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endysgirl · 4 years

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Sailor Mars Birthday Tribute

I am so late on posting this but I just did not have time to edit. For Mars I wanted to talk about her 90s anime version and her much better manga version.

Let me start by laying my bias wide open. I never liked Sailor Mars. As a kid I thought she was unnecessarily mean. She was and still is my least favorite, besides ChibiMoon. She’s beautiful, and her powers and attacks are awesome. As for how she fits into the overall scheme of things, I have major issues with how the anime portrayed her compared to how Naoko intentioned her. Frankly, I can’t help but view 90s anime Rei as an imposter and I’ll explain why...

Ok, first let’s talk about 90’s anime-Rei. We know she’s very hard working, goes to an elite girls’s Catholic school and wants to be an independent career woman when she grows up. Yet, for some reason (*cough*patriarchy) she sees Mamoru in season one and thinks he’s perfect so she’s gotta have him. She embarrasses herself going all boy crazy over him (he literally steps on her head and just walks away) and he seems like a typical clueless dude who doesn’t realize she *likes* him. I relate hardcore to Mamoru here. She’s so thirsty and he is so not. Then fast forward to after Endymion gets taken and Rei slaps Usagi calling her a coward. It’s meant to be some great emotional scene that some fans latch on to. Yet, it’s not Rei’s slap that motivates Usagi. It just hurts her. Go watch it again (epi35); it’s the voice of Mask from her memory, gently and patiently encouraging her, as always, that she is strong and can fight that spurs Moon into action. We’ve seen over and over that Usagi responds to patient encouragement over violence, just like when she does when she faces the baddest villains. Yet, the 90s anime always has Rei cutting her down. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just the patriarchy at work, trying to convince young girls that the boy or girl who’s mean to you really does care about you. It’s toxic and just plain stupid.

Now, am I saying 90s anime Rei doesn’t really care about Usagi? No. Not at all. She’s her Senshi and they share the same heart and the same dream to protect those they love together. Of course she loves Usagi. My issue is how the 90s anime portrays that dynamic. It’s spreading toxicity within female friendships and trying to sell it as genuine. I also understand that Mars’s fiery personality is what a lot of her fans love about her. I’m not saying that’s bad either, even if it’s an inaccurate representation of the character Naoko created. Apparently, it was Ikuhara that wanted the anime to change her cold and aloof personality to “fiery”. To perpetuate the patriarchal tropes I’ve mentioned, the anime tried to paint her as Usagi’s bff of the group, usurping Minako’s place. In the manga, Minako is the Leader of the Senshi and the one closest to Usagi in personality and in her role as the Leader of Serenity’s guards. Yet the anime is constantly trying to make Mars the one that is extra special to Usagi. Case in point, at the end of Stars the first voice we hear address Eternal Moon after she defeats Galaxia is Rei but in the manga, Usagi is drawn hugging Minako first. These little moments bother me, probably a little too much.

Then there’s the love triangle they tried to created with her and Mamoru. Fucking kill me. The love triangle garbage is just typical, patriarchal tropism within the storyline that has no place in the SM story in regards to Mars. Let’s make two friends like the same dude bc that’s drama that people have been conditioned to enjoy. It’s lame as far as I’m concerned. Let’s take a moment to remember the random, stupid and pointless scene in the curry episode where ChibiUsa and Mamoru run into Rei and after a moment of awkwardness they decide to go find Usagi together. Tell me that’s not the patriarchy trying to validate one woman’s place by using another woman as comparison instead of letting her stand on her own. 😒 And they’re trying to backtrack on the whole Rei liking Mamoru episode. This isn’t Rei’s fault obviously, I’m just using this scene to explicate why I don’t like the dynamic the anime created, and why that makes Mars a difficult one for me to get excited about.

There’s no way you can convince me that Mars’s bitchiness wasn’t a direct result of a “male perspective” (as Naoko called it). The idea that female bffs bully each other and cat fight all the time is ludicrous. As a 32yo woman (and lifelong Moonie) with a tight circle of girlfriends, there isn’t a single one of us who would tolerate such toxicity from the other, even at 14yo. It just isn’t realistic, unless it’s a bad relationship. I’ll give the anime credit for getting one thing right - her bravery. In both the manga and the anime, Mars is fearless. She charges into battle and gives it her all. She doesn’t let any doubt get in her way. She does not hesitate or dwell on self-doubt. And that alone is reason enough to love her.

Now, let’s discuss Manga-Rei. Because Adult-Moonie-Me LOVES manga-Mars. She actually appears in Codename Sailor V outside the arcade. She says the atmosphere is “disquieting” and leaves. In the manga, she’s very quiet and reserved. There is no bickering or cat fighting between her and Usagi. She’s also probably the most objectively beautiful of the Inners. She’s suppose to be “slender”, with long black hair and brown eyes which are sometimes seen as purple. When Usagi first sees her on the bus, she thinks she’s soooo beautiful. And another time, when they’re at the beach/pool, guys keep buying Rei drinks but she’s not flirting or giving them any attention, bc she is not boy crazy. Sis is enjoying those drinks tho.

Her awakening in the manga is very similar to the anime with the exception that’s she sees a premonition of Usagi and Jadeite that makes her go find the bus. Like the other Senshi, she is drawn to Usagi.

