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june 1, 2022

life in blue Heather Evans Smith’s new exhibition, page 5

a long time coming Kendrick Lamar releases his fifth album, page 8

your summer reading books to add to your list, page 10

recess

2 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

dukechronicle.com

What are you excited for this summer?

Jonathan Pertile..........................monkeys Anna Rebello.......................french food Tessa Delgo....................being really busy Sasha Provost..................music festivals Megan Liu...........................good weather Ben Smith.................also music festivals Rhys Banerjee..........................tv reruns Katherine Zhong.................new york city Jules Kourelakos....................the beach

On the cover: “Paint It Blue”

by Heather Evans Smith — Courtesy of Heather Evans Smith

staff note When I first learned about hyperfixations, everything suddenly made sense. Of course, I learned about them in a Twitter thread, because how fitting for the app where I find most of my new interests to be the one that taught me about myself. I couldn’t believe that I’d never heard of hyperfixations before — they explained so much of why my hobbies and interests were so inconsistent, all-consuming and a bit random. My hyperfixations dramatically alter the way I experience culture, for better or for worse.

Hyperfixation is a weird thing. One day, I’ll wake up and suddenly be entirely invested in playing Catan online. Two weeks later, and I’ve moved on to checking out every primatology memoir from the library, and before long, I’m back to games, this time watching professional chess players stream on Twitch.

Hyperfixations are commonly seen in neurodiver-

gent people, particularly those with ADHD, and they consist of hobbies and interests that grow to become all-encompassing, smothering out all other activities as a result. The weird thing with hyperfixations is their come-and-go nature — unlike an addiction, which can go on forever, hyperfixations tend to end rather suddenly when you lose interest — last semester, I watched nearly every Memphis Grizzlies basketball game for a month in the middle of the regular season, before randomly deciding one day I didn’t care anymore, not watching another match until the playoffs several months later.

This dynamism of my interests drives much of the way I consume culture, relegating many of my hobbies to fits and bursts of activity. When I watch “Survivor,” for example, I usually watch a season every three days, an insane amount of television that I might keep up for ten days at most. But that all-consumingness has also made me incredibly wary of starting new seasons when I’m busy, lest I get too invested and drop everything else I need to do. This also means that I will only watch “Survivor” in chunks, much to the

The Chinese Music Ensemble, directed by Jennifer Chang, is open to all members of the University community who are interested in performing traditional Chinese music using both Eastern and Western musical instruments. Musicians of all levels, including those with no prior experience in Chinese music, but with some background in performance, are encouraged to participate. String players and percussionists are particularly needed!

The Duke Chorale, directed by Allan Friedman, is a concert and touring choir of 50 undergraduate and graduate singers. The Chorale sings sacred and secular music from a variety of eras and traditions in concerts throughout the year, including a Family Weekend Concert, Holiday Concert in Duke Chapel, a benefit concert for Durham charity, and a Spring Concert with orchestra. Touring plans will be developed over the summer as health conditions allow. We have fun while making beautiful and meaningful music. Come sing with us!

chagrin of my friends, who are now way ahead of me in seasons and want me to catch up to them.

But consuming a lot of one part of culture at once might mean I also miss out on other things — listening to Eurovision endlessly for a month means that I’m not listening to much other new music. Also, as a result of hopping from hyperfixation to hyperfixation, I have exposure to a lot of bizarre, unrelated topics, but I probably don’t know a ton about any of them individually.

Sometimes, I really wish I had some consistency in my hobbies — maybe I could actually be good at one of them! It would be fun to not suck at chess or to be an expert on “Survivor” strategy. Oh well — they’re still fun, even if I’m not exactly an authority on them.

Plus, they usually at least give me something to do, so I’m rarely bored, and I can often remember a specific period of time based on the hyperfixation. When I think about playing online chess, it brings me back to my time in quarantine sophomore spring, and I’m sure in the future, I’ll be reminded of right now by Catan, my current hyperfixation.

Although hyperfixation can be a little annoying at times, both to myself and those I bore with incessant conversations about whatever it is I love at the moment, I don’t mind it too much.

In the scope of ADHD, hyperfixation has an odd position as one of the rare traits that is neither good nor bad — maybe that’s why nobody ever talks about hyperfixation. But I think discussing all parts of the neurodivergent experience is valuable, even if nobody really cares except me, so, voilà, here I am, talking about my hyperfixations.

-Jonathan Pertile, Recess Editor

The Duke Djembe Ensemble, directed by Bradley Simmons, offers students the opportunity to develop skill in the art of West African drumming. The Djembe Ensemble memorizes each rhythm, just as the Mandinque people have for hundreds of years. The Afro-Cuban Class introduces students to the many exciting rhythms of the Cuban diaspora.

Ensembles & Performance Opportunities Duke Music hosts a vibrant Chamber Music Program, coordinated by Caroline Stinson, of close to two dozen groups from duets to sextets with strings, winds and piano. Groups are coached by faculty including the Ciompi Quartet, Ieva Jokubaviciute, piano, and Susan Fancher, saxophone, and perform on and off campus in masterclasses, workshops and concerts throughout the semester. Improvisation Ensemble is also offered.

The Chronicle

The Duke Jazz Ensemble, directed by John Brown with associate director Evan Roberson, has a rich history of excellence. The ensemble performs at least two concerts each semester with guest artists noted for their high level of artistic achievement. Previous guests have included Chris Pattishall, Jason Marsalis, and Javon Jackson.

Small group Jazz Combos provide additional opportunities.

Open to all Duke students.

