LIFESTYLE
How Benjamin Wallfisch Preserved the Legacy of Mortal Kombat in His EDM-Inspired Film Score
Editor’s Note: This story was co-authored with Hannah O. Mortal Kombat, due out on April 23rd, is the latest addition to the iconic Mortal Kombat game franchise. Directed by Simon McQuoid, the new film is a remake of the classic 1990s Mortal Kombat film series based off of the fabled American action video game. Since the game’s original release in 1992, the iconic series has become easily recognizable by its kinetic theme song, “Techno Syndrome” by The Immortals. It was essential that the 2021 movie had a soundtrack that modernized the film while also honoring the franchise and its beloved theme song. Prolific composer Benjamin Wallfisch, known for scoring massive films such as It, Bladerunner, and Hellboy, took on the project in hopes of reinventing the soundtrack while al...
Demi Lovato & Drew Barrymore Discuss Their ‘Challenging’ Lives as Child Stars
The two reflected on the “weird” dynamic of being around adults all the time for work while watching them grab a drink afterward and thinking as a teenager growing up in the Hollywood environment, “Well what do I get to do to play?” Lovato later elaborated on her mentality of “if you’re going to work me like an adult, I get to party like one” while the two touched on their struggles with drinking. Barrymore also recalled a portion of the singer’s latest YouTube Originals docuseries Dancing With the Devil where Bachelor host Chris Harrison questioned a 16-year-old Lovato on the red carpet at the 2008 American Music Awards how she could know about heartbreak. The scene follows shortly after Lovato reveals she had been allegedly r...
Met Gala Sets Dates for 2021 & 2022
The galas, a “more intimate” version Sept. 13 of this year and a larger one on May 2, 2022, will launch a two-part exhibition, a survey of American fashion to be on view for almost a year. “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” opening Sept. 18, will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the museum’s Costume Institute and “explore a modern vocabulary of American fashion,” the museum said. Part two, “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” will open in the museum’s popular American Wing period rooms on May 5, 2022, and will explore American fashion, with collaborations with film directors, by “presenting narratives that relate to the complex and layered histories of those spaces.” Both parts will close on Sept. 5, 2022. Filmmaker Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim) has been commissioned to crea...
Puma Joins Forces With DJ Snake for Shoe Inspired by Dance Music Culture
Teaming up with fabled apparel brand Puma, DJ Snake has released a one-of-a-kind sneaker inspired by rave culture. The alliance is a natural fit for both Puma and DJ Snake, a lifelong sneakerhead and fashion aficionado. The new Mirage Tech shoes pull inspiration from the lights, energy, and atmosphere of EDM shows, channeling the blood-pumping sensations of our favorite music festivals into a sleek and elegant fit. They are a part of Puma’s retrofuturistic Furto-style shoes, each of which are mashups of old sneakers with innovative designs for 2021 and beyond. The new Mirage Tech shoes retail for $90 and can be purchased at the PUMA NYC Flagship store, select retailers, or online here. Buyers can also submit four separate payments of $22.50. Puma and DJ Snake’s new Mirage Tech ...
DMX’s 2003 Autobiography Returns to Bestsellers List After Rapper’s Death
Written by DMX alongside Smokey D. Fontaine, a former music editor at The Source, the book follows “The dark journey of a boy who became a man, the man who became an artist, and the artist who became an icon,” according to the publisher’s notes. “A talent for rhyme saved his life, but the demons and sins of his past continue to haunt him.” The book’s prologue opens with a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, that now seems eerily foreboding: “To live is to suffer, but to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.” The accompanying chapters chronicle the rapper’s rise to fame, from his early days growing up in Yonkers, New York, to his record deal with Def Jam and creation of his first major label album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot...
Snoop Dogg to Host TOKiMONSTA, A$AP Rocky, More for Virtual 4/20 Celebration
There’s no better excuse for a cozy couch kickback than the fast approaching 4/20, a day unofficially dedicated to all things cannabis. Luckily, TOKiMONSTA, A$AP Rocky, Jhene Aiko and more have got you covered with the Even Higher Together Virtual 420 Celebration, hosted by Snoop Dogg. Featuring an array of curated content certain to fight through the fog, the event is made possible by Weedmaps, a platform that connects cannabis consumers with retailers for an Uber Eats-like experience. Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform, has also invited activists who were previously incarcerated for marijuana-related crimes for a Justice Session panel, moderated by iconic rapper and activist Talib Kweli. Meanwhile, Wiz Khalifa will hos...
