michigan. As expected during this time because we have 80 months of winter and 1 week of summer. Anywho, your mans was just scrolling down his time, when I see a press release posted on Elliott Wilson page. First thing I see was the “PgLang” header, I said “uh huh..” then I see a release date and an album title?!?! Oh its serious time! The one whom they call Kendrick Lamar is returning?

After so long since the Pulitzer Prize winning album DAMN. released, no one really knows what to expect from the TDE veteran. What I do know is this album is the MOST IMPORTANT RELEASE in his discography! Why? Ok here it is..

II. J. COLE’S STRONG CLAIM FOR NUMBER ONE!

Since the mid 2010s hip hop has held the trifecta of Drake, J.Cole, & Kendrick Lamar as the three headed monster of the greatest current mc,s. The number one spot has been constantly interchangeable based on the performances throughout the years from the big 3. Drizzy is always my favorite personal number one but I’d be. a lying fool if I don’t give Jermaine Cole his credit.

Now Jermaine has been running circles around people since about 2018. He’s the new school feature king, he’s been consistently releasing great albums, and he’s on fire as an executive. J. Cole took a strong lead to me when he strategically released the Dreamville compliation mixtape “D-DAY w/ DJ DRAMA” to coincide with his own festival and when he dropped that monster verse on BIA’s new single “LONDON”. Cole clearly made his claim for top position and Drizzy is always drizzy, where does that leave Kendrick?

III.AN ACTIVE KENDRICK?!?!!?

We got a preview of the innovation to come when K.Dot gave us the tractor trailer flow on Baby Keem records and we see the executive moves he making by breaking away from his home label to start his own enterprise. However we can’t act like those years of inactivity haven’t affected K.Dot in a negative way. Now a person with sense will argue that Kendrick’s quality is so top tier he doesn’t need to have the same output as his peers. That person would be right because Kendrick’s legacy is cemented and you cannot take away those classic albums but how can we honestly say he number one when Drizzy and even Cole kept their foot on the pedal, staying active and creating moments while K.Dot is chilling with his family getting his hair braided.

So how will recency bias affect K.Dot now? If Kendrick new album meet people’s expectations let alone surpass it, people are gonna undoubtedly says he’s number one and no one is messing with him! Which will be an over-exaggeration because this one album no matter how good it is can’t put him over Cole and Drake, he been too inactive!! This album must be the beginning of a run! I mean a serious run! He gotta drop fire, Baby keem gotta follow up with fire, we need new PgLang artists to debut, and shorter gaps between Kendrick release! He has to go on a tear!

Now if the album is whack….that is literally the worst thing that can happen for him. Because people are going to act like Section.80 or To Pimp A Butterfly don’t exist then they’re going to act like it was blasphemous to compare him to Cole and Drizzy in the first place. Let’s get this clear no matter how whack this album is it cannot end K.Dot’s career! People still don’t have a Good Kid Maad City in their catalog.

So that’s really it man, the album don’t release until May 13, 2022 so in the meantime prepare to see the wildest takes and even on release date prepare to see the most bs, good and bad, you ever seen. What are you expecting from this album? Do he need features? What about Production? Let me know how you feel beloved, thanks for reading!!

Follow me on twitter @onlyonejaevonn

visit gettothecorner.com

[gavillain]

I just saw your post on recommended Doctor Doom stories a while back and I will definitely read some of these in the future. Thank you. What Loki (Marvel) stories would you recommend?

I'm gonna try to do this in chronological order, but, as always with comics, read in whatever order you want. Comic continuity is very fluid that way.

Loki's initial appearances in Journey Into Mystery and Thor's self titled run are pretty good early comics stuff (and like with Doom, I recommend reading just any of them), but his first appearance is Journey Into Mystery #85, his backstory is in Journey Into Mystery #112, and the initial Destroyer arc is Journey Into Mystery #114 – 119.

He was also in Avengers #1 as the first villain they ever fought, and it's important context. He and Dormammu also are the main villains of the Avengers/Defenders war in Avengers #115 – 120 & Defenders #8 – 11. You get the direct follow up story for Loki in Thor #232 – 234.

I personally feel like Loki really came into his own when Walter Simonson came on board as the main Thor writer in Thor #337 (Loki is in Simonson's debut story in Thor #337 – 341, which introduces Beta Ray Bill). Everything Simonson writes for Loki is top tier, but in particular I recommend Thor #344 (Malekith's first appearance) and the iconic story of Loki turning Thor into a frog in Thor #363 – 366.

Avengers: Loki Unleashed is set during this time period. If you've ever wanted to see Loki fighting God, this is the issue to pick up XD

Marvel Fanfare #34 - #37 is one of my favorite Loki stories. It's very fairytale esque with Loki going full Maleficent mode over not being invited to a wedding and later straight up turning it a dragon. Very good standalone classic story.

Thor #400 has Loki's backstory with Eldred the sorcerer, showing how he learned his dark magic and came to be in the position he is today. It's short, but it's one of my favorites and the art is really cool.

Loki's the main villain of the Acts of Vengeance crossover event that encompasses a lot of different titles, though he mostly plays a behind the scenes role until Avengers West Coast #55.

Avengers: Heroes Reborn is a fun arc where Loki is the main villain. The art starts out terrible because it's Rob Liefeld, but Simonson comes on board for the back half so it's great classic Loki stuff that culminates in him growing giant and becoming all-powerful.

The 2004 Loki miniseries is really great and worth reading since t's basically a whole character study on Loki set after he's won the throne of Asgard. It was adapted into Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers motion comic that you can watch if you don't feel like reading. The 2010 Loki miniseries is pretty good too! I don't like it as much as the 2004 one, but it's a good take on the classic mythology stories. These two can be read at any time because they're disconnected from main continuity altogether.

