Artist collaborations infuse dynamic firepower into rap genre


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Many successful rap songs feature memorable guest appearances. What would Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” have sounded like without Alicia Keys? Or how would B.o.B’s smash hit “Airplanes” have fared without the assistance of Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams? The hip-hop genre is notorious for eccentric and unexpected, yet highly successful collaborations. They allow rap to […]

Indie comics deserve attention


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Everyone loves the indie comic scene. It serves as a great alternative to narrow-minded, studio-controlled projects and, more often than not, indie comics show artists embracing their passions or dream projects. Independent productions are the reason why college radio stations or the Sundance and Slamdance film festivals exist and thrive. So long as major companies […]

Cocktail culture comes to the forefront of LA dining


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What’s the restaurant industry to do when all of the — sometimes literal — smoke and mirrors on the plate no longer impress jaded diners? The answer, it seems, involves the cocktail. Once an afterthought of the dining experience, most restaurants now give cocktails as much care as meals. At Bar Centro at José Andrés’ […]

TV campaigns find signature promotions


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If a show airs in its time slot and no one is tuned in to watch it, does it make a sound? It’s an “if a tree falls in a forest” question that most network executives would be perfectly happy going their whole careers without ever discovering the answer to. Countless dollars are spent every […]

LA State Historic Park brings nature to the city


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Los Angeles is stereotyped as an urban metropolis congested with traffic and clouded in smog, and unfortunately few areas successfully fight that generalization. Even with all its urban hot spots, Los Angeles possesses some residents who appreciate nature and find it important to keep the city close to its roots. Before the city became the […]

Bands trump singers and take over country music genre


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When it comes to country music, icons such as Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood come to mind. These performers engage audiences with their sweet, crooning voices backed by that unmistakable Western twang packaged nicely to make lighters wave in the air while fans sing along. And those icons have always been the most […]

Internet offers new medium for comics


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Even if you think you don’t think you read comics, there’s a pretty good chance that you do. Have you ever read xkcd or Dinosaur Comics? Those are comics, even if they don’t feature superheroes or come in the regular format. Comic books have been around since the 1930s, but the industry began experimenting with […]

Matzo is more than just Jewish flatbread


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The appeal of unleavened bread might be limited. At least that’s how the food would sound to anyone unfamiliar with the thin, cracker-like matzo, a Jewish dietary staple that makes a resurgence with the arrival of Passover this time of year. The common explanation for matzo’s origins is that Israelites had little time to flee […]

Television explores economic identities


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Any talk relating to the politics of representation in the media generally focuses on a handful of characteristics that a person would have from birth. Race and sexual orientation in particular are the cause of the lion’s share of hand-wringing over representational issues: Are minorities underrepresented in How I Met Your Mother, for instance, or […]

Vintage store celebrates contemporary and retro fashion


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Every time a girl realizes she must attend another outing, another date or anything in between, the search for the perfect outfit is on. And when it comes to dress hunting, the situation is even stickier. Oftentimes finding the perfect dress proves nearly impossible, but fashion figure Shareen Mitchell makes it easy. The vintage curator, […]