Auditions are required for ensembles (0.5 credit) and applied music lessons (o.25 or 0.5 credit).

music.duke.edu

Applied Music lessons for instruments & voice Students may take one-hour weekly lessons (1/2 course) or half-hour lessons (1/4 course) More info at music.duke.edu/lessons

The Duke Opera Theater, directed by David Heid, presents operas, opera scenes, and concerts of operatic repertoire. The 2021/22 season featured sold-out cabaret performances of music by Gershwin and Porter as well as an inventive retelling of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. (Video: https://youtu.be/ vaKJ14pt3Kg) The Duke Symphony Orchestra is directed by Harry Davidson. The 2021/22 season included symphonies by Mendelssohn, Beethoven, and Shostakovich, as well as performances by Concerto Competition winners. An annual Labor Day weekend Pops concert begins the year and a benefit concert in Beaufort, SC takes place each spring.

The Duke Wind Symphony, directed by Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant, performs a wide variety of high level wind ensemble music. Highlights of the 2022-23 season will include concerts in our beautiful Baldwin Auditorium and the annual Viennese Ball. You will have the opportunity to work with guest conductors, composers, and performers on diverse repertoire. Join us!

The Chronicle

campus arts

By Ben Smith Staff Writer

dukechronicle.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | 3

Duke students kick off Tongue and Sole Lab

While one might be forgiven for not being immersed in SneakerTok depending on your FYP, it is undeniable that sneakers and, specifically, custom sneakers are an immensely popular aspect of social media. There are pages with millions of followers dedicated to tracking new releases of scarce sneakers and sneaker customizers with hordes of fans, including celebrity ones, clamoring for their custom creations.

At the same time, the growth of new technologies are revolutionizing the way that many people do business.

Web3, which has come to signify a third wave of internet innovation according to its proponents, includes innovations like decentralized blockchain developments, the burgeoning metaverse and potential implementation of AI. While critics are quick to point to the contemporary nature of these developments and some of the difficulties embodied within them, we must recognize that there is huge potential for growth in computing and business through new technology.

Riding in the wake of blockchain technologies has come the growth of NFT (or Non-Fungible Token) speculation and larger internet communities dedicated to the purchase and holding of such instruments. Over a year ago, I wrote about the sale of the original Nyan Cat.gif for $580,000, and since then the growth of NFT communities has only continued since then. Perhaps the most famous online forum is the Bored Ape Yacht Club, which can claim celebrities like Justin Bieber and Steph Curry as owners of tokens, but other communities have sprung up surrounding different interests.

One burgeoning NFT community traces its roots right here to a group of Duke students. Uniting their passions for custom and limited-release sneakers with their desire to create their own NFT community space, Duke juniors Ari Levine, Chandler Naylon, Diego Espinosa and Oliver Greenwald have partnered with sophomore Grant Fields to form Tongue and Sole Lab. Tongue and Sole Lab (TASL) seeks to recenter the world of sneakers around the ideal core of sneaker cul-

ture — the consumer. According to Tongue and Sole Lab’s website, shoes and “NFTs are art; [they] are collectibles.”

Through this new venture, these students wish to create a “tight-knit space for anyone interested in either [NFTs or sneakers].”

To achieve their dream of marrying NFTs with sneakers, Tongue and Sole Lab has partnered with experienced sneaker customizers Ty Williams, Cody Schoeni and Nate Higham, who were selected after an extensive search process by the TASL team.

“We reached out to [several artists] and fortunately we found three artists who happened to be in our age range,” said community development manager Ari Levine in an in-

Courtesy of Tongue and Sole Lab The Tongue and Sole Lab combines shoes and NFTs.

terview with The Chronicle. “We’re extremely interested in both the NFT space and getting the word out there about their brands. [The artists] have a combined social media following of over 2 million people across all platforms, so we are very fortunate to bring them on the team.”

The project is almost a year old from its inception, when Levine, Espinosa and Greenwald first began brainstorming, and the team now has grown to encompass the added members and artists. While NFTs have yet to be minted, the path forward for Tongue and Sole Lab is very clear. As they begin to mint, there will be 1434 separate NFTs, each corresponding to a different rarity level between common and custom designed 1-of-1’s. Based on the tier of the NFT, there are additional benefits for the token owner to incentivize holding onto the asset instead of selling immediately, including proprietary information about sneaker drops, priority access to customizer orders, free sneaker raffles and many more.

These benefits are designed to attract and retain community members, Levine said, who will be integral in building out a vibrant Discord forum. There are detailed charity initiatives based on token sellout, as a core aspect of TASL is its ability to give back and enhance a democratic and equitable sneaker culture. There are also potential opportunities to connect with Duke Athletes and students at different communities across the US. While sales are coming soon, Levine is excited for the prospects that lie ahead.

“We want to ensure that we have a strong, vibrant community before we launch, but we have considered moving the launch earlier than expected,” Levine said. “We’ve only recently started the marketing campaign, but we’re looking to have organic growth… Community members have already reached out with feedback, which has been constructive and helpful.”

Certainly, for sneakerheads and NFT enthusiasts everywhere, Tongue and Sole Lab represents an exciting new venture and opportunity for the melding of such vibrant online spaces.

arts.duke.edu & follow @dukearts

Your guide to the arts across Duke

“Satellite Park” Mural Durham festival at the Duke Arts Annex (Estlin Haiss); THE_OPER& presented by Duke Performances (Alex Boerner); Student dancers at the Rubenstein Arts Center (Chris Hildreth).