Porter Robinson and Dillon Francis Compete in Grubhub’s League of Legends Pro-Am
Porter Robinson and Dillon Francis have traded their fair share of jokes and pranks with one another, but on Friday, they settled the score at Grubhub’s Feeding Frenzy League of Legends Pro-Am. While it’s not quite the collaboration fans of their music had on their wishlists, those who enjoy video games will appreciate seeing them compete on the virtual battlefield. Due to the team-based nature of League of Legends, both artists were placed on a team alongside professionals. The gameplay featured commentary provided by a cast of prominent gaming personalities, including Goldenboy, Ovilee May, and Captain Flowers. For those interested in checking out the stream, it’s worth noting that the broadcast is very much geared towards fans of League of Legends and eSports rath...
Architects of ’01 Hip-Hop Fashion Discuss the Era’s Most Iconic Looks
Ambrose, who styled over 200 music videos, was Missy’s right-hand woman, costume designing for every major Missy Elliott production including “Get Ur Freak On,” “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” “One Minute Man,” and “Lose Control.” She was a go-to designer for R&B/hip-hop heavyweights including Diddy, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey, and currently works as a creative director for Puma. “We didn’t have a point of reference that came before us,” explains Ambrose. “We took the risk for the future.” The “Rain” designer discussed the role of late ’90s to early ’00s designers as trailblazers, bursting through barriers between high-end labels and R&B/hip-hop culture. “I bridg...
Justin Bieber Performs at LA Elementary School for Welcome-Back Charity Event
Kelly Rowland also attended the Baby2Baby & Amazon event, where she handed out school supplies & toys to children. Justin Bieber performed at a downtown LA elementary school on Thursday during Baby2Baby and Amazon’s welcome-back event, which Kelly Rowland also attended. Bieber performed “Intentions,” “Holy” and more singles from his Billboard 200 No. 1 albums Changes and Justice in front of the young students of MacArthur Park Visual and Performing Arts Elementary. Rowland, who’s a board member and ambassador of Baby2Baby, a charity that provides children living in poverty with all the basic necessities, shared pictures from the event where she handed out school supplies and toys to children alongside Baby2Baby’s CE...
Musicians Who Have Tattoos Dedicated to Their Significant Others
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian After making their relationship Instagram official on Valentine’s Day, Kardashian showed off her new nail art and the Blink-182 drummer’s new body art that of her name on his chest Friday (April 9). Luke Bryan and Caroline Boyer While visiting the American Idol set on Monday, Jason Aldean let fans know that Luke Bryan has “his wife’s initials tattooed on his behind.” But it’s not the only body ink he has featuring Caroline Boyer’s name: The “Country Girl” singer told Good Housekeeping in a 2013 interview that they got each other’s initials inked on their ring fingers one Valentine’s Day. Jason Aldean and Brittany Kerr The country singer himself go...
Josh Groban Opens Up About His Deeply Moving ‘Bean Song’
“Don’t get me started on beans because we’ll be here all day,” he jokes to Billboard before sharing how the unlikely collaboration came to be. “I’ve gotten pitches for things in the commercial realm for a long time,” he shares. “So often, it feels kind of forced – you know, audiences are smart. They know when something is an obvious ‘Let’s get a celeb to fill in the blank here’ thing. So, I’ve always tried to be careful about not doing stuff that has felt phony.” He adds that, at first, he was a bit apprehensive about the idea, but then thought deeper. “I’ve loved beans my whole life and I’m pretty much a vegetarian, and I did used to get made fun of for just having beans at the barbecue,” he recalls. “I’m telling [...
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![Adventure Club’s Leighton James and Impossible Brief Launch NFT Clothing Brand, “Overpriced.” [Exclusive]](https://www.wazupnaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/adventure-clubs-leighton-james-and-impossible-brief-launch-nft-clothing-brand-overpriced-exclusive-80x80.jpg)
Adventure Club’s Leighton James and Impossible Brief Launch NFT Clothing Brand, “Overpriced.” [Exclusive]
In a space which has seen nothing short of a meteoric rise in the last several months, Adventure Club solidified themselves as early adopters of NFT technology. With his latest venture, Adventure Club’s Leighton James is striving to push the sector forward in ways previously unexplored. James has joined forces with with Impossible Brief to launch Overpriced., a new NFT venture that intersects high-end fashion and blockchain technology. In less than a week, Overpriced. is set to make a splash with their first release, an NFT hoodie with an eye-popping starting bid of $25,000. It seems NFTs are fetching higher and higher valuations by the day, and while we’re clearly still figuring out how to price them, it’s safe to say that no one knows the value of a...
