Issue 12

CONTENTS

Dior and I

Stellar Awards

Draft with the Dream

Features

Sections

WNBA Draft Night

28

Atlanta Film Festival

10

Dior and I

39

30th Annual Stellar Awards

22

*cover photo by Anna Lira

3

Arts & Culture

10

Events

48

Sports

30

Movies

55

Travel

41

Music

Arts & Culture

From the Boston Lyric Opera, photo: Marina Levitskaya.

Verdi’s Rigoletto Rigoletto is the story of the lascivious Duke of Mantua (Scott Quinn) and his life that knows no bounds. The hunchbacked jester Rigoletto (Todd Thomas) in a similar manner, spares no expense to entertain. In one particular situation, the Duke seduces a courtier’s daughter and

becomes a mockery by-way of Rigoletto’s constant scoffing. It ends up, that courtier curses both the Duke and Rigoletto, which in turn involves his lovely daughter Gilda (Nadine Sierra). Word gets around town that “the hunchback” has a mistress and the Duke’s men go to investigate (but they’re actually misidentifying Gilda, and from there the curse begins).

Gilda gets kidnapped and brought back to the Duke. Rigoletto cries his way into the hearts of the masses and finally gets his daughter back.

Refusing to “let it go” he hires an assassin named Sparafucile (Morris Robinson) to kill the Duke and exact his revenge. A series of twists and turns happen after his meeting with Sparafucile and when he’s brought the body, he discovers its that of his beloved daughter.

This production was a three-tier effort by Opera Omaha, Boston Lyric Opera, and The Atlanta Opera. The set was beautiful and the costumes were stunning. This was the Atlanta Opera debut of performers Todd Thomas (Rigoletto), Nadine Sierra (Gilda), Scott Quinn (Duke of Mantua), and Krysty Swann (Maddalena).

Another factor that made the performance so breathtaking was the music from the Atlanta Opera Orchestra. Their sound greatly complimented the arias by the performers. While listening to the soothing sounds of the chorus and principles, you could hear notable pieces such as “La Donna e Mobile” and “Caro Nome.”

Now you may not be familiar with them by name, but I’m most confident you’ll recognize “La Donna e Mobile” immediately if you’ve ever watched Bugs Bunny in Looney Tunes. It’s also been played in a myriad of commercials. You can hear it below by Pavarotti and I’m most certain you’ll be familiar with it.

La Donna e Mobile

A feature you don’t see too often was that of subtitles. A small screen could be seen above the stage that would show choice lines and song lyrics. Since the story is in Italian, this played a great help to those who weren’t familiar with the story and in general to grasp a better understanding.

-Jon J.

Photos courtesy of Boston Lyric Opera

Romeo et Juliet February 6, was opening night for the wonderful Roméo et Juliet by the Atlanta Ballet. For those who missed their kickoff to the season with Nutcracker fear not, for this beautiful romance as told by Jean-Christophe Maillot did not disappoint.

It was a beautiful evening that played host to this extremely classy affair. The Cobb Energy Centre was the perfect venue to hold such a production.

You could see everyone in attendance enjoying themselves with friends and family, conversing with Atlanta Ballet representatives, and what’s a big event without a barrage of selfies?

What you’ll notice about this performance, is that the focus is centralized on the youth involved, as opposed to the political/social clashing between the 2 families. The 2 families aforementioned are the Montagues and Capulets. The 2 very rich

families who resided in Verona did not coexist peacefully; they actually despised each other. So it was not easy for Roméo, a Montague, to pursue his love Juliet, a Capulet, after a chance meeting which resulted in love at first sight.

Juliette’s parents had promised her to a man named Paris, but her heart was with Roméo.

Their deep love for one another creates a chaotic sequence of events that take place leading to Roméo killing himself upon learning of Juliet's death. But as the story is told, Juliet was in a deep sleep when she was discovered and when she sees her beloved dead, she also takes her own life.

The chemistry between Roméo (Christian Clark) and Juliet (Alessa Rogers) was amazing.

To see this classic story told in dance was a sight to be seen. The talent and strength that’s needed to perform and execute in such a way needs to be seen firsthand. Another interesting component was the addition of 2 characters who weren’t in the original story.

The presence of 2 acolytes were performed by Alexandre Barros and Miguel Angel Montoya. These characters who are not in Shakespeare’s play, symbolize two states of a single being, that hybrid self we carry within, and who in wanting to act is nonetheless acted upon.

The Stage Design was visually stunning and the music by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra was great.

The lighting played off the white walls and elevated platform nicely, to invoke different moods throughout the performance. The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra complimented the emotions felt with powerful music. A well-known tune from Roméo & Juliet that’s been heard in many adaptations ranging from France, to London, is that of “Dance of the Knights.” A thunderous boom can be heard from the orchestra pit to alert you that the ball (their chance meeting) is about to take place. It’s a beautiful melody that’s

synonymous with this Shakespearean masterpiece ( Dance of the Knights )

Attending one of these performances is truly an experience, unlike any other. Just as we noted back in December with Nutcracker, in Roméo et Juliet there was another component we had never seen before. The Atlanta Ballet cast oneupped any performance we’ve ever seen by acting out the Montague/Capulet battle in slow motion. In an act reminiscent of The Matrix, a stage full of professional dancers were leaping, throwing punches, giving chase, dodging attacks, and rolling in super-slow motion. These kinds of moves take great strength and precision, which could be seen especially in the men (you could see quad/calf muscles bulging through their tights).

This epic ballet as performed by Atlanta Ballet and told by Jean-Christophe Maillot gets a perfect 10 out of 10. Great music, great performance, the Atlanta Ballet staff was very engaging and encouraged social media, and we can’t say enough about the venue.

-Jon J.

Photos by Charlie McCullers, courtesy of Atlanta Ballet

Newsies Disney’s Broadway hit musical “Newsies” brought down the house their first night in Atlanta. Guests young and old were in the audience, excited to see their favorite characters and/or reminisce on the movie from over 20 years ago. Even before entering the

theatre, patrons gathered outside taking pictures, discussing their favorite scenes, and being typical fansies (obsessed fans of Newsies). The musical is based on the 1992 film Newsies, which was inspired by the reallife Newsboys strike of 1899 in New York City.

The story begins with a large group of “Newsies” (young kids that distribute newspapers) led by Jack Kelly (Dan DeLuca). They have big dreams of making headlines one day, in the very newspaper that they sell. But their daily routine gets shaken up when newspaper owner Joseph Pulitzer (Steve Blanchard) raises the cost by 10 cents. This causes Jack to convince his newsies and others all over New York, to band together in solidarity and strike.

During all of this, Jack meets a young lady named Katherine (Stephanie Styles) who comes from a very different background but he refuses to admit he likes her.

The Newsies themselves were incredible. The singing and dancing were impressive and was complimented nicely by the sometimes subtle yet straightforward comedy. Seeing such a performance by young kids was quite the sight.

A few of the more notable newsies were Crutchie (Zachary Sayle), Davey (Jacob Kemp), Les (Anthony Rosenthal), Romeo (Nico DeJesus), and Morris & Oscar Delancey (Michael Ryan & Jon Hacker).

-Jon J.

Photos by Deen Van Meer

This musical could’ve been a comedy, as the kids were hilarious and even the adult cast had some comical commentary. Both scenes at Jacobi’s Deli were pretty funny, Medda’s (Angela Grovey) scene at her theater in ACT I was a crowd favorite, Jack & Katherine had a nice number in the Rooftop scene in ACT II, and all the scenes that featured the Newsies as a group were amazing. 8 out of 10.

The Marriage of Figaro On April 10, The Marriage of Figaro graced the halls of the beautiful Cobb Energy Centre.