The Chronicle

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4 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

Q&A: Petrichor Jewelry founder Esther Hong on being impulsively artistic

By Anna Rebello Culture Editor

The maker of avant-garde conversation starters, Esther Hong is a junior who started the jewelry company Petrichor in the spring of 2020. Her one-of-a-kind, upcycled necklaces have become coveted statement pieces for varying punk-inspired and vintage jewelry collections across campus and beyond.

The Chronicle sat down for an interview with Hong to discuss the development of her company and her creative process when making jewelry.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Chronicle: How did you come to start making jewelry?

Esther Hong: This whole jewelry thing was an effect of quarantine after my mom lost her job. I was looking for work, and no one would accept me. So, I decided to start making beaded earrings and chokers, because I had seen them on Instagram in the Y2K trend. They’re extremely simple, because they’re supposed to look childlike, so I just made those and sold them on my Instagram story.

I experimented starting with beads and then with clay a little bit, but I didn’t really like how clay was so fragile. So, I started looking into upcycling certain pieces, and then transforming it into new jewelry. That has become my selling point, what makes my brand so unique right now.

Since then, my world has expanded so much. I look at inanimate objects in a new way every day. I would have never considered myself particularly creatively inclined, but it seems that over time, I am becoming a more creative person because of this endeavor.

TC: I didn’t know what the word Petrichor meant when I first saw your Instagram before I Googled the definition. How did you decide on that as the name of your company?

EH: Petrichor is my favorite smell and sensation. I

Chamber Music:

remember my mom describing it to me in choppy English and Korean when I was around seven years or old.

[Petrichor] reminds me of youth.

When I first started making jewelry, I was working with beads. I was labeling my brand as going back into time and embracing your inner child. Now, I still really like that name because I want to keep my jewelry really experimental.

ally got the idea from my boyfriend. He said something like, “Just don’t do any of the stupid shit. Just go straight into having fun with your work and doing what feels good. If that’s just investing into one piece, and making everything else an independent, beautiful piece, then just do that. And the demand will follow.”

TC: The pictures of your jewelry are unlike anything I’ve seen before. Where do you get your inspiration for creating jewelry?

EH: @InfinitePieces_ on Instagram is a fashion brand that’s really experimental. They use inanimate objects like keyboards, telephones and circuit boards in their work. They make a lot of weird garments, and I’m in love with designers who make people confused with their art. That’s my goal with Petrichor.

But my biggest inspiration would have to be Vivienne Westwood. She first started making jewelry by herself, and she had a boyfriend who was in a punk band. They worked with each other: She would give him pieces, and he would wear them at their shows. That’s how she segued her brand into this booming punk era at the time.

My boyfriend is in a band called Weston Estate, and we do this funny thing where we try to emulate Vivian’s past. So, in concert, they always wear my pieces.

TC: You talked a bit about the trend of one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, and I’ve noticed that all of your jewelry is one-of-one. How did you come to decide that this is how you want to make and sell jewelry?

EH: When I first started making clay pieces, I found myself duplicating a certain design 10 times and being so tired of it, because clay is so hard to work with.

I wasn’t doing well; I would have to destroy half the pieces I made.

Overall, the feeling of reproducing a design felt so static to me. I felt like a worker in my own enterprise, and that was the opposite of what I wanted to do. I actu-

Music 211-2

Duke hosts a vibrant Chamber Music Program of close to two dozen groups from duets to sextets with strings, winds and piano. Groups are coached by faculty including the Ciompi Quartet, Ieva Jokubaviciute, piano & Susan Fancher, saxophone, and perform on and off campus in masterclasses, workshops and concerts throughout the semester. Improvisation Ensemble, taught by Andrew Waggoner, and Laptop Ensemble also offered.

AUDITIONS for FALL 2022 Tuesday, Aug. 30, 4 - 9 pm Sign up to receive more information at http://bit.ly/Duke-chamber-music Questions: caroline.stinson@duke.edu

Courtesy of Esther Hong Esther Hong’s jewelry is upcycled and avant-garde.

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Petrichor Jewelry FROM PAGE 4

TC: If I asked you about the most rewarding part of the process, is there anything that comes to mind?

EH: The most rewarding part is seeing my jewelry on other people and seeing them happy about it. Wearing it with a complete outfit and dressing up with it. I love seeing people radiate with my pieces on.

TC: When it comes to making jewelry, is there a part of the process you find the most exciting? When do you feel the most creative?

EH: It’s definitely when I’m first starting, and I need that one piece to upcycle. Whether it’s a watch or a circuit board or something. I was thinking earlier that I could maybe break off the water faucet, like the little label that says “hot” on it.

I’m always thinking of something. Making the jewelry is fun, but it’s more about the ideation for me. That’s the coolest part.

TC: You are going to be releasing new jewelry March 12. Is there anything you’re excited about for this upcoming drop?

EH: For the drop, 100% of the proceeds we’re giving to Ukrainian refugees. I don’t really know how to support during this time, but I feel that donations are a safe and sure way. It always feels weird doing something as frivolous as jewelry-making in an actual world crisis, so I want to do what I can.

TC: You mentioned how you get a lot of inspiration and support from your boyfriend, but is there anybody else that contributes to your jewelry brand, or is this mostly a onewoman show?

EH: It’s mostly a one-woman show, but I definitely have characters in my show that are whispering in my ear and giving me great advice. One day [a friend and I] were

Courtesy of Esther Hong Brandi Martin, Esther Hong’s “muse,” poses in Petrichor jewelry.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | 5

looking at these old keyboards and she was like, “You should have old circuit pieces on your necklaces.” And I was like, “Yeah, I’ve been thinking of that, but I don’t know how I would be able to do it.” She was like, “Just drill holes in it.” And I was like, “This is genius.” That’s when I started doing that.

