Category: News

Before launching his currently running Off-Season tour, J. Cole made a statement with his performance at the iHeartRadio Festival. It wasn’t a political statement, or even an announcement, though. It was a fashion statement. Rocking a tie-dye shirt, sweatpants, and black Crocs, Cole captured the attention of social media. While he’s far from the only rapper to endorse the Broomfield, Colorado shoe brand’s signature chunky, no-effort clogs, it was notable that he did so during such a high-profile performance. However, it shouldn’t be surprising; J. Cole has always secretly been one of rap’s most stylish artists.

I know what you’re thinking: “J. Cole? Stylish??” And I get it. If you’re online in any way, you’ve likely seen the Fayetteville, North Carolina rapper getting roasted for seemingly putting minimal effort into his performance fits — see the aforementioned Crocs instance. He’s never been one to shout out name brands or construct elaborate ensembles with glittering accessories dangling from his neck or wrists. He’s the ultra-regular rapper whose almost extreme relatability gets him clowned for not being flashy enough either in content or presentation.

Let’s get a few things clear, though. Fashion and style are two different things. As Cole’s mentor Jay-Z once said, “I can’t teach you my swag / You can pay for school but you can’t buy class.” Just donning a stack of expensive items bearing the brand marks of Italian designers doesn’t equate to having style; anyone can buy their way into fashion icon status with enough money. Having style means having a signature look, an ethos behind what you’re wearing besides showing off your bank account. It’s about showing people who you are. Plenty of rappers are arguably more fashionable than J. Cole but while designers’ names pop off of individual pieces, their ensembles often look like they got dressed in the dark with their stunner shades on.

Cole knows exactly what he’s going for with his looks, opting for comfort over name recognition. And yes, he too flaunts established rules about color matching and fit, he usually turns out to just be ahead of a coming trend rather than out of style. Consider his ultra laid-back looks of late. Some may consider them frumpy or lazy, but who among us didn’t give up on jeans during the pandemic in favor of layabout fits better suited to our new working from home lifestyles (I mean, those of you who didn’t already work from home)? Even his adoption of Crocs as performance wear reflects the foam clogs’ newfound popularity and cultural cachet. Industry peers like Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, and Post Malone have collaborated with the brand with pieces so highly demanded they’ve sold out within minutes of availability.

Maybe Cole hasn’t become a fashion icon because his simple, cozy fits reflect his down-to-earth persona a little too well. Just look at Kanye West, who’s gotten away with leather kilts, retro puffer vests, cultural appropriation (those keffiyehs didn’t bother anyone else?), and all types of other outlandish sartorial choices — including his own lazy-boy, dad-life-inspired Yeezy brand — almost solely because he presents himself as a fashion maven, going to designers’ shows and pitching fits (no pun intended) about his perceived lack of support from those in the industry.

Say what you want about Cole’s love for tie-dye and baggy joggers, at least his looks have a lot of personality. Yeezy seasons 2-6 were roundly ridiculed for being bland and lackadaisical, with Kanye seemingly re-pitching the same shapeless, earth-tone pieces year after year. Cole may not have his own brand, but his style has an identity; he isn’t just mashing together designer pieces for the sake of Frankenstein-ing the most expensive outfit for the sole purpose of flexing. You can even see how his — and Yeezy’s — respective influences have begun to spread. More and more celebrities like Bieber and Billie Eilish have already embraced the cozy lifestyle dressing for comfort over Vogue approval… And fans have naturally reciprocated. Being outside after the past year is anxiety-inducing enough; why not at least be warm (or well-ventilated), mobile, and free from worries about showing off the quarantine 15 many of us picked up after a year of UberEats (or Postmates, or DoorDash) and suspended gym memberships?

