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Clerks III Is an Invitation Inside Kevin Smith’s Heart
Kevin Smith’s best films have always been his smallest and most personal works; as a filmmaker, his legacy is a fascinating one, as his attempts at more mainstream Hollywood flicks have never been as creatively successful as the films he increasingly makes specifically for his loyal fanbase. This comes out specifically in the Clerks series, which Smith seems to use as a way of processing big turning points in his life: The original Clerks, of course, was all about the malaise of being in your 20s and not being sure about what to do with your life (its success solving that latter problem for Smith, at least initially). Clerks II, arriving during the middle portion of Smith’s career, focuses a lot on what it means to settle down, get married, start a family, and embrace what you love doing, ...
Best New Tracks: Stormzy, Diddy, Lil Baby and More
As the week in music comes to a close, HYPEBEAST has rounded up the best projects for the latest installment of Best New Tracks. This week’s lineup is led by a long-lost track from Queen featuring vocals from late frontman Freddie Mercury. American pianist and producer Robert Glasper tapped Mac Miller for a posthumous collaboration, appearing on the forthcoming deluxe edition of his new LP Black Radio III. Elsewhere in music, Lil Baby dropped his highly-anticipated third studio album It’s Only Me with features from Young Thug, Future and more, while Stormzy shared the first single from his first project in three years. Additional new offerings come from $NOT, Diddy, Tee Grizzley, Russ, Kembe X and Marshmello with Juice WRLD. Stormzy – “Hide & Seek” [embedded content] Stormzy slows it d...
Lil Baby’s It’s Only Me Is Mired in Mediocrity
Following up the biggest album of your career is tough sledding for any artist. But for rappers? It’s something only Houdini might pull off with ease. Hip-hop is always about what you’re doing now, not what you did yesterday. Just one false move takes you from relevant to irrelevant at the drop of a quarter, nickel, or dime. Lil Baby finds himself in that very unenviable position. 2020’s My Turn was, in a word, massive. Baby not only refined his hit-making skills but improved his rapping technique and writing. Since its release, Baby found himself the focus of a documentary that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. So yeah, Lil Baby finds himself in a bit of a moment. It’s Only Me, out Friday, October 14th, is the result of all that pressure, success, and newfound lifestyle for the...
5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: Magne Furuholmen of A-ha
Name Magne/mags/magne f/magne a (in Apparatjik)/magne furuholmen–take your pick. I’ve been called many things and answer to most (except “Asshole”). Best known for (Still) being the youngster in A-ha at the tender age of 59 (for a few more weeks). Current city Oslo Really want to be On the ocean just outside Ibiza – which i will be…in 4 days, 6 hours and 53 minutes, but who’s counting. Excited about The new A-ha film and album True North (October 21) coming out, and of course turning 60…YAY! My current music collection has a lot of Eclectic stuff in it–my sons feed me new exciting music I’d otherwise never know, and in return I force-feed them stuff from the ‘60s through the ‘80s until they beg me to stop. And a little bit of Cla...
A Day in the Life of… Muzi
When asked about his earliest musical memory, Muzi remembers very clearly. “My dad is playing Bob Marley, ‘Buffalo Soldier,’ out of his Toyota Cressida,” he recalls. “I’m four.” Since his 2016 studio debut, South African DJ/singer/songwriter/producer Muzi has earned a reputation for unpredictable sonic experiences. The magic of his music is rooted in a rich recipe of African Zulu influences (specifically Mas-kandi, Kwaito, and Iscathamiya) and pop and electronic music. On his fourth studio album, 2021’s Interblaktic, Muzi demonstrates a natural talent for writing engaging, theatrical music about the under-explored universe of intergalactic adventures and African space travel. (“[I love] the idea that humans can do extraordinary things.”) In his 2021 single “Zupiter,” the lyrics describe hi...
Blue October’s Newest Honors the Album Journey
In this world, there are two kinds of people: those who listen to a whole album start to finish–and those who are about to become converts. Blue October’s newest, Spinning the Truth Around Part I, is bringing back the transportive experience of the old-school album journey with the first of a two-part expansive opus released on October 14th. The double album (Part II is coming out next spring) marks a significant turning point in the band’s decades-long canon. From its opening title track, the album takes us on a sonic interpretation of one of life’s greatest trials—two people growing apart—from the painful start through to its (eventual) “triumphant” outcome. While the chrysalis-to-butterfly/phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes theme is hardly new, Blue October has created a full story expe...
