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JUNE 9-15, 2021 VOLUME 17, NUMBER 23
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RECORD FIENDS REJOICE
Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com EDITORIAL Editor CHANEL DAVIS
Record nerds rejoice as RECORD STORE DAY (RSD) officially returns to independent record stores across the country on June 12, with a second drop on July 17, 2021. Since its first event in April 2008, RSD has swept the globe, celebrating independent stores, collectors, and customers united by a love of vinyl and the thrill of the rare-release hunt.
chanel@yesweekly.com YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL MARK BURGER KATEI CRANFORD JIM LONGWORTH NAIMA SAID
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JUNE 9-15, 2021
Justin Webster strolls into his domain at KRANKIES COFFEE in WinstonSalem, located at 211 E. 3rd St., refreshed and excited. He has just returned with his wife, Heather, and 4-year-old son, Levi, from the beach - his first vacation in over a year. The 29-year-old father was given the reigns as head chef at the local favorite on April 1. But he has made sure, while making his mark at Krankies, that customers know this is no April Fool’s Day joke. 5 It’s all about the strings at this year’s DEPOT DISTRICT MUSIC FEST in Lexington. This Saturday, on June 12, 2021, the Breeden Insurance Amphitheater will host the Depot District Music Fest, with gates opening at 2 p.m. 7 The beginning of UNDINE, the latest film by writer/director Christian Petzold, opens with an ending – as the relationship between the title character (Paula Beer) and her boyfriend Johannes (Jacob Matschenz) comes to an end, he having fallen for another woman.
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After 42 years based in Raleigh, the MISS NORTH CAROLINA ORGANIZATION is moving all its pageants to High Point Theatre in High Point this June. The move comes after a year hiatus due to COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic shutting down large gatherings, the last Miss North Carolina pageant was hosted in Raleigh in 2019. In the same year, the Miss North Carolina Outstanding Teen pageant was held in High Point, according to Beth Knox, the executive director of the Miss North Carolina Organization. 13 High Point rapper LIL KAWAII (aka Skrimp) looks to get fried and serve hot fire on his new album Skrimpwav. On his latest record, Skrimp continues a path of self-growth and the human condition in blunt wraps and anime binges. “Basically, this album represents me falling apart and noticing everything and how I should learn to move and how to rebuild myself,” said Skrimp, belaying the facts of life in his early-20s.
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DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT KYLE MUNRO SHANE MERRIMAN ANDREW WOMACK We at YES! Weekly realize that the interest of our readers goes well beyond the boundaries of the Piedmont Triad. Therefore we are dedicated to informing and entertaining with thought-provoking, debate-spurring, in-depth investigative news stories and features of local, national and international scope, and opinion grounded in reason, as well as providing the most comprehensive entertainment and arts coverage in the Triad. YES! Weekly welcomes submissions of all kinds. Efforts will be made to return those with a self-addressed stamped envelope; however YES! Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. YES! Weekly is published every Wednesday by Womack Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free, all additional copies are $1.00. Copyright 2021 Womack Newspapers, Inc.
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[SPOTLIGHT]
BOOKMARKS KICK OFF THEIR 9TH ANNUAL MOVABLE FEAST AND PARAPALOOZA BY NAIMA SAID
Bookmarks’ 9th annual Movable Feast and Parapalooza will be held at Hanesbrands Theatre in downtown Winston-Salem. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, June 12 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 13, 2021, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person, whether joining in-person or streaming. “Parapalooza is a chance for attendees to hear all of the authors read from their books. Each author is personally introduced to the audience and given two minutes to read one carefully selected paragraph from their book. The festivities include authors visiting ten tables for ten minutes each. “Think speed dating with authors,” explained Jamie Southern, Executive Director of Bookmarks. This year’s event will be a bit different. The event will not have the option for individual ticket sales or streaming services due to Covid-19 restrictions. Tickets for this event are restricted to table purchases of one to eight attendees. There will be a 30-minute social break halfway through the author rotations, and after every author’s ten-minute talk at the tables, there will be 2-minute rotation breaks. Southern said there is no particular theme when selecting the books, but Bookmarks aims to feature books that have been released since last year’s Movable Feast so that they are still new to the attendees. When possible, paperbacks are preferred since multiple book clubs join
the event and prefer to read paperbacks. “We try to select a range of genres and try to provide a diverse group of speakers. In prior years, we have had authors come from all over, mostly concentrated in the South just due to the ease in traveling,” said Southern. Bookmarks’ will showcase 16 books for the two-day event. They are as follows: The Baddest Girl on the Planet by Heather Frese, Waiting for the Night Song by Julie Carrick Dalton, The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi and Emily P. Freeman, Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce, Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson, Beth and Amy by Virginia Kantra, What Could Be Saved by Liese O’Halloran, The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels, Bewilderness by Karen Tucker, and A Lowcountry Bride by Preslaysa Williams, Anne of Manhattan by Brina Starler, Waiting for the Night Song by Julie Carrick Dalton, Story Intelligence by Scott Livengood and Richard Stone, Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old by Steven Petrow, Embochure by Emilia Phillips, and Resurrecting the Bones by Jacinta V. White. All books will be pre-signed before the event. It is sponsored by: Salemtowne, Action4Equity, a/perture cinema, Forsyth County Public Library, Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, Family Services, Forsyth Jail, and Prison Ministries, Hispanic League, Imprints Cares, Knollwood Baptist Church, Lead Girls of North Carolina, Libro.FM, The Links, Inc. (Winston-Salem
chapter), Muse Winston-Salem, Piedmont Environmental Alliance, The Foundation for Prosecutorial Accountability, Read Write Spell, Reynolda, Riverrun International Film Festival, Salem Academy and College, Spatial Justice Studio, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Triad Cultural Arts, Triad Restorative Justice, Wake Forest University School of Law, Winston-Salem Alumnae Chapter, WSFCS, WinstonSalem Symphony, and The Winston-Salem Foundation. Masks will be required at all times during the event except for mealtime, intermission breaks outside, and social distancing guidelines will be followed. Tickets are nonrefundable. For attendees who decide that they do not want to attend in person, they have the opportunity to exchange an in-person ticket for a streaming ticket to the Saturday night Parapalooza. For more information, check out their website at https://www.bookmarksnc.org/event/9th-annualmovable-feast-parapalooza. !
