Kanye West reales "Real Friends" feat. Ty Dolla $ign
Kanye West releases new song Real Friends feat. Ty Dolla $ign. This came after his wife Kim Kardashian took to twitter last night. We are happy to hear this beautiful body of work. He takes a soulful route this time opening up about his past relationships, family and even speaking on his son Saint West. If Ye starts dropping music every Friday could it be the return of G.O.O.D Fridays? We most certainly hope so!
Real friends, how many of us?
How many of us, how many jealous? Real friends
It's not many of us, we smile at each other
But how many honest? Trust issues
Switched up the number, I can't be bothered
I cannot blame you for havin' an angle
I ain't got no issues, I'm just doin' my thing
Hope you're doin' your thing too
I'm a deadbeat cousin, I hate family reunions
Fuck the church up, I'm drinkin' at the communion
Spillin' free wine, now my tux is ruined
In town for a day, what the fuck we doin'?
Who your real friends? We all came from the bottom
I'm always blamin' you, but what's sad, you're not the problem
Damn I forgot to call her, shit I thought it was Thursday
Why you wait a week to call my phone in the first place?
When was the last time I remembered a birthday?
When was the last time I wasn't in a hurry?
-Kanye West
Coors Light Soundtrack reFRESH Chicago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyj7zo5GDwM
Photo/Video: Jeremy Franklin
Wednesday night (11/14) Chicago’s Park West opened its doors for the final stop on Coors Light’s 100% free Soundtrack reFresh tour hosted by Hustle Simmons. The Coors Light team partnered with hip-hop DJ and producer, DJ Mustard for its Soundtrack reFRESH tour, which launched in Charlotte with special guest Fabolous.
Anticipation filled the air in Lincoln Park as the crowd stood in line waiting for doors to open. At the start of the show fans had the opportunity to sip on Coors Light and vibe to the beats of Chicago’s own DJ Sean Mac and DJ Toure, who served hot hip-hop tracks during his set. His set included mixes of various songs such as Fetty Wap’s current classic “My Way” and Drag On’s “Down Bottom”. During Mac’s set the concert quickly turned into a hip-hop wonderland as artificial snow fell from the ceiling, covering the hyped crowd as OT Genesis’s turn up anthem “Coco” thumped through the speakers. Park West’s power went off while he was playing Kendrick Lamar's Alright but was soon turned back on and led the party to another high.
As the crowd prepared for the main act, people bustled to the front of the stage. Fabolous eventually jumped onto the stage paying homage to the Chi wearing a Bulls jersey with Sox hat. Fab kept the crowd jumping performing new music from his latest album, The Young OG Project. The crowd sang along as he performed his hits “You Be Killin ‘Em,” “Foreigners” and “Cuffing Season.” The surprise was when Jeremih came through and met Fabolous on stage. They performed their hit song Planes. Fabolous looked tired after 2 songs or so. It felt like he didn't bring his A game. However at the end, he preached to the Chicago fans "he loves Chicago".
[Review] FIDLAR: "Too"
The L.A. dwelling skate punks of FIDLAR are known for their bad habits and goofy lyrics, but they’ve added raw emotion to the mix with their newest release. Their sophomore album, Too, shows more depth, sentiment and humility than anything the band have put out. I mean, it’s hard to think much of a band whose name is an acronym for “Fuck It, Dog, Life’s a Risk.” But, the explanation of their antics works tenfold with this coming-of-age album. The powerhouse, garage ruffians take fans on a thrashy journey through the group’s (or select members) diary of sobriety and high speed travels from being the local, opening band to headlining their own tour. The age old story of young musicians trying to get a grip on their fast paced lives is something bands pass over when they’re in the thick of it, but FIDLAR make the notion apparent; and they’re cool with the struggle.
Starting the record off on a high note with their single “40 oz. On Repeat,” which brings adolescent anxiety and partying at the forefront of the band’s persona, it’s a familiar track to add to the catalog of songs of the same nature. Brash and booming guitar notes coupled with singer Zac Carper’s raspy voice, the setup for the rest of the record is showcased as the second track, “Punks,” trails off the single. The song “West Coast,” an apparent bittersweet ode to their California roots, adds an indie flair to the record. The lyrics, “and all my friends they just stay the same/I’m growing up, but nothing’s changing” bring in the personal struggle as the group grow up into their own as musicians.
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The best track, “Sober,” sounds like a reference to The Suicidal Tendencies “Institutionalized” with it’s speedy intro of banter. The song is noisy, heavy and full of rebellion classic to FIDLAR. The lyrics “I figured out as I got sober that life just sucks when you get older” becomes flipped back and forth throughout the track.
The record ends on a high note (noticing a pattern here?) with “Bad Habits” bringing the story to a close with a youthful attitude towards adolescence. The lyrics “I’m getting older and I’m freaking out because I got nothing to show and I’m still fucking broke, but I got bad habits/They’re my bad habits” explains the songwriter’s struggle with addiction. Just as you think the group are getting sentimental, the group make light of things by Carper comparing himself to his dad.
