Three new hip-hop albums drop unique sounds

This week has been a fruitful one for hip-hop. There were a ton of big releases and great projects that dropped in a quick span. One of the best projects of this week, and possibly the year, is the collaboration between super producer The Alchemist, gangster rapper Freddie Gibbs and Bay Area legend Curren$y, with their new project, Fetti.

Alumna Rena Rossner shares new novel

I always feel a sense of escape and freedom when I read fantasies. Curious to discover the underlying secret of a book covered in embellished golden details of forests, fruits, villages, a swan and a bear, I attended the book reading event of The Sisters of the Winter Wood, held by the author Rena Rossner at Barnes & Noble on Thursday, Nov. 1.

Professor Jason Eisner discusses his role in My Fair Lady

In an interesting case of art mimicking life, Jason Eisner, a professor in the Computer Science Department and the Language and Speech Processing Center, will costar as the linguistics Professor Henry Higgins in Third Wall’s production of My Fair Lady. The play debuts on Friday, Nov. 9. 

Bohemian Rhapsody highlights the genius of Queen

I went to the Senator Theatre in Baltimore’s Belvedere Square on Friday, Nov. 2 to watch Bohemian Rhapsody, the recent musical biopic of the epically famous rock band Queen. The film, as expected, focused on the most well-known aspect of the band: the incredible, exuberant and creative life and mind of the lead singer, Freddie Mercury. Rami Malek, most famous for his lead role in the TV show Mr. Robot, portrayed Mercury to well-deserved critical praise. Malek gave an absolutely compelling performance as Mercury, whose complicated life intersected inevitably with his musical genius in Queen. 

Walters exhibit showcases Native American art

The Walters Art Museum in Mount Vernon opened their newest exhibition, Transformation: Art of the Americas, on Sunday, Oct. 27. As described on the installation’s webpage, Transformation spotlights roughly 20 objects from indigenous American cultures that display the metamorphosis of body and spirit. Name a more wholesome Halloweekend activity than attending a gallery on its first day, I dare you.

Catholic nuns reconcile their faith and identities

I attended a reading at the Ivy Bookshop Saturday, Oct. 27 led by current and former Catholic nuns. They and their editors were promoting a new book called Unruly Catholic Nuns, a collection of poetry, autobiography and short fiction.

The Kennedy Center wows audiences with Little Shop of Horrors

In order to understand Little Shop of Horrors, you really only have to look at its main villain: a sentient, bloodthirsty plant named Audrey II. Despite its desire to eat as much human flesh as it can possibly get its hands on, Audrey II is also the show’s campiest character, just as likely to petulantly throw a tantrum as it is swallow a person whole. It never stops cracking jokes, even as it threatens to consume the entire human race. 

Peabody celebrates the musical history of Maryland

Climbing down the magnificent staircase embellished with an intricate pattern, I set foot in the masterpiece situated in the heart of Mount Vernon. My eyes spiraled upward to admire the crystal-like glowing emerald skylight. Being part of the Walters Art Museum, 1 West Mount Vernon Place is a work of art on its own. 

Hasan Minhaj brings a new type of late show to Netflix

Netflix released the third season of Marvel’s Daredevil, the second season of Castlevania and the debut of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina this week in a slew of new shows. Among them was an unexpected surprise — Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj.

MICA hosts fourth annual haunted house in a suburban hellscape

I have never been a fan of the haunted house. Something about paying strangers to scream at you in the dark as your body threatens cardiac arrest doesn’t appeal to me. However, I was intrigued by the Maryland Institute College of Art’s (MICA) unique take on the Halloween tradition and was impressed that the production was staged by students alone. After hearing friends testify to its relatively-tame-yet-still-spooky nature, I agreed to check it out. 

Shirkers documents the recovery of a lost film

A shirker is someone who runs away from responsibilities, something I consequently became when I experienced an otherworldly form of escape in Sandi Tan’s mind blowing documentary film, Shirkers. The one hour, 36 minute documentary, labeled a “punk feminist documentary gem” by Vox Media, unfolds into a gripping story of Tan’s journey as she recovers 70 film cans that were taken from her possession.

Barnstormers shine in fall play The Laramie Project

This fall, the Barnstormers are celebrating their 100th anniversary with a production of The Laramie Project, the true story of the 1998 hate-crime murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo. 

The Wombats show off musical prowess at Rams Head Live!

Goldsmith’s “She Stoops to Conquer” continues to amuse audiences

In 1773, She Stoops to Conquer, a comedy in five acts by Anglo-Irish playwright and novelist Oliver Goldsmith, debuted in London. 

Charm City is a must-watch for all Baltimoreans

The Parkway Theatre is currently screening Charm City, a documentary produced by Marilyn Ness that depicts the streets of Baltimore. She highlights a city that is too often overshadowed by the media’s dominating political discourse about sensitive topics on crime, police brutality, gun violence, poverty and race. 

Trixie Mattel shows off her sparkling talent in D.C.

Kero Kero Bonito plays in College Park

My roommate and I drove over to MilkBoy ArtHouse in College Park, Md. to see Kero Kero Bonito (KKB) perform on Saturday, Oct. 20. Kero Kero Bonito is a U.K. group consisting of singer and rapper Sarah Midori Perry and producers Gus Lobban and Jamie Bulled. The London trio is typically known for their eclectic and upbeat mix of electronic dance beats, pop and rap with Japanese-pop (J-pop) influences.

Brockhampton takes their unique sound on tour

On a fateful Tuesday, Oct. 16 to be exact, I skipped my one class of the day and went to a concert in Washington, D.C. with two of my friends to see Brockhampton, one of our favorite bands, for their I’ll Be There tour. I had been to a Brockhampton concert several months before, so I thought I knew how wild and uncontrollable both the fans and the general admission pit would be.

Halloween disappoints longtime fans of horror

Halloween — and I hate the fact that I’m going to have to specify whether I’m referring to the original, the remake or the holiday every single time — is the 11th movie in this franchise that simply refuses to die, coming back every few years to fill our hearts with dread of how they’re going to mess up the series next. Quite analogous to the actual slashers in this film, now that I think about it.