REVIEW: Dope [2015]

“Congratulations. You have found your iPhone.” Malcolm Adekanbi (Shameik Moore) is a geek. You don’t even need the opening line of Rick Famuyiwa‘s Inglewood-set high school adventure Dope to state as much once we meet him. A self-proclaimed “oreo” with straight-As, constant beat-downs by Bloods-member Bug (Keith Stanfield), and Harvard aspirations his guidance counselor (Bruce Beatty) even scoffs at, the time to finally escape and be what his neighborhood loves to mock him for has arrived. SATs are around the corner, an interview with an Ivy League-alum in the position…

Read More

Top 100 Albums of 2014

Honorable Mention Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso; Empire – Orphan; Skrillex – Recess; The Drums – Encyclopedia; Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2; St. Paul & The Broken Bones – Half the City; Johnny Marr – Playland; Pharrell Williams – G I R L; Patterns – Waking Lines; Wu-Tang Clan – A Better Tomorrow; Mark Lanegan Band – Phantom Radio; Ray LaMontagne – Supernova; Blood Red Shoes – Blood Red Shoes; Jack White – Lazaretto; Coldplay – Ghost Stories. Top 100

Read More

Top 100 Songs of 2014

#100: Coming Home by Kaiser Chiefs #98: Gust of Wind by Pharrell Williams #96: Friday Fish Fry by Kelis #94: It’s a Longer Road to California Than I Thought by The Wind and the Wave #92: Now by Joywave #90: Take My Place by Lily Allen #88: Are You Okay? by Dum Dum Girls #86: Busy Earnin’ by Jungle #84: Never Gonna Change by Broods #82: Riptide by Vance Joy #80: Big Unit by Adebisi Shank #78: Count On My Love by Tessanne Chin #76: Telepathy by ††† #74: Right…

Read More

VIDEO: Weird Al Yankovic’s “Tacky”

I can’t say I ever find myself clamoring for more Weird Al Yankovic, but I always come running when he pops back into society with a new parody video. With his latest album Mandatory Fun on its way, the first single “Tacky” has hit the web as a pretty great play on Pharrell Williams‘ “Happy”. Through a cast consisting of Aisha Taylor, Margaret Cho, Eric Stonestreet, Kristen Schaal, and Jack Black in what appears to be one continuous take, the lyrics of his song come to life. Check it out…

Read More