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Tofu Banh Mi
Old Dutch
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Hippie Chick
New Chef brings biscuit creations to Krankies BY CHARLES WOMACK | publisher@yesweekly.com
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ustin Webster strolls into his domain at Krankies Coffee in Winston-Salem, located at 211 E. 3rd St., refreshed and excited. He has just returned with his wife, Heather, and 4-year-old son, Levi, from the beach his first vacation in over a year. The 29-year-old father was given the
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reigns as head chef at the local favorite on April 1. But he has made sure, while making his mark at Krankies, that customers know this is no April Fool’s Day joke. “The new menu launched today (June 1, 2021),” Webster said, a long-time Winston-Salem resident, proudly. “One thing I had always thought is that the menu lacked direction. We had some re-
ally good items. But not really a vision, so my goal with this menu is just to hyperfocus on what we are good at, which is biscuits, specialty biscuits, and signature brunch items.” Over the past year and a half as sous chef, Webster said he came up with many of the successful specials on the menu but was running sandwiches and plate specials. The previous menu had two biscuits: the Krankies Classic: fried chicken with Texas Pete & Honey or smothered in sausage gravy and the Egg & Cheese. Before being named head chef, Webster said he created and added the Nashville Hot, fried chicken tossed in a house-made spicy hot old blend and a dill pickle. “Once I got the head chef role, I really took the time to think, ‘hey, what does Krankies want to be going into the future?’ and it just made sense to be a biscuit restaurant and to be the best.” The newly added biscuits include: The Lexington: Coffee rubbed/cherrywood smoked pulled pork, served with NC BBQ sauce, mayo, firecracker slaw. Old Dutch: Fried green tomato served with shredded lettuce, applewood smoked bacon, charred onion remoulade. Ham Jam: Thick-cut cherrywood smoked ham topped with Swiss cheese, a fried egg, rotating seasonal jam. Dirty Bird: Fried chicken topped with pimento cheese, applewood smoked bacon. Tofu Banh Mi: Crispy tofu tossed in a sweet house-made glaze, pickled veggies, mushroom pate, cilantro, jalapenos. Hippie Chick: Fried Portabella mushroom tossed in Buffalo sauce, with shredded lettuce, dill pickles, blue cheese dressing. “We had a soft launch the other week and every biscuit sold pretty much the same amount,” Webster said. “Which
is such a good indicator. But as we run specials throughout the summer and see what sells really well, maybe in the Fall, we could potentially swap out some (menu) spaces. The menu is not static. I think it’s going to be an evolving menu.” Webster said his goal with the new menu was to create something well balanced and have something for everyone. “We have a really strong vegetarian option with the Hippie Chick,” said Webster. “And the Tofu Banh Mi is for vegans. That actually comes on a vegan biscuit. So we try to keep it well rounded, and anyone that comes here should be able to find something that they will like.” Webster admitted that one of the hardest things with a biscuit restaurant is that it is more of a meat, dairy-centric kind of food item. So, it could be harder for some vegetarians to find something agreeable with their dietary restrictions. The Tofu Banh Mi biscuit tastes similar to cornbread. “It’s really good,” Webster added. “Tofu. Vegan Chinese sauce and mushroom pate. It’s good. It’s so buttery.” On being a chef, he proudly said, “It’s fun! It’s really fun. You know you have to really pay your dues when you are a chef. You have to work the line and really earn your way to ‘chef-hood.’ But when you get there, it’s super fun and creative.” General Manager Candice Parsons, who runs all the social media, catering, specials events, and front of the house, is also very excited to be a part of the new things taking place at Krankies. “We are super stoked about being able to have options for everybody,” said Parsons, who joined the Krankies team in January 2020. “It’s not just southern food. There are dietary options and things for vegans, vegetarians, gluten-free items.” !
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SEE IT!
Music returns to Lexington’s Depot District
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t’s all about the strings at this year’s Depot District Music Fest in Lexington. This Saturday, on June 12, 2021, the Breeden Insurance Amphitheater will Chanel Davis host the Depot District Music Fest, with gates opening Editor at 2 p.m. Established in 2017, the festival is designed to celebrate live, outdoor music, and community and Lexington’s full-steam-ahead progress toward a passenger rail stop in the historic train Depot District. The festival will feature live music, local craft beverages, and a variety of food truck vendors. With re-entry into the amphitheater allowed, Festival attendees can feel free to roam around Lexington’s historic Uptown area and Depot District between acts. “On June 12th, the Music Fest at Breeden Insurance Amphitheater will come alive around the power and energy of stringed instruments, offering ‘bucket list’ artists that engage youth both on and off stage. Experience a day in Lexington or make a weekend of it by joining our Uptown Art and Chalk Walk Friday evening,” said City Manager Terra Greene. Canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event is expected to draw a crowd and has brought its fair share of big-name acts. This year is no different. The lineup includes Black Violin, Scythian, Rhett Price, and Abigail Dowd. Previous acts at the fest include the Gin Blossoms, Turnpike Troubadours, Delbert McClinton, Sister Hazel, and Edwin McCain. “Lexington is thrilled to offer an eclectic live music performance that brings together a blend of genres this year, offering crossover appeal to a variety of audiences,” Greene said. Dowd, who just released her third album, “Beautiful Day,” on April 23, 2021, is excited to return to the stage with new music following a hiatus. She said that she would be playing some of the songs from the album, and it’s an excellent intro to an upcoming full-band album release show coming up on June 26 at the Carolina Theatre. When asked how it feels to be getting back on stage after a year of venues being WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
Black Violin closed, she said, “it feels better than I even imagined.” “Since last March, I don’t think I’ve let myself feel how much I missed live performances because it wasn’t something I could control. I threw myself into wrapping up and promoting our new album, which was released in April, and we weren’t sure what opportunities there would be to share it live,” she explained. “Being part of the Depot District Music Fest with this lineup of folks feels like the reward for patience and a good bit of resolve not to give up hope.” Dowd is hoping for an energized crowd to “tap into” to enjoy the moment. But then, she hopes the audience will do the same. “Some folks have told me that our shows are like going to church. With my partner Jason Duff on bass and percussion and me on vocals and guitar, we bring a three-piece sound and a whole lot of love for what we do. And we pour it out. Every show is different,” she said. Wil Baptiste, half of Black Violin, said that he was very excited to be on stage again, and attendees can expect a fantastic show. “It’s been over a year since the last time we’ve stepped on the stage, so I’m sure it’s going to be epic,” he said. “Everyone can expect a high-energy show with a lot of moving parts. One thing I always say when I’m asked what can we expect from a Black Violin show is to expect the unexpected.” Like Dowd and her band, Black Violin has also worked on their music while navigating the pandemic shutdown. A
concept that wasn’t foreign to the duo since they are constantly working on new music. “We have a Christmas album that’s out now that we put out last year, so that’s
relatively new,” Baptiste said. “We’re always in the studio working on new content so you can be sure that there’s new music coming in the near future.” According to organizers, this year’s event will be adhering to current CDC and state and local government guidelines regarding COVID-19 mass gatherings and safety mitigation. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged, and bags will be subject to inspection. No outside food or beverages will be permitted except for medical purposes. “Held safely outdoors at the Breeden Insurance Amphitheater in Lexington, we are thrilled to welcome a broad enthusiastic crowd of live music lovers for the Depot District Music Fest,” Greene said. For ticket prices, show schedules, and more information, visit the event’s website at depotdistrictfest.com. ! CHANEL DAVIS is the current editor of YES! Weekly and graduated from N.C. A&T S.U. in 2011 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s worked at daily and weekly newspapers in the Triad region.
