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COURTESY OF RICK ROSS
Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
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)ss raps about which is relatively void of
creativity. Infrequent creative
ocaine, not lines hold up the song, "We
live in the jungle / Fish tanks
much else in the house."
In fact, I don't think Ross
yKENSELANDER had a single song without
DailyArts Writer a reference to selling coke.
The album is wholly in Ross's
king back on it, I don't comfort zone - sticking to
why I didn't think the same formula he's been
mp Rick Ross's Hood using since day one. Hood
aire Billionaire is the typical high
e of B- intensity music that brought
end's him his success in hit singles
with Hood like "Hustlin'." While this
n the Billionaire album might sell just fine,
on Rick Ross I'd like to see Ross push the
t run Maybach envelope more. I'd love to feel
h. Music Group a deeper connection with his
shit music occasionally, instead all
In fact, pretty much hardcore gangsta all the time.
hing he puts his name on The album also has some
imilar, selling formula, confusing moments for me,
is record is no different. too. In "Neighborhood Drug
ntent on the album isn't Dealer," the line "Michael
ng revolutionary - Jordan, white, bitch, 23," was
the expected overdose the first time I paused and
aine-related wordplay rewound a song and thought,
handful of the features "what?" Maybe it's my own
ttle disappointing - but naivete to the coke game,
bass. but this line doesn't do much
checking out the track for me. Is it about how much
was impressed with weight he's selling? He's a
of the guest artist's on talented drug dealer? Girls?
bum - Snoop Dogg, In keeping with the trend
Big K.R.I.T, Lil Boosie for rappers to compare
b Gotti. Hell, even R. themselves to celebrities or
on it. Meek Mill's athletes, my second "what?"
e might come as a bit moment took place when Rick
irprise, but he's behind Ross calls himself the Black
ight now, which could Ronald Reagan in "Trap Luv."
robable explanation - What?Rossprobablyshould've
e really need another done a quick Wikipedia of the
Ross/Meek Mill collab actor-turned-president prior
y. to making the claim. Reagan
od Billionare" opens was infamous for his massive
album with a hyped- war on drugs, which led to a
ro, with a fast-paced substantial increase in drug-
riff that's added to by related incarcerations. Oh, the
ing bass and French irony.
t's a reasonable opener, Aside from this slip up,
gabout fucking bitches, "Trap Luv" has a great flow,
money, the brands he with Gotti and Ross meshing
you know - nothing to well on the track and a
o excited about. "Coke change of pace with a less
he 80's" is just a lazy bass heavy beat. It's definitely
t. Hallowing piano one of the better songs, along
open the track to give it with "Heavyweight" and
us tone, but the whole "Brimstone." It's hard to deny
s a little overdone. The that Ricky Rozay has a nice
is primarily Rick Ross flow.
g "Coke Like the 80's," My biggest issue with Hood

Billionaire isn't as much a
fault of Ricky Rizzle's, but
the disappointment I had in
the features of the album's
two biggest guests stars -
Jay Z and Snoop Dogg. Jay Z
doesn't even have a verse in
"Movin' Bass," he just sings
a chorus which is far from
anything special. I was really
looking forward to some fresh
material from Hov.
"Quintessential" isn't
nearly as disheartening
as "Movin' Bass," but the
mechanics of the track bother
me. With a slow, synthy,
stoner instrumental Ross's
verse floats by in anticipation
of Snoop. Snoop's voice needs
to be turned up a notch with
the beat turned down. The
pertinent snare and synth
crowd the song, leavinga small
space for Snoop's soft spoken
verse. Snoop kills it, butI can't
hear him very well. Maybe I'm
being unnecessarily picky, or
maybe they didn't think to
turn the mic levels up after
Ross's booming voice on the
opening verse (assuming the
verses were recorded during
the same session and all which
yes, is unlikely), or maybe
they just didn't adjust his
amplitude in the mixdown of
the instrumental and Snoops
verse.
While Ross's content has
changed greatly, it appears
he's changed things up a little
bit by selling more drugs.
"Elvis Presley Blvd." featuring
Project Pat continues a
relatively new development
in Ross's claimed dealing
empire, talking about not only
crack and coke, but heroin too
when referencing "quinine" -
and yes, I had to look up what
that means.
And with that, I'd give Hood
Billionare an A+ in the "tracks
I'd blare at a party to wake up
the neighbors and blowout
the speakers" category, but a
B- when taking into account
the content, creativity, guest
artists and mechanics. The
album would be a bit of a yawn
if the bass didn't keep me
awake.