And then Brandi Martin is a girl from Duke. I love to use her as my muse all the time. I have a video ad promo coming out soon with her in it, and it’s just gorgeous. I love using my friends as models.

TC: Do you have anything in mind — any goals — for the future of Petrichor, whether it’s new designs you want to try out or just ways you want to develop your brand?

EH: Right now, I definitely want to have bigger jewelry pieces, and then maybe move into clothing and accessories. But I don’t know how far in the future that’ll be. I think what’s cool about having your own business is that the sky’s literally the limit. There’s nothing that can hold you back from doing anything. So, you can just see how far it goes and where it takes you, which is really exciting.

TC: That actually perfectly leads into the final question I want to ask you: Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for other small artists or for people who want to pursue a similar business as you have?

EH: This will sound stupid on the other side; every advice sounds stupid on the other side until you experience it. But just do it. I think my impulsive nature has made me very successful in things like this because I don’t care too much, I don’t deliver too much, and I kind of just did it.

My jewelry was so bad when I first posted online and first started selling. But it was that push into the public sphere and then the fatigue that I felt that was weighed against my work that motivated me to go to the next step.

If you keep all your great ideas in your head, you’ll either forget about them, or they’ll age away and they’ll not be great for the later moment. Sometimes you just have to be a little bit irresponsible, and then you’ll have a lot of fun with some crazy stuff.

6 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

The Chronicle

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local arts

The Quiet Beauty in ‘Blue’—Heather Evans Smith’s Upcoming Exhibition at Cassilhaus

By Katherine Zhong

bum “Blue”: “With her ‘Blue’ photo series, [like Joni sion can lead people to filter out the good memories and Mitchell], Heather Evans Smith hasn’t left much off the only rewind the bad ones.

(Trigger warning: this article discusses the representable either.”

“Soak” can be interpreted as an echo of the destructation of depression in photography and descriptions of The pieces in “Blue” can be seen as either depression tive act shown in “Until a photograph that might cause unease.) in motion or depression’s aftermath. For There Is Little Left.” Broinstance, “Paint It Blue” is a metaphor for ken pieces of fine porceFrom May 22 to Aug. 14 this year, Chapel Hill-based depression in motion. A woman is steplain lie in a blue sink and photography artist Heather Evans Smith’s series “Blue” ping into the murk between blue foliage, a hand reaches into the will be exhibited in Cassilhaus. Located between Chapel with her left hand as the only part of her shards. Whether the hand Hill and Durham, Cassilhaus is simultaneously a Bauhausbody not tainted by darkness. Perhaps is attempting to salvage the style architecture and an art project. Cassilhaus takes its only someone who has undergone depresbroken pieces after obviname from Ellen Cassilly and her husband Frank Konsion can illustrate the desire to escape and ously intentional destruchaus who brought this project to life. With a primary fothe uncertainty and withdrawal associated tion – there are simply too cus on photography, it runs with depression so vividly. many broken pieces for it to both exhibitions and an Leaves in the photo, which be an accident – or trying to artist-in-residency program nearly enshroud the womworsen the damage already throughout the year. Guests an, were spray-painted blue done, is up to the viewer to are required to RSVP for

by Smith, hence “paint” in decide. What illustrates the events of interest to them the title. “Until There Is concept of vulnerability the or contact Cassilhaus via Little Left” is a somewhat most in this series, is probemails provided under each violent image of depresably “Veneer.” Veneer is a exhibition page for private sion in action, representthin decorative piece of fine viewing requests. ing a destructive urge to wood. Delicateness is apparBlue is symbolic of melrid of things that are typiCourtesy of Heather Evans Smith ent in this word, posing adancholy and sadness. Incally considered beautiful, “Soak” by Heather Evans Smith ditional nuance onto the alspired by her depression precious – until there is ready emotion-laden image. developed around the time little left to cherish. According to Beneath the thin layer of the miniature horse sculpture of her father’s passing, Smith, the butterflies in the photo were buries a heap of blue pills, most likely antidepressants.

Smith intentionally used specimens that completed their full life Once the outer layer is cracked, the seeming grace and span. A photo reflecting a less intentional the recurring blue tone invincibility recede to a sense of vulnerability betrayed aspect of change brought by depression is while she tried to place her by scattered pills all over the ground.

“Rewind.” In this piece, viewers can see a emotional journey through Smith confronts and records her loss with a rewoman with a blue cassette player in front depression and how it spectable candor. She does not water down the sadof her eyes.

In fact, the round spinners on “affects those around Courtesy of Heather Evans Smith the player are positioned in place of the [her],”,as she wrote on her ness, obsoleteness and emptiness that are inevitably “Rewind” by Heather Evans Smith woman’s eyes. Meanwhile, her hands hold personal website. She drew associated with depression. Rather, her series invites onto part of the cassette tapes. “Memory is on her personal experience and inviewers to experience this sense of blue both in color a funny thing. I don’t think we ever remember things exterweaved her imagination as she created these photoand mentality. Photos can often convey sounds. In the actly how they were,” wrote Smith under her Instagram based artworks. On the exhibition’s website, Konhaus case of “Blue”, it conveys mostly tranquility, which empost of this work. This work speaks to how memories are pointed out its “beauty’’ and “vulnerability,” drawing a boldens an immersive aesthetic without losing realisintrinsically subjective and filtered, implying that depresparallel between the photo series to Joni Mitchell’s altic depictions of depression.

Campus Arts Editor

The Chronicle is looking for journalists, photographers and designers.