JUNE 9-15, 2021
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Osaka maybe not the best role model for kids
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n March of 1991, NBA superstar Charles Barkley and his Phoenix Suns were playing in New Jersey when a hometown fan shouted racist slurs at him. Sir Charles Jim Longworth responded by spitting at the fan, but his aim was off, and Longworth the spittle hit a little at Large girl. Afterward, the press hammered Barkley about not being a good role model, and he snapped back by saying that he didn’t want to be a role model. Barkley felt that parents, not jocks, should be who kids look up to. I agree 100 percent with that sentiment; unfortunately, athletes can’t control who chooses to admire them. Moreover, young people are more observant than we sometimes give them credit for, and what they
see their heroes do can inform how they themselves act in their own life. And that brings me to Naomi Osaka, a 23-year-old, four-time Grand Slam tennis champion. Last week while competing at the French Open, Osaka refused to attend any post-game press conferences, something that is required of pro athletes in most major sports, including tennis. Officials at the Open asked her to reconsider and, according to Associated Press reporter Doha Madani, even attempted to “check on her well-being.” But Osaka stood her ground, so tournament officials fined her $15,000. After that, the popular player announced that she was withdrawing from the French Open. Writing on social media, Osaka said she refused to attend any press conferences because she “often felt that people have no regard for athletes’ mental health.” But the confusion comes in the fact that Osaka had issued two different statements to explain her boycott of press conferences. As Madani reported, Osaka’s first statement made it clear that she refused to
show up for pressers simply because she did not want to answer “the same questions over and over again.” But in a later statement, she put an entirely different spin on the matter by playing the mental health card, and saying that she suffers long bouts of depression and “suffers great anxiety when faced with having to answer questions from journalists.” Let me point out that Osaka is an adult and a professional. She signed on to play in the WTA, knowing what was expected of her and every other player. What’s more, Osaka has had no problem with benefitting financially from the system. Last year alone, she made over 37 million dollars, and most of that came from endorsements from companies who expect their stars to promote themselves and their products at every opportunity. In that regard, Osaka’s dramatic walk-out violated both the letter and the spirit of her contractual obligations and left the French Open without one of its biggest draws. Speaking with the Associated Press, tennis star Rafel Nadal put the matter into perspective, saying, “Without the press, without the people who are normally traveling and writing about the achievements we are having around the world, probably we would not be the athletes that we are today.” Still, it should be noted that anxiety and depression are very real disorders that deserve our attention, especially because an increasing number of Americans suffer with them. In fact, the AP reports that according to a recent CDC survey, the
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number of adults with symptoms of a depressive disorder rose from 36% to 41% since last August, and nearly 12% of those folks “did not get the help they needed.” So why then do I have the right to imply that Osaka is spoiled and selfish? After all, I’ve never played professional tennis, and I’m not an expert on anxiety and depression. But my bona fides include covering stars in every major sport, including interviews with Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova at a time when they were struggling with how and when to come out and in an era when sponsors would run away from gay stars. Osaka is fortunate to live in a more enlightened and politically correct era, which explains why her sponsors have stuck by her. King and Navratilova, meanwhile, went through hell, day in and day out, as journalists and lovers threatened to expose them. They knew all too well what anxiety and stress were all about, and yet they showed up for press conferences and stayed around to answer all sorts of questions for as long as they were needed, and that included spending one-on-one time with me when I was freelancing for ESPN and CNN. Billie Jean and Martina were role models to young women everywhere, and they accepted their responsibilities to their sport, their sponsors, and their fans, despite whatever personal stresses and traumas they were experiencing at the time. And so, depending upon which of her explanations you believe, Naomi Osaka is either unwilling to answer questions from the press, or she’s unable to answer questions from the press. Only she knows which is really the case. If it’s the former, then she should continue to be fined for skirting her duties. If it’s the latter, then I wish her well with treatment and recovery. Either way, though, the message that she is sending to young people by boycotting press conferences and withdrawing from tournaments is that it’s OK to quit. It’s OK to walk away from your responsibilities and bite the hand of the sport that feeds you. And, it’s OK to go back on your word. Perhaps Miss Osaka’s symbolic spit is targeted at adults who don’t respect her emotional state, but her spittle is also hitting impressionable kids in the process. A tennis role model should have better aim. ! JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15).
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flicks
Love never dies
T Mark Burger
Contributor
he beginning of Undine, the latest film by writer/ director Christian Petzold, opens with an ending – as the relationship between the title character (Paula Beer) and her boyfriend Johannes (Jacob Matschenz) comes to an end, he having fallen for
another woman. Undine offers some cryptic words of warning to Johannes before leaving to resume her duties as a historian and lecturer specializing in the history of Berlin’s architecture. After her latest lecture, she encounters Christoph (Franz Rogowski) in a particularly memorable way at a local café, and a relationship commences rapidly. Those familiar with the mythical story of Undine, as created by the German philosopher and alchemist Paracelsus, won’t be surprised to learn that water is a continuous motif throughout this film. Christoph is a diver and engineer, and Undine shares his affinity for diving. Their relationship seems to be progressing nicely until a random encounter with Johannes and his new girlfriend causes, no pun intended, ripples
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and complications that threaten not only their relationship but their very lives. Beer and Rogowski, who previously collaborated with Petzold in Transit (2018), have an easy chemistry together, which is one of the few easy things about Undine. This is a fragile, ethereal film filled with symbolic touches and more cryptic dialogue. It’s intentionally ambiguous, yet perhaps too much for its own good. Beer’s performance, with its pent-up rage simmering just beneath the surface, is impressive, as is Hans Fromm’s cinematography, and there are moments of magic to be savored, yet Undine lacks a cumulative impact. It’s impressive in parts but not as a whole. Too many questions remain unanswered, or even addressed, for the film to completely succeed – although it has won a number of awards, including a Silver Bear for Beer as Best Actress at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. Make no mistake, Undine is not a bad film, but it feels unfinished, incomplete. Perhaps it would have been a concession to “conventional” moviemaking to clarify certain plot points in order to make the film more accessible to mainstream audiences, but would such clarification have hindered Petzold’s intended purpose? We’ll never know. (In German with English subtitles) !
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Paula Poundstone (July 3) Parsons dance (July 8) Jason Isbell and the 400 unit (July 10) brian stokes Mitchell & Megan hilty (July 17) alan cuMMing & ari shaPiro: Och & Oy! A cOnsidered cAberet (July 24) an evening with sarah Jones (July 29) ranky tanky (July 31) ...And mOre!
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[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE
Chuck Shepherd
What is art? For Italian artist Salvatore Garau, it’s ... nothing. The 67-year-old sculptor recently sold his “immaterial” sculpture, “I am,” for $18,300, Newsweek reported on June 1. The buyer
got a certificate of ownership. Garau says his work is a “vacuum.” “The vacuum is nothing more than a space full of energy, and even if we empty it and there is nothing left, according to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, that ‘nothing’ has a weight,” Garau explained. The artist demands that the work be displayed in a private home free of any obstruction, in a 5-by-5-foot area, but he has no requirements for lighting or climate control.