Continuing a thrilling 2014/15 Arts Season, the Atlanta Opera delivered yet again, an amazing and thoroughly enjoyable performance.

Figaro is based on Pierre Beaumarchais’s 1784 play La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro, a sequel to his earlier play, Le Barbier de Séville (The Barber of Seville). The story catches up with Figaro and Susanna on their wedding day.

Unfolding over the course of 24 hours, the opera touches on universal human themes, such as falling in love, marriage, jealousy and, ultimately, the notion that love conquers all.

Craig Colclough did an amazing job as Figaro.

His dialogue between the characters and his “thinking out loud” moments he had with himself were impressive. He continuously provided comic relief and the audience loved his playful banter with Susanna (Lauren Snouffer). Naomi

O’Connell made her Atlanta Opera debut as Cherubino. Cherubino’s name was in everyone’s mouths that night, as he found himself in trouble with the Count, Countess, Figaro, the Dons, Marcellina, and anyone else you could possibly think of. Entertaining as well as saddening, Cherubino eventually gets over his obsession with the Countess and in the end, finds true love of his own.

The Marriage of Figaro gets a 9 out of 10. It’s a fun-filled, entertaining experience to be had. You could tell by the cheers in the packed Energy Centre that there were true Opera fans in attendance. If it wasn’t for the Atlanta Opera taking part in Friday Night Lates at the High Museum this year, I would be suffering from withdrawals over the summer!

-Jon J.

Photo: Jeff Rothman

EVENTS

Another edition goes down in the books! The 2015 Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) was a huge success. The festival took place from March 20 - 29 at the Plaza Theatre, 7 Stages Theatre, The Rialto, The Woodruff Arts Center and The Fox Theatre.

Atlanta has established itself as a film-haven over the past few years and its rise in cinema related activities is proof of its growth. Each year we’ve attended the ATLFF they continue to outdo themselves, in quality cinematic content, conferences, workshops, and special events. There were multiple special events from big-name contenders like Pivot, Starz, Revolt, Sundance TV, and HBO. This is part of the reason why our (Atlanta’s) festival is so unique. It’s large enough that it’s an Academy Award qualifying festival that attracts special guests such as the cast from Starz’s “Survivor’s Remorse” and big stars like James Franco, but still has a local feel to it with meetings/lodging at The Highland Inn and local theatrical venues (Rialto, 7 Stages, Plaza Theatre).

Every year, we as residents have the special privilege of being able to celebrate film in this amazing timeframe. Atlantans get to kickoff the New Year by celebrating mainstream cinematic projects, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, and then turn right around and enjoy the Atlanta Film Festival. From January to March we’re having a big party, with lots of food in different locations, and tons of movies.

We have it good here in ATL!

We hope you enjoy our coverage of choice films, special events, and openings/closing night.

OPENING NIGHT The ATLFF kicked o on Friday, March 20 at the Plaza Theatre. The Opening Night movie was I Am Michael, directed by Justin Kelly.

Based on a true story, I Am Michael is about gay activist Michael Glatze (James Franco).

After a health scare he renounces his gay lifestyle and turns to Christianity. He eventually becomes a preacher and marries a woman named Rebekah (Emma Roberts).

Producer Vince Jolivette was scheduled to be in attendance and take part in Q&A. One of the best parts about these film festivals are the Q&A portion.

After a majority of the films, parts of the production team are present and are eager to hear opinions and questions about their projects.

Photo: Yoh Phillips

THE HEYDAY OF INSENSITIVE BASTARDS On Wednesday, March 25th, at the Rialto Theatre we saw the film The Heyday of Insensitive Bastards. The film is produced

by James Franco and directed by Jeremy White, Mark Columbus, Lauren Hoekstra, Sarah Kruchowski, Ryan Moody, Simon Savelyev, Vanita Shastry, and Shadae Lamar Smith.

This film is an adaptation of Robert Boswell’s shorty story collection. It’s unveiled to the audience as a series of vignettes. There’s a total of 8 short stories back-to-back to create this 97 minute

exploration into love, youth, struggle, and limits. The shorts were directed by his UCLA students.

The cast features James Franco, Matthew Modine, Abigail Spencer, Rico Rodriguez, Tony Cox, Jimmy Kimmel, and Bo Mitchell among others.

Above you’ll see (From L to R) James Franco, Abigail Spencer, Bo Mitchell and ATLFF Director Chris Escobar after the film during Q&A. 7 out of 10

Photo: Lindsay Sperling

STARLIGHT Starlight is an animated, 3-minute short, that takes you through the average day at the Starlight Theater; Atlanta’s last drive-in movie theater. The picturesque background prepares you for the sights and sounds to come. The adjusting of radio frequencies and the sound of cars approaching are all common (and real) sounds of a drive-in.

Once an open space just minutes ago, a field has now been occupied by all types of people and vehicles. A black cat emerges with a “business as usual” strut and simply walks around everyone in its way. The cat’s exploration also gives a quick glimpse into

the broad audience in attendance and what the drive-in experience is all about. Some people were huddled together, some had their feet out car windows, others preferred to watch in the comfort of the flatbed of their truck.

Starlight is a nice reminder of why some things (like Starlight Theater) need to be preserved and how important such a piece of history is to Atlanta. Starlight is as much a part of Atlanta’s storied culture as is Margaret Mitchell House and Varsity; all of which, have stood the test of time. 8 out of 10.

GAME OF THRONES The last event of the week to closeout the festival was the early screening of Game of Thrones. ATLFF once again teamed up with HBO to give fans early access to the first episode of Season 5. To say it was amazing would be selling the experience short.

Unlike last year’s screening, Episode 1 of Season 5 was held in the Fox Theatre. It was free for the public with a digital RSVP, that was it. So naturally with the following that G.o.T. has, the line to get inside wrapped around 4 blocks, as fans and media alike, waited patiently to go inside and grab the best seats. Even though we arrive 4 hours early the line was still fierce WHOA

After we saw the 1st episode 2 weeks early, we headed to the Egyptian Ballroom for the VIP Afterparty. All of the food was renamed to reflect the show and guests had the chance to take pictures with a live dragon, the unsullied, and a white-walker. Before you left you even had the chance to take home a G.o.T. signature wine glass.

This was by far the most fun event of the entire week. The winners of the costume contest were granted entry to the VIP Party along with filmmakers, media, sponsors, and the awesome people from HBO.

Photos: Mike Rivera


 The Atlanta Film Festival has sadly come to a close but we do have good news for you.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the organization, they host events yearround. Check their website for parties, screenings, workshops, and conferences.

ATLFF

-Jon J.

Thundercluck Chicken of Thor

While We’re Young

The Atlanta Wine Party took place on March 7th at Opera Nightclub where over 50 wines were available to taste. Upon entering there was a step and repeat for photos, a booklet displaying all of your drinking options for the evening, an area to take notes on what you sampled, and a commemorative ATL Wine Party glass to sample your drinks. (How the party started)

The party went from 6-10p and far exceeded expectations. The entire venue was at our disposal and even afforded a VIP area upstairs for those who wanted a special experience. With the weather warming up we enjoyed the outside deck with couches and conversations and a nice view of Midtown and Crescent Avenue.

The DJ played everything from old school jams to current top-hits. But this is Atlanta, so any good DJ knows you have to throw in Atlanta artists as well to keep a good mix. So one minute you might’ve heard the Electric Slide, and the next you might have heard back-to-back songs by the Ying Yang Twins and Gucci Mane. It’s a party, so as long as the music had energy, nobody really cared what was being played, and everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

We have a few clips to show you how the Atlanta Wine Party packed out Opera and the good times that were had. (How the party ended)

Stay tuned for next year’s announcement because for their first time out? They went above and beyond to provide everyone a good time!

-TPR

The time has come to celebrate one of the biggest film festivals in our city; the 15th Annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF).