If you ask me, J. Cole always had the right idea. He’s always just dressed like himself, even as he strove to be a superstar rapper. If anything, that’s the most hip-hop thing he could’ve done. Remember when the Beastie Boys tried to dress like rappers, with their matching Adidas sweatsuits? Russell Simmons saw right through them; they looked ridiculous. Instead, he told them, they should be themselves — that would endear them far more to the culture than looking like outsiders trying to dress the part. It seemed like that would be the rule forever, but somewhere along the way, that rule got lost. Keeping it real wasn’t enough; you had to look like you were rich — which, to the newly wealthy artists of the platinum era, meant wearing all the money they were “making,” even if they were just wasting their advance money to look cool by someone else’s standard.

From the moment he arrived on the scene, J. Cole offered an antithesis to the money-hungry image often associated with major label rap acts. Sure, for a while, he got caught up in the hype himself (hello, “Mr. Nice Watch”), but in time, he grew into his status and embraced his own way of doing things. His style is a reflection of his music, which is a rejection of rap’s status quo — or maybe just a reclamation of its roots. Yes, the pioneers of the culture wanted to be fly, but they wanted to be fly their way, to show the world who they were without frills or having to code-switch to fit in. Cole doesn’t switch up for anyone else’s approval, which is really what hip-hop is all about. For that alone, he should be considered not just a style icon, but one of rap’s role models for redefining the rules and showing the world that style and substance don’t have to be opposites. Like Cole’s intricate rhymes and his mainstream success, they can counterintuitively go hand-in-hand.

As Dontez Williams, 33, was preparing to marry his fiancée, Myshella Burton, 26, last August he knew he was committing to more than just one woman. He was also committing to be a permanent presence in the lives of her two daughters, Abigail, 9, and Natalie, 8.

In the days before the wedding, he wondered how he could use the occasion to solidify the bonds with his two stepdaughters-to-be. He began wondering what he’d say if he wrote vows to them as well as his fiancée and became so overwhelmed by emotion that he knew he had to do it at the wedding.

“When I felt that emotion just thinking about it, I was like, ‘I got to do this. This is the right decision. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it,'” he said according to Yahoo.

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His soul-searching also led him to realize that he was “the only father-figure they had ever really had,” so he should adopt the girls as well.

By adopting the two girls, Williams chose to become their parent in every way possible. A stepparent only has rights as long as they are married to the child’s biological parent, but by adopting, Williams had full parental rights for their entire lives. The children can inherit from him and in the event of a divorce, he could seek full custody.

“Although they are not biologically mine, blood could not make us any closer. I wanted to make it official in becoming their dad as I wrote vows not only to my wife but to my daughters as well asking them if I could adopt them,” Williams wrote on Instagram.

After exchanging vows with Burton at the altar, he moved his attention to Abigail and Natalie. An emotional video of the proposal went viral on Instagram.

“I never knew you really do become a man when you have children,” Williams said. “Having someone to teach, protect, provide for them, discipline them, learn from them and support them. For all of these reasons, you’ve helped me become a better person.”

“I know that I’m a father figure to you both,” Williams said before dropping down on one knee. “But I’m going to make it official and ask can I adopt you?” he said with his voice choked up with tears. The auditorium erupted into big applause and the two girls dropped down and gave Williams huge hugs.

Williams’ new wife was taken by the beautiful gesture.

“Myshella was really shocked, but she was happy and just thankful for me stepping up,” Williams told Fox News. “She was really happy that I feel that way for them and said she’s grateful to have me in their lives.”

Williams’ beautiful act shows what true commitment looks like. He didn’t just marry a woman and vow to take care of her “til death do us part,” he made the same pledge to their children by becoming more than just a stepdad, but their father for life.

This article originally appeared on 06.30.16

When San Francisco photographer Lisa Robinson was about to have her second child, she was both excited and nervous.

Sure, those are the feelings most moms-to-be experience before giving birth, but Lisa’s nerves were tied to something different.

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Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images.

She and her husband already had a 9-year-old son but desperately wanted another baby. They spent years trying to get pregnant again, but after countless failed attempts and two miscarriages, they decided to stop trying.