One thing holds true to the young punks in FIDLAR aside from the cycle of getting high and getting sober and that’s that there isn’t anything better than punk rock. The record is a definitely a choice pick for fans of Wavves, METZ, Best Coast, Desaparecidos and Black Lips. Gathering praise from practically every music blog in the scene to kudos from Rolling Stone and Time, it’s a wonderful thing to know that punks will be punks and the dudes in FIDLAR don’t look like they’re going to sell out (yet).
[Video Interview] LOUDPVCK
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This post was originally posted on our affiliate site, Chicago Music.
LOUDPVCK is made up of two DJs/producers, Kenny Beats and Ryan Marks, who met in college while studying at Berklee College of Music and started producing music together. They have exploded all over the music with collaborations and remixes from Nervo, Skrillex, A-Trak, Dillon Francis... the list goes on. We spent the day doing some of their favorite things ahead of their recent Chicago show at The Mid. There's no doubt these guys are true music lovers, as well as "marijuana connoisseurs," as Kenny likes to put it. Be sure to check out their new EP, Botany, as well as their upcoming tour dates.
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Top 10 Bands to See at Riot Fest 2015
Header by Geoff Henao
As Riot Fest inches closer to it’s biggest and baddest debut, it’s time for you to know what to sing during this year’s fest. Changing the scenery from Humboldt Park to Douglas Park, we hope to catch you at Riot Fest this year to dance with us. Filled with old, new and reunited acts, there is a little bit of everything this year at Riot Fest. With the help of Ruby Hornet contributor, Bridjet Mendyuk, we’ve put together 10 songs that are essential to your Riot weekend. If you haven’t yet, you can still get your tickets here.
[Review] We Are Your Friends
Close your eyes and think back to all of the various stages of your life, and I can almost guarantee you that each one is segmented into the type of music you were listening to, whether it was a specific band, genre, song, or what have you. Needless to say, music plays an important role in all of our lives. Recently, we've seen EDM gravitate towards the top of mainstream music genres with EDM DJs headlining all types of festivals across the country. Adversely, the genre's popularity also attracts unwanted notoriety as the scene's culture is linked to partying and drugs, especially in regards to EDM's mainstream media coverage.
With that said, what better way is there to tell a contemporary coming-of-age film set within the EDM scene? Writer/director Max Joseph's We Are Your Friends tells the story of an aspiring DJ's attempts to make it big with his friends, but his rise is constantly threatened by personal events. Unfortunately, the film derails way too often, leaving audiences a messy film struggling with its identity.
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We Are Your Friends
Director: Max Joseph
Rating: R
Release Date: August 28, 2015
Cole (Zac Efron) is an aspiring DJ living in the San Fernando Valley with his best friends Ollie (Shiloh Fernandez), Squirrel (Alex Shaffer), and Dustin (Jonny Weston). Together, they all dream of leaving the Valley for the riches and lights that Los Angeles has to offer, and they do so by promoting at a local club where Cole DJs.
Thanks to a chance encounter, Cole begins a mentorship with an established DJ, James (Wes Bentley), who helps Cole with his mix and offers him a gig at a large music festival. However, as life is wont to do, various circumstances are thrown at Cole and his friends, whether it's a dead-end job or the sexual tension between him and James's girlfriend, Sophie (Emily Ratajkowski).
There are so many elements at play in We Are Your Friends, but that's not a good thing... definitely not one for this film. Had it stuck to one genre, this film would have been far better. However, Joseph shows his ambition by attempting to create a film with a legitimately compelling story beyond the standard we've come to expect from similar music films. And for this, I applaud him; it's just unfortunate that his ambition ultimately led to the film's downfall.
There are many subplots going on within We Are Your Friends that help move the film along, but they all lack the payoff in the end. Take, for instance, Cole's three friends - the relationship between the four of them is that of ride or die brothers who would all have each other's backs. However, when Cole begins his friendship with James and Sophie, he essentially turns his back on them, as illustrated in a party scene where the trio embarrass themselves at James's party with no support from Cole whatsoever. Leading up to the film's final act, the friends are all eventually phased out to increase the spotlight on Cole's relationship with James and Sophie. There's a bit of a twist or a surprise that leads into the third act, but the immediate fallout from it is so tone-deaf and unrealistic.
However, this in itself is so unbelievably realistic and fairy tale-like. I can get behind Cole's sudden rise in the way fictional films tend to work out. What I can't get behind is the love triangle between Cole, Sophie, and James. Spoiler alert: Sex and fights are involved. I can't get too into this point without actually spoiling the film, yet the film's ultimate failure is rooted in Cole's narrative and how absurd it is.
Simply put: You can't attempt to create a drama that, through no believable elements whatsoever, allows the protagonist to come out on top unaffected and unchanged.
As far as the performances go, I've become a bit of an Efron fan in recent years, and he has his moments in the film. Unfortunately, his range is held back by the film's script and direction. Nevertheless, he makes the most of what's given to him. Wes Bentley also holds his own, but much like Efron's situation, he's held back from truly showing off what he can do. Ratajkowski's role as Sophie, however, is cause for concern.