The award-winning, 23-day festival took place January 28 through February 19, across metro Atlanta.

The 2015 AJFF featured 65 films from 26 countries. These stories went global, from Sweden to South Africa to Ethiopia to Uruguay, as well as through time, with historical epics set in the Middle Ages to tense stories from the founding of the state of Israel. Romance, comedy, action, and adventure are just a few of the genres featured at this year’s AJFF.

Screenings were hosted at seven theatrical venues, including the new Regal Cinemas Avalon 12 location. For the Opening Night Gala and film, AJFF returned to the beautiful Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

Opening Night guests enjoyed food tastings by local and Israeli celebrity chefs, an open bar, and live entertainment provided by our friends from Atlanta Jewish Music Festival.

Additionally, the festival will screen at United Artists Tara Cinemas, Regal Atlantic Station, Lefont Sandy Springs, and Georgia Theatre Company’s Merchants Walk location. The festival is set to close at the Woodruff Arts Centre’s Rich Auditorium.

Touchdown Israel B+ Touchdown Israel is a fun sports movie that documents the rise of the pigskin in the Holy Land. It’s a great film that shows once again, how much more you can learn from team sports than just the game.

As players learn about their teams they discover that they’ll be playing with people from all over the region. Arabs are playing with Christians, Christians playing with Palestinians, Orthodox Jews playing with Arabs, and so forth. There’s a large learning curve as the sport is not very popular in Israel so the players need to: learn the game, get the proper equipment, and learn each other. As for many, it was their first encounter with people of different faiths.

An interesting fact: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft played a pivotal role in helping erect the Israeli Football League and sponsored their first major stadium. He still supports the league as a major sponsor and visits periodically.

The film is a medium to show how an American sport has brought camaraderie, togetherness, and sportsmanship to over 600 amateur players who are hoping to boost the league’s popularity.

Self Made C+ Self Made is a comical film that has 2 women (1 Israeli, 1 Palestinian) who swap identities.

There is a stark comparison in the lives of these 2 women. Michal (Sarah Adler) is a successful Jewish artist who loses her memory after a mishap in bed. Nadine (Samira Saraya) is an Arab outcast with a menial job packing screws at an IKEA-like furniture plant.

A bizarre mix-up by a young Israeli soldier at a border checkpoint sends Michal to Nadine’s refugee camp, and Nadine to Michal’s home in Jerusalem.

Michal was an artist and spokesperson for women’s achievements while Nadine was a refugee who had a secret boyfriend and wanted a baby. Even before the mix up, Nadine had a slight case of STML (short-term memory loss) and dropped screws on her path to remember how to get back to her camp after crossing the border. Michal’s life wasn’t perfect though, her obsession with art was halting the progression of her relationship. Her boyfriend wanted children while she wanted to provide an art piece so bold, it would involve a technique where she would never be able to bear children.

While the ending was pretty weak, the story is a fun, light-hearted experience in learning how just a few miles of land can make all the difference in the world.

Because of this year’s success, the AJFF has now achieved the rank of the world’s largest Jewish film festival. A record-breaking 38,600+ moviegoers attended this year’s event, confirming their standing as the highest attended Jewish film fest on the planet.

What a great moment for the AJFF and the Atlanta community. The year’s edition featured 177 screenings of 65 extraordinary works of international and independent cinema. The the title of “world’s largest” is based on attendance, which this year totaled 38,631.

That’s a bigger audience than any of the other 200+ Jewish film festivals worldwide.

So you can see why this festival is such a big deal. It’s great to see turnouts like this with great support from moviegoers, Atlanta residents, and the Jewish community.

-Jon J. Photo: Anna Lira

30th

Annual

Stellar

Awards

The 30th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards was one for the ages. The annual celebration of gospel music took place at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. With nominees from all over the country (and of course Atlanta), we thought this would be a peachy event to feature.

Above you can see Bobby Jones and Tye Trivvett. Other stars include Rickey Smiley, David & Tamela Mann, Michelle Williams, and more!

If you aren’t familiar with the annual gospel celebration, here’s a little background on its humble beginnings: Chicago-based Central City Productions, Inc. (CCP) produces the Stellar Gospel Music Awards. It’s been 30 years since the first awards show was taped at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago, and the Stellar Awards has now become the premier Gospel event that recognizes and honors African American artists. This one of a kind award show has showcased top Gospel artists and many television and film stars.

The Stellar Gospel Music Awards show is executive produced by Don Jackson and produced by Barbara Wilson for Central City Productions. CCP was founded in 1970 in Chicago by Don Jackson.

Top row (L - R):

Adrienne Bailon, Algernon Johnson & Casey J, Amber Riley, and Erica Campbell

Bottom row (L - R):

Tim Norman and Robbi Montgomery, Vashan Mitchell, Willie J. Moore Jr., Gary Dourdan

The guests were pouring in from all sides that night in celebration of the Awards’ 30th Anniversary. Pictured (left) is Michelle Williams, who graced the red carpet before the show.

Guests got a special surprise in a Destiny’s Child reunion performance including herself, Kelly Rowland, and of course Beyoncé. The trio performed “Say Yes” to mass approval from fans across social media.

Not only was Michelle Williams there to perform and to flaunt her dress on the red carpet, but the dazzling gospel artist received 4 nominations along with artists Smokie Norful and Tasha Page-Lockhart.

Pictured on the previous page, we were able to find two Georgia natives: Designer and stylist Algernon Johnson and Gospel Artist Casey J. Gospel music’s latest singing sensation Casey J has topped the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart for the sixth nonconsecutive week with her #1 radio smash “Fill Me Up.” The track anchors the Atlanta native’s forthcoming debut album “The Truth” which debuts Tuesday, April 21.

On the left we have Deitrick Haddon.

Haddon is a producer, artist, and actor who’s known best for his role in Oxygen’s reality TV show Preachers of Detroit.

Haddon’s LXW received a total of 7 Stellar Award nominations, which was also the third highest amount of nominations this year behind Erica Campbell/Ricky Dillard (who both had 10) and The Walls Group (9).

If you missed the celebration you can check the Stellar Awards website to see when and where you can catch an encore STELLARS

Here’s a list of all the winners from the night:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

ERICA CAMPBELL, HELP, MY BLOCK/EONE MUSIC

SONG OF THE YEAR

TIFFANY JOY MCGHEE, AMAZING – AMAZING (RICKY DILLARD & NEW G), LIGHT RECORDS/ENTERTAINMENT ONE

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

DEITRICK HADDON, DEITRICK HADDON’S LXW, TYSCOT MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

ALBERTINA WALKER FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

ERICA CAMPBELL, HELP, MY BLOCK/EONE MUSIC

GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR

THE WALLS GROUP, FAST FORWARD, FO YO SOUL RECORDINGS/RC

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

TASHA PAGE-LOCKHART, HERE RIGHT NOW, FO YO SOUL RECORDSINGS/RCA

CD OF THE YEAR

ERICA CAMPBELL, HELP, MY BLOCK/EONE MUSIC

CHOIR OF THE YEAR

RICKY DILLARD & NEW G, AMAZING,LIGHT RECORDS/ ENTERTAINMENT ONE

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

WARRYN CAMPBELL, HELP (ERICA CAMPBELL), MY BLOCK/EONE MUSIC

Top to bottom: Erica Campbell, Dorinda Clark Cole, Yolanda Adams

CONTEMPORARY GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR

THE WALLS GROUP, FAST FORWARD, FO YO SOUL RECORDINGS/RCA

TRADITIONAL GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR

LISA KNOWLES & THE BROWN SINGERS, THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES, ONE VOICE MEDIA

CONTEMPORARY MALE OF THE YEAR

SMOKIE NORFUL, FOREVER YOURS, TREMYLES/MOTOWN GOSPEL

TRADITIONAL MALE OF THE YEAR

DONNIE MCCLURKIN, DUETS, RCA INSPIRATION

CONTEMPORARY FEMALE OF THE YEAR

ERICA CAMPBELL, HELP, MY BLOCK/EONE MUSIC

TRADITIONAL FEMALE OF THE YEAR

BEVERLY CRAWFORD, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU’VE DONE, ECHO PARK/JDI

