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How to Be Cool on Twitter
Just like in middle school, on Twitter, there are the cool kids and the not cool kids. In the social media world, the cool kids are those that come up witty jokes to include in their 140 character updates. They’re the ones that wait a few hours before tweeting you back, and when they do, it’s always with a one-word response. So if you’re looking to step your twitter game up, prepare the rein in ...
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Why I Don’t Like to Read
If you asked me what I used to read as a child, I could easily recite for you a list of books and authors that filled the hours of my adolescence. K.A. Applegate’s Animorphs series allowed me to experience the senses of animals and alien creatures. R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books kept me up late into the night, and even later in to the night when I couldn’t fall asleep. Roald Dahl’s novels invited me to ...
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It’s Just Childish, Baby
It’s laughable that in an age when adulthood seems to start in your mid-20’s, when teenagers avoid stepping into the real world by sticking around for that fifth or sixth senior year, when success either comes at the age of 16 or 55, that we would celebrate a 28 year old comedian, actor, and write who moonlights as a rapper. Yet here we are, with both hip-hop heads and rap occasionalists praising Childish Gambino for ...
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[REVIEW] Ambition
When a rapper tries to convince you that “I’m trend-setting, despite an awful debut,” feelings of hesitancy that arise should be treated as a completely normal reaction. Despite the critical acclaim that his debut album “Attention Deficit” (2009) received, Wale has failed to garner to commercial success that many of his hip-hop counterparts have already achieved. So Wale did what any over-achieving artist would do: he signed with a mainstream label (Rick Ross’ Maybach Music ...
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[REVIEW] Cole World – The Sideline Story
Among the Drake’s, Big Sean’s, and Wale’s, rapper J.Cole stands alone. Signed by Jay-Z in 2009 to his Roc Nation label as its first rapper, J.Cole has faced enormous hype and surmounting expectations as critics and fans heralded him as hip-hop’s Second Coming. Surrounded by contemporaries that describe the rich and famous lifestyle, the North Carolina native’s previous mixtapes, The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010,) successfully blend J.Cole’s self-produced beats – which ...
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“Finally Famous is like the iPad”
From the moment that Big Sean’s Finally Famous dropped on June 28th, one thought could not escape my mind. I debated the absurdities of my thinking for a day or two, thinking that my reasoning was surely flawed. However, this thought has become imprinted in my head. So here it is: Big Sean’s Finally Famous is like the iPad. There, I said it. And I’ll admit, the analogy is a little odd. Comparing a rap ...
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What Happens After You’re Finally Famous?
For many artists, the realization of their success is symbolized by the widespread fame that one achieves. Whether the artist is performing in front of a packed house of hysteric fans or is simply being recognized by a passerby, the acknowledgement that one is famous becomes irrefutable. However, while the right to boast about packing stadiums and being mobbed by fans is certainly admirable, repeatedly articulating one’s status in the upper echelons of society quickly ...
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[BREAKDOWN] Heartache
This is the third in a three part series regarding J.Cole’s The Warm Up. The Warm Up was J.Cole’s second mixtape. As a part of the series, we’ll take a look at three different tracks from the mixtape and appreciate the lyricism and production the artist put into The Warm Up. Heartache – J.Cole Download Judging from The Warm Up tracks like “Dreams” and “Can I Live,” I find it quite easy to appreciate J.Cole’s ...
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[REVIEW] Good to the Last Gasp
Darkness. For the first four and a half minutes of Rodrigo Cortes’ Buried, nothing is seen; instead, all that is heard is the gentle creaking of wood and the sense of growing alarm. Testing your surroundings, you feel the sharp prick of stray wood chips. Pushing against the wooden wall above you, the truth begins to dawn on you: you’re trapped. This scenario is the premise of Buried, director Rodrigo Cortes’ second feature film starring ...
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[BREAKDOWN] Dreams
This is the second in a three part series regarding J.Cole’s The Warm Up. The Warm Up was the second mixtape released in 2009 by J.Cole. As a part of a series, each article will take a look at a different track from the mixtape and appreciate the lyricism and production the artist put into The Warm Up. Dreams (feat. Brandon Hines) – J.Cole There always will be that one girl. That girl you never ...
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Snapple Machine and Beyond
On a cloudy day in Boston, Bodega’s Jay Gordon conducts his business. Selling quality clothing, forming exclusive deals with sneaker companies, and supporting local art, Gordon is used to the busy schedule. Through it all, Jay stays focused, eager to expand and innovate. Jay sits down with young&tailored to discuss his work with Bodega, his personal motivations, and his thoughts on the direction of men’s style. Let’s begin.
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[BREAKDOWN] Can I Live
This is the first in a three part series regarding J.Cole’s The Warm Up. The Warm Up was the second mixtape released in 2009 by J.Cole. As a part of the series, each article will take a look at a different track from the mixtape and appreciate the lyricism and production the artist put into The Warm Up. Although J.Cole’s role as the first artist signed to Roc Nation has been met with much fanfare ...