In her manga profile, her dislikes are television, modern society (the anime has her immersed in pop culture, going so far as to make her write her own songs and dance at the school festival), canned asparagus and men. It’s implied that she doesn’t like men or care for them bc of her father. He never had time for her and she doesn’t have a good relationship with him. Plus in a short story, she has a guy she likes but he chooses to follow her father’s footsteps into politics. So she kisses him and is like, boy, bye. ✌🏽 She considers men emotionally weak, untrustworthy and is generally disinterested in them, even if they’re buying her drinks and fawning over her. Same, Sis.

She is described as beautiful and “reserved”, but “scary” when she’s angry. She so beautiful that when Mamoru’s underclassman, Asanuma, sees her, he thinks she would be the perfect girlfriend for Mamoru (who Asanuma thinks is perfect) and that she should be Mamoru’s ideal type. He’s really surprised that Usagi is so *ordinary*.

Rei has strong precognition and has an affinity to fire. Ironically, there is nothing in Shintoism about fire reading, so that must just be a shoutout to the Greek influence on the manga. I love her psychic abilities in both the anime and the manga. Random fun fact: Naoko worked at a Shinto temple for a while before or maybe during college.

Mars is one of the only Senshi, like Michiru, who can use an item as an attack in her civilian and Senshi form. Her “ofuda” (Shinto talismans) are powerful enough to disperse evil and make regular people faint (remember anime epi w/Unazuki’s mouth getting sealed and in the manga/crystal she accidentally “purifies” Usagi, causing her to faint). Mikos (shrine maidens) are known to use archery attacks, so civilian Rei was already proficient in archery before awakening as Mars. Also, just like Jupiter’s earrings stay on her when she transforms, Mars is always wearing a pendant and when she transforms, it attaches at the waist to her fuku.

Mars also, uniquely, has her own guardians: the Crows, Phobos and Deimos. In the anime, the crows never take human form as they do in the manga. In the Dead Moon arc, Jupiter and Mercury power up by speaking with their inner consciousness. But Mars powers up by speaking with the human forms of her crows. This is a great moment in the manga bc Phobos and Deimos basically tell Rei that’s it’s ok to not want or desire men and marriage. She is the asexual goddess everyone overlooks and I love this aspect to her personality. The Crows are the ones to give her the Mars Crystal which is her starseed. We also find out here that Mars pledged a vow of Chastity to Serenity in the SilMill. They don’t explain the reasons behind the vow, but considering Rei’s spirituality and serious conservatism, it’s understandable. Also, while Phobos and Deimos are named after the moons on Mars, in the Stars Arc it’s revealed that they’re from the Coronis and were acquainted with Sailor Lead Crow.

For the most part, Rei in the manga seems more boring than Rei in the 90s anime, but personally, I don’t think so. Reading the manga in middle school and seeing a female not *give*a*fuck* about marriage was awesome to me. She’s also kinder and she has far more respect for Usagi. She’s extremely popular at her school and has her own fan club. She carries herself with a certain dignity that reminds me of Michiru. She’s second in command after Venus. And let me end this by saying that Crystal gave Rei justice, and for that I am happy.

Happy Birthday, Mars! 🔥 🌙 ⭐️

P. S. Check out Allison Yarrow’s book “90’s Bitch: Media, Culture and the Failed Promise of Gender Equality” for more detailed analysis on how women in the 90s who wanted to have a home and a career got turned into the bitchy boss, bitchy girlfriend or bitchy best friend to subvert their quest for gender equality. I think Rei is the perfect example of this narrative. Especially when you consider men changed her nature in the anime from what her female creator intended for her. Also, check out the podcast on it https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unladylike/id1333193523?i=1000432317654 (podcast name: Unladylike episode 45. how to free the 90s Bitch)

Thanks for reading all this you wonderful Moonies!!!

#sailor mars #sailormars #rei hino #hino rei #90s bitch #bitchification #sailor moon #sailor senshi #sailor moon fan writing #hottest senshi #mahou shoujo #magical girl #pretty soldier sailor moon #rei #raye #anime #90s anime #manga

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audreycj-things · 4 years

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[𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮] Why League of Legends’ K/DA is Slaying the Music Scene

Have you ever stumbled across social media posts about a virtual girl group called K/DA? You know, the one with a pretty nine-tailed fox girl? Rings a bell? Well, you should have because this year, the group has been continually spoiling us with breathtaking music and visuals. K/DA regularly tests the limits of that border between virtual reality and actual reality, so it’s no surprise that they’ve gained a strong fan base beyond the gaming world in just a few months.

Before anything else, what is League of Legends?

Popularly abbreviated as LoL or League, League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Riot Games in 2009. It is often cited as the most popular game in the world, both competitively and casually.

The mode most people are familiar with takes place in one map called Summoner’s Rift. In this mode, a game involves two teams of five members. All players assume the role of chosen champions, which are characters with unique abilities and characteristics. The goal is to destroy the opposing team’s Nexus, a structure that lies at the heart of their base. Along the way, there are plenty of obstacles and objectives that can easily turn the game around.

For me, league is incredibly fun when I get all my friends into voice chat and play with them. It’s been a great destressor for me whenever online classes overwhelm me too much. Cheers to my friends who are always down to play with me!

Well, what is K/DA?

K/DA is a virtual girl group consisting of four themed versions of League of Legends characters, namely Ahri, Akali, Evelynn, and Kai’Sa.