CONTEMPORARY CD OF THE YEAR

ERICA CAMPBELL, HELP, MY BLOCK/EONE MUSIC

TRADITIONAL CD OF THE YEAR

RICKY DILLARD & NEW G, AMAZING, LIGHT RECORDS/ ENTERTAINMENT ONE

URBAN/INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

ERICA CAMPBELL, HELP FT. LECRAE, MY BLOCK/EONE MUSIC

Top to bottom: Earnest Pugh & Kirk Franklin, Nyasia, Deon Kipping, STL3

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

MATTHEW CHERRY, SAY YES FT. BEYONCE & KELLY ROWLAND – JOURNEY TO FREEDOM (MICHELLE WILLIAMS), ENTERTAINMENT ONE

TRADITIONAL CHOIR OF THE YEAR

RICKY DILLARD & NEW G, AMAZING, LIGHT RECORDS/ ENTERTAINMENT ONE

CONTEMPORARY CHOIR OF THE YEAR

DEITRICK HADDON’S LXW, TYSCOT MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

SPECIAL EVENT CD OF THE YEAR

TAMELA MANN, BEST DAYS DELUXE EDITION, TILLYMANN MUSIC

RAP HIP HOP GOSPEL CD OF THE YEAR

LECRAE, ANOMALY, REACH RECORDS

YOUTH PROJECT OF THE YEAR

KENDRA SMITH, SOMETHING NEW, DIVINE RECORDS

QUARTET OF THE YEAR

LISA KNOWLES & THE BROWN SINGERS, THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES, ONE VOICE MEDIA

RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING OF THE YEAR

DEREK BLANKS, HELP (ERICA CAMPBELL), MY BLOCK/ EONE MUSIC

PRAISE AND WORSHIP CD OF THE YEAR

WILLIAM MCDOWELL, WITHHOLDING NOTHING, DELIVERY ROOM MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT ONE

-Jon J.

Photo: Hakim Wright

A select number of media were given exclusive access to the Atlanta Dream war-room during this year’s WNBA Draft. With the headquarters at the Marriott Marquis, the Dream had a VIP Draft Party for family, friends, and special guests.

With 2 underclassmen declaring eligibility for the first time, the 2015 WNBA Draft was already one to remember. In just a week, a #1 prospect could possibly drop to #3. The Seattle Storm wasted no time in beefing up their roster. With picks 1 and 3, they chose Notre Dame’s Jewell Loyd and Minnesota’s Amanda Zahui B. That kind of quality play can impact a team immediately in those types of players.

The Chicago Sky broke the mold of expectations and with the 5th pick chose Cheyenne Parker out of Middle Tennessee State. Catching everyone off-guard, the 6’4” Forward would be a welcome addition to play alongside Delle Donne, so perhaps the Sky know something we don’t.

The New York Liberty traded up to #9 pick to take San Antonio’s second 1st Rd pick. We were hoping for an exciting draft and luckily we received just that. The first 4 picks went as scripted but then 3 mid-major schools jumped in the fray and shook up the 1st Rd.

1st Rd Picks:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Seattle Storm Jewell Loyd

Tulsa Shock Amanda Zahui B.

Seattle Storm Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis

Connecticut Sun Elizabeth Williams

Chicago Sky Cheyenne Parker

San Antonio Stars Dearica Hamby

Los Angeles Sparks Crystal Bradford

Washington Mystics Ally Malott

New York Liberty Brittany Boyd

Atlanta Dream Samantha Logic

New York Liberty Kiah Stokes

Phoenix Mercury Isabelle Harrison

We had a moment to chat with Coach Cooper after the draft about their 1st Rd choice. Here’s what he had to say about Samantha Logic:

“At the Guard position, 3-pt shooting was one of the weaker points in our game and I think we got that in Logic.”

The Dream’s other 2 choices were Ariel Massengale (Tennessee) and Lauren Okafor (James Madison University). Adding quality youth to an already amazing squad is going to bode well with the players and the fans. It’s safe to say that the drafting of Samantha was logical.

With the Dream’s options available since the draft had gone off-script, it was almost a definite that they would take Isabelle Harrison from Tennessee. When the announcement came, they opted for Samantha Logic, a point guard from Iowa. Harrison dropped in the draft rankings because of her recent ACL injury.

But Christmas came early, and the already crowned champions from last year, Phoenix Mercury, landed the star (Harrison) from Tennessee. Between her and Brittney Griner, the Mercury are looking like a force to be reckoned with in the low-post.

We had a blast with the Dream and can’t wait for their season to start! Get ahead of the pack and get your single-game and season tickets now TICKETS

-Jon J.

Photo: Hakim Wright

M

s e i ov

CHAPPIE Neill Blomkamp, the director of District 9, brings us Chappie; the story of artificial intelligence going the extra mile in robots. The movie is set in a time period in South Africa where crime in Johannesburg continues to escalate and local police are running out of options. Along comes engineer Deon Wilson (Dev Patel), with a crazy idea about a police force suffering minimal losses via the usage of mechanized law enforcement. All seems well until Wilson finds the formula to give a robot the capability of thinking and feeling emotions like a human.

Wilson did this behind his boss, Michelle Bradley’s (Sigourney Weaver) back. What’s worse is when another more jealous coworker in Vincent Moore (Hugh Jackman) discovers him. We’re also introduced to South African talents Ninja and Yo-Landi Visser (who both starred in the comedy Umshini Wan).

This is Dev Patel’s best display in an action thriller. Lots of actors despise being typecast but in his case, he’s always a man of intelligence. Even with his accomplishment of creating a type of conscious for robots, that wasn’t enough. After he solved the formula he went as far as stealing a robot-body that was set to be destroyed to experiment with.

Chappie shows us what great lengths engineers/scientists go through for the sake of A.I. (artificial intelligence). Chappie had his own thoughts, feelings, and eventually even taught himself multiple subjects once he learned the internet. The best part about this movie is the ending. The ending was absolutely unexpected and took the audience for a turn that nobody saw coming. Normally in movies, you’ll come across a scene where you might think, “Thats not possible” or “pssh yeah right.” Well, in this film, those scenes happened except nobody laughed or even flinched. In their defense, if you’re watching a robot think on its own for the first time, what’s really there to disbelieve?

You can see some remnants of District 9 in here but it doesn’t take away from the film. I give Chappie a 9 out of 10. Its fun, action-packed, and forces you to take a hard look at where we could possibly be heading with A.I. It’s worth seeing opening weekend and runs about 2hrs long so it won’t be hard to sit through a late showing.

FOCUS Focus, directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Sequa, was as entertaining as it was fun. My faith in Will Smith has been restored and need I remind people, I called the rise of Margot Robbie in my review of Wolf of Wall Street .

Their on-screen chemistry is awesome, which also makes it easy to enjoy the film. Will Smith plays Nicky, a slick talking conman with a slight gambling problem. He’s been in the game for years and has a crew, about 30 deep, that are involved in every step of his operation. One night he meets a woman at a hotel named Jess (Margot Robbie) who actually tries to con him out of his wallet but fails miserably. After she joins his team he feels like she’s getting too close and he quickly separates himself from her (literally, leaves her a bag of money, steps out a car, and sends her to an airport). The real fun begins 3 years later when they unexpectedly run into each other in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This film has it all: Comedy, drama, love, adventure, and plenty of suspense. I thoroughly enjoy films that make you pay attention because so much is going on. His team worked together like a wellgreased machine. Everyone had their individual roles, nobody had a reason to be greedy, and their operation ran like clockwork in each city they hit.

