The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.comh Thursday, January 10, 2008 - 3B Fluff isn't all bad in politics Presidents, politicians and world leaders are bound to become at least partial pop- culture icons, constantly the target of highly critical media attention. But at what point does the cultural overlap run the risk of diluting the political process? GQ recently enlisted new con- tributing editor/hot-tempered supermodel Naomi Campbell to interview Vene- zuelanPresident Hugo Chavez, presumably to boost the mag- azine's political edge. But how a fancy-fluff pub- lication plans CAROLINE to utilize a less- HARTMANN than-credible -- voice to depict a deeply controver- sial figure remains tobe seen. When GQ talks politics, it does so in the same swooning language it uses to debate this season's pinstripe suit jackets. In a feature article on pres- idential candidate Hillary Clinton, writer Jason Horowitz seems more concerned with the "silk blouses" and "orange cheese cubes" dotting the scene of a political event than the real topic at hand. According to Reuters, Camp- bell's interview with Chavez ranged from the Spice Girls and Castro's wardrobe to Jesus Christ as the foremost revolutionary fig- ure. What exactly Campbell is after here is somewhat unclear, but perhaps more curious is herunique Campbell has interviewed Hugo Chavez position as interviewer. Chavez has been notoriously difficult with American contacts - journalists, politicians or otherwise - but Campbell falls outside his black- listed label. Born in London and the daughter of a Jamaican dancer and father of Afro-Caribbean and Chinese heritage, Campbell's asso- ciation with the United States rests largely in the fashion and music industries. (Also on Campbell's agenda is a possible meeting with Fidel Cas- tro, though it hasn't been reported whether the project has been put into motion.) Several months ago Chavez i expressed interest in meeting with another American celebrity, Sean Penn, and apparently respects him for being well-informed global politics. Maybe it's the haze of Hollywood stardom that puts the American actor onneutral grounds with Chavez, or maybe there's a link that a disillusioned public refuses to recognize. And caught in the stereotypical assumption that L.A. celebs lack the intellectual capacity to tackle politics head-on, it's unlikely that a politician would feel particularly threatened. The real issue becomes less of a limelight abuse situation than a questionable method of credible reporting and criticism. If GQ seems to be on the bor- der of serious news reporting, try Glamour on for size. The women's magazine has incorporated a cam- paign blog to its site. It's called Glamocracy, and it's very ... pink. With mini stars flanking each writer's name and ads for a 30-Day makeover running down the side of the page, it's not easy to keep a straight face. Like GQ, Glamour's news reporting stays in line with the tone of the rest of the maga- zine, delivering a political mes- sage through casual gabbing and personal asides. (Glamour's other blogs cover fashion, beauty, sex advice and health.) I don't mean to imply that pop- culture publications are incapable of providing legitimate coverage, but the line between accessible and irrelevant has become increasingly blurred. In isolated instances, the cir- cumstances of such reporting can sound downright ridiculous. Glamour analyzing Hillary's tear- ful moments isn't pressing cover- age, but for many readers, it may be what works. With so much atten- tion of the press centered on the 2008 campaigns, the relaxed tone of popular publications could be a much-needed break from the hour- ly policy rants on CNN. And when you look at the list of pop-culture elements seepinginto politics inbig and small ways, it's hardly surpris- ing that a seemingly niche market is actually what the public wants. See POP CULTURE, Page 4B Rapping in cars Even this many speakers can't help the author become a rapper. By CHRIS GAERIG Daily Music Editor During the summer of 2006, spurred on by "8 Mile" ambitions and a general sense of awe for those who could freestyle, I prac- ticed the underground art during my daily commute to and from my summer job. Vainly desiring a hip- hop handle as much as the actual ability to wax poetic about spliffs, Voltaire and skateboarding, my motives may have been a bit taint- ed. And yet day in and day out, I would drive across I-96 in my 1992 purple Saturn Twin Cam, attempt- ing to flow over short instrumental breaks. My friend Dave, a co-worker and fellow journalist, had similar delusionsofgrandeur. Buthe never made the effort of establishing and perfecting his style the way I had. And though I've all but given up hope, I still have the occasional text-style with my friend Andrew - freestyle battling through AIM, mocking each other's whimsical and often surreal lines. But during that summer, as my lyrical prowess grew and was henceforth uncontainable by four bars of Kanye West chipmunk samples, I had to find more exten- sive pieces that I could spit over. Fortunately, I had long since been a fan of the experimental quartet, Battles. The summer before my MC dreams, I had taken a girl I was admittedly rather obsessed with to the Prefuse 73 concert at The Blind Pig. I paid for her ticket - a mistake, as we didn't stay past the first act - and we walked in just before the opening group, Bat- tles, stepped on stage. Their set was incredible. As I tended to my friend, who was having trouble breathing and, not throwing up through the satiny smoke of the crowd, I was dumbfounded by the group's precision and IDM-cum- rock stylings. The t-shirts they were selling said, "I couldn't ered my before P Bute to see t work ha freestyl asked if music,I ing "Br as, "Te W abo ments:1 glitchy.' chipmui appetite vocal-le and gro sively: B I had least IC have Bttls in my life." I heads in a ghastly basement, with help but agree as I ush- an inconspicuous DJ and crowd of 'pained date out of the Pig 10, hell, 200 people, watching and 'refuse took the stage. cheering me on, chanting whatev- even though I didn't get er rap handle I would've attained he headliner, the ground- at that point in my then-prolific d been set for the ensuing and notorious career. My child- e delusions. When people ish dreams weren't laughable only I had heard any good new because I practiced solely in my I'd reply with a resound- car rather than on the playground attles," describing