Of course, that’s when Lisa ended up becoming pregnant with her daughter, Anora. Since it was such a miraculous pregnancy, Lisa wanted to do something special to commemorate her daughter’s birth.

So she turned to her craft — photography — as a way to both commemorate the special day, and keep herself calm and focused throughout the birthing process.

Normally, Lisa takes portraits and does wedding photography, so she knew the logistics of being her own birth photographer would be a somewhat precarious new adventure — to say the least.

She initially suggested the idea to her husband Alec as a joke.

“After some thought,” she says, “I figured I would try it out and that it could capture some amazing memories for us and our daughter.”

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

In the end, she says, Alec was supportive and thought it would be great if she could pull it off. Her doctors and nurses were all for Lisa taking pictures, too, especially because it really seemed to help her manage the pain and stress.

In the hospital, she realized it was a lot harder to hold her camera steady than she initially thought it would be.

She had labor shakes but would periodically take pictures between contractions.

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

“Eventually when it was time to push and I was able to take the photos as I was pushing, I focused on my daughter and my husband and not so much the camera,” she says.

“I didn’t know if I was in focus or capturing everything but it was amazing to do.”

The shots she ended up getting speak for themselves:

Lisa’s husband Alec. Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

Hello, baby Anora! Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

An overcome father. Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

Newborn Anora’s first experience with breastfeeding. Photo by Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

“Everybody was supportive and kind of surprised that I was able to capture things throughout. I even remember laughing along with them at one point as I was pushing,” Lisa recalled.

In the end, Lisa was so glad she went through with her experiment. She got incredible pictures — and it actually did make her labor easier.

Would she recommend every mom-to-be document their birth in this way? Absolutely not. What works for one person may not work at all for another.

However, if you do have a hobby that relaxes you, figuring out how to incorporate it into one of the most stressful moments in your life is a pretty good way to keep yourself calm and focused.

Expecting and love the idea of documenting your own birthing process?

Take some advice from Lisa: “Don’t put pressure on yourself to get ‘the shot'” she says, “and enjoy the moment as much as you can.”

Lisa’s mom took this one. Photo via Lisa Robinson/Lisa Robinson Photography.

This article originally appeared on 06.03.16

I first saw a psychiatrist for my anxiety and depression as a junior in high school.

During her evaluation, she asked about my coursework. I told her that I had a 4.0 GPA and had filled my schedule with pre-AP and AP classes. A puzzled look crossed her face. She asked about my involvement in extracurricular activities. As I rattled off the long list of groups and organizations I was a part of, her frown creased further.

Finally, she set down her pen and looked at me, saying something along the lines of “You seem to be pretty high-functioning, but your anxiety and depression seem pretty severe. Actually, it’s teens like you who scare me a lot.”

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Photo via iStock.

Now I was confused. What was scary about my condition? From the outside, I was functioning like a perfectly “normal” teenager. In fact, I was somewhat of an overachiever.

I was working through my mental illnesses and I was succeeding, so what was the problem?

I left that appointment with a prescription for Lexapro and a question that I would continue to think about for years. The answer didn’t hit me all at once.

Instead, it came to me every time I heard a suicide story on the news saying, “By all accounts, they were living the perfect life.”

It came to me as I crumbled under pressure over and over again, doing the bare minimum I could to still meet my definition of success.

It came to me as I began to share my story and my illness with others, and I was met with reactions of “I had no idea” and “I never would have known.” It’s easy to put depression into a box of symptoms.

Even though we’re often told that mental illness comes in all shapes and sizes, I think we’re still stuck with certain “stock images” of mental health in our heads.

When we see depression and anxiety in adolescents, we see teens struggling to get by in their day-to-day lives. We see grades dropping, and we see involvement replaced by isolation. But it doesn’t always look like this.

And when we limit our idea of mental illness, at-risk people slip through the cracks.

We don’t see the student with the 4.0 GPA or the student who’s active in choir and theater or a member of the National Honor Society or the ambitious teen who takes on leadership roles in a religious youth group.

Depression can look completely different for everyone. Photo from iStock.