Ahri (voiced by K-pop group (G)I-dle member Miyeon) is a nine-tailed foxgirl mage in League, who is one of the most popular characters in the game. In-game, her abilities revolve primarily around dashing around and a Charm ability which forces enemies to walk towards her. In K/DA, Ahri and Evelynn serve as the main vocalists.

Akali (voiced by K-pop group (G)I-dle member Soyeon) is an assassin-type character who weaves in and out of the darkness and throws kunai (a Japanese tool and weapon) at opponents. In K/DA, Akali is the rapper of the group.

Evelynn (voiced by American singer Madison Beer) is, similar to Akali, an assassin-type character, whose lore is centered around being a succubus. In K/DA, Ahri and Evelynn serve as the main vocalists.

Kai'Sa (voiced by American singer Jaira Burns) is a marksman character in the game. According to her lore, after spending most of her life trapped in The Void, a horrific alternate dimension, she returned as a killer who zooms around and shoots missiles from cannons floating above her shoulders. In K/DA, Kai'Sa is the main dancer of the group.

The group was developed by Riot Games, the company behind League of Legends. The concept around K/DA was based on Riot’s desire to create more musical content, promote the League Worlds Championship, and sell in-game K/DA skins of the characters. And the name “K/DA” is actually an in-game term that refers to a player’s kills, deaths, and assists. Talk about creativity!

Needless to say, K/DA has achieved significant popularity within and beyond the league community. Aside from flooding social media platforms with official posts and fan-made content, the group is breaking YouTube records and charting on Billboard’s world lists. It’s a perfect case of virtual reality transcending the boundaries of the 2D world.

How are they dominating the world?

Simple: by releasing banger songs paired with equally stunning visuals!

[1] POP/STARS (2018)

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POP/STARS was released as a single on November 2, 2018 as promotion for the 2018 League of Legends World Championship. It became popular with one of the fastest viewership records for its music on YouTube. Commercially, the song topped the World Digital Songs chart, making K/DA the fourth K-pop girl group to top the chart and fifth female act overall.

[2] THE BADDEST (2020)

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The Baddest was released as a single on August 27, 2020. It is also the lead single from K/DA’s extended play All Out. It is the group’s first song since POP/STARS in 2018. The song was accompanied by a lyric video which was uploaded to League’s to official YouTube channel.

[3] MORE (2020)

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More was released as a single on October 28, 2020. It is also a single from K/DA’s extended play All Out. It features Seraphine, League’s newest champion who was initially introduced as a virtual influencer on Twitter and Instagram.

[4] VILLAIN (2020)

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Villain was released as a single on November 14, 2020. It is also a single from K/DA’s extended play All Out. The song was accompanied by a concept video which was uploaded to League’s to official YouTube channel.

BONUS: SERAPHINE CONTENT

As established earlier, Seraphine started out as a virtual influencer on Twitter and Instagram. Before professionally stepping into the music industry, she began in the comfort of her home, doing songs covers and uploading them to YouTube. (She is voiced by Jasmine Clarke.)

Well, her covers are absolutely amazing. Here is my most favorite one. I hope it blesses your ears as much as it did mine!

☆ CHILDHOOD DREAMS

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#league of legends #gaming #music #k/da #blog post

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blackbatpurplecat · 5 years

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My Thoughts on Batman: Hush (the animated movie)

The story arc Batman: Hush from 2002 was one of the first Batman comics I have ever read and it quickly became one of my all time favorites. I would have given everything to get an animated movie based on it!

Then the adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke came out and changed everything.

I had to take a closer look at recent DC animated movies and realized their glorious days had been over for a long time. I stopped wishing for an animated movie. One came out anyway. So was I wrong? Was this another loveless adaptation with stiff animation and unnecessary changes?

Right at the start, we see a closeup of Gordon’s hand and he’s wearing his wedding ring on his middle finger so... yup, I’m sure DC invested a lot of money in the film’s production...

I’m gonna assume we all know the comic’s story. We know about BatCat giving their love a try, that Bruce reveals his identity to Selina, that Catwoman pushes Lois Lane off the Daily Planet to help Supes break free from Ivy’s control, how Bruce’s childhood friend Thomas Elliot is killed, how Clayface is mimicking Jason Todd which triggers Batman, that the new villain called Hush actually is Thomas Elliot who had teamed up with Riddler, that Riddler knows who Batman is, and that Batman breaks up with Catwoman because he’s still having trust issues.

Let’s just say the arc is PACKED with story and characters so it shouldn’t be hard to make a movie out of it, right? Sure, I was expecting some changes because of its packed-ness. Not every single subplot and every single character would make the cut, I get it. However, I still wasn’t prepared for what DC turned the story into.