By NATALIE GADBOIS ABriefHistory of Time in 1991, and He's been a great inspiration to
SeniorArtsEditor he spent nearly eight years trying me.Ifeellike Icertainly get caught
to convince Hawking's ex-wife up in the day to day banalities and
It's an understatement to (and subject of the film) Jane to worries and anxieties of life, and
say that renowned theoretical option the rights to her ownstory. you can forget that we only get one
physicist Stephen Hawking has "(Jane) was cautious," shot of this."
had a few challenges to overcome. McCarten said, "I think she This investment in the script
Diagnosed at age 21 with ALS, aviewed me with the correct level and the roles is paying off with
debilitating motor neuron disease f circumspection that you should critics and audiences alike.
that limits nearly all physicalhave with anybody showing up Redmayne is already receiving
function, his muscles quickly at your door saying they want to Oscar buzz. (Though this may
weakened and atrophied, and his make a movie about your life ... in part be because he portrays
speech grew nearly unintelligible. And when I sat in her living room a disabled historical figure in
When he was just beginning and I pitched this movie to her in a period piece, catnip for the
graduate school - on track for a 2004 - Ihad just read her memoir Academy.) Despite this praise,
brilliant career in the sciences - - just one of those moments in my Redmayne sidesteps any questions
he was told he had two years to creative life where I thought 'This about his Oscar potential,
live. project just won't come to me, I'll saying that his real motivation
The film "The Theory of have to go and get it."' was winning the praise of the
Everything," which came out in And get it he did. Nearly 10 Hawkings and their children, all
limitedreleaseonNov.7,portraysa years after that initial proposal, of whom were involved in the
young Hawking(Eddie Redmayne, and many drafts later, McCarten creation of the film.
"LesMiserables") ashe firstlearns describes the James Marsh- "When both Felicity and I
of his diagnosis and then struggles directed film as a coalescence were cast in the film, there was
through the repercussions with of three thematic threads: kind of an amazing millisecond
the support of his girlfriend and Hawking's ALS, his scientific of euphoria that you should be
(later on) wife Jane, played by accomplishments, and most lucky enough to get to play this
Felicity Jones ("The Amazing significantly, his clarifying part. But it was also followed by a
Spiderman.") Though given his relationship with Jane. deep-set responsibility," he said.
diagnosis over 50 years ago, "I also didn't want to overdo the "Because ultimately we knew that
Hawking is still alive today and physics because I wanted to serve Jane and Stephen and the children
continues to revolutionize the the ALS story, his incrediblebattle weregoingto seethefilm, andthat
fields of cosmology and theoretical with that disease, his and Jane's it's their life so they would be the
physics. refusal to let the disease silence ultimate reviewers .. Whet finally
Though Redmayne readily him." JanesawitandStephensaw itand
admits that his life has had a Similarly, Redmayne says that were generous about the movie,
fraction of the challenges that while the physical demands of the that was a pretty wonderful
Hawking has faced, he advocated role most immediately arrest the reward, and our shoulders could
and fought for his role within this audience - in the filmhe embodies sink and relax a bit."
film with atenacity reminiscent of Hawking's rapid deterioration McCarten echoes these
Hawking's own. In a conference from healthy youth to near sentiments, saying that ultimately
call with The Michigan Daily, he immobility with deft precision this story was for the Hawkings
said with a wry laugh, "I chased - what he found most complex and that their perceptions
the film pretty hard. Because I had about the role was expressing the mattered most.
been at university at Cambridge, psychological grace with which "When we finished making the
and I had seen Stephen and heard Hawking and Jane handled their film Stephen Hawking came to
his voice and caught glimpses of immense burdens. see it, and when the film finished
him, I thought it would be the "(Stephen) was given two years he had tears coming down his
most amazing privilege to be able to live when he was 21 years old, cheeks,"he said. "Iwassittingvery
to playhim." and he describes every moment close to him and I watched the
Similarly, screenwriter and of each day beyond that as a gift to nurse wipe tears from his cheeks."
producer Anthony McCarten him," Redmayne said. "He pulled It's a powerful emotion to illicit
("Show of Hands") was propelled himself out of a melancholia and in someone who probably is the
to develop this project; his has managed to live every second film's worst critic, and a testament
inspiration first sparked when he of every minute of his life as fully to the work done to accurately
read Hawking's best-selling book and as passionately as possible. depictthis legend's life.