Another face you may notice is that of Adrian Martinez in his role as Farhad, Nicky’s righthand man.

He’s quickly showing up everywhere and has garnered the nickname “the sidekick to the stars.” His on-screen presence is felt immediately, as he plays a pivotal role on the team and provides countless moments of pure comedic genius.

The movie Focus gets a 9 out of 10. With a runtime of 1hr 44mins, its long enough to keep you guessing and entertained without running over. The ending is unexpected and the last 2 cons are by far the best. It’s rated R for violence, language, and some sexual content, but by today’s standards they did a good job of keeping the “sexy” under control.

In a time of enchantments when legends and magic collide, the sole remaining warrior of a mystical order (Oscar® winner Jeff Bridges) travels to find a prophesied hero born with incredible powers, the last Seventh Son (Ben Barnes). Torn from his quiet life as a farmhand, the unlikely young hero embarks on a daring adventure with his battle-hardened mentor to vanquish a dark queen (Julianne Moore) and the army of supernatural assassins she has dispatched against their kingdom.

Seventh Son, directed by Sergei Bodrov, is the perfect action-fantasy-adventure to kickoff 2015. Ben Barnes did an excellent job as the “Seventh Son,” keeping a serious attitude about the mission ahead yet being light-hearted enough to humble himself for his mother’s sake, fall in love, and add quick quips of humor here and there.

It’s almost as if this love affair with Jeff Bridges was planned months ahead of time. Fresh off his 2 Super Bowl commercial sightings, he stars as Master Gregory, and has the task of prepping Tom (Ben Barnes) for the impending battle with Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore). The majority of the humor in the film comes from Bridges and its welcomed. A hero with a soft heart that’s been hardened by hardship and never leaves his flask behind. The presence of Alice (Alicia Vikander) was that of a witch, torn between following her kinds’ disposition for humans and her love for Tom. Did I mention Julianne Moore played an excellent “bad guy?” She should take on antagonistic roles more often, she made for a great witch in the film.

Seventh Son gets an 8 out of 10. This should definitely be viewed in IMAX 3D, and if IMAX isn’t available in your location then at the very least, 3D. This is worth seeing opening weekend and its 1hr 42mins runtime makes for a good show anytime of the day. The storyline is solid and most importantly, everything is explained, from the origins of Tom’s mother and Master Gregory to Mother Malkin. This will be an exceptional opening weekend for fantasy adventures.

Bright, colorful, action: These are the first 3 words that come to mind when thinking about Jupiter Ascending. This is by far the most stimulating film I’ve seen in quite some time.

This isn’t a film being promoted for 3D and IMAX simply “because.” This film, in its entirety, was made for 3D. I’ll go as far as saying you wouldn’t be doing yourself or the film justice by viewing a standard version.

Jupiter Ascending is directed by the Wachowski’s (Andy and Lana), the very creators of the Matrix Trilogy. Our protagonist Jupiter (Mila Kunis) is an immigrant who was born at sea when her mother fled the tyranny of Russia. Living with her mother and other relatives, Jupiter grows up having Cinderella-like dreams of falling in love and living happily ever after.

She assists her mother and aunt with their cleaning service but, her daily routine is monotonous and unfulfilling. Her life takes a turn when she discovers alien life forms attempting to kidnap her. That is when we’re introduced to Caine Wise (Channing Tatum).

Caine fills her in on bigger problems than her dismay for janitorial services and from there, the adventure begins. Clearly you wouldn’t have Channing Tatum be anyone besides the knight in shining armor, but this knight has space boots. Gravitational space boots where he’s able to fly all-over Chicago yet when he’s on the ground it’s almost as if he’s roller blading. There were quite a few scenes that seemed rushed and there’s a lot of unexplained occurrences.

Caine’s flight patterns and battle scenes do the 3D aspect justice and make you beg for more. The storyline and some dialogue exchanged were pretty weak. At one point, people in the audience were starting to wonder if Balem (Eddie Redmayne, antagonist) was a poor actor or had a behavioral disorder. His spotty delivery was extremely unattractive and felt more like a distraction from the film than what was supposed to be “acting.” Caine had a helper in Stinger (Sean Bean) who lived a private life on earth in an abandoned house full of bees (random and also unexplained). But the great part about their arrival at the house was how the bees complimented the 3D effects of the movie in the foreground and background.

The action, fight scenes, and special effects are what really carry this movie. It’s a good 7 out of 10. There are countless scenes that will leave you clueless as to what’s going on and the horrific acting by Redmayne reminds me of another failed antagonist from Exodus: Gods & Kings (the worst Pharaoh in the history of Exodus remakes). It’s right at 2hrs in length so a late-night showing won’t drag on too bad.

If you want an exciting film with action and great 3D effects, then this is what you should do with your time opening weekend. If you’re looking for a quality story with minimal cliches, you should look elsewhere.

The Imitation Game, directed by Morten Tyldum, was written by Graham Moore (screenplay) and Andrew Hodges (book). Based on the real life story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), the film portrays the race against time by Turing and his team of code-breakers at Britain’s topsecret Government operation. The majority of the story takes place in Bletchley Park during World War II.

When Turing was put in place to head the campaign to decrypt the incoming German messages, he was impressed by one person in particular, Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley). They all learned that each day, they had until Midnight before they had to start over again, attempting to decrypt new messages (the Germans changed their codes every morning).

Turing faced impossible odds, stress from every direction, and was ill-prepared to keep secrets, snuff out spies, and lead a team who were not impressed with his arrogance. A number of unlikely circumstances occur during his tenure in charge but things start to turn in their favor after Alan’s machine makes a breakthrough.

The film is right under 2hrs in length and has a nice intellectual touch to it. There was good chemistry between Cumberbatch and Knightley and the fact it’s based off a true story adds to the enjoyment of the movie. There’s no doubt this project will get a few nods during Award-season. The Imitation Game deserves an 8.5. It’s worth seeing because of the story, and since Benedict Cumberbatch is on a roll with his feature film catalogue the past 3 months, I’d be surprised if this didn’t win some type of award.

To say this movie is hilarious is an understatement. A personal thank you goes out to the people who thought to put Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart together.

Ferrell spares no expense with his comedy, pushing the limits to everything from stereotypes, class-warfare, racial bias, wealth envy, and any other subject you could think of.

Get Hard, directed by Ethan Cohen, is about millionaire James King (Will Ferrell) who’s arrested for fraud and bound for San Quentin. It’s then, that James turns to the man who washes his car, Darnell Lewis (Kevin Hart) for advice on how to survive on the inside. This in turn, sets off a hilarious sequence of events as Darnell begins to train James for survival, all the while, posing as an ex-con.

Now this film is rated R for a reason. The jokes are crude, perverse, sexual, racial, and everything in between. But if you’re a person whose humor has no bounds? Then you’re going to love this film. There’s a great dynamic between the types of comedy that each of them deliver. Although both are huge brand names in comedy, it was clear that they were both comfortable working side-by-side. I’ll go even further and ask why they haven’t been paired together before?

Without giving too much away, if there’s a new film to see this weekend, its Get Hard. What would a comedy be without a feature from everyone’s favorite high vocabulary word attempting miscreant in T.I.? He’s seen a lot of features himself this past calendar year.

At 100 minutes in runtime, its safe to catch a late-night showing. You’ll spend so much time laughing you won’t have time to feel fatigue. Get Hard gets a 9 out of 10. If you haven’t seen any promo for this movie we have the trailer featured below. This is a must-see for the weekend.