PEOPLE WITH ISSUES
William Amos, 46, a member of the Canadian House of Commons, can’t seem to get a handle on the technology he uses for virtual meetings. In April, Amos appeared completely naked on camera during a House of Commons proceeding, explaining later that he was changing in his office after going for a run and was sure that he had disabled his camera. On May 26, Amos had to apologize again — this time for urinating “without realizing I was on camera.” “I am deeply embarrassed by my actions and the distress they may have caused anybody who witnessed them,” he wrote on Twitter, according to the National Post. His statement also said he would “seek assistance,” although it was unclear what type of assistance that would be.
COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS
— In Palm Beach County (Florida) Circuit Court, Judge Jeffrey Dana Gillen on May 28 rejected a “stand your ground” defense in the animal cruelty case of PJ Nilaja Patterson, 43, who killed an iguana in September, and ordered him to stand trial, The Washington Post reported. Patterson’s lawyer argued that the iguana had “leaned forward with its mouth wide open and showing its sharp teeth,” and that Patterson was bitten on his arm, needing 22 stitches. He believed the iguana could inject poison into him, his lawyers wrote, so he kicked the iguana, and “an altercation between Patterson and the wild beast took place.” However, prosecutors say that Patterson’s actions, caught on surveillance video, showed that he “savagely beat, tormented, tortured and killed” the 3-foot-long lizard in an attack that lasted for 30 minutes, during which the animal suffered a lacerated liver, broken pelvis and internal bleeding. Patterson’s next court date is July 30. — In mid-May, an Indian engineer with the Sardar Sarovar Punarvasvat Agency (SSPA) in Gujarat was asked to explain why he hadn’t been coming in to work, the Deccan Chronicle reported. Rameshchandra Fefar, who is in his late 50s, replied that as the 10th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, he is very busy doing “penance” and “I can’t do such penance sitting in office. I realized that I am Kalki Avatar when I was in my office in March 2010. Since then, I am having divine powers,” Fefar said. He claims that his ongoing penance is the reason that India has had good rainfall for 19 years.
THE PASSING PARADE
As he gave a campaign speech on June 1, Albuquerque mayoral candidate Manuel Gonzalez found himself distracted by a drone with a sex toy attached to it buzzing near the stage, the Associated Press
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reported. The owner of the venue grabbed the drone, and its owner, 20-year-old Kaelan Ashby Dreyer, tried to take it back. Dreyer then swung his fist at Gonzalez and called him a “tyrant,” punching Gonzalez’s hands before being removed by deputies. Gonzalez’s campaign said the candidate, currently the Bernalillo County sheriff, was unharmed and “will not be intimidated.”
INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
Jerry Detrick, 70, was cited by Greenville, Ohio, police on May 30 for “littering,” The Smoking Gun reported. What he actually was doing was defecating and urinating on his neighbor’s lawn when the homeowner discovered him around 3:15 a.m. Matthew Guyette called 911 after spotting Detrick relieving himself next to a hedge. Detrick, a self-described “Trump man” who lives a couple of blocks away, told police that he targeted Guyette’s home because he and his partner “are Democrats and support Joe Biden.” Reportedly, Detrick had been leaving his mark on the lawn for about 10 years, along with restaurant napkins he used to wipe. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 8.
LOW-TECH SOLUTION
During the COVID-19 pandemic, grounded planes were often parked in deserts — ideal conditions for storing them. But aircraft maintenance crews also discovered unwanted guests: snakes. So Australian airline Qantas added one more item to its engineering kit: a “wheel whacker,” also known as a broom handle. Before crews begin their landing gear inspections, they circle the plane, stomping their feet and whacking the wheels to scare off sleepy snakes, said engineering manager Tim Heywood. The “feisty rattlers love to curl up around the warm rubber tires and in the aircraft wheels and brakes,” he said, according to CNN. “We’ve encountered a few rattlesnakes and also some scorpions, but the wheel whacker does its job and they scuttle off.”
LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINAL
Among the charges levied against Jose Aramburo Molina Jr. in Phoenix on June 2 was “improper removal of a dead person,” azfamily.com reported. That’s because when Molina allegedly stole a parked, running van from outside a funeral home, there were two bodies in the back. Molina had the key fob for the van in his possession; he told officers he had picked it up off the ground. He also had several illegal drugs. !
© 2021 Chuck Shepherd. Universal Press Syndicate. Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
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Shoe statistic ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron and such “Lemme think about that ...” “This looks bad” New Olds in 1999 Get excited Lead-in to classical Cuban money 1964 Elvis Presley hit Native of France’s capital Retired NBA star Ming Ellipsis part Article in many rap song titles Printer insert 1974 Paper Lace hit Copy and Paste setting Demand (of) ‘60s prez Horn blast Stocking-holding band “It’s my turn now” Throw softly Rear target in bowling 1985 Jan Hammer hit Equine animal — Moines World Series org. Cry of epiphany Pie’s place Zest and Coast Dangling bit of jewelry Tip over 1959 Freddy Cannon hit Battle reminders Missionary “Mother” “Sands of Iwo Jima” director Dwan
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Raines of old films Riverbed sand Suffix with duct or project Big klutz Pig’s place 1969 Glen Campbell hit Rich Italian ice cream Rescue request Note after fa Time pieces? Noted times Move to and — Droop down Carrier to Milan 1975 Elton John hit Atlas feature showing altitude Former big record gp. Ultrasecret govt. org. Big klutz Quick web ordering option 1986 John Cougar Mellencamp hit that summarizes this puzzle? Friendly bat of the eye Mr. —! (Clue-like board game) Cry of epiphany Some upscale hotels Some jeans G.P.’s field Looks hard Occupy, as a desk
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Consumption Shower powders Intro drawing class, maybe Wallop Embroiders, e.g. Ad biz award Didn’t waver Water, to Henri Of utmost importance And the like: Abbr. Prone to pry Haifa’s home Close to Close to Jared of “Mr. Nobody” “Burnt” hues Movies, informally Quenched, as thirst Instagram, for one Breather Baking potatoes Be on the hunt Skating legend Sonja Graff of “Ladybugs” Pageant VIP Folder’s call Ghana port Phony sort Thai’s home Swift Where one lives: Abbr. ‘50s prez Former big record gp.