Beyonce's j ustilike us

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WE'LL BE THE
FIRST TO TWEET
WHEN RIHANNA'S
NEW ALBUM
DROPS
@MICHIGANDAILY

ByCHRISTIANKENNEDY
DailyArts Writer
Beyonce is set to release
the 'Platinum Edition' of
her self-titled album, which
dropped last December. The
repackage, a four-disc set,
includes ten live performance
videos from The Mrs. Carter
Show World Tour, four remixes
and two unreleased tracks,
"Ring Off" and "7/11". Early
last week, snippets of both
tracks leaked online, leading
to underwhelming responses
from music fans, particularly
towards "7/11," a beat and auto
tune-heavy dance track. At first
glance, I too, was disappointed
by the snippet; but on Friday
night, Bey released a full-
length video for the track, and
with no fear of hyperbole, it is
revolutionary.
The track itself is nothing
new in pop music production-
wise. Though for Beyoncd it's
out of left field. Her discography
includes nothing even remotely
choppy, even her previous club
bangers (i.e "Freakum Dress").
"7/11" is choppy and in large
part does not make much sense,
but who cares?
Normally, I am completely
against re-releasing previous

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I have

s because too often what Queen B looks like after
re cheap grabs for profit a couple STRAW-BER-ITAs, or
ress and don't offer any whatever the near-billionaire
al that deviates from the equivalent is. She answers
al (*cough cough* Iggy prayers. Beyoncd is showing
). "7/11" would not have she is just like her fans. We
cohesive with Beyonce's booty pop and throw up gang
al self-titled LP, and signs listening to her music,
ire it will not fit in well and so does she. The entire
er next album. An album performance looks like it could
, in this case, is the go down at my parents' house
t opportunity to release while they're out of town for
aterial that did not mesh the weekend (messy bedroom
he original record. included). Beyoncd videos
encompass a fantasyland of
perfection, and for this video
goddessto she must've said, "Fuck it, hand
to me that go pro."
Is this a sign of a shift in the
le se deluxe ire Beyond brand? Don't
bum in Dec. count on it. In a semester at
BeyU, this is that one weekend
when shit got real, but as any
dependable student (or ruler of
e radical than its sound, the world, in her case) knows, it
video. Bey parties with a is time to get back to work. The
of friends and tour family soon-to-come "Ring Off" is a
tel suite rendering it her mid-tempo break up song, if the
real video she has ever 30-second clip is any indicator.
ed. She isn't acting; this "7/11" will be called a musical
She wears fuzzy socks, a mess by many. That is OK
neck, leopard underwear because the BeyHive is in on
rinks from a solo-cup. the joke. If a beat was assigned
basically a dream Friday to the racing hearts of Beyonce
right? lovers as they jump around
drunk eyes are on point. their messy bedrooms in their
always wanted to know underwear, it would be "7/11."

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