If there was ever a movie that had fans longing for its debut, its Furious 7. With Furious 7 comes the end to the epic Fast & Furious franchise for Paul Walker. Many fans have mentioned growing up with the storied franchise, making it even harder to cope with the realization that if they make a follow-up to 7, everyone’s favorite character won’t be a part of it. The team has been busy traveling the world promoting the movie, attending premieres, even welcoming airlines with the movie wrapped on their respective airplanes.

Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of Furious 7. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black.

But they went even further than that. To cap an end to one of the greatest film franchises of the past decade, they threw in a ton of new faces, international stars at that: Tony Jaa, Djimon Hounsou, Noel Gugliemi, Sung Kang, Ronda Rousey, Kurt Russell, Jason Statham, a local ATL favorite in Steve Coulter, and one of my favorite new actresses Nathalie Emmanuel (better known as Missandei in Game of Thrones).

The premiere in Atlanta was shown in IMAX quality and I definitely recommend it for this film. With the amount of action in this movie you definitely want to experience the film in the type of quality and sound that the IMAX experience will provide.

There were some slow moments in the beginning, but about 30 minutes into it, things started to pickup. There were a few spotty moments with Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) that are going to remind you of a certain scene involving Neo & Trinity in the Matrix (are they conversing, or is she dying). But the few slow moments and handful of clichés were clearly overlooked for the sake of the film being the final one for Paul. Another point to mention is the amount of explosions… You might start to feel like you’re watching a Michael Bay film.

I won’t ruin the ending for you, but it was perfect and a great send-off for Paul Walker. This is what you need to do this weekend: see this movie and know that all the characters from the first to the last get a final hurrah and you, the audience, get to bid a loving farewell to Paul. 9 out of 10.

Dior and I Dior and I has to be one of the best fashion documentaries of the 21st Century. Whether you’re in the industry, a fan, or just a bystander, Dior and I is a film that will give you a better appreciation of fashion as a business and an art form.

The film delivers a special behind-the-scenes look at Christian Dior and their transition from old to new. With the arrival of their newly appointed artistic director Raf Simons, everyone at Dior fashion house was ready and waiting to receive their new boss.

The pressure was on from the beginning as Raf alerted his new team that he would be responsible for the creation of a new collection for Dior. Simons described himself as a minimalist when he used to work at brand Jil Sander. Now he was presented with the task of creating a Haute Couture Collection for Dior in July. From that moment on he had 8 weeks to unmask his creations.

“A thin waist with a lot of volume at the bottom, that is the new look style.” – Hong-Bo

In between shots, black and white clips of Dior would roll as Raf would narrate. It was the voice of Dior and his ideas clashing with that of Simons. Often reverting back to how Dior shocked the world with his bold ideas of fashion for women in his heyday, Raf was sharply focused on how the new look would need to have the same effect as that of Dior’s first collection.

He referenced different artists and pieces as inspiration for wanting to go in a new direction.

Different colors, materials, layers and many other aspects that caught his team of seamstresses off-guard. The main artist who impacted his direction was Sterling Ruby. He states “One New York Times critic (points to a Ruby painting) referred to this as Gangster Rothko.”

His righthand that he brought in for the project was Pieter. Pieter’s ideas flowed nicely with the seamstresses, especially one of the leads, Florence Chehet. But as the project eases into the later stages a problem emerges. This specific problem is one that only Florence can fix, and to Raf’s chagrin, his first conflict with the team occurs as he discovers she was sent to New York City without his knowledge.

This documentary deserves all of the acclaim its received from press the world over. Not only was it thought-provoking, but inspiring as well. All of the drama and suspense leads up to the fashion show with the new collection which was a great success. The venue was flawless and the design was something many had never seen before. The use of flowers to accomplish this feat was absolutely breathtaking.

“One of the best fashion documentaries of the 21st Century.”

This is not your usual drab, boring, superficial, stuffy fashion film. Everything in the film is real and raw. Even capturing Raf venturing out in a new direction, taking strides to go into unfamiliar territory with Dior as his passenger, the documentary itself was an adventure. As opposed to your 2 – 4 year film span, this was filmed in a mere 2 months with a focus on a subject (Raf) who despises being recorded.

It was interesting to see Raf’s inner battle with cameras while being recorded for a documentary. This problem arose down the home stretch of the fashion show preparation that week. His response to Vogue offering a 10-pg. spread was “I don’t feel comfortable being recorded by people I don’t know,” and his body language changed at the very mention of cameras and interviews.

Special guests of the fashion show include: Anna Winter, Jennifer Lawrence, Sharon Stone, Marion Cotillard, Versace, Dianne Von Furstenburg, Raf’s parents, and many more.

I highly suggest you see this film as a movie-buff and demand it if you’re a fashion professional. Dior and I gets a solid 9 out of 10 and should quench your fashion thirst by films-end. Fortunately for Atlantans, the movie will debut at UA Tara on April 24. Frédéric Tcheng should be very pleased with this project, and in my opinion, has set the fashion documentary bar extremely high. Having great footage and a behind-the-scenes style angle is one thing, but it’s an entirely different animal capturing the hearts, minds, and attention of those who watch.

-Jon J.

Following the marketing lead of ‘Yonce, Drake has dropped somewhat of a surprise on our ears with his latest mixtape, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.” With the leak of “6 God” we knew something was coming. The suicide note artwork cover sets the tone for the 17 tracks. Drake has killed off his old self and risen from the ashes as a new Drizzy who is lining ’em up and taking shots. In “No Tellin'” he says:

“Please don’t speak to me like I’m that Drake from four years ago/I’m at a higher place/Thinkin’ they lions and Tygas and bears, I go huntin’ / Put heads on my fire place.”

His young label mate Tyga isn’t the only one he takes shots at this go round.

Allegedly his newly signed artist iLoveMakonnen was caught on Twitter calling Drake soft before he was signed.

Drake calls him out for being two-faced as well as Diddy for the drama surrounding the beat from “0-100″. He mentions his label a few times stating “ain’t no tellin” if the checks will come in. He also dedicates an entire farewell track to Birdman of Cash Money titled “Now and Forever”. He seems to be following a gentler lead of blunt predecessor Lil Wayne.

In “Star67″ his closest friend Biz, tells Drake “The first mill gon’ change you.” And it looks as if this prediction held true. Drake who once rapped about the struggle of trying to make it is now paranoid of the surroundings fame has brought him and feels pressured to perform. This is a classic “mo’ money mo’ problems” situation. But honestly would you prefer lower or higher tax bracket problems? I think most of us would choose the latter.

He knuckles up on “Energy” claiming everyone is draining him of his energy including the women who try to get his wifi password only to boast about it on the internet. Drake has so many enemies now, he’s even going at it with technology. In “Jungle,” a smooth R&B sound, he is still trying to find his perfect, southern, big booty woman while trying to find himself. But gossip on timelines is ruining yet another chance at finding a soulmate. He wins over technology in “10 Bands” where he pushes himself to

pull the drapes, turn off the phone, and live in his creative bubble to work.

In “Know Yourself” he reminisces about running around Toronto with his homeboys and selling Girbaud jeans at one point. He has put his city on the map while staying true to himself but still worried about wearing jewelry out around people trying to take his spot.

Even though this project was released around Valentine’s Day there aren’t as many songs dedicated to women as usual. The closest love track is “Madonna” which consists of only one verse and a hook. He samples 90’s R&B star Ginuwine twice on this project and continues to look for a chick he can save and make as popular as Madonna.

His self-proclaimed second home in Houston has him at hotels looking for the “Company” of strippers to take his mind off all of the pressure in his life (once they get off their shift). He blames the fame for having his mind on money and women 24/7.

“6 Man” is a reference to himself, his city, and Toronto Raptors 6th man Louis Williams. Drake has business ties with the Raptors and recently was accused of trying to recruit Kevin Durant at a show.