So what were some of those changes and what did I think of them:

- replace Killer Croc with Bane. alright, more people know Bane, it’s fine - replace Huntress with Batgirl. ugggggh, okayyy... more people know Batgirl. I feel bad that this choice removed Oracle’s existence but okay. she had one scene, you already had the character design from that godawful Killing Joke movie and not enough budget to make Huntress, I can see past this - cut Leslie Thompkins. hmmm yessss okay, she wasn’t that essential to the story, alright, I can live with it - cut the entire involvement of the League of Assassins. I’m not the biggest fan of Ra’s al Ghul and co. so I didn’t mind that they reduced it to one cameo of Lady Shiva. HOWEVER she is the world’s best fighter! WHY NOT SHOW HER FIGHTING?! she could have been so much better but they chose to waste her for exposition purposes - make Amanda Waller skinny. yes, they once again turned the baddest bitch into a skinny woman because we can’t have fat people in a Batman movie, no one wants to fuck a fat Waller or jerk it over a fat Waller -__- just get over yourselves, DC you assholes! - Robin was cut entirely. wow. just wow. why do DC hate Robin so much? I don’t get it! - the shit stain rape result popped up in one scene for absolutely no purpose except for poorly establishing a fucked up “continuity” between all recent DC animated movies. something NO ONE in the fucking world wants or needs. just kill that little shit, he serves no purpose, he was annoying as fuck, he wasn’t even created when the original story came out, fuck him, delete him, stop shoe horning him into every Batman-related thing, he’s useless - cut the entire Jason Todd part. again, why the Robin hate?! it was one of the most emotional parts of the story, why cut it?! - cut the BatCat scenes in the cave, including Alfred telling Selina that he thinks the world of her. no words except for “what a disappointment” - change the entire ending and make it worse. S I G H

So Thomas Elliot was just a red herring for everyone who’s read the comics. Instead of Hush having a personal connection to Bruce and having more complex reasons to kill him, we get Riddler who wants to kill him just because he can. Cool. But seriously, who thought that this would make a satisfying ending?!

Kidnap Catwoman, make her the damsel in distress, have Batman come save her, and kill the bad guy - sounds like a quality script to me...

But apart from the poorly written ending, I have a major problem with what the movie focuses on: the Batman x Catwoman romance.

A huge reason why I love the comic is the BatCat relationship. It’s the first time, Batman kisses Catwoman back, it’s Bruce willingly revealing his secret to Selina to include her in his ENTIRE life and trust her with his life. We see them work together really well, we see how Selina loves Bruce but also doesn’t give up her independence. She’s willing to be by his side but won’t turn into his sidekick or change into a to him more “convenient” version of herself. And most importantly, she understands and appreciates and loves Bruce for his moral code.

DC being DC, they of course only half-ass their biggest romance.

While I did enjoy the added BatCat footage like Bruce and Selina in bed (I LoVeD that Selina sounded like they had just had the wildest most erotic experience ever while she was still wearing a shirt and he was wearing his boxers and both Selina and Bruce looked stiff as boards o_O ), having breakfast together, sharing kisses, taking down thugs together, and just the entire pacing indicated that their relationship grew over a longer time period in comparison to the comic, the movie fucked up essential points which I won’t forgive.

Catwoman was portrayed as a murderous, reckless villain. There’s no way around it. It was HER who threw Lois off a building and Bats chided her for it (IN THE COMICS IT WAS HIS IDEA), he has to hold her back from scratching up a bad guy’s face, she cuts the line holding Riddler so he falls to his death (CATWOMAN ACTIVELY KILLS HERE), and in the end, she angrily accuses Bruce of being absolutely insane because he has a moral code to keep himself from becoming what he’s fighting against.

What the flying fuck?!

That ending pissed me off SO MUCH! In the comic’s story arc, Batman breaks it off due to trust issues and it did seem a bit rushed and irrational just to re-establish the comics’ status quo of “Batman has to be single” but it’s a SO MUCH BETTER REASON than what the movie gives us! Catwoman has no problem with killing (one of the reasons I hate Nolan’s interpretation of her) and doesn’t understand Bruce AT ALL, she doesn’t get him as a person, she doesn’t understand that he wants to SAVE and PROTECT. He sums it up quite well, if there’s a chance to save someone, he has to at least try. That’s the hopeful Bruce we rarely see because DC fanboys are all about grim gritty edgy brutal.

And then they part on “maybe we’ll see things the same someday” a.k.a. Catwoman hopes that Batman will someday have NO problem with killing. Fuck. You.

So in this movie, Selina was a reckless murderess, a damsel in distress, and of course willing to change herself for a man and not for herself. Big round of applause for shitting on Catwoman.

Alright, done with my rant on story-related shit. What else was there?

Yes, the additional BatCat scenes were nice as well as the interaction between Catwoman and Nightwing. Just Nightwing in general was awesome. A true BatCat shipper.

The dialogues were bad. Best example is the post-sex one.

I can’t say much about the music, it was so bland that I have already forgotten it.

The animation ranged from nice to fucking bad. They had clearly put more effort into the fighting scenes when the movements were fluid and smooth - and then you get back to stiff, dead characters and nothing moves on them except their mouths. I couldn’t help but compare the shots to the comic’s pages: Superman and Poison Ivy, Joker on the trashcan, the big BatCat kiss - they all looked fucking ICONIC in the books but so boring and bland in the movie, with a color palette that covered mostly black and gray. There was absolutely nothing memorable about the adaptation’s look and style.

(also: yes, we totally needed ivy kissing catwoman so all the fanboys have jerk material again and harley quinn’s costume reveals her shoulders now? what a mUcH nEeDeEd change to the costume, yes, well done)

Also the pacing was weird, there were SO many awkward pauses in-between dialogues. I cringed way too often watching this.

