EMMIE Spring 2017

EMMIE EE s R 2 F STERE POINSID

avril read your star s s

oda c e f a C ’s n madiso new jazz vibe brings a ate street to st

album re sampha, k views: future an ehlani, d more

emmie exclusive:

jesse Mccartney tells all

e 11 h t d n i f can you nnas? a h i r g n dabbi side! check in

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is streaming the death of music?

staff playlists, great live shows and more!

6 madis n art sts you doo n’t knoiw ... ...but sho uld!

SPRING

2017

contents

3-4

Kehlani

Process

sampha

I See You The xx

Ty Segall

6

Future

future

Forget

Ty Segall

Xiu Xiu

7

8

9

I Decided

Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood

Album Anniversaries

Thundercat

Sun Kil Moon

11-12

13-14

15-16

Number 1 Angel Charli xcx

big sean

Drunk

Isaiah Rashad

Run the Jewels

D.R.A.M.

the growlers

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19

21

Whitney

the head and the heart

Iconic Super Bowl Half Time Shows

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27

29

staff hot takes

A New Home for Jazz

Point-Counterpoint: Do musicians need to be good people?

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43

50

Roundtable: Did streaming kill buying music?

Hip-hop on the Silver Screen

killer mike on politics and race

features

Cherry Glazerr

shows

The Black Madonna

albums

SweetSexySavage

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Editor’s Note

Staff editor-in-chief mia SATO

Features editor molly GILBERTSON

Shows editors One of my earliest memories related to music is seeing the glossy, colorful, attention-grabbing covers of iconic teen pop culture magazines like J-14 and Tiger Beat! in the grocery store bookshelves. Although not exactly hard-hitting music journalism, the images of my favorite boy bands and pop stars coupled with the predecessors of click-bate was irresistible — Yes, I do want to know about how Nick Jonas was bullied in elementary school. And I definitely need that full-page, tear-out poster of Hillary Duff hanging in my room. Life was simpler back then, but the drama and gossip surrounding musicians and stars was anything but boring.

This semester, EMMIE revisited those infamously banal (yet somehow captivating) magazines of years' past and re-imagined them in a contemporary, slightly more respectable way. We modernized the featured artists, spit-balled fun story ideas (Horoscopes! Quizzes!

Poorly Photoshopped posters!) and took a much-needed break from minimalism and a stab at sensory overload.

The result is a magazine that's nostalgic without being too sentimental, tonguein-cheek but also sincere, and un-ironically celebratory of all the things we love about this art form of music and the people who make it.

I've been involved with EMMIE for nearly four years now, and capping off my college experience with a magazine like this feels like I've come full-circle.

Music has made my life fuller, more beautiful, more true, and sharing in the joy it brings me with incredible staff and readers has meant more to me than I can articulate eloquently. Our favorite song or genre may ebb and flow, change with time and our own growth and maturity, but what's at the heart of our obsession — the way these beautiful sounds touch a chord within us — isn't something we grow out of.

So here's to the guilty pleasure artists, the throwback jams, our first concerts, drawers full of band t-shirts, meticulously organized music collections and all the other ways we show our love for this art. And of course there's EMMIE, the best way I know how.

xoxo, Mia Sato

editor-in-chief

Special thanks to...

Deshawn Mckinney, Wisconsin Union President Victoria Fok, PubCom Director Jim Rogers, Advisor

brighton LINDBERG staci CONOCCHIOLI

album editors shaye GRAVES collin KIRK will SKALECKI

layout

mia SATO molly GILBERTSON collin KIRK branden WISE staci CONOCCHIOLI

social media zach ADAMS mercy XIONG

marketing mitchell ROSE

Contributors

zach ADAMS staci CONOCCHIOLI molly GILBERTSON shaye GRAVES lily HANSEN collin KIRK brighton LINDBERG michael MAKOWSKI j.t. POSTLEWAITE mitchell ROSE will SKALECKI morgan WINSTON daniel WINOGRADOFF branden WISE mercy XIONG

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Shaye Graves Collin Kirk Will Skalecki

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SweetSexySavage Kehlani

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ollowing the release of two well-received mix tapes, Kehlani, a dancer-turned-singer hailing from Oakland, California launched into the new year on a strong note with the release of her debut album SweetSexySavage. Though it’s her first major label effort, she’s by no means a newcomer: you may have heard her on Mind of Mine, last year’s release by R&B/pop contemporary Zayn, or on “Gangsta” off the “Suicide Squad” soundtrack. Despite her impressive list of accomplishments (she was nominated for a Grammy this year), SweetSexySavage is fresh, charming, candid and feels surprisingly new in a genre that’s at times difficult to stand out in.

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Most impressive about SweetSexySavage is the depth Kehlani offers listeners, both in terms of style and tone. On “Personal,” she’s self-assured, even distant, crooning to the object of her lack of affection that she’s better off without them. Skip forward to “In My Feelings” — a standout track with lush verses that builds to a chorus of an urgent splattering of beats — and you’ll find Kehlani asking herself, “If this isn’t love/ Why do I pick up my phone every time that you call?” Kehlani successfully balances a tenderness that seems honest without ever falling into the unaware-kitschy category. Then again on “Do U Dirty,” the songstress’ signature smooth swagger is on full display with lines like, “Swear you see the good in me/ But that don’t beat the hood in me.” All of the above tracks could easily be the next dance floor staple in a series of alternate universes.

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Still, there’s room for Kehlani to grow on whatever she decides to record next.

Listeners hear some experimentation with the poppy acoustic track “Hold Me By the Heart,” which meets the “sweet” part in SweetSexySavage but borders on the cliché that Kehlani manages to avoid elsewhere on the record. Nevertheless, a failure to finesse an unfamiliar sound is something she can overcome with time and a dedicated effort, if she decides to venture more into the genre. Beyond that, tightening up the slumps and lulls is needed — the album runs just under an hour, and there’s an excess of songs so similar that it becomes difficult to discern which is which. If Kehlani can pull together a more thoughtfully and critically assembled follow-up, she’ll show growth, artistry and give listeners a reason to come back from more.

mia sato

Process Sampha

newfound stardom, and malignant relationships on his part, Sampha poetizes and makes audiences feel that they have experienced these same things.

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t’s been a daunting musical circuit for 28-year old Sampha Sisay. The South London native developed a natural style early on in his career with his off-kilter and futuristic flavored EPs, Sundanza and Dual. After collaborations with the likes of Aaron Jerome of SBTRKT, Drake, Solange, Kanye West and Frank Ocean, Sampha released his long-awaited debut LP, Process.

Number 1 Angel Charli XCX

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n the four years since her debut album, True Romance, Charli XCX has reinvented herself more than the average pop star. From dimly-lit electronica to Seventeen Magazine pop-rock, she again tossed her sound haphazardly in a blender to arrive at a hypnotic, clubby, champagne-inspired electro-pop, as listeners heard on loud, in-your-face Vroom Vroom EP, released in 2016. To bridge the gap between her third studio album, Charli XCX teamed up with the likes of pop mastermind PC Music (Sophie, Danny L. Harle, A. G. Cook) to brew a batch of dance floor fillers.

Number 1 Angel, serviced as a mix tape, features some big female artists such as MØ, Abra, Raye and Starrah, as well as

out-of-retirement sing-talker Uffie and up-and-coming female rapper, Cupcakke. The result is a league of dramatic, bass-heavy, atmospheric pop gems with a high sex drive and a high vodka tolerance.

Crafting an ideal pop song is no new undertaking for Charli XCX, who has co-written for Icona Pop’s 2012 hit “I Love It,” on which she is featured, as well as Selena Gomez’s “Same Old Love.” Only recently has she dabbled in the idea of taking on the persona of pop star herself. Opening tracks on Number 1 Angel, “Dreamer” and “3AM (Pull Up)” are ultimate pop candy, sporting Top 40 lyricism and enveloping a emotive nature absent from most bleak pop music.

Bass-laden bangers “Roll with Me” and “ILY2” exude Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne respectively, two artists Charli has openly praised.

influenced instrumental. On the LP’s most heartfelt song, “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano,” a song dedicated to his late mother, Sampha cries anguish and uncertainty, as he passions with grief and realizes the extent of his mother’s love as the days pass.

This potential 2018 Grammy nomination is a magnum opus for all those struggling with conflict and concern.

Sampha Sisay has arrived, and he wants everyone to know that it is going to be okay. On the last song, “What Shouldn’t I Be?” Sampha quietly celebrates his champion efforts of what him and his family wanted him to achieve. The repetition of the title throughout the song creates some hope for Sampha, as he wonders what he can try to become next.

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The grimy, stadium-ready “Lipgloss” is made complete by the gritty, explicit Cupcakke, delivering a fire-starting verse perfect for the eccentric instrumentation. However, the body of work has moments where you remember it is, in fact, just a mix tape, although they are few and far between. “Drugs” and “Blame it on You” are two offerings that the collection could go without, contributing little that other material hadn’t already in weaker form.

With Number 1 Angel, Charli XCX strings along her stance as a pop mastermind capable of intense versatility that will be valuable to the pop landscape for years to come. Her third studio album, described as a more intense and clubready pop party record, is expected later this year.

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Process is pensive and meditative. As audiences listen, Sampha sweeps through his past through a kaleidoscopic lens, but dabbles in the vexation he braves in today with heartrending storytelling.

Even with the circumstances he details, including the death of his mother due to cancer in 2015, anxiety spurring from

Sampha begins the LP with an intricate weave of strings, his breathy, troubled voice and a sample from Neil Armstrong on lyrical standout, “Plastic 100°C.” “I’ll work my way over into the sunlight here without looking directly into the sun,” says the astronaut, as the tone of the album is set with the ambient ballad.

On the album’s 70’s Drumtrak hit, “Blood on Me,” Sampha and Scottish producer Rodaidh McDonald team up to master a shivering beat that specifies Sampha’s troubles with anxiety and sleep paralysis. Sampha shows his prowess in production on other tracks such as the non-western “Kora Sings,” in which he utilizes a 21-string West African lute to his likings, and “Reverse Faults,” in which he toys with reversed sounds and reversed polarity behind a trap-

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I See You The xx

electronic production of Jamie xx is excellently mixed with the dreamy vocals of The xx to create a unique and exciting listen.

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n their first two albums, The xx crafted a trademark sound – dreamy and atmospheric. Press play on their latest album, I See You, and horns announce the presence of The xx, signaling immediately that this will be a different experience than their preceding work.

After their sophomore album, Coexist, The xx took some time off and group member Jamie xx released a stellar solo album, In Colour. Deviating from its predecessors, I See You sounds more like a continuation of Jamie xx’s solo work featuring added vocals. As a whole, this change of sound is effective: the bright,

Certain tracks from each artist even seem to parallel one another in style.

