Trap Music

Trap music Recently I’ve noticed a lot of kids who are letting music based out of Chicago gangs affect the activity they do out of school. Trap music, a form of rap based in Chicago has become a trend amongst kids all over the U.S. but I believe it is having a harmful effect on certain students. It encourages gun violence and illegal activity by making it look interesting and fun. The reason I think this is such an issue is because of how close we live to Chicago but how very different our worlds are. Many people who have been listening to trap music don’t understand that the reason that these artists in Chicago are talking about this is because that is what they’ve actually been through. It is not a glorified life and should be taken very seriously because I’m sure that’s what the artists are aiming for. Artists like Lil Durk have came out speaking about how they want to stop the violence in Chicago through this music. He stressed that he doesn’t even want his own children growing up because of how scary a place it is. He stated that in his own music, when he talks about killings and drugs and real life struggles he isn’t saying it so people think it’s cool and go out and do it. He’s stressing that he wants people to avoid lives like these because he’s seen such horrible things from where he’s from and what he, himself has been through. None of the rappers in Chicago would be satisfied if they heard that kids have taken this idea of trap and turned it into games such as robbing each other, and other illegal activity. Most to all would be upset with a fact like that. There is honestly no room in society for it. If it was up to me I’d let everyone who listened to trap music realize that it is just like reading a book. It is appreciating the stories that these rappers let us hear and learning from their experiences and realizing we need to help end “wars” like this in our own country. I think it’s important that more of the chicagos rappers reach out and let people know what it’s like and that this is something that shouldn’t be going on any more and it seriously needs to end. I think they can do it. (402)

Kid Cudi- Changes

Kid Cudi – Change This year, the artist Kid Cudi plans on coming out with the 4th Man on the Moon. For people who are unaware of Kid Cudi’s music history, in the past few years he has had a struggle keeping his loyal fans happy with his music. Lately, many have complained that his style has changed since he stopped smoking marijuana and that it’s not as good as it simply use to be. Over the past year kid cudi has bee on multiple tours with multiple other artists announcing that this year he will be releasing and important album that will make up for the past couple of years where he also feels as though he hasn’t been living up to his fans expectations. He’s been on social media connecting with his fans daily, being very open about his struggles with the relationships in his life and his struggles of making music and sticking to who he is as a person and not changing through the journey. He was very open the other day explaining his problems with record labels in the past trying to change his style and how he chooses to create his songs and albums. Kid Cudi, also known as Scott has been very clear that although he loves making music, his number one responsibility in his life is being a parent to his child. Although his fan bases has completely changed, he believes he will still be able to keep the same numbers, with maybe even more with the new album. This march he produced a song titled “Love” and got emmence feed back from fans saying how much they enjoyed the new song. Cudi replied to fans on social media saying that it was only a sneak preview to what he has planned for the album. Cudi stressed that his next album he has been putting much time and hard work into making it exactly what he’s wanted. He has been talking about how excited he is. I have to agree that I am also excited because I was severely disappointed with his last one. Although I’m a faithful fan I’m still hoping that he continues to do what he chooses but really hoping it sounds good. I respect him as an artist because you can tell he truly cares about what his fans think and if he’s pleasing them but also makes sure he realizes who he is at the same time. (409)

Keeping up with the Kardashians

The Kardashians My opinion on the Kardashians is that although they are very successful they are extremely overrated. I’m still not sure why they are as famous as they really are. It doesn’t make sense to me really. I understand that they are not talentless and they have business deals going for them but what I am trying to say is I think that the success they have accomplished thus far has been much more than any of them really and truly deserve compared to all the hard working individuals out there in the entertainment business. I believe they are famous based on luck. All sisters were born into a family of two already very successful parents, who had connections with famous people as well. After all, their father was the lawyer for OJ simpson during his infamous first murder trial. Although their father later passed away due to throat cancer, their mom, Kris then moved onto another very successful man, Bruce Jenner. Although Bruce might not have been the most famous person or with the best connections he was still a public figure that caught the attention of many people and then eventually E. Of course, we can’t forget about the sex tape that Kim produced when she was dating the famous Ray Jay at the time. Which she ended up eventually making money off of then boosted also her fans. Then, caught the eye of the TV network, E. From then on the Kardashian fan base grew and grew, helping them expand not only their business deals but also just their fans in general. For what? Now I understand that all 3 daughters are very beautiful, but currently they are in the spotlight of our society and I’m starting to wonder if that makes any sense at all. As a guy I get how many people fantisize over their bodies, girls too. But I don’t think it’s worth it at all. I think they do lack at least a little talent when they’re making money amounts compared to oprah and some of the most successful people in the world. To me, their fame is more of an interest in a hollyood family and the basis of people constantly wanting to know what theyre doing just because they have that risk factor because it seems as though you really never know what the Kardashians are actually going to do. That is simply where their fame comes from. (408)