Come Sing With Us!

Duke Chorale

The Chorale is a unique community of 50 undergraduate and graduate singers who make beautiful, informed, and meaningful music while having fun.

The 2022-2023 season includes music from a variety of eras and countries, concerts throughout the academic year & choir tours.

Visit music.duke.edu/ensembles/chorale for audition information, concert schedule, & more.

JOIN THE EDITORIAL TEAM: Reporters (local or campus news, sports, arts, health and science) Photographers Videographers Graphic Designers Opinion Columnists

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(anna.zolotor@duke.edu) 301 Flowers Building (next to Brodhead Center & the Chapel) The Chronicle is now in its 118th year of publication and 27th year of independence (we’re a separate nonprofit organization from Duke and one of the largest officially recognized student groups on campus).

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By Tessa Delgo

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | 7

How the Triangle is celebrating Pride Month 2022

Recess Managing Editor

Pride through poetry alongside other local poets.

The front pages of mass-market retail websites from Target to Disney to Converse are suddenly awash with rainbowcolored merchandise, which can only mean one thing: Pride Month. In Durham, official Pride celebrations will not take place until late September, but in the meantime, The Chronicle rounded up a curated list of local events for anyone looking to celebrate during the month of June.

Apex Pride Festival — June 11, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The second annual Apex Pride Festival is a family-friendly event taking place at the Apex Town Hall campus. The festivities include live musical performances from local artists Peak City Band and SMÜVE, drag performances from Durham queen Vivica C. Coxx and friends, vendor areas featuring local artists and businesses and a food truck rodeo.

Chapel Hill Pride! Promenade—June 4, 2 to 4 p.m.

This year, downtown Chapel Hill will see the first-ever Pride! Promenade. Starting at the Peace and Justice Plaza, performers and revelers alike will “strut” down to 140 West Franklin Plaza in celebration of Pride. The promenade will end with a festivity-filled gathering including a performance from Imagine Circus, spins from DJ Savon, interactive art from Kelly Schrader and a musical performance from Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus.

Gender-Affirming Haircuts—June 6, 1 p.m.

Cary’s Luxe Hair Lounge will host the LGBT Center of Raleigh to “discuss gender-affirming haircuts and welcome LGBT clients into the salon.” A representative from the LGBT Center will provide education on how to start conversations about pronoun usage and inclusivity, as well as navigating situations in which a person is being misgendered in a safe and professional manner. The event will also be livestreamed on Luxe Hair Lounge’s Facebook page. Donations from this event will go to the LGBT Center of Raleigh.

Carrboro Poets Open Mic Night—June 7, 7 to 9 p.m.

To indulge in an artistic celebration of Pride, Carrboro’s Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Department will host a virtual poetry open mic night June 7. The event encourages the “writing, reading and listening of poetry,” and celebrating

Orgullo Latinx Pride — June 11, 5 to 9 p.m.

Coordinated by organizers from El Centro Hispano, this event is designed to celebrate the diversity of cultures, identities and experiences found within the Triangle’s Latinx LGBTQIA+ community, fostering “unity, inclusivity and empowerment” by showcasing the talents of the community while providing social, healthcare and advocacy re-

sources. Held at Carrboro Town Commons, the event will include drag shows, musical performances and local food trucks.

The Queer Agenda Dance Party — June 11, 18, 25, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m Hosted by Durham nightlife staple The Pinhook, Queer Agenda is “a dance party for queer folks” that will run from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. June 11, 18 and 25. This event, open to anyone ages 21 or older, requires a $5 ticket for entry, sold at the door only. Past Queer Agenda parties featured popular North Carolina DJs including Gemynii, who also works at the LGBTQ Center of Durham and DJ Wicked.

Masks and proof of vaccination are required.

Pride Market + Drag Show — June 18, noon to 4 p.m.

Raleigh’s Urban Pothos Houseplant Shop and local retail and community space Hartwell will co-host “a day of fun celebrating Pride and benefitting the LGBT Center of Raleigh. The Pride Market will run in the Hartwell’s outdoor space throughout the duration of the event, and a drag show featuring “three fabulous queens” will begin at 2 p.m. inside. There will be local makers and vendors featured at the market, live music, and wine and beer available for purchase. This is a free event, but the drag show suggests a donation of $10 at the door.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the LGBT Center of Raleigh.

Out! Raleigh Pride — June 25, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Raleigh’s annual Pride festival draws thousands of people annually, and the celebration’s 10th anniversary, held on Fayetteville Street in the city’s downtown, is set to be no exception. The festival will feature around 100 vendors, two stages with live entertainment, a KidsZone and a beer garden. The event has no admission fee, but it is an important fundraiser for the LGBT Center of Raleigh.

Courtesy of The Carolina Theatre of Durham The Carolina Theatre of Durham lights up with a Pride flag.

Interested in majoring or minoring in Dance?

Dance Majors and Minors Orientation/Information Meeting September 3, 10:00AM in Rubenstein Arts Center 224 Meet the Dance Program faculty and students.

Undergraduate Open House August 29, 4:00PM in Rubenstein Arts Center 224

African Dance Technique August 29 5:15PM in Rubenstein Arts Center danceprogram.duke.edu danceprogram.duke.edu/graduate

8 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

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playground

1,855 days later, Kendrick Lamar releases the introspective ‘Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers’

By Ben Smith Staff Writer

When looking back at the best music of the 2010s, the shadow of Kendrick Lamar is inescapable. “Section.80,” “Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City,” “To Pimp a Butterfly” and “DAMN” each released to increasingly popular and positive critical reception — along with “Untitled Unmastered” and other supporting works — Lamar’s catalog is among the best of the decade, winning multiple Grammys and even a Pulitzer Prize among other recognition. Finally, after a five-year gap since his last album, Lamar has released a new album, entitled “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.”