The slow build to a sample-reliant chorus on standout track “On Hold” is distinctly reminiscent of Jamie xx’s “Loud Places.” In addition, The xx’s “A Violent Noise” and Jamie xx’s “Stranger in a Room” both feature synths that belong on a dance track that are transformed by reverb-heavy guitars and haunting vocals, creating an eerie, gloomy club sound. However, on tracks like “Brave For You” and “Test Me,” the blend of styles sounds forced, and the ambitious production of Jamie xx leaves a bad taste in the listener’s mouth.

While the group’s sound has changed in

Ty Segall Ty Segall

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y Segall has always crafted his songs with an expert combination of volume and melody, delivering his gritty, fuzzed-out sound with a pop sensibility.

His new record, the second self-titled album in his discography, finds the California singer-songwriter struggling to integrate these two abilities. The result: rockers that cross the line from powerful to abrasive, and acoustic tunes that lie between catchy and contrived.

The new record finds Segall going for an even rougher sound than on his past efforts. Guitars and drums dominate the soundscape, with other instruments used, but often lost in the mix. Further-

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the four years that have elapsed since their sophomore record, The xx’s subject matter has always focused on love, with I See You being no exception.

Delivering some of their best performances yet, Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim sing beautiful duets with nearly tangible chemistry that add to the vulnerable lyrics (“Say something loving / I just can’t remember the thrill of affection / ... I need a reminder the feelings escaped me”).

Overall, on I See You, The xx develop and progress their sound with excellent results, creating a fantastic record filled with intimate moments, danceable beats and everything in between.

Mitchell Rose

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more, the mixing sounds slightly more distant and muffled.

display of borrowed chord progressions and boring vocals.

This creates a listening experience that borders on annoying at times; instead of being immersive and engaging (see 2011’s Melted), Ty Segall at its worst is a mosquito buzzing in your ear. Many of the towering rockers that dominate the first side feature grating guitar soloing that is neither inspired nor purposeful.

An otherwise strong song like “Freedom,” which features a captivating stop-and-start melody, unfortunately concludes with a section that sounds like a jam session outtake. “The Only One” has some similarly overindulgent guitar work, this time featuring two guitars struggling to find their footing.

Conversely, other tracks are markedly more pleasant to the ear, but much more forgettable: “Take Care (To Comb Your Hair),” the closing track, is a dismal

Still, there are certain pleasant moments on the record. The opening track, “Break a Guitar,” features the calculated sense of chaos that Segall has proven himself so adept at delivering. A mammoth, sludgy guitar riff drives the verses and the chorus hits hard, anchored by power chords and embellished with some fills that truly feel improvisational, adding to the already gritty, garage-like feel of this headbanger. Lead single “Orange Color Queen,” a softer number, shines with a golden melody and some truly beautiful vocalizations. However, its slow acoustic introduction and half-time ending feel uninspired. Like the rest of the record, it shows promise, but its greatness is lost amid a wash of mediocrity.

will skalecki

FUTURE Future

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On the opening track, “Rent Money,”

On Metro Boomin-produced “Mask Off," Futuer takes the audience on a

Forget Xiu Xiu

aggressive to meditative throughout.

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t’s been over a decade since Xiu Xiu’s dissonant, uncomfortable soundscapes brimming with abrasive self-reflection and harsh experimentation crash-landed into headlines and notoriety. The band went a number of years dabbling in confusing sideshows guided by frontman Jamie Stewart, including a 2016 collection of covers from the soundtrack of television series “Twin Peaks.” Forget is a return to form for the cult act. Relying on a minimalist electronica approach supplemented by maximal instrumentation, the effort places itself among the best Xiu Xiu work to date.

Forget encompasses a dramatic variety of human emotions and spans from

Middling opener “The Call,” a minor key anthem of sorts, sets up a good middle ground for the album without ever moving too sinisterly. The mid-tempo toe-tapper “Wondering” may be one of the happiest and most conventional Xiu Xiu songs to date, and it’s a good touch, with a hook out of a radio pop song — the gritty baseline and bizarrely-placed reverb are the only things separating it from such. Single and standout “Get Up” is a stumbling, slow-moving ballad dedicated to a lover who is a remaining flicker of inspiration to stay alive, featuring the occasional abrasion to keep the listener in rhythm.

“Hay Choco Bananas” and “Jenny GoGo” drive the album into the lasting ambience and bleakness Xiu Xiu has become known for. The former track, a syrupy depressive jam, features a

spiritual journey. This deep cut details Future’s rags-to-riches life, as Future hints at being more open to expressing his emotions. In the outro, Future says “Mask on, fuck it, mask off/ Gas gone, never nod off,” as a choir in the background can be heard singing “Cold chills, prison cells/ Oh my Lord, praise him be.”

FUTURE is stirring, yet repetitive.

The super-fluidity of Future’s intemperance that he raps about might mean more than what we think. In a sense, FUTURE is a solidification of the automatism of Future, always acting with a knee-jerk reaction.

Daniel winogradoff

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witch house-reminiscent instrumental with the vocal run one might expect out of Perfume Genius. The latter, a warbling dance track, exudes replay value and is a standout on the record.

The latter half of Forget ultimately fails to continue the elusive, elastic feel of the first half of the record, focusing on a dirge-fueled mood — the Xiu Xiu experience.

A tortured, meandering and unstable musical act from the start, Xiu Xiu reminds of their specialties on Forget.

The album successfully finds a balance in the mind space of an anxious meltdown and the unraveling of a Top 40 sonic approach, twisted and turned into something untapped and frenetic.

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uture’s 2016 campaign reminded the music world of his star power and position as the top trapper in hip-hop with projects such as Purple Reign, EVOL and DJ Esco’s Project E.T. tape, going on tour, and appearing as a feature on Grammy-nominated albums from Drake to DJ Khaled to Chance the Rapper. However, on Future’s first of two releases in a week, the Freebandz founder is determined and braggadocios, but fails to distinguish FUTURE from his other work, totally embodying a “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude.

Future barks over this choir-interpolated beat, the Atlanta rapper paints colorful portraits of savage extravagance, rapping, “Red bottoms with the fur like Frank Luc/ I bought some VVS and she caught the chain flu,” and even makes a Boyz ‘n The Hood reference. On “Zoom,” Future calls on sonic geniuses Fuse 100 and Southside to craft exciting portamento synths and crisp hats that slap the listener right in the face. The song finishes with a skit, in which two men take shots at persona-biting rapper Desiigner. “Draco” features Future’s slithering, raspy flow, as Future spits some of the album’s best bars: “Pink molly, let me dance with her/ Freestylin’ let me dance with her/ Sky Dweller, it was sentimental/ Rose gold, it was cinnamon.”

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I Decided Big Sean

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hile Big Sean’s past albums have lacked personality, innovation or motivation, his latest release marks a stark directional difference. I Decided is somewhat of a rebirth for the mostly club music-centered rapper.

The album starts with a novella of an intro. “Light” lays a smooth transition into the mood and piques the interest, showcasing Kanye influence. By track three, it becomes clear that this album is meant to demonstrate Big Sean’s diversity. However, his signature dance-rap beats are revisited on the single “Bounce Back,” the album’s most successful offering. “No Favors,” a highlight, features a powerful beat with lyrics to match.

Halfway through the song, Eminem throws out an insane solo which morphs into a breakout set of rhymes. This appearance is fitting: both rappers are Detroit natives, and while Eminem is nearing what may be the beginning of his final act, Big Sean is clearly looking to define his own era.

ed wild flow. The-Dream’s appearance on “Sunday Morning Jetpack” helps to assimilate the listener to the harmonic vibes of Big Sean’s thoughts and memories until he is interrupted by a phone call from his mother. “Inspire Me” follows the call, which is later joined by tracks dedicated to those he respects.

I Decided begins with solid hooks and excellent beats, but the middle of the album lacks definition and identity.

Songs like “Jump out the Window” and “Halfway off the Balcony” have a unique mutual aspect. The songs lay out an internal conflict Big Sean is dealing with, joined with ill-fitting instrumentals.

I Decided features solid all-around production, but the middle of the album feels neglected and dull. The album has plenty of high points with standout features and quality lyrics; however, there are some inexcusably mundane pieces that detract more than contribute.

While Big Sean’s request for a second chance should certainly be afforded to him, there is still much more to look for before saying that Big Sean is truly an innovative artist.

Reaching the final stretch of the album, the dichotic track “Voices in my Head/ Stick to the Plan” snaps the energy right back when it finishes up with unexpect-

Drunk

Thundercat

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he spotlight has never shined down on Stephen Bruner (Thundercat), but his fourth album Drunk helps his gradual climb in notoriety.

A distinct inclusion to his discography, Drunk strays from a previous ideology of crafting albums that succeeded due to a few songs and fragments of songs. This style, present on works such as Apocalyptic and EP The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam, is abandoned as Bruner creates his first work meant to be interpreted as a coherent whole. He tells a story and invites the listener to join him in a world in which he sloppily progresses through a night of drinking.

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Thundercat begins to introduce his wild storyline in the first track “Rabbat Ho” in which he rhythmically sings the lyrics, “Let’s go hard, get drunk/ And travel down a rabbit hole.” Continuing on his journey, the album begins to reveal a problematic, repetitive nature. Most songs sound exactly the same, and in this sense, Drunk is similar to his previous records. This repetition also carries over to his vocal arrangements: there is no variation between tracks, and the "Oooh’s" that plague almost every song will make you think it’s not worth it to continue listening.

Still, Thundercat’s latest record continues to showcase Stephen Bruner's exceptional ability to fuse genres. His introduction of synths reminiscent of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s help in nourishing his neo-soul/funk sound, while production from long-time friend Flying Lotus

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gives a sense of nostalgia that was apparent in previous work. Though having worked successfully with Flying Lotus on all previous albums, a stray from the collaborations could aid Thundercat in developing a unique sound of his own.

With that being said, there are some standout songs on the album. These include “Jameel’s Space Ride,” as Thundercat sings about his trials and tribulations of being a black man; “Friend Zone,” for the occasional funny lyric; and “Inferno,” for creating a vibrant honeyed sound that differs from other tracks. The inclusion of high profile artists such as Kendrick Lamar on “Walk On By” and Pharrell on “The Turn Down” is quite commendable too, but it feels as if the vision of the full album he wished for didn’t quite play out like he desired.

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Common As Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood

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Sun Kil Moon

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Most of the songs have a relatively similar style of composition, centered around a gritty bass line accompanied by a drum loop. Kozelek uses this as a basis to deliver his lyrics in several variations of near spoken word. This heavy reliance on percussion and bass is interesting and certainly new for a Sun Kil Moon record, but is repeated ad nauseum.

Although the song composition leaves something to be desired in terms of variation, the lyrics are as uniquely compelling as usual. Kozelek, 50 years old, narrates things that would come off as meaningless were it not for his pained, grizzly delivery that conveys wisdom. He narrates a conversation about switching hotel rooms on “Stranger than Paradise,” reads a thank you letter he received from a promoter for playing a show (“Sarah Lawrence College Song”) and recounts his childhood in Ohio (“God Bless Ohio”).