Drake talks his usual smack about the millions he makes for the life he lives and ends with an ode to The Roots and Erykah Badu “You Got Me”.

With all the women in and out of his life, there is one who remains at the center of his heart. “You and The 6″ is another attempt for him to explain his lifestyle to his worried mother. He seems to feel as if he will never be good enough for her. She has been keeping up with his life via google alerts on her phone and tries to set him up with a trainer from his gym. Drake doesn’t feel the time is right in his life for a “good girl” and changes the subject to his father. He wishes for what most children of divorced parents do: For her to forgive his father and see the positive moments his father gave him.

The bonus track “6pm In New York” does the best at summarizing the moment that the 28-year old Drake is at in his career. He longs for the days when the music actually mattered and not things like what the paparazzi caught you wearing. His content is noticeably more aggressive all-around and it will be interesting to see what happens after he finally does leave Cash Money. For now, this project is a nice teaser for his upcoming album “Views from the 6″.

HEAR THE MIXTAPE

-Yo Angie!

After the somewhat mediocre release of “Ambition” and “The Gifted”, Wale’s fans wondered if moving to Rick Ross’ Maybach Music was a good fit for him. But it seems as if the rapper has returned to his roots and cooked up a Thanksgiving meal for his hungry core fan base. Growing up, Wale says he has seen every episode of “Seinfield” and made a mixtape titled “The Mixtape About Nothing”. The mixtape included samples from the show and lyrics using jokes and catch phrases from the series. Every song title starts with the article “The” just as every episode in the Seinfield series did. Wale had the opportunity to finally meet the star of the show, Jerry Seinfield, who agreed to be a part of his fourth studio album, “The Album About Nothing”. Wale says this album is his life journal and Seinfeld plays a huge role in it.

“He's the narrator. He's essentially like my conscience. You can look at him as kind of explaining what's happening if you get lost during the story. He'll come in and give you an update.”

The intro to the album talks about how he is not yet who he is destined to be. He is as hungry as a “model at a buffet” and he feels its about time that he sing about nothing. Nothing is actually everything. Everything he is going through including dealing with fame, a materialistic lifestyle, the hip hop world, gold digging women, looking to God for answers, marriage and love. The live band on this album is a nice touch that not every rapper can pull off.

“The Helium Ballon” starts with a metaphor explained beautifully by Seinfield. Wale is the balloon and as listeners we are traveling with him through the string in the air to a higher state of mind. He goes on to compare us as a young child holding this balloon stuck in a conflicting state of wanting to hold tight to the balloon and at the same time wanting to let the balloon fly. This is a message to his core fans and what happens when artists venture into mainstream or try to create a new sound.

“The White Shoes” plays on Wale’s known affliction for sneakers. He gives advice that you're always going to be judged your entire life and that’s okay. You can still be fly for yourself and not society.

Society loves you for your status and turns people into hopeless rats in the maze where the cheese is always being moved.

The hopelessness of the previous song is a nice segue to “The Pessimist” about wanting to be hopeless so that you don't care about anything. It sounds as if he is saying how much easier “ignorance is bliss” can be. Even his girl is comparing him to what she sees on Love and Hip Hop. She is giving up on him saying he is just as hopeless as the men on the show.

Black men don’t seem to get any respect or power without being able to catch, dribble or shoot. Society is hopeless and seems to be comfortable living that way.

In “The Middle Finger” Seinfield tries to tell Wale no matter what you do people are going to talk about you. He feels like quitting rap and while he respects Maybach Music he is just on a different plane then his fellow label mates. Wale has another dream of playing football but wasn't fast enough to make the team. He is feeling lost and depressed and turing to drugs to get by. The women around him are telling him he should be happy because he has money.

They don’t understand that he wants something more than this lifestyle he has been living.

The track “The One Time In Houston” has a lingering taste of Drake on it. Houston has become the place known for thick professional mind game playing strippers. He is trying to remind himself that these women don’t really love him like they say they do. He doesn’t even take the time to wonder anymore if the boobs, butt and names the girls are giving are real.

Everyone around him is fake. They are only there for his pockets and while he knows this he still seems to stay and get lost in the entertainment of it all. The Seinfeld cast discusses the pressures of saying “I love you” first to someone in between the verses which is an interesting conversation to put on a song about the strip club.

“The Girls On Drugs” is an ode to the many troubled women he has met throughout his career. This is a sample of Janet Jackson’s “Go Deep”. Because he uses party drugs to help him cope with the pressures of fame it seems he has a soft spot for girls who use drugs to get through everyday life. Still he can’t take them serious and calls them out for claiming the use of Adderall to help them study turns into a daily replacement of food. The line about one female who has cut her wrists in attempt to receive love and attention from someone is a real problem that should be addressed. Most entertainers know these women have real emotional issues but since the bars, pills and coke make them seem to be willing to do whatever they please, it is ignored as they will be leaving soon after anyway.

“The God Smile” talks about a higher power always being there even though they haven't always been in communication. Fame is stealing his energy and he uses the acronym GABOS (Game Aint Based on Sympathy). He needs a light to shine on him and keep him above all the chaos.

“The Need To Know” has a funny conversation from a Seinfeld episode about turning from friends to friends with benefits. This song’s chorus sung by SZA remixes the chorus from Musiq Souldchild’s “Just Friends”. The idea of platonic friendship is hard for Wale to handle with this woman yet he doesn't want anyone to know out of fear of it ruining the friendship.

He talks about our current culture that overthinking leads to subtweeting and drama these days.

Seinfeld reminds Wale that you should never get too comfortable with success because success is the enemy. “The Success” talks about the hunger built from having nothing is still too much to ignore. Wale is from D.C. and says it stands for “Don’t Come”. He references infamous 80’s drug dealers form his hometown stating that he understands how life was hard.

We seem to work so hard to be whatever our idea of success is only to never be satisfied.

“The Glass Egg” samples Grove Theory “Tell Me” and explains how hard it is for him to maintain women, riches and his friends. All these things are important to him and have become a fragile glass egg he must balance. Living in the limelight has made it difficult for him to trust even his old friends. He hopes that he doesn't change throughout his career but it’s hard when everyone around you is changing. Getting a record deal has made him wonder who is real in his life.

“The Bloom AG3” is the third tribute to Wale’s ambitious girl. This is a cute song to dedicate to your girlfriend to let her know how much you appreciate her. He sees her as a beautiful flower and wants their love to bloom. He even calls her mother and says, “Thank you for you flower..but I’m tryna be your sun” He makes creative references to mother nature, the sun and roots and says, “Thorns probably on FLEEK!”

“The Matrimony” is the second single release from this album. Seinfield again has a great way of explaining a roller coaster reference of the entire process of being engaged, the wedding and finally being married. He says that you can never be ready for it because its new and you’re going to be a new person that you don't even know yet. Usher helps Wale on this song with his smooth voice and Wale admits his past relationships have made it hard for him to get married. His lifestyle does not help to make that big step but he wants her to know that he will do better and he thinks he is almost ready.

“The Body” was the first released single and samples R. Kelly’s “You Remind Me of Something”. Jeremiah’s voice was perfect for the chorus of this song. This is a song that your girl wants you to play for her to dance to for you. Trust me, no girl can resist moving to this melody. Wale describes his girl’s perfect body as a Benz he’s ready to drive again and again.

As a fairly new fan of Wale this album has made me want to go back to his earlier mixtape where he used the concept of the unlikely Seinfield the first time. The fact that this time he didn't have to use samples but instead was able to actually get his favorite TV star to agree to be a part of his project is awesome. Wale tells stories that show he really wants to connect with his fans and not show off the rich lifestyle he may lead. His live performances are more proof of his love for his fans as he has been known to walk off the stage and run through to the very last seat in the crowd. If this is the real Wale, here is to hoping we get to hear more of it!