No matter how many times we are reminded that mental illness doesn’t discriminate, we revert back to a narrow idea of how it should manifest, and that is dangerous.

Recognizing this danger is what helped me find the answer to my question.

Watching person after person — myself included — slip under the radar of the “depression detector” made me realize where that fear comes from. My psychiatrist knew the list of symptoms, and she knew I didn’t necessarily fit them. She understood it was the reason that, though my struggles with mental illness began at age 12, I didn’t come to see her until I was 16.

If we keep allowing our perception of what mental illness looks like to dictate how we go about recognizing and treating it, we will continue to overlook people who don’t fit the mold.

We cannot keep forgetting that there are people out there who, though they may not be able to check off every symptom on the list, are heavily and negatively affected by their mental illness. If we forget, we allow their struggle to continue unnoticed, and that is pretty scary.

Marvel’s Avengers has not had the smoothest game experience. There were issues that fans had with the game from the earliest trailers, such as the way characters looked, but some of that can be chalked up to extremely high expectations — this is The Avengers IP after all.

Unfortunately, not only have those expectations not been met, but they’ve frequently found a way to fall below the bar. While most fans have said combat has been fun, the process of leveling up characters and unlocking cosmetics has been extremely frustrating. Of course, players can buy the battle pass, but certain characters have separate passes which means anyone that doesn’t want to pay has to grind it out through level ups. This became more difficult when XP was changed to make leveling up take longer.

Despite all of that, players were still logging on to grind out as much as they could. Then it was announced that, if players wanted to level up faster, they could simply purchase XP boosts in the shop. This was the final straw for many of the game’s long time players. They had put up with all the issues the game had thrown at them to that point, but seeing such a gross example of microtransactions thrown in their face as they were grinding out every level they could was too much. They unsurprisingly started pushing back on the choice to add XP boosts, and less than 30 days later, developers of the game announced that they are removing the feature.

Earning player trust back is going to be the big thing. There were a lot of fans that genuinely enjoyed the game despite its flaws, so seeing the developers blatantly exploit them like that must have felt like a slap in the face. On the plus side, the developers recognized that and eventually removed the XP boosts. That is a good step and maybe this game can finally start moving forward with some positives instead of constantly being overshadowed by its own mistakes.

In a hilarious faux press conference posted earlier today on Instagram, Anderson .Paak announced that he’s launching a brand new label. Dubbed Apesh*t, he explained that the name is partly an acronym for “Anderson .Paak Empire” and a reference to the fact that “we on some other sh*t.”

A press release indicated that Apeshit is indeed a partnership with Universal Music Group and that Paak’s focus is on “no gimmicks, no button-pushing, just raw talent.” An unusual success story himself, this effort definitely feels like he’s trying to find other multi-talented artists that have gone undiscovered the way he was until he broke through on Dr. Dre’s Compton album in 2015, and then with his own album Malibu in early 2016. “I’m looking for artists that can captivate an audience,” he elaborated in the Instagram video. “I want musicians. I want people that can play instruments and perform at the same time.”

Apesh*t has a website up already proclaiming itself as “A disruptive platform for the most captivating talent in the world,” as well as a new Instagram account with upwards of 6,000 followers on its first day of existence. “Do you plan on signing artists from Korea?” one of the actors in the Instagram clip asked in Korean. Paak replied in Korean with “Yes lawd!”

It feels like strategic timing to introduce Apeshit to the world as An Evening With Silk Sonic, Paak’s album with Bruno Mars as Silk Sonic, is set to arrive on November 11th. As the video comes to a close, he looks at the camera and delivers a parting thought on the venture: “The game is crazy man. This industry can be like a jungle. Snakes, tigers, rainy days, hot days…What I’m trying to say is look: If the industry is like the jungle? Well, I guess we got no choice but to go APESH*T!”

The QAnon-backed JFK Jr.-resurrection saga has, if you can believe it, taken an even stranger turn.