Which brings me to the voice-acting. Did DC have so little faith in one of their most iconic stories that they didn’t even bother to get Conroy + Hamill? I guess so. Once Upon a Time star Jennifer Morrison did a great job at being Catwoman, her voice was a really good choice! Also Sean Maher as Nightwing was a riot. Jason Spisak was a surprisingly good Joker as well as Hynden Walch as Harley Quinn - but how do you cast Tara Strong and NOT give her Harley?!

The biggest dud however was Jason O’Mara again. He has no range at all, he keeps his voice as monotonous as possible ALL THE FRICKING TIME. There’s no Bruce Wayne voice, no Batman voice, he just grumbles everything without any emotions behind it.

Well, I guess that was it. I could go into more detail about every single thing they changed but I think this review is long enough as it is already. ;)

Would I recommend the animated adaptation of Batman: Hush? Maybe. To me, it was an expected letdown because DC’s animated movies are almost on the same very low level of the live-action movies nowadays, so if you’d ask me “should I watch it?”, I’d say “if you like BatCat, yes BUT read the comic first and don’t expect too much from the movie.”

#review #Personal note

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bestminecraftskins · 2 years

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The best Minecraft Skins you can own in the game right now

From Iron Man to Billie Eilish, you can be anyone you want in Minecraft.

Deadpool

Kicking off with Deadpool, because he would likely have something to say to us if we didn't – this skin was made by KingJohn01 and is an amazing one to own because, well, because it is Deadpool and he is one of the most legendary characters out there.

Wonder Woman

The toughest superhero around? Quite possibly, but we can say for certain that Wonder Woman - or Diana Prince - is a skin that we would want to wear in Minecraft. Seeing her super suit in Minecraft form really is quite the sight - we adore it. There are actually a few different Wonder Woman skin variations you can choose if you wanted some variety too.

Batman

"I am vengeance! I am the night! I am a Minecraft skin!"

Get the Dark Knight himself as a skin for Minecraft and you will join many others who have done the same - it is up there with the most popular skins you can own.

Iron Man

We love this skin 3000! If you are over the devastating events of Avengers: Endgame and you are ready to have some Iron Man in your life again then grab this skin. A very significant enemy of Tony Stark appears further down this list too...

Captain America

While he is the former Captain America now if you go by the MCU timeline, you can relive the days of Steve Rogers with this Captain America skin. It might make Cap look cute rather than a formidable warrior, but still it's a great skin and another Avenger to add to the skin line-up.

Thanos

Let's finish up with one of the biggest and the baddest super-villains around - Thanos himself! The man who had the power to wipe out 50 per cent of the universe is now a Minecraft skin and he is a go-to choice for us – and as a Minecraft skin, he actually looks, dare we say it, quite cute!

The best Minecraft skins for Star Wars fans

Chewbacca

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Lando

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Jabba the Hut

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The best Minecraft skins for movie fans

Elsa

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Indiana Jones

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Pennywise

Next up is just about the creepiest thing we have ever seen. Yes, you can get a Pennywise skin and walk about the world of Minecraft making everyone else uncomfortable. But if you do decide that this is the skin for you, may we suggest reevaluating your life choices?

Shrek

Get out of the swamp and into the block-filled world of Minecraft with Shrek. This is another go-to skin for us - just look at him! There is also a Donkey skin but it does not look anywhere near as good as we had hoped - so we'll always favour Shrek.

The best Minecraft Skins for TV fans

Ash Ketchum

There may not be the option to catch Pokémon in Minecraft but that does not mean that Ash Ketchum is a no show! And if you are a fan of another pop culture icon named Ash, you can also get the Ash skin for The Evil Dead franchise!

Homer Simpson

Knock back a few cans of Duff beer and make sure you have a tray of pink doughnuts at the ready as you can play as the lovable Homer Simpson in Minecraft if you equip this skin! It's not just Homer that's available though as you can get skins for the whole Simpsons family - including baby Maggie.

Bob the Builder

A fitting skin to have for a game like Minecraft that involves lots of building, Bob is another that you can get in the game. Sadly, he doesn't just take over all the building for you and he offers no extra skills, but if you are going to go around building things then you may as well do it while looking like Bob the Builder!

Kermit

It's not easy being green, but it is easy to walk around the virtual world of Minecraft while looking like Kermit the frog! There is many a muppet that you can appear as in Minecraft but it has to be Kermit for us - a true muppet legend if ever there was one.

Daenerys Targaryen

Relive the glory days where most of us loved Games of Thrones and weren't let down by a rushed ending with this skin of the Mother of Dragons herself! But if there is also a Jon Snow skin doing the rounds then keep them apart - for multiple reasons.

The best Minecraft Skins for gaming fans

Geralt of Rivia

We will never tire of playing The Witcher games, so Geralt's Minecraft skin is a go-to for us and definitely one of our personal favourite skins that you can get hold of in the game.

Master Chief

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Yoshi

We could have gone with any number of Mario characters here, even the moustached plumber himself, but let's allow Yoshi a moment in the spotlight! It's just a fun-looking skin this one and the green really makes it stand out - so it's our choice from the world of Mario.

Lara Croft

Every game needs a character as cool as Tomb Raider legend, Lara Croft, and Minecraft is no exception. We seemingly have no new Tomb Raider games on the horizon in the near future so you may as well create some new adventures for Lara in the Minecraft world.

Link

The wait for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 may be a long one with late 2022 being the current release date, so kill some time by bringing Link into your Minecraft adventures. Or play every Zelda game in order - whichever you fancy!