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Record fiends rejoice! Record Store Day returns to the Triad (and beyond)
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ecord nerds rejoice as Record Store Day (RSD) officially returns to independent record stores across the country on June 12, with a second drop Katei Cranford on July 17, 2021. Since its first event in April 2008, RSD Contributor has swept the globe, celebrating independent stores, collectors, and customers united by a love of vinyl and the thrill of the rare-release hunt. Triad stores and artists are gearing up for a banner holiday, stacking inventory and dropping hints about the titles they’ve acquired from the coveted list of releases distributed exclusively through RSD channels—the variety reflective of the diverse facets of collector culture and the unique shops that exist to serve. Each shop is celebrating its own way, with a central focus around wax and equity amongst collectors through a protocol and RSD pledge: no-holds, no-gauging, one copy per customer, independent stores only. For Jonathan Hodges at Underdog Records, it “keeps everyone in the same boat,” he said of the pledge signed by all participating stores. Located at 835 Burke St., in Winston-Salem, Hodges has participated in every RSD thus far. “We’ll celebrate this RSD the same as we have in the past (2020 being an obvious exception),” Hodges said. “Because we’re such a tiny staff, it’s difficult to pull off day-long events parallel to all the exclusive products we carry, so we rarely have in-store performances on RSD. But, we’ll have a storewide sale on all non-RSD products, as we always do, and we’ll open early that morning at 8 a.m.” It’s a welcome return to normalcy. “Even before COVID, we’ve always let folks in incrementally, once we open rather than just letting everyone stream in at once,” Hodges explained. “It helps keep the store calm and prevents anyone from being bullied out of the RSD bins.” While bullies can be a concern, “as a store, RSD is an absolute blast every year,” Hodges noted. “The vibe is always incredibly positive, and there’s always a camaraderie present amongst those who’ve been waiting in line all morning (and sometimes YES! WEEKLY
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Underdog storefront all night) that’s palpable once they get into the store.” “We usually have a few campers, but, honestly, everything is a big unknown this year,” he added, recalling years he’s opened the store amongst a string of tents along Burke Street, harkening old-school days of box office campers looking to score limited concert tickets. “This is our first traditional Record Store Day in two years — we had to do things completely different last year — and a lot has changed in two years. So I’m honestly not sure what to expect.” Hodges does expect a large inventory. “We ordered the entire list,” he said. “And based on what I’ve checked in already (with still some more product to arrive), we’ve received virtually the entire June list with only a very few exceptions. It’s, by far, the most we’ve ever had in stock for RSD — and this is just one of two drops.” Priming itself as a destination for deep-diggers, Underdog has been releasing inventory sneak peeks daily over social media. While personal excitement mounts, Hodges draws a line between his love of records and his love for the customers. “I’m really excited for the VAST’ Music for People’ release,” he said, noting it’s his “keeper” from the June drop. “I allow myself one-keeper right out of the box each RSD,” he explained, the rest he’ll leave to chance. Assuming they “survive the morning rush,” Hodges is eyeing RSD releases from Mulatu Astatke, Ihsahn, Al Green, Celia Cruz y Willie Bobo, the Zombies, Opeth, Jazz Dispensary, and live albums from Def Leppard and the Police. At Hippo Records, Patrick Lemons and his crew are looking forward to their first RSD in two locations. While the Greensboro store has been open since 2013,
Lemons acquired Earshot Music in March, following the passing of Phred Rainey [to whom this record nerd unofficially dedicates RSD 2021.] “Having met Patrick in the early 2000s, Phred felt confident his store would be in good hands with him,” explained Hippo employee Gigi Galdo, who’s been busy building the Winston stock. “We don’t always know exactly what we will get,” she explained, “but June RSD Drops include Deftones, Thelonius Monk, Black Sabbath, Notorious BIG, The Doors, Ariana Grande, Sublime, The Cure.” Filling big shoes, the Winston Hippo is in a long-time record store location, which began as a Plan 9 and Record Exchange before becoming Earshot Music. And Galdo is excited to honor its history and kick off its inaugural RSD. Both locations will open at 8 a.m., with “hundreds of exclusive records waiting - and thousands more in the store.” “RSD is all about celebrating independent record stores,” she said. “While collector-culture absolutely has a place online, collectors also want to see what they’re getting, hold it, inspect it. “ From behind the counter, Galdo considers RSD “a bit like a return to the ’90s, before digital music. People line up and even camp out to find records they’ve been waiting for. It’s a really cool experience all around,” she said. “RSD drops are as eclectic as the people who shop at record stores. The records make it fun, but the people create the best atmosphere. They come with friends and family or strike up a conversation in the shop. All ages. All backgrounds. People connect to music,
and they connect to others through it.” In Greensboro, those outlets of connection are clustered along Spring Garden Street, with Hippo at 2823-D, Buffalo Boogie Records at 1827-B, and Soul Relief around the corner at 934-A S. Chapman St. “There’s a bit of magic in the air,” said Mike Moore, owner of Buffalo Boogie Records, who relishes “being a part of a worldwide event, and the joy it brings to so many people, in this universal explosion of fresh vinyl. It’s a celebration in and of itself.” An avid RSD customer since its inception, and shop-participant since opening in 2019, Moore is looking forward to his largest RSD order yet. “I’m pushing 40 titles for the June Drop spanning a wide array of genres,” he said, boasting an inventory that’s been growing since he began collecting in his early teens. “I’m in my late 60’s now, so let’s just say there’s quite a few,” he noted. For customers, Moore makes the best attempts to fulfill requests after the list is published. “It’s always a roll of the dice as to what you’re shipped,” he explained, “but I’ve been very fortunate since opening the shop receiving at least 90 percent of the albums I’ve requested since participating.” Buffalo Boogie will open at 8 a.m., with customers allowed in 10 at a time. “From a shop owner’s perspective, RSD is always pretty wild,” Moore mused of the holiday. “Arriving before the sun comes up and seeing people already in line reassures the hard work leading up,” he said. “When the clock strikes eight—the doors open with a bit of hoopin’ and hollerin’—and the shop crackles with excitement. There’s this wonderful vibe and seeing everyone’s faces light up as they go through the bins.” Meanwhile, Harley Lyles at Soul Relief continues vibing his own way. Good-natured and easy-going as they come, Lyles will open at 10 a.m., with “tons” of new stuff and RSD titles. “I don’t really go crazy about RSD,” Lyles said, and while he officially opened Soul Relief on RSD in 2018, this will only be his second time participating as a shop. “It’s a great way to get people out who aren’t normally going to record stores of-
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Harley Lyle at Soul Relief ten,” Lyles noted, though he’s never been a big participant—likely because, as an extreme crate-digger, he practically lives in record stores across the country throughout the year. Soul Relief itself serves as a means to house and cycle Lyles’ evergrowing collection. “Running a shop definitely changes your perspective on collecting,” he said, “and as I get older, I cycle out records I’ve held onto for too long and re-release them to the ‘wild.’” With an inventory of around 8,000 records, Soul Relief “tries to stock records you don’t often see, and we pride ourselves on our jazz and soul sections while still focusing on used rock, psych, metal, and punk,” Lyles explained. “I’m excited about having some new vinyl for my customers, just because I’m so heavy on old used records.” Lyles’ passion for DJ culture and local music history exudes in his inventory. Flyers from Greensboro soul shows in the 1960s line the walls, and the shop serves as an outlet for a line of shirts featuring NC music labels of yesteryear from music historian and record-collector Jon Kirby. Printed by Peter Daye (aka DJ L in Japanese) of Cut the Music Prints, “they’re great to keep the memory of the former titans of the industry that thrived in our state,” Lyles said of the shirts, which feature the logos for Linco Records, Justice Records, and Dolphin Records. For RSD, Soul Relief will host DJs, including San Francisco’s Brycon the DJ, spinning records throughout the day. From passion projects for music lovers with collections too big to house to shop clerks forging their own path and retirement goals, Triad record shops reflect the gamut of diverse peoples connected through a personal history with vinyl. “Records bring people together,” said WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