Everything You Need To Know About DC’s Black Adam
The DC Cinematic Universe has faced some serious shake-ups in 2022 alone. With the controversial state of its upcoming Flash film, the world has their critical eyes on their newest film set to release this October. DC’s Black Adam, like The Flash, is set to bring about a new era for the DCEU following the mixed bag that was Zack Snyder’s DCEU. With his debut as Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson redefines what it means to be a hero while facing off against the Justice Society of America for the first time in live-action. DC’s Black Adam is a major turning point for the company, with its protagonist leaning further down the line of what is morally sound. While it isn’t uncommon for movies and TV to have morally gray and villainous protagonists, DC’s Black Adam seems to be one of the first superhero...
‘The Rings of Power’ Season One Finale: The Best Fan Theories, Explained
As of the end of episode 7, Galadriel and Halbrand are on their way from Mordor to meet the elves. Perhaps this is how he meets Celebrimbor. And then when he does, he’ll casually say to Celebrimbor, “hey, that’s a pretty nice forge. I have some recommendations for how to improve it. Oh, and try using that Dwarven mithril to fashion rings.” Ending the season this way (which is how I suspect it will conclude) would be a cleverer way to reward the fans for their attentiveness to the clues and non-Tolkien fans are none-the-wiser. Whether Halbrand is revealed as Sauron (assuming this theory is true) at the end of the season is still unclear, though I’m actually inclined to say he will not be outed as Sauron formally (though I suspect something will happen that confirms to at least the fans that...
Jack Harlow Brought Louisville to Brooklyn in Intimate One-Night-Only Show
In a unique one-night-only show on Wednesday evening, Jack Harlow transported fans from East Williamburg’s Brooklyn Steel to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The rapper is known for speaking fondly of Louisville in interviews, and granted yesterday’s attendees a personal look at the Derby City without them having to leave New York. Harlow teamed up with American Express to hold the concert as part of the company’s Member Week, a weeklong celebration offering Amex users special events, entertainment and benefits. Tickets were available exclusively to card holders for just $10 USD. In a night packed with curated experiences, attendees were not just able to see Harlow live, but were invited to get up close with a few of his favorite hometown small businesses. Before and throughout the sh...
How Bebe Rexha and David Guetta’s Complex Bond Creates “Incredible Chemistry”
Siblings fight but—much more importantly—they love each other. That dynamic is at the core of what makes Bebe Rexha and David Guetta such a dominant duo. Rexha and Guetta have an intuitive bond as musicians, the sort of innate ebb and flow typically reserved for lifelong friends. That level of compatibility can cause friction, but the tension is eclipsed by cohesion. The pair have repeatedly churned out smash songs together: “Say My Name” (with J. Balvin), “Hey Mama” (with Nicki Minaj) and, most recently, “I’m Good (Blue).” The chemistry between Rexha and Guetta is world-class, but their journey has been rocky at times. Rexha’s name was originally left off the marquee for “Hey Mama,” a song that—unbeknownst to the general public—w...
Why Costa Rica’s Utopian Jungle Festival, Envision, Is “Much More Potent Than Just a Good Party”
Picture this: You wake up in a custom two-floor bamboo treehouse, go to an hourlong Acro-Yoga session and then treat yourself to a refreshing elixir from The Village Witches. Then you attend a mind-blowing workshop about the mycelium network from none other than Paul Stamets himself, grab a bite to eat and you’re on your way to the beach to howl at the sunset before dancing the night away. Sounds dreamy, right? Believe it or not, this experience is real. Returning February 27th to March 6th for its 11th year, Envision Festival has been offering it for years. While many hear the word “festival” and conflate it with partying, the organizers of Envision have proven that it can—and should—be so much more than that. The festival’s bedrock comprises seven pillar...
Tegan Explains Her Complicated Relationship With Sara in High School Clip: Exclusive
High School isn’t just a triggering phrase for anyone who had a difficult adolescence — it’s also the title of the new Amazon Freevee series based on the memoir by Tegan and Sara Quin. Centered around the complicated sisterhood of two musically gifted twins as they come of age in the mid-90s, High School is all about what it’s like to discover who you are, and where your talents lie, during these formative years. The nature of being a twin plays a big role in the series, as seen in the below exclusive clip. While Tegan (played by Railey Gilliland) is used to having to look after her sister Sara (Seazynn Gilliand), she finds that constant dynamic in her life being challenged by Maya (Amanda Fix), a new friend from school to whom Tegan is getting closer. The clip captures the nuanced nature ...