Tetris

If you love the game Tetris, and you should because it remains a classic, then this skin is a must-own. Even if you are not a fan of the game it is still such a fun and unique looking skin that you may want it anyway!

The best Minecraft Skins for music fans

Billie Eilish

No, we are not joking as you actually can get a skin of singing sensation Billie Eilish while playing Minecraft now. And she has a skin, based on the music video to Bad Guy, that is far more detailed than you may expect - have a look close up when you have this skin to see what we mean!

Ed Sheeran

Until the pop-culture machine serves up an official Ed Sheeran video game (oh man, doesn't that sound scarily feasible?), this Minecraft skin is the best way for Sheeran's many fans to dress up as the musician in the gaming world. The wristbands are a nice touch.

Lady Gaga

It'll only take a quick search to discover that there are actually loads of Lady Gaga skins in Minecraft for players to choose from, with pretty much all of her famous fashion choices being adapted into the game by loyal fans from around the globe. We'd expect no less, to be honest with you!

#Minecraft skins #Best Minecraft skins

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Monster Madness: Vote for Your Favorite Monsters

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Every season is monster season in our hearts. But this March is a particularly good time to celebrate our enormous, scaly, and/or hairy friends. In the film world, the long-awaited Godzilla v. Kong arrives on March 31. Meanwhile on television, the final season of behemoth anime Attack on Titan is in the midst of its final season right now. Given that many of us are already primed for bracketology in March, we decided to create a bracket of our 32 favorite monsters for you, the monster-lover, to vote on.

In honor of Godzilla, Kong, and Attack on Titan’s many titans, we’re electing only to include kaiju-style monsters on this bracket. All of these monsters must A. be their own distinct individual (not a species like “cave trolls” or “aliens”) and B. be able to knock down a building (or at least cause catastrophic structural damage). That’s why you won’t see any Universal-style monsters (Frankenstein, Dracula, et. al) on our list.

If you’re unfamiliar with how a bracket works, never fear – each round we will present monster matchups one-by-one for you to vote on via our Twitter and within this post. The rules here are simple: peruse our list of 16 matchups and vote for your favorite monster. And whether “favorite” means “which monster would win in a fight” or “which monster I like the most” is up to you.

You can vote over at Den of Geek‘s Twitter or within this post.

Whichever monster receives the most votes will advance to the next round to face another victorious monster. This will lead to five total rounds with round 1 featuring 32 monsters, round 2 having 16, round 3 having 8, round 4 having 4, and round 5 having 2. The full voting schedule will be as follows:

Round 1 (32 monsters) – Voting Opens March 15 (Closes March 16 at 12 p.m. ET)

Round 2 (16 monsters) – Voting Opens March 18 (Closes March 19 at 12 p.m. ET)

Round 3 (8 monsters) – Voting Opens March 22 (Closes March 23 at 12 p.m. ET)

Round 4 (4 monsters) – Voting Opens March 25 (Closes March 26 at 12 p.m. ET)

Round 5 (2 monsters) – Voting Opens March 29 (Closes March 30 at 12 p.m. ET)

Results – March 31

With the monster rules and arena set, let’s get into the round 1 matchups!

Godzilla Region

1. Godzilla vs. 8. The Blob

You know that saying “if you come at the king, you best not miss?” Well in this monster bracket, Godzilla is the king. The big lizard is the iconic kaiju, having appeared in over 30 films and countless other bits of media. Who dares challenge his monster supremacy? The Blob. The Blob is…well, a blob. Best of luck!

2. King Ghidorah vs. 7. Destoroyah

Though Godzilla may be the king of monsters, only one kaiju is bold enough to include “King” in its name. That would be King Ghidorah. This three-headed beast first appeared in the fittingly named 1964 film King Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. He’s appeared in multiple eras of Godzilla films as an enemy to Godzilla and Mothra. Opposing Ghidorah is Destoroyah, an unholy combination of crab, insect, and bat.

3. Biollante vs. 6. Colossal Titan (Attack on Titan)

Kaiju movies are happy to turn just about anything into a terrifying monster. Case in point is the plant monster Biollante. Despite its rosy origins, Biollante is a fearsome foe to all. Meanwhile the Colossal Titan can knock down just about any wall put in front of it. He’s not the most dangerous titan in Attack on Titan, but he’s unquestionably the most iconic.

4. Yongary vs. 5. Quetzalcoatl (Q: The Winged Serpent)

Yongary looks quite a bit like Godzilla and that’s by design. The monster was introduced in 1967’s Yongary, Monster from the Deep to rival the success of the iconic monster. Suffice it to say, Yongary did not reach Godzilla heights, but he’s still pretty cool. Its opponent Quetzalcoalt comes from the 1982 film Q: The Winged Serpent. In some ways, Quetzalcoatl is the American answer to Godzilla, drawing from Aztec myth to create a winged beast.

King Kong Region

1. King Kong vs. 8. El Blanco (Tremors)

Only one monster can challenge Godzilla’s claim to the monster throne. And that’s the MONKE. First appearing in the 1933 film bearing his name, King Kong pre-dates Godzilla by 20 years. He comes from a simpler time where monsters could exist naturally and not as a byproduct from man’s vile nuclear experiments. King Kong rules. Trying to take the gorilla down is El Blanco, a notable graboid from the Tremors film series.