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These are events and stories that may only have meaning to him, but they are very effective when juxtaposed with philosophical contemplation and one-sided political discussion. This recurring rotation of events that seem to be of opposing relevance depict a man struggling to understand the link between everyday events in his own life and major world events. Although a staple feature of — songwriting, this new record shows the singer displaying some of his most profound contemplations yet, seamlessly weaving them together in a series of cohesive narratives.

Switching rapidly between the beautiful and ugly, both idyllic and pragmatic, Common as Light and Love... is a portrait of a man attempting to make sense of the world and understand his position in it. Lyrically it is a fascinating listen, but there is a noticeable lack of commitment to crafting individual songs. The result is an album that, despite strong moments of cohesion, presents a lot of the same over its bloated run time.

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he focal point of Sun Kil Moon’s songs has always been the lyrics, but stellar past effort Benji fused intensely emotional, detailed lyrics with evocative acoustic guitar riffs, creating songs that were as strong melodically as they were thematically experimental. Across the album, the instrumentation was so compelling that it gave meaning and beauty to the mundane events Mark Kozelek sang about. Kozelek’s latest album under the moniker Sun Kil Moon, Common as Light as Love are Red Valleys of Blood, shows the singer-songwriter relying even more heavily on his lyricism to shoulder the weight of this two-hour behemoth of an album.

For example, the song “Butch Lullaby” oscillates between a menacing-sounding bass line and acoustic interludes without any drums, as do “The Highway Song,” “Lone Star” and “Sarah Lawrence College Song” among others.

The few moments of instrumental variation distinguish the album’s strongest songs. “I Love Portugal” pairs a sunny melody with idyllic lyrics about life away from the problems of the world.

“Early June Blues” has a memorable piano riff that matches Kozelek’s soft, sensitive vocal delivery. Instrumentally, the tongue-in-cheek “Vague Rock Song” sounds familiar but distinguishes itself by delivering the best hook on the album.

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8

ALBUM ANNIVERSARIES Either/Or, Elliott Smith (1997) A

t first, Either/Or was simply a great album — a quiet, generation-defining triumph from singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Since Smith’s alleged suicide in 2003, though, the album has been a cornerstone to the prolific musician’s legacy. But even while tragedy propelled Smith and his music to myth-like status, Either/Or is marvelous by itself.

Either/Or sits remarkably at the intersection of the underground and the mainstream. Its full instrumentation (electric guitar, bass, keyboards and drums, all played by Smith) and wistful hooks give the indie-folk/rock album pop potential. To avoid perpetual labeling of his music as “dark,” Smith made a conscious effort to portray diverse moods in Either/Or. The result is an intriguing anomaly: Smith sounds simultaneously restless and resigned, empty and submerged, collected and unhinged. Above all, he sounds painstakingly vulnerable. The album’s slew of contradictions invites profound, and sometimes upsetting, introspection. “Nobody broke your heart,” Smith sings in “Alameda.” “You broke your own.”

To listen to Either/Or is to be up close and personal with not only Smith, but yourself as well. I was introduced to Smith and Either/Or when my first boyfriend put “Say Yes” on a mix CD for me. The album resonated with me then when I was falling in love, and later felt just as relevant in the context of heartbreak. As Either/Or’s co-producer, Rob Schnapf, said in an interview with LA Weekly, “It’s timeless because it beautifully and succinctly encapsulates the pain and isolation that people feel in every generation.”

shaye graves

Portishead, Portishead (1997) I

knew I liked Portishead, but it wasn’t until I randomly purchased their second, self-titled album at my local record store back in 2014 that I immediately designated them as one of my all-time favorite bands. On “Cowboys” vocalist Beth Gibbons croons, “Don’t despair, this day will be the damnedest day” that she traps you, immediately introducing the listener to the notorious melancholic atmosphere that was first made known on their debut Dummy. Making their mark in the nocturnal ambience that is classified as trip-hop, Portishead creates a feeling inside you as if you are trudging through a murky swamp.

And now 20 years later, the ominous lyricism still swallows you into an introspective world in which you begin to question your own self-being.

branden wise

The Velvet Underground and Nico, The Velvet Underground (1967)

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n 1967, The Velvet Underground (featuring Nico) made their musical debut with their iconic first album. Produced by Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground & Nico was an avant-garde melange of sounds and styles. Initially considered shocking for its provocative lyrics and experimental sounds, the album was banned by many radio stations and considered a commercial failure. Despite this, the album launched The Velvet Underground and Nico into the public eye and set each up for prolific musical careers. Over time, the unique and unbridled sound of the The Velvet Underground along with Nico’s deep and sultry vocals has lended the album long-term success as one of the most influential albums of the 20th century. Known for its iconic banana cover art and tracks such as “Venus in Furs,” “Femme Fatale” and “Sunday Morning,” The Velvet Underground & Nico endures as an influential mark on art-pop, psychedelic rock and proto-punk music.

molly gilbertson

Homogenic, Björk (1997) T

hree albums into her solo career and coming off the steam of the globally successful album Post, Björk underwent a reinvention for the ages to produce the timepiece Homogenic. Diving into an intense, profoundly electronic soundscape, the album moves from the earth-shattering offerings “Bachelorette” and “Jóga,” orchestral, sweeping ballads to the abrasive, clunky pieces “5 Years” and “Pluto,” a more introspective and glitch-laden take. The album meets in a calm center on the midtempo Sunday-morning anthems “Hunter” and “Alarm Call." Homogenic moves through many sounds and colors. The influences in Homogenic were trailblazing for electronic musicians, and especially, women in music overall. It acts as one of many bodies of work in the Icelandic singer-songwriter’s discography that have stood the test of time.

collin kirk

Never Mind the Bullocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, Sex Pistols (1977) I

f there's one band known more for antics and cultural impact than their actual musical abilities, the Sex Pistols are surely in the running. Thrown together by artist and manager Malcolm McLaren, the band exploded in the English pop scene seemingly out of nowhere, and burned out equally as ferociously and chaoticly, shrowded in a murder trial, serious drug abuse and conflict between the members.

Even so, the cultural impact of Never Mind the Bullocks, Here's the Sex Pistols is undeniable. It was the impetus for the British punk movement, serving as the manic soundtrack to an enduring wave of angry, disillusioned youth around the world. Nevermind that Sid Vicious could barely play the bass – it was the mere existence of the Sex Pistols that mattered more than the art.

Johnny Rotten would go on to create more sonically-inclined music with Public Image Ltd and enjoy a long career after the disbanding of the Pistols, but Never Mind the Bullocks will forever be remembered as a cultural jewel, all of its rough edges making it necessary, groundbreaking art. Although the record and band were deeply flawed, they introduced me to the ethos of punk and to some of my favorite bands, and for that, God save the Sex Pistols.

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the black madonna

By Molly Gilbertson

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mart Bar, the subterranean club of Metro in Chicago, pulsed all night long on March 19 for The Black Madonna’s 6-hour DJ set. This set would be (at least for the time being) The Black Madonna’s last one at Smart Bar, where the DJ has been a resident, talent buyer, and creative director for the past five years.

The Black Madonna (born Marea Stamper) is arguably one of the most prolific figures in Chicago house and techno today. Inspired by the early 90s rave scene as well as a spiritual upbringing, her music emulates a philosophy that dance music is haven of belonging and connecting for people of all walks of life. The event drew a massive and eclectic crowd — people of all ages, styles, personalities gathered to listen, feel, and dance to the iconic Chicago House DJ, who has become renowned worldwide for her moving and exuberant sets. Knowing I couldn’t last the entire night until 5 a.m., I found myself

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continuously setting and breaking personal curfews. A six hour set sounds impossible, maybe even painful to dance through, but The Black Madonna’s track selection and mixing makes the challenge easy and joyful.

While I did not make it to 5 a.m. myself, the whole while that I was there I couldn’t help but feel like I was a part of something bigger — sharing this unadulterated joy with hundreds of strangers. The Black Madonna doesn’t just make music to dance to. sShe crafts a spirit of belonging and community in the sounds that she creates.

Mixing almost exclusively vinyl, the set evolved smoothly through the night from pop and synth-y disco into house, then deeper sounds and back into upbeat swinging dance tracks. Telling myself I’d leave when a particular track ended, the set would transition into a new groove, and I’d find myself refreshed and ready to dance for another hour. In addition to perfectly transitioning sounds, The Black Madonna covers a profound range of tracks, from popular mixes of Diana Ross and Giorgio Moroder to more obscure, unidentifiable tracks.

Photography by Molly Gilbertson

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Run the Jewels

wo massive hands in a fist and gun position loomed over the stage, the house lights turned red and Queen’s “We Are The Champions” played; Run The Jewels had arrived. The Queen track was a perfect fit for RTJ. Their Run The World Tour feels like an international victory lap following their wildly successful album Run The Jewels 3. On Feb. 15, RTJ stopped in Madison for a triumphant performance at the sold-out Orpheum Theatre.

breath, Mike and El jumped straight into “Legend Has It,” and with no hesitation continued into “Call Ticketron.” As the crazed crowd screamed for more, Killer Mike preached safety.

He told everyone to take a step back, to go hard but respect your space, and for guys to keep their sweaty hands off the girls in front of them. “Alright then, let’s have a blockbuster night,” he said as they transitioned into the vicious Run The Jewels 2 track “Blockbuster Night Part 1.”

Warming up the crowd was DJ Nick Hook, joined briefly by Cuz and Gangsta Boo. The highlight of his set came at the end when he brought two fans on stage with him.

He taught them each how to use his equipment and had them play whatever came to mind. Nick then constructed a surprisingly good track out of the fans’ off-beat musiPhotography by Mitchell Rose cal attempts,which was a crowd-pleaser. Next, The Gaslamp Killer seized the stage. His DJ set For the next hour, Mike and El delivbegan calmly with Childish Gambino’s ered to the crowd their merciless vers“Redbone," However, his modest bees and heavy electronic beats. They ginning was quickly overshadowed by stuck to tracks exclusively from Run heavy distortion and hostile beats that The Jewels 3 and 2, only dipping into is best characterized as the soundtrack their debut for their self-titled song. to the decent into madness. Finally, On their sexual anthem “Love Again RTJ took the stage. After channeling (Akinyele Back),” they brought Gangtheir inner Freddie Mercury, Killer sta Boo out to the crowds’ excitement.

Mike and El-P launched into Run The Before their RTJ3 track “Panther Like Jewels 3 single “Talk to Me.” Before a Panther (Miracle Mix),” El-P slowed the ravenous crowd could catch their down the show and led the crowd in a spoken word moment. The crowd

By Mitchell Rose

laughed and snapped as El recited his raunchy intro to the track before relentlessly rapping over the braggadocios banger.

One of the highlights of the show came when Killer Mike spotted security taking away a fan for smoking weed.