As Lamar states on the first track, “United in Grief,” he had been “goin’ through something,” during his 1,855 day hiatus. During this time, he appeared as a feature on other projects and worked closely with Ludwig Göransson on the soundtrack to Black Panther (2018). He toured and performed at awards shows, but largely receded from the limelight.

With the release of “Mr. Morale,” Lamar makes a dramatic return to the music industry, but the tone of the new album differs greatly from much of his previous work. While “Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City” told a dramatized narrative of Lamar’s youth in Compton and “To Pimp a Butterfly” told a similar story of an individual’s apotheosis in the face of racial and socioeconomic discrimination in America, “DAMN” was more of a personal coronation. With “Mr. Morale,” Lamar is his most vulnerable and personal work yet, splitting the album between the “Steppers” and “Mr. Morale” sections.

The first half of the self-described double album sees Lamar examining his past self, which is the “Steppers” portion of the record. On tracks like “Worldwide Steppers,” Lamar reveals his addiction to lust. “We Cry Together” — a harrowing examination of unhealthy romantic relationships manifested through actress Taylour Paige’s feature — explores Lamar’s past issues with understanding others and the problems left by his largely absent father.

Looking at the first half as a more cohesive mosaic of feelings, Lamar lays his personal issues bare for his audience as a form of his own therapy. At the same time, tracks like “N95” and “Die Hard” allow for more introspection but also serve as more radio-friendly tracks, with more melodic choruses and danceable grooves. In general,much of the album eschews from pleasing a general audience, rather aiming for loftier storytelling and more dramatic lengths.

At the album’s midpoint,“Count Me Out” begins the “Mr. Morale” half of the album, Lamar embraces himself and his family alongside his developing humanistic and Christian beliefs. In the outro of “Count Me Out,” he repeats the mantra “This is me, and I’m blessed,” suggesting a personal apotheosis.

As the “breakthrough” section of the album continues, we see Lamar scrutinize his past experiences with his family, fans and larger society. He rejects the claim that he must be a savior and leader to everyone on “Savior;” rather, he places more importance on his well-being and that of those around him.

Perhaps the most introspective points on the album fall in “Auntie Diaries” and “Mother I Sober.” While some time and further analysis are surely needed to understand the deep trauma and biases that each song addresses, with “Auntie Diaries” serving as a public acceptance of Lamar’s transgender relatives and the “Mother I Sober” speaking about Lamar’s mother’s experiences with sexual assault and their family’s corresponding trauma. The crescendo of emotion on “Mother I Sober” is the climax of the record, serving as an inflection point for the larger narrative of trauma and reconciliation Lamar is telling.

The themes of self-analysis conclude on the aptlynamed “Mirror,” where Lamar declares that he “chose [himself]” and that he is “sorry” to his audience, but has seemingly made his decision. To whom this addresses appears up for interpretation, but Lamar is no longer concerned with such ambiguity, stating that he is “Sorry I didn’t save the world, my friend / I was too busy buildin’ mine again.”

Only time will tell how it stacks up compared to other episodes in Lamar’s discography, but has already broken streaming records and received generally positive critical reviews. We can be sure that the themes presented on “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” will continue to resonate as more people listen. The production, as always, is superb, as are the samples and features — even if some are critical of that afforded to Kodak Black given his past accusations of sexual assault. Ultimately, I think that on “Mr. Morale,” Lamar is less interested in these commentaries, using everything at his disposal to relate his experiences of growth from the past five years.

Courtesy of Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar has finally released his fifth studio album.

Get into the

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The Duke Jazz Program wants you!

Vice-Provost for the Arts John Brown

Jazz Ensemble led by Associate Director Evan Roberson

For more info on courses and auditions check us out at music.duke.edu/ensembles/jazzprogram

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‘Our Father’: Avoiding and encountering the pitfalls of true-crime documentaries

By Audrey Wang

University News Editor

When Jacoba Ballard took her 23andMe test in 2014, she expected one or two half-siblings — after all, the Indianapolis fertility clinic her mother attended stated that her biological father’s sperm donation would be used no more than three times. When Ballard received her results, she found not one, not two, but seven half-siblings — and that was just the start.

Years later, the 94 recorded half-siblings are seeking justice against their father — the fertility doctor who impregnated his patients with his own sperm and without their consent.

The Netflix documentary “Our Father” follows Ballard, her half-siblings and their parents as they grapple with their anger and fear following their revelations of Dr. Donald Cline’s crimes.

While “Our Father” trips over the seemingly unavoidable pit of Netflix sensationalism, it remains a rare true-crime documentary that values the victims’ stories over cash-grab entertainment.

The documentary does not shy away from the sordid imagery of Cline’s crimes: the opening scene begins with Cline’s actor masturbating in a replica of the doctor’s office, the walls covered in cross-stitches of colorful Bible quotes and pictures of smiling babies. However, the producers may have indulged too much in this dramatization. A recurring motif throughout the documentary is a “sibling counter” — which tacks on the sound of Cline softly moaning whenever the number increases.

Ballard, the leader of the movement for her siblings, is not immune to over-

“Tiger King,” have been criticized for focusing on the absurdity of the criminals instead of the victims, while serial killer biopics such as “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile” have been accused of romanticizing killers while trivializing crimes. In such a genre, “Our Father” is a rarity.