Moore from Buffalo Boogie. “It’s both a personal and a shared experience. That’s why I feel so fortunate in having a record store.” Moore opened Buffalo Boogie after retiring from a career as a world-traveling videographer. “Through my travels, I’ve experienced a treasure trove of many different cultures and the music which infused it. I wanted to offer a wide variety of music genres. Walking into my shop, you’ll likely be hearing anything from Guns N Roses to War to Joni Mitchell as well as jazz, classical, classic rock, punk, and a rainbow of all kinds of boogie from all over the globe.” The idea is echoed by Hodges at Underdog, who’s spent nearly eight years clerking at the Record Exchange before opening his own shop. “I sometimes feel a bit cheated that I have always worked in a record store since Record Store Day began in 2008,” he said. “So I’ve never had the experience of waiting outside for the store to open, the slow build of anticipation and excitement, then the release of grabbing the titles you wanted and rushing home to spin them. But, by that same token, I’ve been super lucky to experience every Record Store Day from the side of the counter that I have.” Looking back on RSD, Hodges remembers the fanfare was lacking such that “our manager actually took that day off,” he said. “Caleb Caudle came by the store that morning just to shop, I asked him if he’d like to do an impromptu in-store in celebration of Record Store Day, and he managed to round up his entire band and come play an in-store later that afternoon with virtually no warning. It’s just grown exponentially since then.” Hodges is thankful for the customers who’ve been the driving force behind that growth. “A record store lives and breathes thanks to its regulars,” he said. “We have
customers who come in once a week, every single week, without fail. They keep us alive, and sometimes they credit us with keeping them alive, so it’s a beautifully symbiotic relationship.” Lyles agreed. “The cool thing about a record shop is you get regulars from as far away as Japan and as close as a block away, and you try to keep them in mind when shopping for stock.” For folks out there looking to get into collecting, shop owners have their own advice. Hodges recommends investment in a solid, but not necessarily expensive, turntable and recommends the AudioTechnica ATLP60. “They’ll run you $100$150 depending on which features you’d like them to have, and they’re solid tables that produce good sound and virtually never, ever break down,” he said. “They’re extremely reliable.” Lyles takes a more Zen-like approach. “If you’re just getting into records, just have fun with it and don’t get caught up in the hype. Be patient and let the music take you where it’s gonna take you,” he said. “Keep an open mind. The search never ends for new sounds and records—it’s truly an endless quest. Some of my most cherished records I have let go over the years, all in hopes to find again, but some records, you only get one shot at finding. I go to extremes in some cases to find and obtain these records, and sometimes they just fall in your lap.” In that quest, Lyles still loves flea markets, “Richard and Evon Hill at Cooks are the best,” he said. Throwing nods to area shops like McKay’s, Lyles is quick to celebrate his fellow stores. “I feel like the bar is pretty high all around the state,” he said. Both the Winston and Greensboro McKay’s locations will be opening for RSD at 9 a.m. According to Caitlin Davis, assis-
tant manager at the Winston store, “we’re planning on doing a $100 store credit raffle that day, so anyone stopping by to shop our selection will be eligible to enter that.” Meanwhile, King Records in Archdale is hosting an RSD rock’n’roll revival starting at 8 a.m., with giveaways and RSD swag. And what are records without the musicians? Winston-Salem’s Jeffrey Dean Foster is putting out his latest EP, “I’m Starting to Bleed,” as an official RSD release. “It’s a big beautiful deal all over the world, but in our little corner, it’s really special,” Foster said. Recorded remotely during the pandemic, “I’m Starting to Bleed” addresses the cruelty Foster witnessed in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, over five tracks blended together thanks to “some good friends who contributed in some really important and groovy ways,” he said. Don Dixon and Mitch Easter mixed the songs. Dixon, Beth McKee, and Marti Jones enhanced the backing vocals and instrumentation, and Eddie Garcia (1970’s Film Stock) “added a beautiful orchestra of guitars to an alternate version of “I’m Starting to Bleed” that gives the track a whole other feel.” Proceeds from Foster’s RSD release will go to The Shalom Project, which offers low-income assistance in a pursuit against poverty around Winston-Salem. In addition, fellow NC musicians Chris Stamey, the Veldt, and The Backsliders are also releasing official RSD titles to benefit the same cause. “All of these people are friends and people that I’ve always loved,” Foster said. He’ll make the jump to the Triangle (along with Greensboro band Sweet Dream) for an RSD show with the Veldt at the Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop (a bar-venue-record store trifecta) in Raleigh. Foster will be in the Triad on Aug. 7 at the Ramkat with Beth McKee. Sweet Dream has a show on June 10 at the Blind Tiger with BadCameo and Emanuel Wynter. Beyond RSD, wax-lovers aren’t limited to drop dates. Oden Brewing hosts a “bring your own vinyl” session every Wednesday, and Prez (from WUAG’s “In the Beat of the Night”) spins an all-vinyl “Jazz Dinner” series, Sundays at Cafe Europa. In addition, Soul Relief will host a hip-hop show organized by C.R.I.S.T.E.N. on June 26th. As RSD looms, area shops are abuzz with previews and announcements in anticipation. Come June 12, hearts will beat at 78 rpm as Record Store Day returns to the Triad (and beyond.) ! KATEI CRANFORD Is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Thursday Tour Report, a radio show that runs like a mixtape of bands touring NC the following week, 5:307pm on WUAG 103.1fm. JUNE 9-15, 2021 YES! WEEKLY
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Miss North Carolina moves to High Point after four decades in the capital city After 42 years based in Raleigh, the Miss North Carolina Organization is moving all its pageants to High Point Theatre in High Point this June. The move comes after a year hiatus due to COVID-19. Jessica Clifford Prior to the pandemic shutting down large gatherings, Contributor the last Miss North Carolina pageant was hosted in Raleigh in 2019. In the same year, the Miss North Carolina Outstanding Teen pageant was held in High Point, according to Beth Knox, the executive director of the Miss North Carolina Organization. “We had really outrun the space at (Raleigh) Memorial (Auditorium) to hold both programs consecutively,” Knox said. “We had a wonderful experience in High Point, producing our outstanding teen program. The businesses were very supportive of our organization while we were there.” “It was not a difficult decision to relocate this program entirely to the Piedmont Triad area,” Knox said. This year is different because it gave titleholders from 2019 an extra year to practice before the competition. According to Knox, in March 2020, the Miss North Carolina Organization was informed by the Miss America Organization it would postpone the national competition for the year as a safety precaution due to COVID-19. The organization urged the state competitions to also postpone. After a vote, the Miss North Carolina Organization followed suit. “It was overwhelmingly decided that we should postpone. We felt that was the right thing to do, and still think that was the right thing to do,” Knox said. “This ought to be the most competitive Miss North Carolina competition we’ve ever had because they’ve had such an extensive period to perfect their craft,” she said. Current Miss North Carolina titleholder, Alexandra Badgett, will be present to crown the 83rd Miss North Carolina. Badgett has lived in a few areas in North Carolina, including Jacksonville, where she held her local title before being crowned Miss North Carolina. More than anything, Badgett is looking forward to the women having an opportuYES! WEEKLY
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nity to compete on stage after an uncertain year. “I can’t wait to see each of the young ladies finally have an opportunity to get on the stage and showcase what they have been working on for almost two years now!” Badgett said. “We have had so much uncertainty this past year, and the moment we all realize it is here and finally happening will be something truly special.” During a typical year, Knox said the local titleholders attend the state competition in June. The winner of the state competition, Miss North Carolina, goes to the Miss America pageant. Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen goes to the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition. The remaining women go home to continue to represent their community through acts of service. The Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, established about 16 years ago, served the dual purpose of a fundraiser for the national organization and a theater program in the hopes that when the teens turn of age, they will compete for Miss North Carolina. The only difference between the two competitions is that the teens must perform a short fitness routine. Both candidates must compete in several rounds, including a private interview, talent routine, on-stage question, and evening gown. This year, since the women have been holding the local titles for nearly two years, all the title holders will be released of their responsibilities and able to compete again immediately after this state competition. A young woman cannot compete for a new title during a regular year until she has fulfilled the 365-day obligation and crowned the successor. According to Knox, 34 state candidates are competing for Miss North Carolina, 31 for Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen, and about 80 little girls participating in the non-competitive Carolina Princess Program. The princess program is Knox’s favorite part as it is the reason she got involved with the volunteer-driven organization. The young girls partner with teens and young women in the competitive programs. According to Knox, if a local titleholder competing for Miss North Carolina brings a Carolina Princess Program participant representing the same area and the Miss wins, she becomes the Miss North Carolina’s Carolina Princess and goes to appearances with the Miss throughout the year. The remaining princesses finish their reign
