Culture & Media

Music piracy is at an all time high, are the monotonous, uninspired recent efforts from today's hottest HipHop artists contributing to their lack of success on the charts?

In 2007, I view the basic problems in our industry as lack of vision, intuition and willingness to follow through with new artists. If a major label signing doesn’t post huge numbers for the company’s shareholders upon it’s initial release, there is little to no chance of a follow up record. Too much money is rolled out for the first shot deal and if it doesn’t nail the bulls-eye, the money is gone for that all-important second shot. Talk about pressure…what artists do their best work under these conditions?

In 1949, a man by the name of Ahmet Ertegun, who was in charge of signing talent to Atlantic recordings, heard a song on a jukebox in a dive bar somewhere in New York City, called "Baby, let me hold your hand". Ertegun flipped out at the sound of the man singing this incredible song. The name of the singer was Ray Charles, and Ertegun had to sign him to a five-year contract and lost countless hundreds of thousands of dollars because the record never took off. He stuck by his man, though, and a few years later Ray Charles went on to sell millions of future records for Atlantic, making the record label into a very profitable venture. That same scenario will never happen again.

Spiderman 3 is a movie that probably the entire world has been waiting to come out, because it promised to be a blast. I was one of those who were eagerly waiting for the movie to come out, so I didn't waste any time, and was almost first in line at the cinema waiting to buy tickets. And believe me, this movie was worth it, it was more than a blast, it was absolutely spectacular.

When I met Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. in 1988, he appeared as a wild-haired curmudgeon in a crumpled suit sprawled out in a wing-backed chair in a small meeting room at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. The lines on his face made him look as tired and worn as his clothing, but his eyes twinkled like a child's.

A lot of people have expressed that there is too much buzz on the upcoming 2008 presidential race. They are saying that since the election is more than a year away, there is no need to be excited. However, it is clear that more and more people are starting to become involved in the election away because of the advances in modern technology.

A legendary science fiction series is ending. Star Gate SG-1 will begin the last season of its long run in April 2007 on the Sci-Fi Channel. This is very bad news for SG-1 Fans who have invested ten years and over 200 episodes in the long-running saga. But is there more here than meets the eye?

Ryan Montgomery aka Royce da 5.9 is as essential to hip hop as water to fishes. Witty lyrical soldier, the Detroit underground emcee puts his heart and soul into his rhymes. Unlike many rappers in the game, Royce doesn't rap for fame and money, his reps are the full representation of his unconditional love for hip hop. That's truly what Royce is all about.

It's been 46 years since three folk singers first took the stage together at the Bitter End coffee house in New York City's Greenwich Village. Soon the world would know the trio on a first-name basis as Peter, Paul & Mary. Their music, with its signature vocal harmonies, endured long after public tastes switched to rock-'n'-roll. And their continuing popularity helped keep folk music alive and on the radio.

“Robbie might be celebrating now, but he's put himself under huge pressure." An industry insider was quoted in 2002, after Robbie Williams signed a record deal with EMI that he commented with “I’m rich, beyond my wildest dreams”. Four years, two tours and three albums thereafter, Robbie Williams is longing for the end of the contract.

It seems that every second Hollywood star is a vegetarian, giving up meat for health or moral reasons. Vegetarian societies can now provide long lists of entertainers who don't eat meat, including vegetarians like Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman, Kate Winslet and Natalie Portman, and pescatarians like Hillary Swank (who eat fish, but no other animals).

Hoarding has replaced erudition everywhere. People hoard e-books, mp3 tracks, and photos. They memorize numerous fact and "facts" but can't tell the difference between them or connect the dots. The synoptic view of knowledge, the interconnectivity of data, the emergence of insight from treasure-troves of information are all lost arts.

I guess I’m like most people: I find myself intrigued by the Britney Spears saga and yet, I have no idea why. Really, what’s the big deal? I simply don’t get why we as a society care so much about what Britney Spears is doing.

April the 11th, 2006 was a tragic day for Deshaun Holton s family, friends and fans. A talented artist ended up in a pool of blood over a stupid argument at the infamous CCC club, leaving a whole hip hop community in grief. It also marked the end of an era in Detroit hip hop history. Deshaun Holton was deeply rooted with the Detroit scene. Eminem and D12 s overwhelming success, Proof always busy schedule never changed the man he was. Down to earth, heartfelt, true to his roots, Proof always kept his underground work with local artists active and worked hard towards getting Detroit hip hop on the map.

Among the many wonderful independent spotlight films in this year's Florida Film Festival, "Away From Her" stands out as an exceptionally tender tale of loving, aging, and suffering with dignity. Directed by Canadian actress Sarah Polley and based on the short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain" by Alice Munro, the movie introduces an aging couple married for almost 50 years. Fiona (Julie Christie) shows symptoms of progressing Alzheimer's disease and her husband Grant (Gordon Pinsent) is faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to place her in a permanent care facility.