Joseph attempts to create a truly-realized character with emotions and thoughts and dimensions beyond the obvious, and it truly is admirable. However, she's sorely underwritten and underutilized despite Joseph's attempts. For a film like We Are Your Friends, an attractive female lead is basically needed for the male protagonist to woo and romance on his path to the top, yet I truly believe building on the dynamics of Cole and James's multifaceted relationship would have been a better decision.
There are glimmers of light here and there in We Are Your Friends, whether it's Joseph's ambitions or Efron and Bentley's performances. However, they're too few and far between to justify seeing the film in theaters.
[Interview] Zac Efron, Max Joseph, Emily Ratajkowski, Them Jeans (We Are Your Friends)
Header via R.M.T. / WENN
While the current EDM scene has only been in mainstream prominence in recent years, it has more than its fair share of detractors and controversy, specifically focused on the wild partying, drugs, and the criticism that comes with any and all forms of music. However, writer/director Max Joseph attempts to offer an honest in-depth look at the EDM scene with his film, We Are Your Friends, using the scene and community as the setting for this coming of age film starring Zac Efron and Emily Ratajkowski.
During the press circuit for the film, I had the chance to partake in a roundtable interview alongside other Chicago-based journalists to discuss We Are Your Friends with Efron, Ratajkowski, Joseph, and DJ consultant Jason Stewart (AKA Them Jeans). Read along as we discuss EDM, the film, the actors' DJ names, and more!
[Review] Straight Outta Compton
Music biopics are tricky behemoths to tame because of the struggle to properly portray the cultural significance/relevance of the artist that necessitated the biopic's development in the first place. However, for better or worse, Straight Outta Compton comes at the perfect time when the acts of police brutality that inspired and led to the formation of N.W.A back in the '80s is front and center in the media today.
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Straight Outta Compton
Director: F. Gary Gray
Rating: R
Release Date: August 14, 2015
Straight Outta Compton begins in the mid-'80s just prior to the formation of N.W.A as the audience is introduced to Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell), Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson, Jr.), and Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins) separately, eventually tying the three together alongside MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) and DJ Yella (Neil Brow, Jr.). From the mid-to-late '80s, the film depicts N.W.A's early success, their first tour with manager Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti) calling the shots... with his and Eazy-E's best intentions in mind. The dynamic shifts, however, when Ice Cube and Heller clash over money, leading to Ice Cube's departure and the beginning of N.W.A's demise.
Before long, each member goes their own way as Ice Cube's solo career begins to take off and his transition to films, Dr. Dre's formation of Death Row Records with Suge Knight (R. Marcus Taylor) leads to his successful solo debut, The Chronic, and his collaborations with Snoop Dogg (Keith Stanfield) and Tupac Shakur (Marcc Rose), and Eazy-E's desperate attempts to keep his Ruthless Records alive while he begins to suffer from the early symptoms of HIV.
Straight Outta Compton works on multiple levels that will appeal to nearly everybody. Whether you're a fan of N.W.A, rap, or each rapper's careers, you'll appreciate the insight on N.W.A and the landscape of rap in the '80s. In saying that, the film deals with the not-so subtle attack on the music industry and its shady dealings that are just as prevalent nowadays as it was nearly 30 years ago.
More importantly, Straight Outta Compton doesn't censor itself or the acts of police violence that led to the inception of N.W.A. And as unfortunate as it may be, the film's depictions of said acts of police brutality are very reminiscent of what we as a country have been facing in recent years. There's one poignant scene in which Heller attempts to protect the group from racial profiling outside the studio, but must see first-hand the disrespect cops give to black people.
However, the entire film isn't entirely grim. There are legitimately funny scenes scattered throughout the film, typically involving the interplay between the actors. For a music biopic that deals with such a serious topic, it was good to see Straight Outta Compton embrace some fun moments to break the tone from time to time in an effective manner.
Straight Outta Compton is strongest when Jackson, Jr, Mitchell, and Hawkins can share screen time and build off of the interplay between one another. However, as they begin to go their separate ways, the film attempts to follow along with them individually, losing the chemistry that made them so appealing to begin with. Because of this, the film begins to lose focus as the final act begins.
With Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Eazy-E's widow, Tomica Woods-Wright, co-producing, Straight Outta Compton may be the most definitive look at N.W.A's early days and its eventual dissolution. F. Gary Gray was the perfect director to handle the film as he treats its subjects with reverence. Straight Outta Compton is Gray's return to grace following his latest films, 2009's middling Law Abiding Citizen and 2005's disappointing Be Cool.
Whether you're interested in the musical aspects of the film, its damning social commentary on police brutality, or just approaching with curiosity, Straight Outta Compton is worth an opening weekend trip. Despite a final act that loses its way, Straight Outta Compton is the music biopic the genre needed to elevate its level of quality. Make sure you don't miss it.