Alec Compton '22 Arts & Culture Editor Jay-Z: The Blueprint In 2001, Jay-Z released his sixth studio album, The Blueprint. Despite being over an hour long, The Blueprint is airtight. Anthems like “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”, alongside softer tracks like “Song Cry,” prove the artist’s genius. Jay-Z’s career has taken an interesting turn. After he came out... Continue Reading →
Album Review Gauntlet – October 2021
Alec Compton 22 Contributor Lil Nas X: Montero Lil Nas X continues to be a provocative, stylish, and versatile artist, but he seems to struggle with deep album cuts that don’t match up to his fantastic singles. One strength that the record has is it’s very dynamic and varied track list. Lil Nas Doesn’t try for another “Old Town Road”, as he seems to be increasingly... Continue Reading →
A Certified Certified Lover Boy Review
Ade Adedapo ’23 Contributor On September 3, 2021, Canadian rapper Drake dropped his highly anticipated 7th studio album, Certified Lover Boy, for the world to enjoy. Initially expected to be released in January of 2020, just before Valentine’s Day, the rapper postponed due to an unexpected knee injury. Here is an analysis and review of... Continue Reading →
Donda Review
Alec Compton 22 Arts & Culture Editor Donda is the 10th studio album by rapper, singer, and fashion designer Kanye West. After three public listening parties held at various stadiums across the United States, Donda was released on August 29, 2021, sporting features from the likes of The Weeknd, Jay Z, and Travis Scott. The record carries over the themes of faith from Kanye’s 9th album Jesus Is King, but delves into... Continue Reading →
The Death of Charlie Watts
Sawyer Ramsay 24 Contributor The Rolling Stones are one of the most influential rock and blues bands of all time. They have produced over thirty studio albums in a period of almost sixty years. Fans from around the world were shocked on August 24, 2021, when it was announced that Charlie Watts, the original drummer... Continue Reading →
Trip at Knight: Brilliantly Nostalgic?
Osahon Okoro ’25 Contributor Trip at Knight, rapper Trippie Redd’s latest album, is so consistently brilliant. The title of a song off the record perfectly describes it: “Vibes.” Trip At Knight delivers the transcendent feeling you’d expect from Trippie’s beautiful vocals, combined with a tasteful selection of beats. I would describe the album as reminiscent... Continue Reading →
Album Review Gauntlet – June 2021
Ade Adedapo Contributor Alec Compton ’22 Arts & Culture Editor Khaled Khaled: 8/10 (Ade) Famed New Orleans producer DJ Khaled dropped his long awaited twelfth studio album Khaled Khaled on April 30, 2021. The 45-year-old disc jockey and social media star put everything he had on every song on the record. On the 14 track album, Khaled collaborated with a whopping 26 different artists and groups including everyone from rappers like Cardi B and 21... Continue Reading →
Album Review: The Off-Season
Sharif McCurdy ’23 Contributor The Off-Season by J. Cole is a reminder that since 2018’s KOD, J. Cole has been diligent in producing records ample in introspection and impressive lyricism. Since 2018, fans have speculated on the release of a new album due to references in past songs and cover art. And thankfully, the three-year... Continue Reading →
Why you should listen to classical music
Siwon Jengsuksavat ’23 Contributor Many people view classical music as an ancient art form that only classical musicians listen to, but this is not the case. There are four periods of classical music: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern. Each period provides a variety of pieces to listen to, and each piece has its own unique... Continue Reading →
The Weeknd’s Halftime Show
Evan Hirst '22Contributor On Sunday, February 7th, the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a historic match for the Lombardy trophy. The Bucks came out on top, winning 31-9 while solidifying Tom Brady’s GOAT status with his 7 rings. The big game itself was fairly underwhelming, to say the least. With that being said, the halftime show stood out as the real highlight of the Super Bowl. Abel Makkonen Tesfaye,... Continue Reading →