“Our Father” delves into the raw Courtesy of Netflix “Our Father” tells the story of Jacoba Ballard and his children. emotional impact of the revelation — the dramatized documentary visuals. In an identity crises of the children and the attempt to illustrate her dogged deterdistress of their parents upon finding out mination, Ballard’s actor is shown drathe news. One of the siblings, Heather matically throwing X’s over Cline’s eyes Woock, revealed she couldn’t look in the before a wall covered in your stereotypimirror — unable to think of where her cal true-crime evidence board, complete hair or eyes came from, “because [she] with intersecting red string. always thought those were from [her] The documentary briefly delves into dad.”

Cline’s motivations — including his reEven though Dr. Cline was taken to morse after killing a young girl in a traffic court on felony charges and has paid accident and his involvement with Quiv$1.35 million in civil case settlements, he erfull, a Christian religious movement served no jail time and was never crimithat sees large families as a blessing from nally charged due to the lack of statutes God. Former associates of Cline attempt addressing his crime. The documentary to speculate about his motivations, but allows the siblings and their families to this intriguing bit is inconclusively cut tell their stories, despite legal limitations short and leaves the viewers with more placed upon their movement, such as a questions than answers. limited definition of “battery” and “sexDespite its shortcomings, the docuual violation” that did not encompass mentary faithfully describes the internal Cline’s actions. Some mothers believed turmoil of the victims of Cline’s crimes that they were using their husband’s underneath the sensationalism. Truesperm; others believed that the specimen was from a healthy medical school stucrime documentaries — such as Netflix’s

dent. In any case, their bodily autonomy was violated.

“My first words were, ‘I was raped 15 times, and I didn’t even know it,’” said Liv White, the mother of one of the siblings, referencing her number of fertility treatments.

The documentary closes with a bittersweet overview of the siblings’ progress.

In 2018, the siblings and their mothers successfully lobbied for the nation’s first fertility fraud and deception law in Indiana. While forty-four additional doctors have been found to be perpetrators of fertility fraud, there is nevertheless still no federal law banning the practice.

Ultimately, the documentary is about consent and bodily autonomy — and the emotional impact when consent is ignored. Lucie Jourdan, a producing partner, pointed to the importance of respecting consent at every step of the filming process in an interview with Metro Philadelphia.

“I know of myself that I have an ability to hold space for victims, and because I was so aware of the emotionality, there were times that I cut the camera if it was too much, knowing that I would lose precious moments that were really powerful,” she said. “I didn’t want them to feel violated at all, that was already the premise of this film — they were violated.”

At its core, “Our Father” is a lesson for any future true-crime documentaries– that such stories are strongest when their victims are front and center. While the execution muddies the film’s message, the power of its subjects shines through the clouds.

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Jack Harlow has nothing new to say on ‘Come Home the Kids Miss You’

By Rhys Banerjee

Music Beat Writer

Courtesy of Jack Harlow Jack Harlow’s new album is generally dissapointing.

When Jack Harlow released “Come Home the Kids Miss You,” I was pretty excited to review it. I’ll admit, I have yet to write an overtly negative review for Recess because the artists I sign up to write about are typically artists that I enjoy and expect great work from. More often than not, they deliver. In that sense, I feel like I was tricked by this new Harlow album. Coming off of an immense rise in the past few years, as well as a genuinely insane guest verse in Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby,” I frankly expected more from Harlow’s new album than

what I ended up receiving, but that could be my fault for not managing my expectations properly. The cover art depicts Jack Harlow sitting beside a microphone in a white void, and when he first announced that picture as the cover of his album, I thought it looked boring. In retrospect, I must say that fit perfectly with the blandness that ensued.

Perhaps I’m being harsh, but this album is mediocre on various levels. Both the instrumentals as well as the lyricism leave a bit to be desired. The perfect example of what I’m talking about comes from the biggest single from this album, “First Class,” which is one of Harlow’s sleepiest songs. The chorus for the song features Harlow lazily ad-libbing over a sample of Fergie’s “Glamorous” in a way that sounds like he’s drifting into REM sleep. The instrumental also had pretty little going for it, which is a trait that carries over to many of the other songs on this album.

I think I understand the sonic tone that Harlow is attempting in the bulk of these songs. His jazzy instrumentals are most likely trying to evoke a sense of royalty — picture Harlow sitting atop a throne and rapping at you from above about his success and life experiences.

However, many of his instrumentals actually sound like elevator music, which isn’t bad — he just lacks the intensity in his line delivery to pull it off. It just seemed like he was using the same line delivery in most of the songs on this album, and by the end, I was begging for him to switch things up a bit.

This album does have its moments, though. “I’d Do Anything to Make You Smile” features Harlow actually bringing energy to a track with a unique, bouncy flow.

The horns on “Nail Tech” remain catchy and stuck in my head. “Churchill Downs” features Drake taking over for half the song. And there’s “Dua Lipa,” which has a pretty good beat and is pretty much the song equivalent of Harlow sliding into pop star Dua Lipa’s DMs. Apparently, Lipa approved of the song, which is respectable,

though, in my opinion, pretty surprising. “Like a Blade of Grass” is also a good song that tells a story about Harlow’s interactions with a girl, even if the story doesn’t really go anywhere beyond a simple flirty exchange.

I was fairly unimpressed by the rest of the songs, though. The opening track, “Talk of the Town” had an interesting sample and felt like it was going to go somewhere, but at a runtime of 1 minute 22 seconds, it ends before it begins. Its follow-up, “Young Harleezy,” is also fairly bland, with Harlow rapping about his difficult rise to success, but nothing else. The track “Side Piece” is a tongue-in-cheek ode to the women that Harlow sees on the side, sounding like nothing more than a somehoweven-cornier clone of Lil Dicky. “Movie Star” features Pharell on the chorus, and his part genuinely doesn’t mesh with the rest of the instrumental, which is disappointing because I’m usually a big fan of his work.