2. Mechagodzilla vs. 7. Hedorah

What could possibly take a big nuclear lizard down? The answer is so simple it’s been staring us in the face all along: a ROBOT lizard. Mechagodzilla was first depicted as an alien in the 1974 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. Since then he’s frequently turned up as a mechanical creation from mankind to keep Godzilla in check. And he does a decent enough job to be considered Godzilla’s archenemy. In this matchup, Mechagodzilla is opposed by Hedorah – who is just a big ol’ pile of toxic sludge.

3. Anguirus vs. 6. The Mind Flayer (Stranger Things)

Anguirus holds the honor of being the first monster to go toe-to-toe with Godzilla in battle. It didn’t go well for the massive Ankylosaurus but that didn’t keep him from becoming a mainstay in the Toho Godzilla movies. Meanwhile, Stranger Things isn’t hurting for notable monsters, with the Demogorgon being the most well-known. It’s only season 4’s The Mind Flayer, however, who has the strength and size to compete in this tournament.

4. Kraken (Clash of the Titans) vs. 5. Clover (Cloverfield)

The Kraken has had quite an impressive pop culture run. Who could forget Davy Jones crying “release the kraken!” in Pirates of the Caribbean? The Clash of the Titans version of this monster (both in the 1981 film and its 2010 remake) is undoubtedly the most fearsome. Opposing the Kraken in this competitive 4-5 matchup is the unnamed monster (oft nicknamed “Clover”) from the 2008 found footage movie Cloverfield. Viewers don’t catch many glimpses of Clover but when they do it’s clear he’s among the biggest and most dangerous monsters in the film canon.

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Mothra Region

1. Mothra vs. 8. King Caesar

Mothra is undoubtedly the most famous monster to come out of Toho’s kaiju films aside from Godzilla himself. As her name implies, Mothra is an enormous flying insect inspired by the “imagos” of silkworms. While many of the monsters in this bracket are destructive and villainous by default, Mothra is actually pretty chill and at times darn near heroic. Furred weirdo King Caesar draws the unenviable task of taking Mothra down.

2. Slattern (Pacific Rim) vs. 7. Pateesa (Star Wars)

Aside from the sprawling Godzilla franchise, Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim provides the most potential monster candidates for this list. Given that they’re all confined to one film, however (and make no mistake: there is only one Pacific Rim movie), we’ve opted to choose the most powerful PR kaiju to represent them all. That honor goes to Slattern, the biggest and baddest subterranean monster our heroes encounter. In the other corner is the Rancor (named Pateesa) from Star Wars – Return of the Jedi. Pateesa can be pretty fearsome…as long as there are no gate doors above him.

3. Cthulhu vs. 6. Monster X

H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu is one of the most terrifying monsters in all of literature. In fact, Cthulhu’s appearance is said to be incomprehensible and enough to drive men mad. Well, movies and television have had little issue depicting the Great Old One, with him frequently appearing as a squid monster in everything from 2020’s Underwater to a series of South Park episodes. Lovecraft’s version of Cthulhu would probably be unbeatable, but the film and TV version of him is a fair match. It’s up to Monster X, a skeletal kaiju from 2004’s Godzilla: Final Wars, to take Cthulhu down.

4. Smaug (The Hobbit) vs. 5. Gwoemul (The Host)

Most of the monsters in this tournament fall a bit short of human intelligence. That is not the case for The Hobbit’s massive dragon Smaug. Smaug is a clever fire drake and possibly the last great dragon in Middle-Earth. He can cause some real destruction, if he can be bothered to leave his treasures unguarded. Meanwhile, Gwoemul is the creature from Bong Joon-ho’s 2006 The Host. It’s also quite smarter than any fish monster has a right to be.

Rodan Region

1. Rodan vs. 8. Demon (Night of the Demon)

When it comes to Monster Madness battles, the ability to fly is never a bad thing. And that’s partially what makes Toho all-star Rodan so effective. Rodan is one of the Godzilla studio’s “big five” alongside Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Mechagodzilla. That place of honor is well-earned for the irradiated Pteranodon. Rodan has the strength and the skill to go far in this tourney. The eight-seed that will try to stop him is the demon from 1957 British horror film Night of the Demon. Like the Cloverfield monster, this demon is little-scene but still quite powerful.

2. Gamera vs. 7. Zigra

If you want a sleeper monster on this bracket, look no further than Gamera. This giant prehistoric turtle is a mainstay in kaiju movies and is often known as “The Friend of All Children” or “The Guardian of the Universe.” Alongside Mothra, he is one of the very few monsters willing to stick up for the little guy. His competition, Zigra, on the other hand is a total dirtbag. Gamera and Zigra’s matchups go way back to the 1971 film Gamera vs. Zigra. Gamera handled Zigra quite easily then. Can the loveable terrapin succeed again?

3. Megalon vs. 6. Gyaos

Megalon is a mainstay of monster comics who has also enjoyed a couple of film appearances. He’s yet another insectoid-style kaiju but he also brings some awesome drill arms to the table. Opposing Megalon this round will be Gyaos. Gyaos is a bat-like kaiju who first got a shot at monster-stardom in 1967’s Gamera vs. Gyaos. He was treated quite shabbily in that but perhaps he has a shot against this new opponent.