by going to festivals and parades with the teen and Miss titleholders. “The first year they developed it, my daughter was fortunate enough to be a representative for the town of Garner,” Knox said. “We spent a week at Memorial Auditorium, and I watched the growth in her in just one week of being in this program. I was sold; absolutely sold.” Knox began volunteering the following year and said, “here we are 20 years later!” “This organization has had a tremendous impact even on my family,” she said. Due to the pandemic, Badgett is the longest-reigning Miss North Carolina, serving the state from June 2019-2021. During Badgett’s first year with the title, she traveled the state, meeting people and speaking at various engagements. She worked as a miracle maker for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and promoted her social impact initiative N.I.N.E., “No is Not Enough,” focused on spreading awareness of rape and sexual assault. When everything was shut down in March 2020, all her traditional work stopped. “Having a two-year reign gave me a unique opportunity to not only connect with this new class of women but help create organizational change in regards to diversity and inclusion,” Badgett said. “My goal has always been to remain true to myself and to leave a lasting impact on this organization,” she said. “I have pride in knowing I was able to achieve both of those goals throughout my two years as Miss North Carolina!” Overall, the Miss America Organization is known for its scholarship funding. According to Knox, the organization will award more scholarship money this year than any other, with over $120,000 available for the Miss North Carolina and Miss Outstanding North Carolina Teen candidates. The woman who wins Miss North Carolina will receive $20,000 in scholarship funding, Knox said. According to Knox, scholarships can change people’s futures. She shared Badgett’s story when she won Miss North Carolina. “She had literally just walked off stage. She had just been crowned in front of 2,000 people. You can imagine how exhilarating that would be,” Knox said. “We take her off stage, and we walk her into my dressing room to let her sit down and catch her breath…before she walks back out to do media interviews.”
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In the dressing room, Knox said, “Alex, you just won a lot of scholarship money. Where are you in your education?” “She said, ‘well, right now I’ve got about $23,000 in student loans, and so I’ll have to see how that plays out as far as starting my masters,’” Knox said of their conversation. That is when Knox reminded Badgett she earned over $22,000 in scholarship money and told her, “you’re debt-free!” Tears of happiness ran down Badgett’s face, Knox said of this precious moment she shared with the current Miss North Carolina. The scholarship funding is another reason she is proud to volunteer for this organization. Later, Knox said Badgett coined the phrase “23 and debt-free.” In addition to Badgett, Karlee Sanderford, Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen, will also be present. The preliminary competitions are scheduled for Thursday, June 24 to Friday, June 25, and the final competitions are Saturday, June 26. According to Knox, the judges’ names are not disclosed. However, the Miss North Carolina panel comes from a diverse occupational background, everything from a former state titleholder within the Miss America organization to an author. This year, all individuals involved with the show’s production must have proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result within three to five days of arrival. “We are asking everybody to be as cautious as they can with people they come in contact with,” Knox said. Ticket sales opened on Tuesday, June 1, at the High Point Theatre’s box office. The whole auditorium is open for seating. Masks are discretionary. !
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Lil Kawaii’s Skrimp fried summer
igh Point rapper Lil Kawaii (aka Skrimp) looks to get fried and serve hot fire on his new album Skrimpwav. On his latest Katei Cranford record, Skrimp continues a path of self-growth and the Contributor human condition in blunt wraps and anime binges. “Basically, this album represents me falling apart and noticing everything and how I should learn to move and how to rebuild myself,” said Skrimp, belaying the facts of life in his early-20s. Thematically, Skrimpwav is “a bad acid trip to learn from,” Skrimp said, one that rides cresting waves of “figuring stuff out and destroying and healing.” The serious and silly are intertwined in the smooth sounds of his latest single, “Rage.” “This track is just me expressing myself,” Skrimp explained. “It’s a lot of venting. Sometimes I can be mean, sometimes I can’t speak to people, or I don’t want to. It’s just me explaining, like, I’m human too, you know?” Within that humanity, Skrimp swirls rhymes of “truth, passion, lies, deceit, drugs, abuse whether its substance or emotional,” he said. “I just run the whole spectrum of human emotions,” he added, through a variety of faded lenses, smoked-out steampunk goggles, and Hunter S. Thompson references--the mind-bending explorations from the famed gonzo journalist directly influenced the album. Other influences include what Skrimp likes to call “trip music,” such as the bands’ Crumb and Tame Impala. He’s also been diving deep into R&B and alternative music but considers Smino his main musical inspiration to date. “That man taught me I can talk however I want to,” Skrimp said. “Just listening to Smino gave me so much more confidence to explore and experiment, especially when it came to my vocals. That switched the game for me.” Looking at the history of his game-starting with middle school raps and his first official release, 2019’s “808 Grand,” Skrimp feels more confident in his performance. “I feel like I got more swag with it now,” he said. “I’m wavy, like the ocean.” Skrimp credits open mics and the Artist WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
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Block for helping him build the swell that defines his current artistry. “That’s what really broke down the walls, and then I met people like Maggie Lee and Virginia Holmes (from the Haze Art Collective). They put me on shows to perform, and I really adjusted on stage.” That adjustment carried Skrimp to the Dreamers Slept On collective. “That’s my family,” Skrimp said. “We started this thing in Sinimatics’ room freshman year. They’re the most stupid, crazy, talented, weird, random, incredibly smart, loveable babies I know.” Sinematics makes an appearance on a couple Skrimpwav tracks, along with Flower in Bloom, KamDoja, and Corey Knoxville. They’re all friends along for the ride (and the records). “Honestly, Corey and Sinimatics had no choice. I was already supposed to do something with Doja, so this was perfect timing, and I’ve been tryna secure myself a Flower feature for a minute.” The Flower in Bloom feature isn’t Skrimp’s first with Steady Hype Artists: he and Samurai Yola released a collaborative tape under the dual-persona “Samurai Kawaii” in 2020. He’s also currently developing the “Hex Boys,” an act blending styles of boybands, hip-hop, and rock with Knoxville, Volz, and Benji EZA. Skrimp and Knoxville met in the Entertainment Tech program at GTCC. “We got close,” Skrimp said. “Shoot, look at us now. I know some of Corey’s darkest desires,” he added with a laugh. The pair
often work together, in efforts Skrimp refers to as the “FriedRiceBoyz,” wherein folks can soon expect some sort of “Fried Rice heat,” potentially in the form of the third installment of Skrimp’s “Fried Rice” album series. Parts One and Two were released in 2020, with Knoxville appearing on nearly all tracks. Skrimpwav, however, features a more diverse range of artists, including KamDoja, featured on the “Doja Burnin” second single, which Skrimp puts between “a smooth Smino song and some Ari Lennox.” “That’s heaven,” he said. Referencing the track, he considers it “one of the smoothest songs I’ll probably ever make. It hits the ears and just steals ya soul with such a melodic, easy, smooth deep burn vibe,” he said. “That’s that baby-making music.” Skrimp’s solo on his upcoming single, Mista Hubbard. “We’re still human, and we continue to go through cycles and cycles,” he said of the process behind the album as a whole. “I’m just trying to learn myself as everyone else is trying to do the same.”