“Security, stop,” he said. “No one’s getting thrown out of a Run The Jewels show for smoking weed. We will stop this show if you kick him out.” The security was in a tricky spot, but they let him return to the show and the crowd loved it.

At the end of their set, the fans chanted, “RTJ RTJ RTJ” in the dim houselights, desperate for more of Mike and El. “Alright, Alright,” said El-P, feigning reluctance, “We were gonna come back anyways.” Gracing the stage for the final time, they performed their hit track “Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck),” seemingly racing the strobing lights with their blistering bars.

They ended the show on a slower note with RTJ3 intro “Down” as the crowd recovered.

When it ended, the crowd was sweaty, hoarse and high on RTJ. Killer Mike and El-P had proven once again why they're one of the most skilled and exciting acts in modern hip hop, and they continued on continue their victory lap tour to prove it to the next town.

Cherry Glazerr Cherry Glazerr Cherry Glazerr live

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BY COLLIN KIRK Hailing from Los Angeles, young, uninhibited rock band Cherry Glazerr either were enamored or unpleasantly frigid on the snowy Monday evening they graced Memorial Union. However, a Madison blizzard failed to limit the energy and chemistry between the elastic, unhinged bandmates and the crowd.

Decorated in a set of colorful hanging vulvas potentially described as not family friendly, lead singer Clementine Creevy made an excellent point: “Where do you think families come from?”

“The extraneous, extravagant weirdness exuded through the venue, setting an accessible, fun pace.”

The extraneous, extravagant weirdness exuded through the venue, setting an accessible, fun pace. The tone, however, was not one note, spanning from a falsetto-accompanied performance of "Nuclear Bomb" to shrill screeching in a true rockstar fashion.

Unwashed enthusiasm was accompanied by unapologetic political messages perfectly suited for the crowd: "Impeach Trump!" was exclaimed by Clementine, much to the joy of the mostly-student crowd. A more spiritual experience was uncovered on the downtempo anthem, "Grilled Cheese," one mightily suited for a Wisconsin crowd.

Prior to the centerpiece act, trumpet-laden openers Slow Hollows brought a toned down, toe-tapping vibe to oppose the explicit and untamed Cherry Glazerr. The group, brimming with passion, acted as a delightful crescendo to the madness. Slow Hallows passed the baton to Cherry Glazerr, who opened with 2015’s Adult Swim exclusive shredder, “Sip ‘O Poison.”

Clem, dressed in Badger red and white, and her bandmates wasted no time, diving straight into moshpit-ready headbanging.

Photos by Branden Wise

DRAM There’s something about D.R.A.M. that makes you smile wide. Whether it was his uncompromising optimism, long dreads or contagious smile, the Virginia native brought a unique level of energy to the Majestic on Jan. 29. After breaking onto the scene in late 2014, D.R.A.M., short for “Does Real Ass Music,” has exploded. His 2015 smash "Cha Cha" served as an inspiration for Drake's

CHA-CHAS HIS WAY INTO MADISON

“Hotline Bling,” while last year’s mega hit “Broccoli” landed him his first Grammy nomination. If his performance was any indication, he has no plans on slowing down anytime soon.

“And all I need is you with me/ And I just wanna impress you, darling/ I just wanna make you feel good.” Later on, he broke out the lighthearted “Cute,” another anthem of affection.

The soulful hip-hop crooner began the show with “Get It Myself,” a song off his debut album Big Baby D.R.A.M. Backed by a DJ and a live band, D.R.A.M. serenaded the sold-out crowd and had a lot of fun doing it.

It was clear that he genuinely enjoyed being onstage and entertaining his audience, frequently having his mic stand removed so that he could have more room to dance.

D.R.A.M. wasn’t shy to show his romantic side, nor did he hold back in performing his hits with unadulterated happiness. Busting into “Cash Machine,” “Misunderstood” and “Cha Cha,” his smile never left his face as the audience sang along to every word.

Behind D.R.A.M.’s blissful demeanor lies a soulful romantic. Performing “WiFi,” originally a duet with Erykah Badu, he spotted a girl in the audience and brought her onstage. Holding her close, he sang,

Photo by Christine Hahn

BY ZACH ADAMS

The relatively short show (he only played for around an hour) culminated with “Broccoli,” his Grammy-nominated smash hit with fellow up-and-comer Lil Yachty.

The song’s signature opening piano chords had the room going crazy, yelling the opening lines, “Ain’t no tellin’ what I’m finna be on.” After an ill-fated crowd surfing attempt (he barely made it past the front row), he ended the show with the same wide smile that he began it with. If his performance at the Majestic was any indication, D.R.A.M. is gearing up for a breakthrough year. The hopeful romantic from Virginia took Madison — and will soon take the world — by storm.

Isaiah Rashad v i b e s at t h e s e t t BY mitchell rose Coming off his critically acclaimed album The Sun’s Tirade, Isaiah Rashad brought the Lil Sunny Tour to The Sett on Saturday, Jan. 21. When I went to pick up my ticket, I was faced with a line that snaked through the student union, and I realized I had grossly underestimated Isaiah Rashad’s popularity.

Isaiah Rashad’s music is a cool, calm and collected style of rapping, so I assumed the concert was going to be laid back and decided to sit up in the balcony of The Sett, but soon realized the mistake I had made. There was a palpable excitement from the packed mass of college students right from the start, who pressed up to the stage during opener Jay IDK’s set.

Once the opener finished, Isaiah Rashad meandered his way on stage. He gave no introduction and dove right into his songs, and the audience loved it. The crowd attentively watched Rashad as he smoothly rapped, and they screamed every word back at him with their hands in the air.

He started out with a few slower songs, but then got into more up-tempo songs like “Free Lunch” or “Wat’s Wrong,” and the crowd gained more energy, jumping around and communally having a great time. As I watched, I wished I had been wise enough to get a spot close to the stage when I had the chance. If you ever get the chance to see Isaiah Rashad, get there early and get close; it’s worth it.

From the moment he graced the stage, Rashad rarely said anything more than “Let’s go” or “DJ, drop that shit.” In between songs, he opted away from talking to the crowd and instead led sing-alongs as the beats faded away. At one point, he even interacted with the audience in a freestyle about staying hydrated and passed water bottles to the hardest working fans.

Despite the high-energy emanating from the crowd, Rashad rarely broke his composure. Throughout the performance, he kept a mellow tone as he shuffled across the stage, subtly dancing to the beat. His lower tone captivates his excellent lyricism more than anything else. As a showman, Rashad takes a minimalist approach, only utilizing basic stage lights and his music.

Rashad describes the atmosphere of his concerts best in his song “Rope // Rosegold,” singing, “I got the music for the vibers, I got the music for the vibers/ And we don’t usually talk about it.”

Near the end of the show, I could not resist the pull of the crowd and moved to the lower level. Before his last song, Rashad talked directly to the crowd for the first time, thanking us and Jay IDK for coming and launched into “4r Da Squaw” for one last song to vibe to. Immediately after, Rashad shouted out his label, Top Dawg Entertainment, and concluded the show despite the pleas for an encore. He ended the show just how it began: simply.

Photos by SZR-E for The Come Up Show

“AS I WATCHED, I WISHED I HAD BEEN WISE ENOUGH TO GET A SPOT CLOSE TO THE STAGE WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE.”

the growlers bring beachy vibes to the majestic “Madison, have you ever been in love?” drawls a disheveled and bedazzled Brooks Nielsen to the Majestic theater, before launching into yet another beachy dance tune for the crowd to devour.

Southern Californian garage rockers the Growlers took the stage at the Majestic Theater March 8 for their second show in Madison this school year. Donning color-coordinated trench coats and jumpsuits, the band brought more of their characteristic antics back onstage for an extended set worth missing your Thursday morning classes for.

BY brighton lindberg

During slower moments, the audience was on its best behavior to fully experience the magic. During these times, Nielsen seemed to lose himself a little too, his eyes wandering up to the ceiling as he swayed along with the music. But favorites like “Going Gets Tough,” and “One Million Lovers” transformed the tightly-packed audience into a mess of arms and legs writhing along with the rhythm.

The band members played off of the crowd’s energy, supplying plenty of their own dance moves and jokes.

Touring bassist Brad Bowers never grew tired of making faces at the crowd and playing with his long platinum hair. And at one point Nielsen had to restart a song because his bandmates were whispering things in his ears. “What, you’ve never fucked up before?” he responded with a laugh.

With no opener to warm up the audience, the Growlers took the stage at 9:30 and held the crowd under their command for the next two hours. The band picked and chose favorites from their extensive discography as well as performed the majority of their latest effort, 2016’s exceptional City Club. Paying homage to the album, frontman Brooks Nielsen wore a bomber jacket with the album’s title emblazoned on the back. For what it’s worth, the singer also sported a glittery belt that perfectly caught the light with every gyration of his hips.

“Madison, have you ever been in love?”

Their sunny brand of rock n’ roll — dubbed “beach goth” — changed pace throughout the night, ranging from chilled out guitar-driven love songs to more fleshed out jam sessions.

By the end of the night, both the band and the crowd were blissed out and ready to tuck themselves into bed. While perhaps not as rowdy as a typical hometown show, there’s no denying The Growlers brought some much-needed California sunshine to Madison for the night.

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iconic & unforgettable Super Bowl Halftime shows

By Zach Adams

The halftime show is as integral to the Super Bowl as the game itself. Since the early 1990s, the NFL has booked marquee acts in an effort to keep the audience engaged during the otherwise mundane halftime period. In some cases, the halftime show garners more viewers than the game itself, and artists who perform in them often see a spike in album sales. The halftime show is a staple of the Big Game, and has seen some of the world’s most famous musicians give their most memorable performances. In honor of Lady Gaga taking the stage at this year’s game, here’s a look back at seven memorable, epic and controversial Super Bowl halftime shows.

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Katy Perry, Super Bowl XLIX (2015) Katy Perry’s halftime performance is the most watched halftime show of all time, racking in over 118 million television viewers — nearly 4 million more than the game itself. Perry performed a medley of hits, including “Teenage Dream," “California Gurls” and “Firework.” Entering on a giant animatronic lion, Perry famously danced with Left Shark and was joined by guitarist Lenny Kravitz and rapper Missy Elliott.

Image via Creative Commons

6.

In her first of two halftime show appearances, Beyoncé dominated the stage, performing hits “Run The World (Girls)," “Crazy in Love” and “Halo.” The show featured a reunion of Destiny’s Child, with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams dramatically emerging from the bottom of the stage before breaking into “Independent Woman.”

Her critically-acclaimed performance was also one of the most tweeted about moments in Twitter history at the time, garnering over a quarter-of-a-million tweets per minute.