Just to recap, a bunch of QAnon believers have had a pretty unhealthy obsession with the deceased son of former President John F. Kennedy for a while now. They once predicted he would pop up in Washington, D.C. on July 4th a couple of years ago but, sadly for them, that did not end up happening. The running theme of these John F. Kennedy, Jr. conspiracy theories seems to be that he’s alive, in hiding, and has been working in secret for years to dismantle the “deep state.”

With us so far? Good, because this is where things get batsh*t crazy. Like, even more delusional than the above.

QAnon folks predicted that JFK, Jr., who tragically perished in a plane crash in the ’90s, would be making an appearance at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas on Monday night to make some sort of announcement — one that either reinstated Donald Trump as president or announced he’d be running as Trump’s Vice President pick in 2024. Obviously, this did not happen. But, here’s the kicker: now (and via Raw Story), a bunch of QAnon people are backtracking, saying that JFK, Jr. is actually going to open for the Rolling Stones at their concert in the city tonight.

That’s right: the group that believes lizard-people are running the world’s governments now thinks the dead son of a former president is going to be the opening act for an English rock band.

And that’s not all — mostly because it never is with these weirdos. No, apparently, QAnon followers are claiming that they’ve spotted even more dead celebrities strolling around Dallas this weekend. Everyone from Robin Williams to Dale Earnhardt has been mentioned amongst the group. And look, we might believe that last bit if it was still All Hallows Eve when the veil between the living and dead thins and unsettling things are known to happen but it’s Tuesday at a venue called the Cotton Bowl Stadium, you guys.

And it seems extremely odd that JFK, Jr. is suddenly the right-wing flavor of the month. He was a staunch Democrat, from a blue-blooded lineage that was the definition of the coastal elite stereotype these people seem to hate so fervently. Why he would be supporting Trump if he decided to reanimate is entirely beyond us.

(Via Raw Story)

Kanye West’s latest string of attention-grabbing stunts continues. Just a week after legally changing his name to “Ye,” the mercurial producer started wearing a playful but deeply unsettling Halloween mask for public appearances, then debuted a strange, seemingly self-styled haircut — but it doesn’t stop there. As photos from Kanye’s latest Sunday Service on October 31 emerged online, fans noticed yet another new change that will certainly raise a few eyebrows. Not Kanye’s eyebrows, though… because it appears he’s shaved them completely off.

It’s as yet unclear why he would do such a thing — other than, y’know, the whole Kanye of it — but fans have already noticed and begun sharing their impressions.

The move certainly appears to have been inspired in part by the controversial guest Kanye brought to the latest edition of Sunday Service, Marilyn Manson. Kanye seems to have developed a soft spot for the disgraced rocker over the past few months. After Manson was accused of sexual assault and several other musicians distanced themselves from him in the wake of his arrest for that assault, Kanye brought him out to the third Donda listening event in Chicago along with DaBaby, who was also under fire for making homophobic comments at Rolling Loud in Miami. Ye even added Manson to the final version of his album, and now, it looks like he’s even starting to take on some of Manson’s styling tips — for better or worse.

One of California’s most beloved boutique festivals, Lightning In A Bottle, will be going strong in 2022. The event is based in Buena Vista Lake and produced by the experiential collective Do LaB, who have also gained traction for producing a stage at Coachella every year. Next year’s event features a stacked line-up including the likes of Glass Animals, Purity Ring, Little Simz, Kaytranada, Empress Of and many more.. The event will stretch over five days (!) for Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-30. With an emphasis on electronic music, from house and bass to techno and even venturing into indie rock, the event’s focus on inventive stage design and immersive set experiences is all part of the draw.

Aside from the festival itself, Lightning In A Bottle is teaming up with RÜFÜS DU SOL for their November 12-14 shows at the Banc of California stadium. The fest will be hosting “an immersive sound reactive video sculpture that is 150 feet long to the grounds outside the stadium during all three days, which will provide a preview to the installation appearing at LIB.”

Keep an eye out for that coming next weekend, and check out the full lineup for the festival below.