Thor: Son of Asgard came out around this point, but it's set when Thor, Loki, Sif, and Balder are all kids. Loki is in Thor: Son of Asgard #1, 2, and 4 – 9. All of it is worth reading, but #7 - 9 is the best Loki content and shows him and Amora being sassy besties together XD

Thor vol.2 #68 – 79 is the Thor: Lord of Earth arc. Loki is in it as Thor's treacherous advisor figure. If you want some additional context, Thor vol.2 #55 and Thor vol.2 #64 both feature Loki as well and are worth reading.

Ragnarok happens in Thor vol.2 #80 - #85, but Loki himself is only in Thor vol.2 #80 – 81 and #84 – 85. Loki causes it, and it's a great big important moment in Thor history.

In general everything pertaining to Dark Reign and Siege is just GREAT Loki content. In particular, I've gotta give it up for Thor vol.3 #5 - #12 and then #601 up through the end of Siege. My favorite all time Loki issue is Siege: Loki. It has the best writing, the best characterization, and it's awesome!

I do NOT recommend reading anything set post-Siege with Loki because he gets resurrected and rebooted as a totally new character, and I don't feel like Marvel has generally done him justice since then. Spare yourself the trouble and just don't.

However, Marvel has an alternate future verse called the MC2, which is most famous for having Peter Parker's daughter becoming Spider-Girl. Loki is the main villain of the Last Hero Standing miniseries. It's worth checking out and is kind of a good "finale" arc for Loki.

[rz-jocelyn]

[TRIVIA] A Compilation of Random Trivia about Sato Ryuji (Part 03)

Originally posted at this Twitter thread: HERE

A Compilation of Random Trivia about Sato Ryuji (Part 01): HERE

A Compilation of Random Trivia about Sato Ryuji (Part 02): HERE

1. When he auditioned for Kamen Rider Fourze, he felt he was at a disadvantage compared to other fresh, good-looking young actors. So, he created a delinquent image because he thought being a "bad boy" would help him stand out.

He won the role of Satake Teruhiko (Hound Zodiarts).

2. He's been scouted to be a host more times than he's been scouted to be a celebrity, and has joked that he's probably been scouted to be a host about 100 times. In his acting career, he's played the role of a host in "Kizoku Tanjou -PRINCE OF LEGEND-" and "Eerie Mienai Kao".

3. He cried when he did the read-through of the script for the "Musical Touken Ranbu ~Bakumatsu Tenrouden~".

4. He made his debut in the entertainment industry when he was still in high school, and went to a school that offered "home correspondence courses". Because of this, he has not properly experienced the high school life. He also missed his graduation ceremony due to work.

5. He does his own character makeup for his roles of Uchiha Sasuke from the "Live Spectacle NARUTO" and Kashuu Kiyomitsu from the "Musical Touken Ranbu". The style of makeup he uses for The Brow Beat is his own personal style.

6. Ryuji once planned to prank Kado Shuntarou by switching KadoShun-san's water with clear tea, which he had wanted to use as content for the MC. He got HAKUEI-san to help him do it.

Only for Ryuji to forget all about it with KadoShun-san not even realising that he had been pranked.

7. During his school days, he was a cheerleader ("ouen danchou").

8. His role of Dean Paxton in the "Musical 'JAMIE'" is the first time he is playing a role that has been double-cast.

9. During The Brow Beat's collaboration with HARAJUKU POP MAGAZINE, he was styled in gothic lolita fashion. He looked so much like a girl that even he, himself, wondered if it was okay for him to be in the men's toilet when he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

10. His weak point: Mascot characters

He finds it scary when they approach him without changes in their facial expression. When he comes across them in theme parks, he'll avoid them. He's also never taken a photo with them (of his own volition).

11. When he played baseball in school, he played in the position of third baseman.

12. He doesn't like and can't eat coriander.

13. On October 16, 2011, he officially made his entertainment industry debut in Episode 07 of Kamen Rider Fourze as Satake Teruhiko (Hound Zodiarts).

14. In addition to being a drummer, he was also a vocalist in a band during his high school years. However, it was a band that nobody was interested in, and during their live performance, they were at the venue for half an hour without being wanted.

15. For the "Live Spectacle NARUTO", along with other stunts like trampoline and general acrobatics, he also had to do an aerial acrobatic performance. He would practice the aerial performance at a different place in the morning before joining "Live Spectacle NARUTO" rehearsals in the afternoon.

16. Since his childhood, he was told by his parents, "Don't lead an ordinary life." His father had told him, "My life isn't interesting. Don't lead an ordinary life like me." His parents were civil servants.

17. His parents supported his decision to join the entertainment industry, and his career also became the trigger for them to quit their previous jobs. His father now owns a car shop, and his mother helps his father out at the shop.

18. He has a high alcohol tolerance. Torigoe Yuuki, who has a reputation for his hardcore drinking sessions, lists Ryuji as a top tier heavyweight drinker. And, according to Saeki Daichi, Ryuji can drink the entire night until morning, without sleeping, and still be completely fine the next day.

19. However, on the occasion that Ryuji is affected by alcohol and is tipsy, he becomes someone who is wide-eyed innocent and happy.

20. He has been and is part of a few long-running stages.

8 years > Musical Touken Ranbu (Toumyu): 2015 - Now

6 years > Live Spectacle NARUTO (Narusute): 2015 - Now *

2 years > Gakuran Kageki "Teiichi no Kuni": 2015 - 2017; Present◆5: 2013 - 2015

* Skipped years: 2018, 2020

Image source(s): ( x , x )