Be Gold!

HEAR “MATRIMONY”

-Yo Angie!

Blue Man Group’s critically acclaimed show has been called “visually stunning,” “wildly inventive,” and “hysterically funny.” Although it is impossible to describe, people of all ages agree that Blue Man Group’s show is an intensely exciting and wildly outrageous experience that leaves the entire audience in a blissful, euphoric state.

The Peach Review® was in the house opening night for Blue Man Group when they arrived to the Fox Theatre April 7. It was our first BMG experience but there were lots of people in attendance who had experienced their show before. After talking to a few guests, it was apparent that their Las Vegas show left quite the impression on audience members.

Without the use of language, the trio of blue men entertained guests with comedy, tricks, and outrageous performances. What people will enjoy the most is their interaction with the crowd and using people in the audience as a part of their show. By far the most fun was had during a musical performance. A scrolling sign instructed people to stand up and dance. Out of nowhere, 9 gigantic, illuminated balls (like beach balls) were thrown into the audience. Then the blue men grabbed guns which shot out streamers and had neon lights flashing and bass pumping. It literally went from a performance to a party within minutes. Imagine The Fox being filled with streamers and oversized beach balls being thrown everywhere imaginable. It was like an indoor Woodstock for 20 solid minutes.

If you have a chance to see them you won’t be disappointed. Their ability to entertain with sights and sounds (and no speech) will be an enjoyable experience for all.

-Jon J

Atlanta Jewish Music Festival

Another year has come and gone, which means another awesome time at the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival. Commonly referred to as AJMF 6 (since this was the 6th edition), this 2 week long festival brought lots of laughs, dancing, and as always, fresh jewish music!

AJMF is like… It’s like our own local, Jewish Coachella. No seriously, it is. They both span over 2 weekends, they both offer arts and different cultural experiences, and they’re loaded with music.

Now granted, Variety Playhouse doesn’t sit on a monster amount of acreage like Indio Valley, but nonetheless, AJMF is getting better and better each year with its growth and diverse set of offerings (music, dance, talent shows, open mics, sponsored walks/runs, etc).

This years AJMF featured a plethora of great events. The first weekend included Opening Night, Zale “Fortress” release, Hunger Walk/Run, and Red Heifers.

The second weekend featured Shabbat Ruach, the Main Event, Cantorial Concert, and a Holocaust Remembrance Concert.

Now the cool thing about the Jewish Music Festival, is that as an organization, they offer activities year-round. Although the festival takes place in March across 2 weeks, they are constantly offering jewish activities to engage and learn throughout the year. Some may be musical, others may offer participation and learning, but either way, they’re one of the few festivals around that stay active outside of their actual “festival” schedule.

We have featured some of our favorite pictures from their Main Event which took place at Variety Playhouse on March 21. You can see FAN PICS and HUNGER WALK/RUN PICS

-Jon J.

Photo: Yoh Phillips

S

s t r o p

There was plenty to cheer for this past winter. The basketball season was coming to an end for the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech, Georgia State made an incredible upset on the national stage in the NCAA Tournament, and the Hawks not only made it to the NBA Playoffs, but as the #1 seed with 60 wins and went undefeated in the month of January.

So what we have on display are photos of the following:

Georgia Tech’s games against: North Carolina, Florida State, and Louisville.

Georgia State’s upset of Baylor

Hawks matches against: 76ers, Thunder, and Nets

Photography: Hakim Wright

Greg Collier/Action Sports and News

The Atlanta Hawks are in the greatest run of form in their team’s history. They had a historic undefeated month of January and won 20+ games in a row. They’re currently the #1 seed in the NBA Playoffs, they had 60+ wins for the first time ever, and their starting 5 won “Player of the Month” in January for the first time ever (it normally goes to 1 player).

The Hawks are currently in a 1st Round Playoff battle with the Brooklyn Nets, whom they swept during the regular season.

Their 1st Round schedule goes as follows:

Game 1 April 19 5:30p ATL 1-0

Game 2 April 22 7:00p ATL 2-0

Game 3 April 25 in Brooklyn

Game 4 April 27 in Brooklyn

Game 5 April 29 (If necessary)

Game 6 May 1 (If necessary)

Game 7 May 3 (If necessary)

After starting the season with enough controversy to ruin a season before it began, the Hawks have made a complete turn around in every way imaginable. Their $1 million full-court projection investment is a hit with the fans, they’ve featured 2 concerts

by T.I. and 2 Chainz at their games during the season, Ludacris performed during Game 2, and they’ve shattered attendance records and viewing records via Fox Sports South.

Photography: X

Photography: Hakim Wright

Photography: X

Tra v

el

It all started with a midnight Megabus ride from Georgia; the destination was Miami, twelve long hours away. I don’t know how older generations traveled before outlets on buses?

How did they entertain themselves? Every passenger sat patiently with their iDevice – playing music, watching movies, reading manuscripts… We were together and isolated in our own respective worlds. The air conditioning was blowing out a blizzard, so we bundled up in coats and comforters. We moved under the moon’s twilight, feeling every hour, every mile. This is by far the best way to travel when the piggy bank doesn’t have enough for airfare. A clean, accessible bathroom and free wifi allows you to relax, like being in your living room but on wheels. (Search destinations on megabus.com)

From the Megabus to a taxi, the driver was waiting with a sign that had my name, one of those surreal moments that only happens in movies. He was a kind, older gentlemen, sadly his name escapes me. We exchanged numbers, the hotel was about twenty-minutes from South Beach and he knew with Ultra Festival that we would be needing constant transportation. He even offered to give a small discount if we would be frequent riders. It was a tempting offer, but Uber was still much cheaper. I saw a majority of the downtown area in the passenger seat of a stranger’s vehicle. Everyone was warm, friendly, each earning five stars from me after departing. There was one in particular that stood out, Osmar, a gentleman that made the short ride incredibly pleasant. We conversed the entire time, and he even stepped out for a moment to pose for a picture.

Music festivals are like Disney World for adults.

Instead of rides and attractions, you get incredible performances and alcohol. It’s a big, grand party that you wish would never end. There’s a surge of energy that’s omitted once you reach the horde of people moving in the direction of festival grounds.

Everyone is in high spirits, amped for whatever the day will bring, ready to rave from sun up to sun up.

In Miami, everything feels lavish and expensive.

The cars are foreign, the women are gorgeous, and every guy resembles a celebrity or Jersey Shore cast member. Miami is exactly how it’s depicted in big budget films and television. Being there for a music festival only made it more magical. Every moment felt more surreal than the last, being surrounded by giant yachts, bars full of rooftop parties in the morning, and beach shenanigans at night. It was a weekend in motion, one that ended too soon.

Martin Garrix @ ULTRA

Laidback Luke @ ULTRA

Story & Photos:

Yoh Phillips

Editor-in-Chief Jon Jones

Editor KJ

Games/Mobile Apps Titus TBZ Rowell Alana Clarke

Videography Malcolm “X” Lewis Johnny Hill

Music Contributions Lauren Brumley YoAngie! Caquias KJ Johnny Hill

Art/Graphics Bob Jeffreys Fashion Team Joy Larkins Keisha Campbell

Photography Hakim Wright Malcolm “X” Lewis Yoh Phillips Anna Lira Jonathan Davis Kent Foster Event Contributions Johnny Hill Erica “EDB” Bizzell Consultant Desmond McLennon

We hope you enjoyed our Winter 2015 Issue, No. 12 of The Peach Review®. If you’d like to see more content (pictures/videos) or keep up-to-date on events around ATL you can:

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On top of all the events pictured below, you can also look forward to our 3 special editions: 2015 NFL Pro Bowl, 2015 Cannes Film Festival, and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup!