Arts & Entertainment

Public Domain Blake Lively stars in new film A Simple Favor alongside Anna Kendrick

A Simple Favor, though thrilling, struggles to find emotional balance

By COLE DOUGLASS | September 19, 2018

A Simple Favor can best be understood by looking at its central characters. On the one hand, you have Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a dedicated and overachieving single mother who runs a parenting vlog and is easily flustered whenever she ends up in an unusual or stressful situation. On the other, there’s Emily (Blake Lively), the foul-mouthed and wealthy best friend whose mysterious demeanor hides a host of dangerous secrets just beneath the surface. 

Deviled Egg Pageant is a big success

By JESSE WU | September 19, 2018

The Seventh Annual Deviled Egg Pageant took place at the Single Carrot Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 16 to egg-cellent success. “Man, I’m all egged out;” “Take those nasty farts outside;” and “And the award for most Seussian goes to...” are just some quotes overheard from attendees of the unusual event.

Courtesy of Jesse Wu Deviled eggs competed against each other for a variety of awards.
When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. (23).png

Putin on Ice is a stunning but over-stimulating play

By RUDY MALCOM | September 23, 2018

When I first heard about Putin On Ice (that isn’t the real title of the show), I was instantly intrigued. The self-described “fantastical new portrait of Vladimir Putin” — co-created by Single Carrot Theatre (SCT) and the Acme Corporation — promised to be “something entirely new and thrillingly strange.” Indeed it was, even before I stepped into the theater. At the door, someone wearing a black executioner mask ushered audience members one-by-one into a dark chamber. “You are free to leave at any time,” they said. 

JPEGMAFIA triumphs in his return to Baltimore

By NIKITA SHTARKMAN | September 19, 2018

On Friday, Sept. 14 JPEGMAFIA had his first show in Baltimore since his move to California. On his “The Reverse Christopher Columbus Tour,” Peggy stopped at one of his classic venues, the Metro Gallery — with the small Philadelphia band Joy Again. 

Courtesy Nikita Shtarkman Local artist JPEGMAFIA performed at The Metro Gallery on Friday, September 14.

Jungle returns with new album For Ever after four year hiatus

By SAMUEL FARRAR | September 19, 2018

The British duo Jungle burst onto the music scene in 2014 with their hit song, “Busy Earnin’.” While that single remained in a league above the popularity of the other tracks it accompanied, Jungle’s self-titled freshman album was well-received by critics. Their unique neo-soul/pop-funk sound resonated with fans in both the U.K. and U.S. 

Andrew Martin discusses his new novel Early Work

By KATHERINE LOGAN | September 19, 2018

Andrew Martin published his first novel, Early Work, this past July. After reading about it in The New Yorker, I picked it up. At 240 pages and chock full of wit, it was the perfect read to dive into as I lay on the beach in Cape Cod, in denial of summer’s impending end. 

Courtesy of Lulu Liu Early Work is Martin’s first novel about a young writer and his life.
Nicolas Völcker / CC BY-SA 4.0 Mac Miller was an artist of many talents who’s legacy in the rap world will continue to inspire new music.

Mac Miller’s legacy: musical experimentation and lyrical honesty

By NIKITA SHTARKMAN | September 15, 2018

It is devastatingly hard to lose someone close to you. In some cases, one can feel those same gut-wrenching feelings with the passing of someone they’ve never met. A lot of music fans were confronted with these dreadful emotions on Friday, Sept. 7 when rapper, artist and producer Mac Miller died at the tragically young age of 26. 

Hampdenfest celebrates local culture

By JESSE WU | September 12, 2018

On Sept. 9 the neighborhood of Hampden hosted Hampdenfest — an annual local celebration of food, music and art. Despite a tremendous downpour, the streets were filled with people eager to check out the Baltimore attraction. 

Philip Nelson/ CC BY-SA 2.0 Nicki Minaj and Cardi B took their dispute to new levels at NYFW.

Why can’t we have two successful female rappers?

By JACOB TOOK | September 12, 2018

A year ago, there were no strong contenders to challenge Nicki for the title of the self-proclaimed Queen of Rap. That all changed last summer when “Bodak Yellow” rocketed Cardi B to global domination and positioned her to challenge Nicki, who had been chilling as queen for almost a decade.

Panel explores history of black art exhibitions

By KANAK GUPTA | September 12, 2018

On Thursday, Sept. 6 the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) held a panel called Exhibiting Black Art at the BMA and Beyond. The panel’s main point of discussion was a current exhibit called 1939: Exhibiting Black Art at the BMA about the lack of black art in museums and the hurdles in the way of exhibiting it. 

COURTESY OF RUDY MALCOM JAM, the third annual concert presented by the HOP, brought artists Aminé and Tobi Lou to Homewood Campus. 

Annual Music Festival features hip-hop artists Aminé and Tobi Lou

By RUDY MALCOM | September 13, 2018

When I found out that hip-hop artists Aminé and Tobi Lou would be performing on the Beach for the third Johns Hopkins Annual Music Festival (JAM), I honestly didn’t know who they were. By no means is that an insult to their stardom. If you ask anyone who’s done karaoke with me, they’ll tell you I have really basic taste in music. 

Sweetener alters Grande’s sound for the better

By CLAIRE BEAVER | September 17, 2018

I have never personally been a fan of Ariana Grande, with her sickly-sweet pop sounds not appealing to my rock-loving roots. Her highly publicized romantic life with Pete Davidson pushed me further away. That being said, Sweetener, Grande’s newest album released on Aug. 17, changed my mind.

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. (19).png

Choker, Naji and Medhane produce notable but underrated albums

By NIKITA SHTARKMAN | September 6, 2018

Over the summer, a lot of music was released to little or no fanfare. The summer is usually when huge, blockbuster music is at the forefront, so the smaller, more unique projects get sidelined. Here are some of my favorite more underground projects from the past summer that you may not have heard. 

 Casi Moss/ CC BY-SA 2.0 Crazy Rich Asians showcases many of Hollywood’s great talents, with Awkwafina shining in a comedic role.

Crazy Rich Asians: the most successful rom-com in six years

By AMELIA ISAACS | September 6, 2018

No one could say for even a moment that Crazy Rich Asians does not deliver on its title, despite our Uber driver telling me at length about how all he could think of was Crazy, Stupid, Love. when he heard the name of the movie we were on our way to see (which hadn’t crossed my mind until that moment).