Beyoncé, Super Bowl XLVII (2013)

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Image via YouTube

Image via Creative Commons

Prince, Super Bowl XLI (2007) Widely regarded as one of the greatest halftime performances of all time, Prince’s show was nothing short of a spectacle. Serenading the 75,000-strong crowd on a stage shaped like his iconic “Love Symbol," Prince performed a medley of hits as well as covers of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary” and Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.” The pop legend ended his performance with a rousing rendition of “Purple Rain” as rain poured down on the crowd.

This MTV-produced show featured performances by Jessica Simpson, P. Diddy, Nelly and Kid Rock, before pop icons Janet Jackson and JT hit the stage. Then, Nipplegate happened — Janet Jackson’s breast was briefly exposed after a part of her costume got ripped off. Not only was her “wardrobe malfunction” an important milestone in Super Bowl history, but it was also a pivotal moment in internet history as well. According to YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim, the incident served as an inspiration for the creation of the video-sharing service, as footage of the event was not readily available online.

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Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

Janet Jackson & Justin Timberlake, Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004)

3.

Photo via YouTube

Less than five months after 9/11, Bono & Co. put on a somber yet powerful performance in memory of those lost in the terrorist attacks. The band only performed three songs: “Beautiful Day," “MLK” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” As the band performed the last song, the names of the victims rolled on a screen behind the band with Bono famously opening his jacket to reveal an American flag inside. In 2013, Sports Illustrated named U2’s performance as the greatest in Super Bowl history.

U2, Super Bowl XXXVI (2002)

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2.

In a show aptly titled The Kings of Rock and Pop, rock icons Aerosmith joined forces with boy band tour de force ‘N Sync. This was the first halftime show produced

by MTV, and featured additional guest performances by Britney Spears, Nelly and Mary J Blige — an eclectic lineup of performers, to say the least. The finale featured all of the artists performing a charged-up rendition of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way."

Aerosmith & ‘N Sync, Super Bowl XXXV (2001) Before The King of Pop graced the stage, halftime shows were considered lackluster events — college marching bands were typically the starring acts. With nearly 100,000 spectators at the Rose Bowl and tens of millions watching around the country, Michael Jackson put on a high-energy spectacle that included “Billie Jean”, “Black or White” and “We Are the World.” MJ’s legendary performance dramatically increased ratings and convinced the NFL to begin attracting high-profile acts to perform.

Photo by Doug Pensinger

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Michael Jackson, Super Bowl XXVII (1993)

Photo by Steve Granitz

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EMMIE staff hot takes Interesting musical opinions frequently arise at the EMMIE staff meetings, and sometimes they’re too good not to share. Next time you’re at a party and there’s a lull in conversation, use one of our wellhoned, trusted hot takes (royalty-free!) to get the ball rolling.

“I don’t like jam bands but I like Phish.”

-Molly Gilbertson, features editor

“it’s 2017. it’s time to identify the Chainsmokers as enemies of the state.”

-Mia Sato, editor-in-chief

“I can’t listen to B.o.B. anymore after I found out he thinks the world is flat.”

-J.T. Postlewaite, staff writer

“so glad drake taught me the difference between 'thing' and 'ting'.”

-Shaye Graves, albums editor

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“punk rock started and ended with avril lavigne.”

-Collin Kirk, albums editor

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CAN YOU FIND THESE WORDS? SPOTIFY RATEYOURMUSIC GRAMMYS MIXTAPE YEEZY VINYL MTV BOUJEE LILCHANO MITSKI ORPHEUM Photo via Creative Commons

BILLBOARD BSIDES TOUCHTUNES EAUXCLAIRES ANTI PITCHFORK FRONTROW MORELIFE CHUCKBERRY PURECOMEDY EMMIE

w o r d s e a r c h

a new home

for jazz

Seeing a void of live jazz music in Madison, Hanah Jon Taylor and Susan Fox opened Cafe CODA, a venue where the music is the main attraction.

By Mia Sato

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anah Jon Taylor can’t remember a time in his life without music. As a child growing up on the southside of Chicago, jazz and blues rang through the streets and in the home – he recalls his father bringing home hard-to-find records from his trips as a Pullman porter, and once, he and a friend heard live jazz spilling out from a bar on the way home from serving evening mass – John Coltrane was performing inside.

The kids bought food, sat outside on the stoop and listened to one of the greatest jazz musicians play on the other side of the frosted window.

an art gallery, but it has to be a place where the music is presented with suitable staging,” Taylor says.

“And that place is non-existent [in Madison].”

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Jazz, an iconic American export with its roots in black New Orleans communities, may not resonate with many young people today. As with many genres of music, the founding principles and guiding ideals that make jazz what it is have been lost through the years, at least to many mainstream audiences.

Hanah Jon Taylor wants to change that, starting with Madison.

But it’s not just the lack of a suitable venue that spurred the birth of Cafe CODA. Taylor points to a “diversity crisis” that he sees in town in which people are failing to prepare for a vastly different Madison that will exist in 20 years, making it a ripe time for a club of this sort to take root in the community.

“I think it’s important for us to start cultivating the ideas of diversity by broadening the musical perspective or experience here,” Taylor says.

If Taylor could have it his way, Cafe CODA would be even more than a place to experience a different kind of music – it would be a place that encourages young people to question loaded genre labels that might discourage listeners from seeking out music that falls under these umbrella terms.

“I think it’s important for young people to learn to make fewer distinctions in general, but for sure when it comes to art.

Because art is a reflection of life,” Taylor says. “But sometimes, the term itself keeps us away from the art.

It's not a museum piece, it's not something to be sought in an archive. It's the sound of the bus, dammit.

Taylor and his longtime friend and collaborator Susan Fox opened Cafe CODA, a small club in the space that was previously the Fountain bar, that caters to live jazz.

Taylor envisioned and built Cafe CODA as a place where audiences come for the music, and hopes it will create a jazz venue on par those located in bigger cities like Chicago and Minneapolis. The location, atmosphere and aesthetic of the venue are important, of course, but Taylor says the centerpiece must be the music – not background noise to a pool game or television program.

"More than anything, [a jazz venue is] a listening place. It can be a dance place,

Photo via Library of Congress

Fox thinks there is also the market and the interest for a proper jazz club in Madison.

“I think jazz in Madison has taken on a new life because of the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium. There are events held on a regular basis that make jazz more accessible,” Fox says. "I think there's a greater awareness of jazz because people are hearing it on the street, for instance.

I think it will benefit us because there will be more people who are open to jazz.”

There’s historical significance to the time of the opening of the club, too.

Fox says this year marks 100 years since jazz was brought to Europe, as well as 100 years since the building the club is located in was built. She says it feels like the right time.

“I’m sure that with the music we present at Cafe CODA, it’s going to destroy somebody’s false notions of what jazz is,” he says. “Art is a living thing, and so is jazz music. It’s not a museum piece, it’s not something to be sought in an archive.

It’s the sound of the bus, dammit – kids yelling, the sound of skates.”

But as someone who prefers less distinctions and definitions when it comes to music, how does Hanah Jon Taylor understand jazz, his work? What does it all mean, then?

“Life,” Taylor says, lightning fast, like an instinct. Without missing a beat, Fox jumps in.

“Freedom.”

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ow many times have you absolutely convinced yourself you hated an artist? You knew two of their songs, and despised them for everything you had seen or heard about them. Then, you hear a song on the radio you’ve never heard before. It's beautiful, transcendent even. You hear it again every once in a while, in strange places, like fragments of a dream you don’t quite remember.

Then, just as the possibility of a life of oblivion begins to set in, you learn that it's by that artist. And you know the drill – this has happened before. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. One, two, three, four, five. Of course, revelations like these often end up to be a blessing, opening you up to a world of music you would have otherwise written off. But where is the line drawn in respect to musicians who are frankly just terrible people? Is it OK to base your unwavering contempt for an artist entirely on their personality?

I think it is fine to factor in your conception of an artist when listening to their music. There are certainly many individuals whose personality or message I may not agree with, but I still love their music. The one piece of advice I would give is not to let your ideas of an artist close you off to anything. It is inevitable that a musician’s personality will have some influence on how we see their music. From the broadest knowledge about musicians we know little about, such as their genre or era, to the most specific details about

our favorite individuals gleaned from hours of watching various interviews and videos, we all have some notion of nearly every artist we have heard. It is important to recognize that these biases exist and will always exist, but I urge readers to try to prioritize their immediate interpretation of the music over these concepts we have of the artists.

Photo via Creative Commons

"There are individuals whose personality or message i may not agree with, but i still love their music."

If nothing else, give an artist’s music a chance. You may be convinced against supporting an individual like Kanye, but are you really gaining anything from refusing to give an artist a chance based on what you think they are like? Likely you will never know your favorite artists on a personal level; therefore, the most accurate depiction of who they are will be understood through their music.

By avoiding an artist’s music, you are avoiding a chance to better understand what you like or dislike about the artist.

Or, perhaps you may find something in their music that you identify with.

If your ethical dilemma stems from a reluctance to support an artist in any way, take solace in the myriad of ways you can listen to an artist’s music without paying them. If you harbor an even deeper aversion, such as refusing to listen to something because it was created by that individual, just try to remember how you felt about that song before you knew it was by that artist you thought you hated. The allure of discovering something new and exciting should take precedence over preconception.

Photo via Eva Rinaldi

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Do artists have to be good people for us to enjoy their music?

point point

By Will Skalecki

O

n the other hand, I think that it is important to consider the things you hate about a person when listening to their music. This is a bit difficult just because the idea of someone being “bad” is relatively subjective. There is a difference between disliking someone's personality and disliking someone because of the way they treat people. I’m not going to try to argue that someone shouldn’t like Kanye because he comes off as arrogant and egotistical, but I will argue that you should refuse to support someone who is known for being threatening and blatantly disrespectful.

If someone I knew was making music and I found out they were being disrespectful or threatening there is absolutely no way I would continue to support them. So why don’t we hold artists we don’t have a personal connection with accountable? No one should be excused from being a decent person just because they make good music. There are so many people that make good music, that I

really don’t feel like it's necessary to glorify someone’s creations if you’re not going to take a look at the impact that their words and actions have on people. Most of the time, music is a type of self-expression, often connected to very personal things. I find it to be extremely difficult and kind of ridiculous to try to separate the person from their art in order to enjoy it.

Photo by Kim Erlandsen

"No one should be excused from being a decent person just because they make good music."

To a degree, I understand the idea that people don’t care because they won’t ever personally meet the artist. I do think it is important to think about the fact that regardless if I ever meet them or not, other people will have to deal with them and be around them. Coming from experience, it really ruins a whole night to be surrounded by a group or an artist that devalues you as a person and thinks they are entitled to everything. I’d rather spend my time around someone who doesn’t think they are God’s gift to this earth just because they know how to play guitar.

