Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 3, 2026 April 3, 2026 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

arts

Putin on Ice is a stunning but over-stimulating play

By RUDY MALCOM | September 20, 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. 

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

JPEGMAFIA triumphs in his return to Baltimore

By NIKITA SHTARKMAN | September 20, 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. 

Jungle returns with new album For Ever after four year hiatus

By SAMUEL FARRAR | September 20, 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. 

Courtesy of Lulu Liu Early Work is Martin’s first novel about a young writer and his life.

Andrew Martin discusses his new novel Early Work

By KATHERINE LOGAN | September 20, 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. 

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 13, 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 13, 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 13, 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 13, 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 13, 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.

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). 

RED CARPET REPORT/CC BY-SA 2.0 Debby Ryan stars in the controversial series that debuted this summer.

Insatiable is entertaining, while morally ambiguous

By COLE DOUGLASS | September 6, 2018

When the trailer for Netflix’s Insatiable was released back in July, it immediately garnered a large amount of controversy. Upon re-watching the trailer, it’s easy to see why. The trailer seemed to make the claim that all of its protagonist’s problems could be solved following a miraculous weight loss. 

Jason Persse/ CC BY-SA 2.0

Kanye West makes controversial return to spotlight

By SAMUEL FARRAR | May 3, 2018

After returning to Twitter in mid-April, Kanye West has been stirring up a lot of discussion among his fans and haters alike. This renewed interest in Kanye’s image culminated in a series of tweets in which he espoused his love for Donald Trump, tweeting, “We are both dragon energy. He is my brother,” and showing off his signed Make America Great Again hat. The public reaction was intense. 

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