them with all the other kids. But with chno played on instru- time, I realized that I didn'tbelong anywhere near a microphone and axing poetic that thinking Battles a legitimate hip-hop backdrop was simply not ut spliffs and possible. Imagine my surprise then, lis- Voltaire teningto Battles's latest release, the Tonto EP, when New York lyricist very groove-oriented and Joell Ortiz drops aguestverse over So when those four-bar the remixed "Leyendecker" (from nks no longer satiated my their full-length debut Mirrored). I turned toone of the few If this isn't vindication, I don't ss groups with great beats know what is. While it's not a par- roves that I knew exten- ticularly revelatory verse, nor is it attles. even moderately proficient, the fact l Battles in my life. Or at that it exists is inviting and poses d imagine I did, cutting immense possibilities. These mash- COURTESY OF ATL ANTIC ups are the sort of thing Battles seem spawned of and could help revolutionize a hip-hop industry lately devoid of serious innovation. Tonto even boasts the electronic comparisons I made on my first encounter. A remix of "Tonto" by The Field shows Battles's Fran- kensteinian techno connections while Four Tet's remix of the same track stands as some of its best work since its masterpiece Rounds. All of these various mixes don't relegate Battles to the realm of resident producer/beatmaker for progressive MC, but it cer- tainly enlivens some discussion, as the last truly relevant mash- up (The Grey Album combining the Beatles's White Album with Jay-Z's The Black Album) was sued for more than it was worth. And yet, I can't be entirely happy with this situation, because my most reliable source of freestyling beats may soon be hoarded by the likes of Joell Ortiz. I guess I actu- ally do have Battles in my life. Paper lovers are not Luddites By ANDREW SARGUS KLEIN ManagingArts Editor Without a doubt, my favorite letters to the editor are the ones chastising us for not putting the Sudoku and crossword puzzle nearer to each other. If you're goingto rip out those distractions for your Angell Hall lecture, put- ting them on opposite sides of the same page is mighty convenient. How evil of us to deny you, gentle reader, the Greater Good. Ironically, it's pessimistic to view this as a good thing. Many media critics believe we are wit- nessing the slow death of paper as a medium. It's an added expense, it's outdated and the online mar- ket is burgeoning. All these obser- vations are true, to some extent, but it's tough to envision a world where everyone owns an iPhone, a laptop (though the MIT-bred One Laptop per Child initiative is trying to provide $150 laptops to children in Africa), an Internet connection or even a cell phone. The vast amounts of information available in a newspaper can't be completely streamlined into tiny displays and touch screens. No one is going to be completely con- nected to the world-as-Internet anytime soon (or at all). There will always be a market for paper news. Technological improvement is not universal and there exists a very intangible, if real, attach- ment to paper. You can't deny the (admittedly pop-Roman- tic) charm of rustling through a hefty A-section. It just feels ... real. online's wheelhouse is its variety of content. You skim and click, click and browse, and maybe by the end of an hour or so you've read the equiva- lent of a full front-page article - in the form of a dozen or more links. Of course you can rapidly scan through newspapers, but they're much more inclined to keep you focused on the article in hand. Without paper, there would be no crosswords Culturally, we've always looked to the front page as a cru- cial qualifier. If our top news- papers deem a story front-page worthy, then it's probably worth your time to check it out. Head- lines are entities that scream, plead, finger-point, bemuse (New York Post, anyone?), ostracize, etc., etc., ad nauseum. You just don't get that kind of exigency online. When everything is a key- stroke and few clicks away from everything else, it's harder to dis- cern what's actually important. Though the Sudoku/cross- word addicts might not care what's on the front page or right next to their puzzle of choice, they still need the paper. Their need (puzzles, rationale for tun- ing out of lectures) is met by this medium, and it's an immediate trade-off: No printing of online puzzles, no cell phone feeds. It's the same formula for the actual news: Readers are given a glance at a part of the world and are vaguely up to speed with it. You can carry the Daily with you in between classes (if it makes it that far). The Washington Post has its own Express edition, readily available for crammer commuters - who, as it happens, don't have wireless reception of any kind when shuttled under- ground. The Onion, America's great satire machine, lays out it's A/V Club section, especially film reviews, in a quick-hits fashion, ideal for commuters and coffee sippers. There are too many moments in a day where paper is simply more convenient. No matter what Apple says, it's not chic to squint at a tiny screen filled with music videos by The Shins when you're on thebus. Are you going to muck up your iPhone with greasy fin- gers on your lunch break when a newspaperormagazineisnearby? Bathroom stall? Easy. Then there are the waiting rooms of doctors See PAPER, Page 4B WANT TO WORK FOR THE DAILY? COME TO ONE OF OUR MASS MEETINGS 420 Maynard St., just northwest of the Union " Tonight " Tuesday, Jan. 15 * Thursday, Jan. 17 * Sunday, Jan. 27 7 p.m. I MIDNIGHT .". . . . M .. ^.., r I T A T I-= o Es 24 hour info line " " " ,33 Statp St at I iharty 734-761-RA67 BRUCE LEE ENTER THE DRAGON ME a*aee nadvertisin" agol fora career in owards that goalb at parties? Areoklookingfo e to take a t br about your ob would you Do you wa to bra unt Executive! ccou " iBusiuessst afeorFallWinter terms NlihgnDa i gSummer or )oin The for the Spri The Michigan Daily Business Department is a student-run group that sells all the ads in Take your firsst tep towards the the Daily. We are looking for dedicated and motivated people to continue the legacy that career you've always dreamed of. has been going on for over 17 years. Work side-by-side with other Simply send your resume to students to sell the newspaper we dailydisplay@gmail.com all know and love. or call (734) 764-0554 for more information! O Application deadline: January 31st DON'T MISS OUT ON TRADITION!