By Abby Sherman

Photo via Creative Commons Photo via Creative Commons

Photo via Google Commons

Photo by Bob Loud

counterpoint counterpoint 28

Jesse McCartney takes a victory lap with a sold out night in Madison

By Mia Sato Photography by Mia Sato

W

hen the Jesse McCartney concert at the Wisconsin Union Theater was announced late last year, a particular kind of mass hysteria ensued. Word spread quickly of the peculiar venue selection, the “What’s he been up to for the last 10 years?” puzzled responses, but most of all a wash of nostalgia for the days of scandal-free Disney Channel stars whose music (and existence) shaped the preteen consciousness.

The 1,165-seat Shannon Hall sold out in under an hour, with frantic potential attendees waiting through the online checkout process with more than 500 people in the queue ahead of them. A disgruntled fan created a Change.Org petition, calling for the addition of an extra show to meet demand. “All we want to do is sing along with Jesse to “Beautiful Soul.” Don’t deprive us of our dreams, Wisconsin Union. We are all Badgers. We all deserve to see Jesse,” it reads. Unfortunately, the Union disagreed that seeing McCartney live was

“ ... Shannon Hall sold out in under an hour ... and a disgruntled fan created a Change.Org petition, calling for the addition of an extra show to meet demand.”

an inalienable Badger right, and Jesse moved on to commitments at UW-Stevens Point instead.

The strangeness of a 29-year-old former Disney star touring Wisconsin public colleges aside, the show was unique for a few reasons. First, I counted exactly two men in the audience, and the rest of the attendees were women ages 17-23, meaning Jesse has his fanbase on lock and clearly understands who he’s there to entertain. In this way, coming to random Midwestern universities strangely makes a lot of sense. +1 for Jesse.

However, the most notable part of the show wasn’t that McCartney looks pretty much the same, or that when he opened with “Leavin” I was instantly reminded that the song is still a bop. It was that almost no one in the crowd was there ironically. Girls lined up to take pictures by the empty stage, which had no signage to indicate that Jesse McCartney would perform. The crowd chanted “Jes-se! Jes-se! Jes-se!” to encourage an encore, and when he closed with “Beautiful Soul,” inarguably an anthem of the early 2000s, it was clear they had been waiting for the moment.

I streamed the performance on Facebook Live for the folks back home who couldn’t get tickets so they too could relive a favorite pre-teen song.

McCartney sang his songs competently, and it’s clear he hasn’t lost any vocal ability or showmanship. At one point, he brought up an audience member to serenade, much to the envy of 10-yearold me. But what made the night one to remember was the sheer exuberance and joy of the crowd, surely in disbelief that they were seeing Jesse McCartney live – because let’s face it, did any of us even know he was still touring and making music? If anything, this show cemented a cliché often repeated by artists but one that rings true more than they think: a musician is nothing without their fans.

Check out the next page for an exclusive interview with Jesse!

EMMIE Photography by Mia Sato Early-2000s pop sensation and actor Jesse McCartney made a stop in Madison on Jan. 29, much to the delight of longtime fans (including a few Emmie staff members). In an Emmie magazine exclusive, McCartney answered our questions via email despite his busy touring schedule. Here’s what he had to say about Wisconsin and our cheese curds, getting back out on the road and more.

EMMIE: Tickets to your show in Madison sold out incredibly quick, and a Change.Org petition was even created calling for additional shows. Did you expect such a strong response from fans?

JESSE MCCARTNEY: It’s great when a show sells out super fast, but I am bummed for the people who didn’t get in. I wish every fan who wants to be there gets to come to the show. I guess I’ll have to come back!

EMMIE: The announcement of your show took a lot of people by surprise.

How did the decision to tour again (and visit Madison) come about?

JM: I’ve been touring colleges the past few years because that’s where my best and most loyal fans are these days.

The choice to do UW-Madison came about because the school made an offer I couldn’t refuse! My team has booked more college shows this year than any other.

EMMIE: Have you ever been to Wisconsin? What are your impressions of the state, its people and the culture?

JM: I’ve been to Green Bay before but this trip we did a lot of driving between cities and I got to see much more of Wisconsin, including Madison for the first time. Madison just felt like a fun town! I saw some people ice fishing and ice kiting on the lake. Next time I come I want to try some of the cold weather sports out there. Also, a fan at the Stevens Point meet and greet brought me some cheese curds so I discovered how delicious and weirdly squeaky they are.

EMMIE: You stepped away from music for a bit to pursue acting. Which do you prefer?

Jesse McCartney performs at Shannon Hall in Madison, Wisconsin

ive s u l c Ex iew! v r e t in

“I wish every fan who wants to be there gets to come to the show. I guess I’ll have to come back!”

JM: I get this question a lot and I’ve never changed my answer which is “both.” When I’m working as an actor, I love every minute of it, and when I’m singing onstage I also love every minute.

It’s a little harder to say every minute of songwriting is easy, but when I know I’ve written a great song there just is no better feeling.

EMMIE: Many of the people coming out to your show in Madison grew up on your music. How does it feel to be reunited, so to speak, with long-time fans?

JM: It’s always amazing!! Thank you UW-Madison for inviting me!

PLAYLISTS PLAYLISTS SELF CARE

1. You’ve Changed - Akiko 2. It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World James Brown 3. In Heaven - Japanese Breakfast 4. Giggling Again for No Reason Alanis Morissette 5. Break - Kero Kero Bonito 6. Cup of Tea - Kacey Musgraves 7. Yesterday - Noname 8. Surfin’ - Kid Cudi feat. Pharrell Williams

9. Good As Hell - Lizzo 10. Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen 11. Personal OG - Freddie Gibbs 12. Come to Chill - Complete Walkthru 13. Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts Funkadelic 14. Crooked Smile - J. Cole feat. TLC

America First?

1. The Blacker The Berry - Kendrick Lamar 2. Helwa Ya Baladi - Dalida 3. I’m Afraid of Americans - David Bowie 4. Einmal um die Welt - Cro 5. American Money - BØRNS 6. America - Jewel 7. We The People... - A Tribe Called Quest 8. Fuck Tha Police - N.W.A. 9. Who Will Survive in America Kanye West

10. Land of the Free - Joey Bada$$ 11. Stuck - The Aces 12. Old Friends - Pinegrove 13. Hypnotico - Jennifer Lopez 14. Uncle Sam Goddamn - Brother Ali 15. Reagan - Killer Mike 16. American Boy - Estelle feat. Kanye West 17. This Land is Your Land - Woodie Guthrie 18. American Life - Madonna

Indie Starter Pack 1. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards Tame Impala 2. Hunger of the Pine - Alt-J 3. Bros - Panda Bear 4. Heavy Metal Drummer - Wilco 5. Kids - MGMT 6. Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men 7. A-Punk - Vampire Weekend 8. Sleepyhead- Passion Pit 9. Mr. Brightside - The Killers 10. Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

11. Where Is My Mind? - Pixies 12. Video Games - Lana Del Rey 13. Chamber of Reflection - Mac Demarco 14. Mowgli’s Road - Marina & the Diamonds 15. Float On - Modest Mouse 16. Last Nite - The Strokes 17. Take Care - Beach House 18. Chocolate - The 1975 19. Stolen Dance - Milky Chance 20. Laura - Girls

Songs We’ve Shazam’d 1. Broccoli - D.R.A.M. feat. Lil Yachty 2. My Way - Calvin Harris 3. Because I’m Me - The Avalanches 4. Mind, Drips - Neon Indian 5. Switzerland - The Last Bison 6. Across 110th Street - Bobby Womack

7. Holocene - Bon Iver 8. Colors - Halsey 9. haunt me (x 3) - Teen Suicide 10. Jubel - Klingande 11. Dark Days - Local Natives 12. Move - Saint Motel 13. Need U Bad - Jazmine Sullivan

32

ROUNDTABLE: Is this the end of purchasing music?

PANELISTS

Zach Adams, social media manager Molly Gilbertson, features editor Becca Meldman, contributor emeritus Collin Kirk, albums editor

Moderator Mia Sato, editor in chief

With streaming, playlists and subscription-based music services more popular than ever, the EMMIE staff considers whether owning music is a thing of the past (via Facebook chat).

Mia welcome to the (digital) panel everyone! let’s kick things off with the most basic question: do you stream or buy your music these days?

Collin I do a little of both, but after my computer died a few years back I switched fully to streaming. I do support artists by buying a handful of albums every year.

Zach Pretty much only streaming. I pay $5 per month for Spotify premium and I think it’s totally worth the $$

Becca i usually stream, but occasionally i’ll buy an album if i really like the artist, or if i’m making someone a sweet mixtape i’ll buy some songs and we all have that one family member who just gives you an itunes gift card every year so that makes buying music easier

Mia so true. aunts love giving itunes cards.

do y’all think feel like owning music wil be a thing of the past eventually? will album sales even mean anything in 10 years?

Collin Personally, I will never stop buying music. Physical music still makes a much more meaningful gift than an iTunes card or Spotify subscription. I think streaming formats will begin to find ways to grow even larger and to produce more profit to sustain artistry, but physical/digital album sales will always play a role, even if (or when) they dip below streaming.

Connecting to an artist will always translate to owning a release for music fans. This is why I have a record collection and occasionally buy CDs as well: the tangible nature of it.

Becca i agree with collin. streaming is much easier, but i can’t see album sales ending completely. there will always be fans who want to own the music of their favorite artist.

33

Molly I can’t see myself not buying some albums in the future. I feel like there’s a nostalgic value in owning your music that will never die.

But streaming is so convenient and accommodates our technology/social culture that I can only see it getting more popular.

Collin

Mia

i feel like we’re already seeing the slow decline of purchasing music. There are less brick and mortar music stores, and it sounds like we all stream music more than we purchase physical/digital copies. do you ever feel like you aren’t getting your money’s worth when you stream instead of buy?

I feel like artists aren’t getting their money’s worth in some ways.

That’s why we’ve seen companies like Tidal, putting popular music at the forefront to control streaming. But are rich celebrities really the ones we need to be worrying about?

Becca true. i feel like such a hypocrite, because i think it’s wrong to not compensate an artist for their work, but at the same time i don’t have the money to buy all the music i like which is why i stream.

Zach I think the trend is going to move away from CDs and toward vinyl. In the next 10 years, however, I can see streaming as the most popular way that people consume music. We’re already seeing the Recording Industry Association of America factoring in streams with album sales. With that being said I think there needs to be systematic changes so that artists get fair and substantial compensation.

Collin

Mia

but artists make most of their money touring, selling products, etc., right? i feel like it’s necessary for artists to evolve along with technology.

It seems like a good thing that artists have to focus on touring. It’s a good way to stray from the meticulously crafted pop stars that lack talent and head in a direction that requires skill and a shtick.

Becca i think the main issue is compensation. access is great, but if the artist is too poor to keep creating music, we’re still left with corporately owned pop stars.