For his current cycle, he holds the mantra: “Skrimp were meant to swim upstream, not down,” he said. “It’s a daily reminder to myself and to folks around me to keep going.” Dropping a load of anime references, Skrimp noted, “sometimes I feel like Broly, and I wanna power up, sometimes I feel like Shikamaru and stuff be a drag; and sometimes these folks be Orichimarus just snakes.” “Basically,” he clarified, “shit gets hard and uncontrollable at times, and it’s hard to stay focused or just to stay down and have patience when you come up. My dog needs her own house. My cat needs a catmobile. So I’ve got some work to do. “ Skrimp’s also got a summer of new releases, as he gets it together. Be on the lookout for the Mista Hubbard video. Skrimpwav is out now. ! KATEI CRANFORD Is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Thursday Tour Report, a radio show that runs like a mixtape of bands touring NC the following week, 5:307pm on WUAG 103.1fm.
JUNE 9-15, 2021
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last call
[THE ADVICE GODDESS] love • sex • dating • marriage • questions
FRAUD PRINCE
I broke up with a guy I was dating after discovering he’d lied about his age on the dating app we’d met on. (He’s 48, not “39.”) I’d told him honesty’s a big deal for me. He Amy Alkon claimed he’s honest with those he cares Advice about and at work and argued that Goddess everybody lies on dating sites. I’m not buying that. Isn’t someone either honest or not? —Skeptical There’s that saying, “act your age,” and he is — as a guy cresting 50 who wants a girlfriend who still sometimes gets carded. Chances are you consider yourself an honest person. But you’re not. None of us is. In the words of TV’s Dr. House, “Everybody lies.” Social psychologist Bella DePaulo concurs. In her research on lying, she explains that people can’t be “tossed into one of two moral bins, one for the
people who are honest and the other for the liars.” In fact, we all lie in ways we don’t even recognize as lies. Do you wear control-top tights or Spanx? A push-up bra or a squishyou-down bra? How about under-eye concealer? (Note that it isn’t called undereye revealer: “All the better to show off my ginormous, dark, puffy eyebags!”) These less-than-truthful forms of selfpresentation are a lighter shade of the lie this guy told: an “instrumental” lie — a lie used as an “instrument” to get others to give us “material rewards or other personal pleasures or advantages” they wouldn’t if we told the truth. But consider that people who don’t lie their way through life might see lies in an online dating profile as sort of Spanx-type fibbies: a way to game an unfair system, a la, “I’m so much younger than my real age, and the hot young women I want would see that — uh, if only I could get around their searches where they cut out my age group.” Getting a realistic sense of a man’s true character probably takes listening and watching over time, especially when he doesn’t know you’re doing it. That should
help you avoid missing out on good guys who occasionally retrofit the truth with a little Spandex. And you’ll know to ditch those who are ethically iffy — or worse: for example, some other 48-year-old dude who has the firm body of a man half his age — and if he keeps it in his basement freezer, no one will be the wiser.
SIX DEGREES OF PENETRATION
I’m a senior in college, and the woman I recently started seeing is a sophomore. My buddies told me she has a “reputation,” as in, she’s hooked up with half the men’s soccer team. She’s beautiful and intelligent, and I don’t understand why she has the low self-esteem to behave that way. —Rethinking Our Relationship Turn the tables, and imagine a guy who’s hooked up with half the cheerleading squad. Your first thought: “Dude must have a huge...” (and correct me if I’m wrong) “... set of mommy issues.” There’s a pervasive stereotype (held by both men and women) that women who engage in casual sex have low self-esteem, explains evolutionary social psychologist Jaimie Arona Krems. The underlying assumption: Women who have casual sex don’t really want it; they’re just settling for it. However, Krems and her colleagues find that this insulting stereotype persists even when women are “explicitly described as choosing to have casual sex.” The researchers surveyed participants (about their own self-esteem and their perception of others’) using the generally accepted definition of self-esteem: “feeling good about oneself and having a solid sense of one’s self-worth.” The stereotype
— that women have casual sex because their self-worth is in the dumpster — “appears to be unfounded.” (Women’s “sexual behavior was not significantly correlated with their self-esteem.”) They speculate that the stereotype might stem from evolutionary “mismatch”: our living in a modern world with a sometimes-outdated psychological operating system. The psychology guiding us today evolved back when locked knees were the only reliable birth control. It would’ve served ancestral women with high mate value — those with their pick of men — to hold out for commitment before having sex (and possibly offspring) with a man. Thus, we might have “default assumptions that women pursue casual sex only when committed sex is unavailable to them.” (In simple terms, despite all the birth control technology of today, the dial of human psychology is still set to “slut shaming.”) As for your situation, assuming the rumors aren’t just “guy-perbole,” maybe your girlfriend worked her way through the soccer boys not because she’s a human broken toy but because she’s hot, enjoys sex, and wanted some naked fun while looking for her Mr. Boyfriend. What does this say about her? Well, after the initial steamy phase of the relationship, the sort of animal she’s most like in bed probably won’t be shrink-wrapped supermarket salmon. ! GOT A PROBLEM? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave., #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com). Follow her on Twitter @amyalkon. Order her latest “science-help” book, Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence. ©2021 Amy Alkon. Distributed by Creators.Com.
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