What confuses me is that Harlow is acting as if he’s introducing himself to the public with “Come Home the Kids Miss You,” when in reality we all know who Harlow is. He’s already released an album, he’s been featured on countless songs, he’s had his own hits and he’s a wellknown media personality. So why does he feel the need to tell us nothing about himself other than what we already know?

Harlow seems afraid to open up on the mic. On “State Fair,” he paradoxically complains about cameras pointed at his face wherever he goes, and yet brags to the listener that they’d trade lives with him in a heartbeat.

This is a really interesting juxtaposition, but he chooses not to expand upon the complexities of his fame, rather choosing to only rap about his life of luxury for the rest of the song. That’s really the issue with this album — aside from the blandness of the sound, what Harlow is saying just isn’t interesting anymore. He wants everyone to know he’s living large and embracing his success, but I just wish his music reflected how he felt about it.

Seven books to spice up your summer reading

By Sevana Wenn

Features Managing Editor

Whether you’re turning pages by a sparkling ocean in the tropics or in your childhood bedroom in the Midwest, there’s bound to be a book out there that speaks to you this season.

Here’s a list of summer reads, ranging from light-hearted romances to piercing memoirs, that are almost impossible to put down. Head to your local bookstore and add them to your list: “Crying in H-Mart” by Michelle Zauner Michelle Zauner, better known as the indie-pop artist Japanese Breakfast, delivers a touching and powerful story about her relationship with her late mother in “Crying in H-Mart.” In addition to exploring her complex bond with her mother, who passed away from cancer when she was 25, the author delves into her connection to her heritage as a biracial Korean-American. Zauner connects to both her mother and her culture through the medium of food — her detailed, mouthwatering descriptions of savory jjajangmyeon noodles, crunchy Korean fried chicken and comforting juk porridge intertwine beautifully with her navigation of grief. The memoir reveals the power of food to evoke nostalgia, connect us to our past and honor the memories of those we’ve lost.

“People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry “People We Meet on Vacation” is a must-read for fans of the friendsto-lovers trope. The novel follows college best friends Alex and Poppy, who, despite their polar opposite personalities, embark on an annual summer trip together. The pair have

a relationship that’s impossible not to get invested in, especially once buried romantic feelings begin to come to the surface. It’s a quintessential beach read: sweet, feel-good and full of witty dialogue and chemistry.

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous”

by Ocean Vuong Written in the form of a letter to his mother, who cannot read, “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” is a powerful account of Ocean Vuong’s journey as a Vietnamese-American immigrant. The contents of the letter unearth the narrator’s unique experience, grappling with themes of race in America, generational trauma, substance abuse, sexuality and, above all, the complexity of family relationships. The bestseller was named one of the top 10 books of 2019 by The Washington Post and has been critically acclaimed not only for its lyrical style but also its ability to bring such difficult topics to light with genuinity.

“Everything I Need I Get from You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It” by Kaitlin Tiffany For those of us who didn’t grow up as diehard Directioners or passionate members of the Beyhive, the culture of internet fandoms is confusing at best and borderline-insane at worst.

Author Kaitlin Tiffany keenly and hilariously breaks down these online spaces in “Everything I Need I Get from You.” She argues that, far from being hysterical, love-struck teens, fangirls are innovators whose contributions to social media have shaped Internet culture. The book focuses largely on the One Direction fandom and also includes a discussion of fan culture’s interactions with capitalism.

It is both celebratory and critical of

the online community, and altogether, wholly entertaining.

“The Vote Collectors: The True Story of the Scamsters, Politicians, and Preachers Behind the Nation’s Greatest Electoral Fraud” by Michael Graff and Nick Ochsner This nonfiction account delves into a major electoral scandal in the November 2018 election, which took place just hours from Durham in North Carolina’s 9th District. Written by two Charlotte-based reporters, it examines the issues of electoral fraud, racism within the voting system and the vulnerabilities of small-town elections. Graff and Oschner challenge the idea that American democracy is infallible, and as the 2022 primaries are underway, it’s more important than ever to be informed about the system that we as voters participate in and uphold.

“The Secret History” by Donna Tartt From Pulitzer prizewinner Donna Tartt, “The Secret History” begins with protagonist Richard Papen reminiscing on his experience at Hampden, an elite liberal arts college in Vermont. Having escaped from poverty and abuse, Papen is desperate to fit in among his wealthy peers. He soon finds himself obsessed with, and eventually a part of, a tight-knit clique of classics students who are led by an unusually charismatic professor. The novel sees Papen lose sight of morality as he delves deeper into this group, who take Greek romantic ideals to the extreme — and ultimately become murderers. The novel is fast-paced, compelling and has been described as a “modern classic.”

Photo by Jonathan Pertile There’s no better time than the summer to check things off your reading list.

“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” tells the story of two women: Hollywood legend Evelyn Hugo, who has grown reclusive in her old age, and journalist Monique Grant, whose career and personal life have seemingly rolled to a standstill. Hugo plucks Grant out of obscurity to write her much-sought-after biography. Her life as a starlet is chock-full of ambition, romance and heartbreak, as well as multi-dimensional characters who make the New York Times bestseller impossible to put down. Readers learn how the protagonists’ lives intersect in an unexpected and tragic way.

Remember your sunscreen, stay hydrated and happy reading!

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