Mia

sites like soundcloud are interesting for that reason. it’s free to stream, artists can drop things whenever, etc., and it’s embraced by independent artists

Zach

so i wonder if profit (of the small profits from streaming) is a problem for artists other than, like, taylor swift and her team of lawyers

Profit is definitely a problem, but I think a lot of artists are simply looking for notoriety. Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube, Martin Garrix had his song blow up on SoundCloud, and I’m sure we’ve all had our encounters with SoundCloud rappers. I think artists value notoriety, which will eventually lead to profit and success

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No Album Needed Stand-alone singles currently generating buzz

By Collin Kirk

Slowdive

Kygo and Selena Gomez

“Star Roving” 5.0/5.0

“It Ain’t Me” 2.0/5.0

Shoegaze and dreampop pioneers Slowdive have been missing in action since the 1990s, where their three cult status albums were born and since enveloped a major cult following.

Their first release since, Star Roving, is a sweeping, bright track. Their next album is expected this year.

Do you really think Selena Gomez would drink a whiskey neat? The pulsating dance jam is an interesting comeback for the singer (it would be more interesting to hear this performed live, no?), and the current pop climate – but a pretty boring effort overall.

Calvin Harris feat. Migos and Frank Ocean “Slide” 4.0/5.0

Following the Taylor Swift diss dud, “My Way,” Calvin certainly seems to be guided in the best direction possible with “Slide” – a glistening, summery treat.

Photo by Ole Haug

Missy Elliott feat. Lamb “I’m Better” 3.5/5.0

Hip hop staple Missy Elliott recently returned with the Pharrell-guested “WTF,” and this is her next promoted single since then. It knocks semi-appropriately for the current hip hop climate, but one’s got to wonder about the dozens of albums of material the star has in her vault…

Photo via Creative Commons

Gorillaz feat. Benjamin Clementine “Hallelujah Money” 2.5/5.0

Julia Michaels “Issues” 3/5.0

It’s been a moment’s break for Gorillaz, and their fans are ecstatic at the potential for their next studio effort. This song is the first peek at what’s to come, but one can hope that the result will be something a bit more promising from the colossal group.

The genius behind some major pop hits (Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” as well as Top 20 hits from Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez) is making strides of her own with her first solo song, a midtempo jam that seems to be clicking with music fans. Stay tuned for more from Julia.

M.I.A.

“P.O.W.A.” 2.0/5.0 Considering her past in genius sound arrangement and lyrical pieces, it’s a bit disappointing to see Maya lazily spewing out songs with minimal replay value or excitement within.

Kodak Black Photo via Creative Commons

“Tunnel Vision” 3.5/5.0 Taking the world by storm, this song is bound to become one of the year’s top bangers. Unfortunately, his perpetual legal issues have other parts of his career on halt.

2017

EMMIE up & comers

UW-Madison's own performing arts competition, Mad City Spotlight, featured six local musical acts, ranging from an acoustic singer-songwriter to electronic pianist and everything in between. EMMIE staff, partnering with the Wisconsin Student-Alumni Board (WASB) found the best local artists who faced off in front of a live crowd this spring. Meet this year's artists you don't know know yet but should.

N o a h

Noah Bossert, from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has been playing and singing ever since he learned his first Billy Joel lick on the piano. Writing songs is how he gets the most joy out of life.

Noah’s experience playing live has mostly been playing solo work at open mics, so performing at Mad City Spotlight is a new step. Starting to commit to the idea that his music is legitimate is an interesting concept for Noah, and it might take more than just writing a bio about it to create that commitment.

This is the time to do that, though.

Noah considers this competition to be his shot to put himself out there as an artist instead of a kid that sits in a practice room, pounding out chords and yelling into an iPhone voice memo recording.

Find Noah online at soundcloud.com/noah-bossert-1.

The

gambol

As The Gambol continued to cultivate its live sound by playing in cities all across Wisconsin, the band found a musical kinship with Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo). The group set off for Cartoon Moon Studios in Nashville, TN, to spend a full week of musical creativity creating its self-titled debut album, released in 2017. It was in a back corner of a student union kitchen, pushing racks of grimy plates coated with dried Wisconsin cheese once draped over pizza through an industrial sized dish washer, that two University of Wisconsin students started talking music. It did not take long for the three remaining members to infuse their musical roots of blues, pop, and rock into the sound. With the pronunciation of their name implying delinquency and risk, while the definition meaning joyful acts of revelry, The Gambol’s brand of folk-rock makes you move your feet to life’s queries and juxtapositions.

Find The Gambol online at thegambolmusic.com.

Formed in the bathroom of a rundown Carl's Jr., Chinese Firedrill is a tasteful three-piece consisting of Spann Beere, Max Carson and David Kemmerer. Accredited with invention of the loofah, they also invent alternative and grunge sounds, finding musical influences through local car dealership jingles and John Cena's debut album You Can't See Me. The original story behind the name of the group came about because all three members can play every instrument. Often during sets, they will conduct a "Chinese firedrill," switch instruments and continue their head-banging jams. Other hobbies of the band include geocaching, critiquing mid-grade cologne, writing greeting cards, quoting Star Wars movies and instructing Pilates. Ladies, hit us up on MySpace.

chinese firedrill

Magic conch Magic Conch is a four-piece rock group formed in Madison in October 2016. For those uninitiated, the Magic Conch Shell is the all-knowing sea shell of wisdom from "SpongeBob Squarepants" and the source of the band’s name. Much like the unpredictable response one may receive from the shell, Magic Conch writes music ranging from aggressive, hard-hitting rock to mellow, soulful pieces.

Lead guitarist Jack Peterson got his start in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, playing guitar for the last eight years and gigging with various groups for the past five. Drummer Andrew Slade, while playing a myriad of instruments, has a passion for audio technology, with a degree in audio engineering and a UW-Madison degree in electrical engineering on the way. Bassist Mark Ziegler... is, like, a bassist. Singer Andy Gray has had a lifelong love affair with music, with two solo albums to his name as well as current membership in UW-Madison’s Black Music Ensemble.

By the power of the Conch Shell, the guys teamed up and have been making great headway in 2017 with a full-length album in the works and demos available online. Unique to Magic Conch is the self-production of their music. Frequently, the Conch’s cellar rehearsal space is transformed into a DIY recording studio for efficient use of the band’s resources.

In the timeless words of Spongebob Squarepants: all hail the Magic Conch!

Find them online at sites.google.com/site/magicconchmusic

Bear in the forest Bear In the Forest is a singer-songwriter from Milwaukee,WI and a student at UW-Madison. As a lover of the natural world and of folk music, he uses his acoustic guitar and voice to capture and challenge people. He has been featured on publications such as AfroPunk and MishkaNYC. He is currently has out a six song EP titled Fickle Young Mind, which was released in August 2016, as well as several singles.

The EP is available on SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Spotify and Apple music. Find him online at soundcloud.com/bearitf.

Max rickun Max Rickun is a 20-year-old producer and songwriter. He blends his background in jazz piano with soulful melodies and modern electronic music.

Find his music at maxrickun.bandcamp.com.

About madcity spotlight

Mad City Spotlight is the headlining event of UW-Madison’s All-Campus Party Week, the nation’s largest cost-free and alcohol-alternative campus celebration, is created by and for students. Mad City Spotlight is designed to display the musical talents of the Badgers past and present through a battle of the bands competition. Check out allcampusparty.org for more information.

hip-hop on the silver screen

By J.T. Postlewaite There are countless crossovers between modern hip-hop and film, with plenty of big name rappers trying to make their mark on screen. While many musicians fail to gain traction as actors, there are a handful of individuals who have found varying levels of success. Here are seven of the best examples of music-film crossovers.

7. Eminem Widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time and one of the most influential artists in the world, Marshall Mathers and his distinct alter egos have helped forge hip-hop and rap into what we hear today. If one of the most celebrated hip-hop careers of all time wasn't impressive enough, Eminem has also been involved in a handful of film projects that have shown off his acting. Perhaps the pinnacle of the intersection of film and music, “8 Mile,” features Eminem as a star actor and is the source of the track “Lose Yourself.”

Photo via Creative Commons

6. Joey Bada$$ In the last five years, 22-year-old Joey Bada$$ went from an unknown New York rapper to producing one of the most anticipated albums of 2017, his sophomore effort, All-Amerikkan Bada$$.

Although he has only appeared in two film projects so far in his career, the young artist has been met with praise as he debuted in his first primetime project, appearing as a recurring role in “Mr. Robot.” It’s easy to picture a successful career for the promising artist and actor.

Photo via Creative Commons

5. Ice-T While many younger Americans may recognize Ice-T primarily for his acting career on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” he started his career as a rapper in the 1980s. Throughout his music career, Ice-T produced eight solo albums while also partnering with dozens of other artists and groups. As an actor, he has had little success outside of the “Law and Order” television universe, although with all the success of the “Law and Order: SVU” series, there is likely little incentive to find a new gig.

Photo via Creative Commons

4. Drake Drake began his acting career at the age of 15 with a main role in “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” After six years playing the character Jimmy Brooks, Drake released his first hip-hop work, Room for Improvement in 2006. While he has continued to be involved in acting on occasion, Drake’s hip-hop career has grown rapidly, making him one of the most successful artists of the last decade.

Photo via Creative Commons

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3. Queen Latifah It seems strange to envision Queen Latifah as a rapper in 2017, as today she is largely known for her role as a more traditional singer as well as an actor. Although she may not be involved in hip-hop as much these days, music initially gave rise to her popularity. Queen Latifah has produced seven albums since the late 1980s, although not all were hip-hop albums.

Meanwhile, Queen Latifah has also appeared on scores of television shows and films, including three movies and a television show for the “Ice Age” series as Ellie, a wooly mammoth.

Photo by Urbanworld Film Festival via Flickr

2. Will Smith Will Smith is one of the most prominent rapper-actor crossovers to discuss. Initially gaining some recognition under the stage name The Fresh Prince, Smith skyrocketed from the popularity of the television series and went on to become one of the most successful actors who had their start in music. Smith has earned multiple nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performances in movies such as “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Ali.”

Photo by celebrityabc via Flickr

1. Donald Glover Rapper, artist, comedian, actor, director, producer: Donald Glover does it all. In recent years, Glover has found success with rap through a series of mixtapes and albums, with standout singles such as “3005.” Concurrent with his developing musical talent, Glover found massive success in film. Glover began his career as a writer for “30 Rock” and has since moved on to star in blockbuster movies like “The Martian” and “Magic Mike XXL.” He also is the star, creator, writer, director and executive producer for the award-winning series “Atlanta.”

Over the next few years Glover will be featured in starring roles of “Spiderman: Homecoming,” a Star Wars spinoff film about Han Solo and will voice Simba in a remake of the “Lion King.” Donald Glover’s career up to today is more than enough to guarantee him a solid spot on this list, yet it’s his promising future that pushes him to the front of the pack.

44

which avril lavigne song are you?

h

Aquarius - Jan 20-Feb 18 “Here’s to Never Growing Up” “We’ll be running down the street, yelling “Kiss my ass!”