Lightning Stage
Glass Animals
Kaytranada
GRiZ
Chet Faker
SG Lewis
Purity Ring
Little Simz
Monolink
CHIKA
Empress Of
Rexx Life Raj
Elder Island
Blu DeTiger
Austin Millz
Gone Gone Beyond
Moontricks
Hermanos Guitierrez
Muzi

Thunder Stage
Big Wild
CloZee
Ekali
G Jones b2b EPROM
GoldLink
Koffee
Opiuo
Mr. Carmack
LSDREAM
Big Freedia
Dirtwire
Ivy Lab
EDIT
Memba
Elephant Heart
Of the Trees
Rome In Silver
The Librarian
Megan Hamilton
Jon Casey
Zebbler Encanti Experience
A Hundred Drums
Kilamanzego
Player Dave
Khiva

Woogie Stage
Black Coffee
Four Tet
Seth Troxler
Maya Jane Coles
Jon Hopkins
Hernan Cattaneo
YOTTO
Kyle Watson
Eli & Fur
VNSSA
Max Cooper
WhoMadeWho
Innellea
Dj Minx
Lubelski
Mira
Sama’ Abdulhadi
Marques Wyatt
SOHMI
Carlita
HoneyLuv
Jeremy Sole & Nickodemus
Caleesi & Sarah Kreis
Liam Fitzgerarld
Paraleven
J.Gill

Tickets are available here.

La Brea (NBC, 9:00pm) — Natalie Zea is still stuck in a primeval hellhole, where pterodactyls and bad CGI reside. At this point, Eve and Levi and a handful of others already discovered a mysterious fort, after a plane crash and that massive sinkhole, and man, this show is nuts. And this week, the sinkhole survivors launch an escape attempt as time runs out for a proper window and a warning arrives.

The Last O.G. (TBS, 10:00 & 10:30pm) — Season 4 has arrived with two episodes that follow up on Tracy Morgan’s Tray as he continues to pick up the pieces, which means finding a place of his own. This week, Tray’s love of cooking prompts him to find an even greater love.

Stargirl (CW, 8:00pm) — Wellllll, Joel McHale will return to this series as a regular (after Starman’s very apparent death in the pilot episode) in Season 3, but before that happens, the show’s teasing how Courtney follows up on finding help from an unlikely source.

Supergirl (CW, 9:00pm) — Supergirl goes extra serious with her patrol practices to keep the city safe from Lex and Nyxly, all while a bachelorette party lurks in the background.

Queens (ABC, 10:00pm) — Following Girls5Eva‘s success on Peacock, this similarly themed series follows a fractured girl group that was once part of a hip-hop dynasty. Now in their 40s, can these ladies recapture their former magic and swagger? This week, a bad concert review sets the group back while Naomi’s being a control freak.

Chucky (SYFY and USA, 10:00pm) — The O.G. homicidal doll is still at it, this time with original voice actor Brad Dourif in this sequel series. This week, the “World Series of Slaughter” continues with Jake and Devon finding an ally to outsmart the doll.

Son Of Monarchs (HBO Max film) — Biologist Alexis Gambis directs this semi-autobiographical story that stars Tenoch Huerta (of Narcos: Mexico). The biologist character in this story goes on a personal journey while confronting trauma and the meaning of identity while exploring a butterfly forest town in Mexico while going home for a family event after growing accustomed to life in New York.

Ridley Jones: Season 2 (Netflix series) — This one will keep the kids entertained while following a six-year-old child who transforms into a hero who can protect the museum exhibits inside of her own home. In the process, she learns the value of family and the importance of respecting other humans, despite all of our differences.

Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis (Netflix film) — This short-and-not-so-sweet story retells now WWII vets discovered a secret U.S. military camp where Jewish soldiers did the interrogating upon Nazi POWs near Washington, D.C.

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Kieran Culkin, Fred Armisen, Lucy Dacus

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Steve Schirripa, Michael Imperioli, Roy Mayorga