Kanye

• I don’t think Kanye West has ever got the respect her deserves. Although most people would disagree with me and say that he is cocky, rude, etc. Etc. I disagree. I think there are a lot of ways that Kanye is contributing to not only the entertainment business but also, the fashion industry and amongst other things. When you glance onto Kanye’s Wikipedia page it pulls up the fact that he is not only a musician but also a Rapper • singer • songwriter • record producer • director • fashion designer • painter • entrepreneur Let’s start off with the fact that Kanye just in the past 2 years has gone from just a rapper with his own label to a multimillion dollar fashion icon and producer. Working with companies like Adidas and also Ralph Lauren, none of which are small names especially in the fashion industry he has made his own name. Of cource we all know that Kanye is a song writer, his latest song her produced on his own was “only one” which he wrote about his mother and his daughter north that was supposedly what his diseased mother had said to him in a dream he had. Kanye’s mother was always apart of his growing process when she was alive and now he continues to involve her name in almost every project he does. Who knew he was a director? I didn’t. But facts show that Kanye has directed almost half of his music videos which not many artists can even do on their own while writing their own songs, and also producing them on their own with very few people helping him, which is honestly very amazing to me and completely impressive. A painter? This is a shocking thing to me but on certain websites it states that Kanye sells his paintings regularly for thousands of dollars, on websites like Ebay where he sells his other merchandise. It was figured that Kanye would be an entrepreneur. This wasn’t a shocking fact to me, because I was aware of the numerous fashion designers he had been helping in the past year and even creating and running his owner charity organization for the kids of Chicago. It also surprise me because his wife is Kim Kardashian and the amazing amount of money they make through deals that they probably do together, because we are all aware of the power couple they are. Over all Kanye deserves endless amounts of respect and will be a legend. (412)

Bulls and Cavs

Bulls vs. Cavs Because we are entering the 4th playoff game in the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls 7 game series both tied 2-2 I thought it’d be important to analyze the reasons that the Bulls deserve to win this series completely. Although I’m not saying that Cleveland is at all a bad team in any way because of course you have to obviously be a good player to even be a part of the NBA. Beside the point, there are critical reasons that the Bulls deserve the ring over Lebron in the series. It really all makes sense to me. First off, the bulls have had a critical season not full of ups and downs, but strictly ups due to the fact of how well their team full of all-star players work together, it’s actually really amazing. Drose, Joakim Noah, and Jimmy Butler are some of the best players I’ve seen working together on the bulls in a long time. There isn’t a dominant player that keeps the fans of the Bulls focused on the team, it’s a joined thing lead a little by Derrik Rose. But of course Derrik Rose is not the only thing you think of when it comes to the Bulls. When Lebron left Cleveland in the first place before he came back… who really payed attention to the Cavaliers? Not me. Who payed attention to the heat when Lebron moved their? I sure did more than I was even looking at Cleveland at at because they are simply now just a one man team. That one man decides how many people pay attention to them together? And you’re telling me they deserve a ring? Of course this all sounds a little cynical and ignorant, and maybe I am a little too much of a bulls fan to make these decisions or opinions but it’s just what I believe. If I could have it my way for the next 3 games, it would be nice for Derrik Rose to get his time to shine after facing so many criticisms of how many times he’s been injured after so many have made the assumption that he is just strictly not going to make it because of his injuries. I think this is his time to get back at all the people who’ve doubted not only him but Chicago as a team. It is just simply their time to prove where they stand. (406

Kehlani

Kehlani The artist Kehlani is becoming one of my favorite artists in the R&B industry. She just recently published her first album titled “You should be here” which is exceptionally good. “You should be here” was Kehlani’s first album on her own. Although she recently just signed a record deal to also create her own label, her first album remained number one on itunes for over a week which is actually really impressive thing for an artist just first entering the music business. Although she’s been on tour with famous artists like G-Easy, this Oakland seems to be focused on more than just creating music, on social media she tweets constantly about her goals of changing females in the music industry and how people view them as people and their art. One of her main themes in her music is self-reliance and confidence. Her first album tells the story of all the situations in her life where she’s loved and she’s lost. Each song tells a different story. Starting out with the intro of her producer talking to her a while songs like “ The Letter” talk about her struggles with the fact that her mom was never truly involved in her life which has always hurt her. My favorite song on the entire album is called Alive. The song Alive goes into detail about how you can invest so much time into multiple people and be hurt so many times but it will never effect you until you learn to invest time in yourself. The best part is when it says “It’s like something has to die, to make you realize,” saying that bad things have to happen in life for you to realize that there are also really good things happening in life that need to be appreciated as well. In the song she goes on talking about how thankfully she lost a few people in her life on her way in the industry and also in life in general because it has completely made her stronger and I completely respect that. The best part that separates Kehlani from most female artist is her intellectual lyrics and her consistency on staying true to herself no matter what label she signs to or what happens to her along the way she still plans to stay the tom boy she started out as who just rapped and sang about her real life situations. She’s really a great artist. (407)

Mac Miller

If you've ever heard of Mac Miller you probably either think he's some shitty white rapper, or that he was a very gifted rapper who fell off. Personally I think both of those statements are the farthest thing's from the truth. Without a doubt Malcolm McCormick "Mac Miller' is my favorite artist of all time. I first heard a Mac Miller song when I was messing around on youtube in 6th grade. The song was "Nikes On My Feet" and at the time had a little over 10,000 views. Now some 5 years later when I go back and look that same video I watched as a young kid just starting junior high has 43 million views. When talking about Mac Miller there is much more than meets the eye. If you saw current picture of him you would probably wonder why some chubby homeless with a scruffy beard and bug eyes is wearing such expensive clothes, but I promise you that ugly man is a genius. Just like anyone else thrust into stardom at a young age Mac has made a lot of dumb mistakes and done dumb things but he is still someone I greatly look up to and idolize (312)