I’m like yeah whatever, we’re still living like that” The witty and rebellious tendencies of an Aries shines through beautifully in “Here’s to Never Growing Up.”

^

Aries - March 21-April 19 “losing Grip” “Why should I care Cuz you weren’t there when I was scared I was so alone” Take note of the courage, short temper, and impatience felt by this song that is extremely relatable to Aries.

`

gemini - may 21-june 20 “complicated” You’re watching your back like you can’t relax You’re tryin’ to be cool You look like a fool to me” Looking for the superficial and clever aspects of a Gemini? Look no further than “Complicated.”

pisces - Feb 19-march 20 “my Happy Ending” “Don’t leave me hanging, In a city so dead, Held up so high, On such a breakable thread” “My Happy Ending” perfectly highlights the oversensitivity and compassion often seen within those who are Pisces.

Taurus - April 20-may 20 “Wish you were here” “And I remember all those crazy things you said You left them running through my head You’re always there, you’re everywhere But right now I wish you were here.”

_

“Wish You Were Here” encompasses both the loyal and possessive aspects of the Taurus.

Cancer - June 21-july 22 “keep holding on” “Keep holding on, ‘Cause you know we’ll make it through We’ll make it through, Just stay strong ‘Cause you know I’m here for you” For Cancers, “Keep Holding On” perfectly highlights their loyal, caring, and somewhat oversensitive tendencies.

2

i

a

EMMIE

horoscopes

by Abby Sherman

b

LEO - july 23-Aug 22 “sk8r boi” “Sorry, girl, but you missed out.

Well, tough luck, that boy’s mine now.

We are more than just good friends.

This is how the story ends.”

For Leo’s, there is never a lack of confidence or ambition. “Sk8r Boi” perfectly outlines the domineering effect a Leo can often have.

d

libra - sept 23-oct 22 “when you’re gone” “We were made for each other Out here forever I know we were” “When You’re Gone” demonstrates the idealistic and vain attitudes often seen in a Libra.

f

sagittarius - nov 22-dec 21 “don’t tell me” “Don’t try to tell me what to do, Don’t try to tell me what to say, You’re better off that way” This song displays a strong sense of independence and passive attitude often held by a Sagittarius.

Virgo - august 23-Sept 22 “girlfriend” “So come over here, tell me what I want to hear Better yet make your girlfriend disappear I don’t want to hear you say her name ever again” Take note of the observant, yet fussy aspects of a Virgo clearly highlighted in “Girlfriend.”

scorpio - oct 23-nov 21 “what the hell” “You’re on your knees, beggin’ please “stay with me” But honestly, I just need to be a little crazy”

e

Known to be dynamic, jealous, and suspicious, “What The Hell” is the perfect track for Scorpios.

Capricorn - dec 22-jan 19 “i’m with you” “Oh why is everything so confusing Maybe I’m just out of my mind” If you’re a Capricorn, chances are you can connect to the ambition and distrust felt in the song “I’m With You.”

3

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g 46

Can you tell if these are pop punk or country lyrics?

By Lily Hansen If you had to pick, would you choose pop punk or country music? People almost always seem to have strong opinions about both genres, often due to sonic style and predictable lyrical tropes (read: crappy pop punk bands can’t wait to get out of this town and country blood breeds a love for trucks and tractors). Despite obivous difference in rhythm, twang and bass, these two genres find similarity in songs about havin’ a good time and more often than not, heartbreak. Read the lines below and see if you can determine if it’s a lyric to a pop punk anthem or a country ballad.

1. “Whiskey Princess / Drink me under, pull me in.”

2. “For anyone getting caught by a camera phone with your pants off / I’m sorry for partying and Bacardi’n.”

3. “I’m the last thing you’d remember / it’s been a long lonely December.”

4. “Over and over and over we say that we’re through / but I come right back to you.”

5. “And please don’t tell me that I’m dreaming / When all I ever wanted was to dream another sunset with you.”

6. “I traced away the fog / So I could see the Mississippi on her knees.”

1. Pop punk! “Backsear Serenade” by All Time Low 2. Country! “Sorry for Partyin’” by Thomas Rhett 3. Pop punk! “December” by Neck Deep 4. Country! “Long Stretch of Love” by Lady Antebellum 5. Pop punk! “Jamie All Over” by Mayday Parade 6. Pop Punk! “Woke Up in a Car” by Something Corporate 7. Country! “Record Year” by Eric Church 8. Pop punk! “A Walk Through Hell” by Say Anything 9. Pop punk! “Only One” by Yellowcard 10. Country! “Cold As You” by Taylor Swift 11. Pop punk! “Late Nights in My Car” by Real Friends 12. Pop punk! “The Edge” by The World Alive

Answers

12. “I should’ve known you couldn’t stand up for me and be a man.”

11. “If you never break you’ll never know how to put yourself back together.”

10. “And you do what you want ‘cause I’m not what you wanted.”

9. “There’s just no one that gets me like you do / You are my only.”

8. “I’d walk through hell for you / Let it burn right through my shoes.”

7. “I bet you thought before you left / I’d just sit in silence by myself.”

Killer Mike +

EMMIE

Exclusive interview Prior to his Red Talk on systemic racism and police brutality at UW-Madison, rapper and political activist Killer Mike sat down with EMMIE staff for an exclusive interview, where he discussed politics, art, what it's like to give lectures across the country and more.

EMMIE: What have you found to be the best way to stay politically active?

KILLER MIKE: Stay local, stay local, stay local, stay local. Get nosy and stay local. You wanna know who your school board member is, who your city council member is, who your cabinet and commissioner are, you wanna know the secretary at your mayor’s office. When you think about it, local is what intrigues you the most anyways. It's why old people watch the news, just stay local. Focus on the 20 to 50 miles around you that you can really affect, because staying local also helps you feel less defeated.

A lot of times we use national politics like we use sports. No one cares about the Super Bowl until their team’s in it, right?

So, I think that national politics does that sometimes: where you can kind of pick your team and you're riding with them until the end. Local

politics actually allows you to actually become politically savvy because you have to understand perspectives besides your own. You have to understand how the speed bump in your neighborhood affects not only you but your neighbor.

And to build allies. You should be organizing with people who don’t look like you, who are not culturally from where you’re from, who don’t share your same background. Because I feel that allows you to grow your perspective.

EMMIE: Do you think that artists have an obligation or responsibility to stand up to perceived injustices?

KILLER MIKE: No. I think artists have an obligation to create art. I think that if you’re compelled do so you are absolutely obligated to do so. I am compelled to do so therefore I do. If I was not compelled to do so I would not do it because it would be inauthentic, it would be a lie and it would be a falsehood. I don’t believe that artists should be required to.

Do I like the artists that do? Absolutely.

From Picasso to Curtis Mayfield. Artists have that power, but I can’t delegate them saying they should use it. But the artists that do use that power, I do

By EMMIE Magazine Staff certainly celebrate as long as they’re dope. A lot of people try to create and say shit but that shit be wack, too. EMMIE: How have your political views changed and evolved over your many years of being politically active?

KILLER MIKE: Well, you start as a kid in the south in Georgia, you start as a staunch Democrat and you think that’s all that the world should be.

Then you learn that 40 years prior to you, being a staunch Democrat, black people were staunch Republicans.

Then you start to learn the political tapestry that kind of brought you there and you start to evolve. People say, progressive people, they instantly think liberal or Democrat.

I think progressives, or progressive, is progressive enough to understand what works. There have been libertarian politicians I like, there have been Republican politicians I like on a local level, there have been people that I like who I didn’t agree with who aren’t like me, but I pushed myself to interact with them and I’ve grown from that.

And how have I grown? I’ve grown, first of all, in confidence when I first learned to value my color. By 1987 a

I know I am on a road and on a path to a greater humanity.

Right: Killer Mike with EMMIE staff and fall 2016 cover artist CRASHprez. man named Jose Williams who was lieutenant to Dr. King came to my school and told me I was African.

Wow. And told me about Egypt, and told me about Mali, and told me about Ghana. So, you know, for the next probably ten years I has staunchly afro-centric.

But we’re still just human beings. And ultimately that is my progression.

What I have progressed to is past my black, I am human. And we all are human and am on a grander hunt for my humanity. It’s fun learning culturally about myself, because you’ve been robbed of so much of it, if you’re an African-American in particular.

It’s fun to learn these things. I’m still very proud to be black, I still see the world from a pan-africanist view. But with that said, my progression is one where I know I’m on a road and on a path to a greater humanity. So, for me I think that that progression is it. The progression towards humanity as the greatest thing.

Working and organizing with kids who weren’t like me, who didn’t look like me, who weren’t from inner-city schools in Atlanta when I was 15 until I was about 20, 23 years old was one of the best things that ever happened in my life. I met all these different people from different places, L.A., Chicago.

Some were rich, some were poor.

And we as a group of kids organized together. We figured out how to get past our own given prejudices.

EMMIE: You came to Madison a few months ago to play a show. how is playing a show different than giving a lecture KILLER MIKE: Playing a show is easier because you’re high and drunk already (laughs) and you have to be sober for these. Shows are fun and I have the best job on earth. … But [lectures] actually give me the opportunity to interact with the people that are from or live in Madison. It gives

me the opportunity to see America from a very ground level. So i enjoy doing these talks not so much for me talking, but me communicating with and conversing with and learning. So I actually take more away with me. A couple months ago, i took away some money and good times. But this time, I’m taking away a wealth of knowledge that will help me as I progress toward a greater humanity.

EMMIE: For those that aren’t able to attend your talk today, what’s the message?

KILLER MIKE: I think ultimately what I would like to do is inspire people to collaborate more against the forces that oppress us all. I would like the people to get outside of their social constructs and cultural constructs and interact with, befriend and ally with people who don’t look like them. And I would like to get to the point where we’re safe having hard conversations out of those relationships. The will to do that is often what we lack.

EMMIE: What are your upcoming plans? Anything in 2017 that excite you?

KILLER MIKE: My grand plan is getting $8 million and leaving for Jamaica [Laughs]. That’s my grand plan.

But I’m excited about the elections, like Jon Ossoff down in District 6 in Georgia. I used to live in his district.

To see him force a runoff is very exciting to me, because I’m tired of seeing the old guard run the Democratic party. With that said, I’m very excited about Our Revolution and what [Bernie] Sanders is doing and I’m excited to be a part of that in any and every way I have been or could be or will be. I’m very excited about Nina Turner becoming a national voice. I’m excited to see what the next set of midterm elections will be.

Socially what I’m excited about is that for the first time in my life starting to see on a grander scale, organizations and people have to collaborate because they’re fighting the same fight. I’m excited to see what organizations pop up, what young and new voices emerge, and again, just to be part of the fight.

Run the Jewels are currently on their Run the World Tour. Recent work featuring Killer Mike includes collaborations with Big Boi and Jeezy ("Kill Jill") and "Pots N Pans" with CUZ Lightyear.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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