4. Gigan vs. 5. Reptilicus

This bracket already had some alien cyborg representation with Mechagodzilla but you know what they say “you can never have enough alien cyborgs.” Thankfully, Gigan is around. This red-eyed, be-chromed monster first appeared in the 1972 film Godzilla vs. Gigan. He’s since popped up in several more movies to give Godzilla a hard time. The monster that hopes to take Gigan down is Reptilicus, a sea serpent, who hails from a 1961 Danish-American movie bearing his name.

The post Monster Madness: Vote for Your Favorite Monsters appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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kpopgerapitico · 4 years

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Song of the Week

SM saw the end of the year and was like “All the releases? All the releases”

And a cut, because I go on a rant.

Honorable Mentions:

I’m making a small detour to a place I went in 2018, because one of my favorite K-pop adjacent tracks from that year, well it’s had a bit of a big month, and I was waiting for them to (I think) finish releasing the videos to talk about it. And that’s K/DA, which is the brainchild of a section of Riot Games to promote League of Legends, and specifically Worlds, via music. In 2018, POP/STARS hit hard and fast, with the combination of Western artists and two members of (G)-IDLE, for a pretty great song. This year has had 5 more tracks, starting with More 3 months ago, and ending with I’ll Show You today. Drum Go Dum and Villain have no Korean, but are still pretty solid tracks (the dance video style of Drum Go Dum is pretty great and Villain has such a cool video). The other three include 2 (G)-IDLE features and one Twice feature. The newest, I’ll Show You, features Twice, and feels the most upbeat pop of the trio. And the Twice vocals are bright and cheerful. The Baddest replaced everyone that wasn’t (G)-IDLE from the original lineup, and while the verses hit pretty hard, the chorus isn’t quite as addictive as their other tracks, in that it still sticks in your head pretty hard, but not quite as much. And finally, More has the original lineup, with a new Chinese addition. It is my favorite of the new releases (new-ish at this point), but still doesn’t hit quite as hard as the debut for me. Anyways, its all pretty solid music, especially since this is literally run by a game company. They don’t have any right to be dropping these good of tracks.

Back to your regularly scheduled K-pop

There is a pair of NCT U tracks. 90s Love is over half made of people not alive in 90s, but does have some of the hits from the era in terms of what’s happening musically, and I’m so amused by the oversized clothes, and decision that somehow hockey represents the 90s? I guess The Mighty Ducks had a bigger reach internationally than I thought. Work It is a much harder hitting dance track. Neither are particularly interesting to me, as has been true of the whole current era of NCT. Hopefully it isn’t quite over with, and we will get something iconic to finish it out.

Watch Breath for the camera work. The song is fine, and sweet and cute and all, but I’m pretty sure it’s shot on plates, with incredibly consistent indoor lighting, faking outdoors, and everyone at some point on separate plates. And some may be cut out of other plates to make it work . . . It’s a really nice video for editing and cuts, like holy cow, so many of the transitions are on hidden cuts of some sort, and I don’t think there is a single shot hand held throughout. And I have a minor conspiracy theory that Jackson was never on set with any of the rest of the boys (and his hair is so pretty, but that’s beside the point). Anyways, GOT7 has me excited for their comeback.

I haven’t tended to like BOL4 because their tone is so high, but when combined with WH3N as a deepening element, and a driving ballad, the combo seems to get me. New York, feels exciting and hopeful and happy, and is a lovely combination of voices that alone I often pass over.

If you have historically liken UP10TION, you should also enjoy Destiny, which seems like it at least alludes to their sound, or at least the one I associate with them. It doesn’t stick in my head any more than any of their previous stuff.

Let’s talk about the track of Hyolyn’s Spell first. It is sexy and driving and mystical and compelling. It is very different than the rest of the solo work she has put out. I’m not sure totally what I think about it. I like it, definitely, but it is such a departure from her summer dance track roots, that I don’t know how I feel about the 180. Now, let’s talk about the more important part, which is this mildly bonkers video of Niel playing a playboy, badboy pop star. I have so many questions: why Niel? Why does he have such nice cars? why have him doing pullups when he has a nice body but isnt all that impressive? am i attracted to niel doing shots like they are nothing? red hair and red car? why niel? how niel? So many questions, and no answers to be had. also the floating in a pool shot is everything, as is pretty much any time he has red hair. I have decided to give it the win for pure interest factor. I doubt I will be forgetting these questions soon (Niel, really?)

#sotw #hyolyn #spell #WHAT IS NIEL DOING HERE?!?!?!?!#i am equal parts attracted to him and so busy being confused #also i cant give kda a win for twice #and more is old now so no previous win even i want to hand it over

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tinymixtapes · 7 years

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Column: Favorite Rap Mixtapes of August 2017

With a cascade of releases spewing from the likes of DatPiff, LiveMixtapes, Bandcamp, and SoundCloud, it can be difficult to keep up with the overbearing yet increasingly vital mixtape game. In this column, we aim to immerse ourselves in this hyper-prolific world and share our favorite releases each month. The focus will primarily be on rap mixtapes — loosely defined here as free (or sometimes free-to-stream) digital releases — but we’ll keep things loose enough to branch out if/when we feel it necessary. (Check out last month’s installment here.) --- YoungBoy Never Broke Again - AI YoungBoy [stream/download] There are a couple reasons that make me surprised that YoungBoy Never Broke Again (formerly NBA Youngboy) is only 17. First, he burst onto the national scene last year with a near fully-formed sense of melody and songcraft, the vanguard of a Baton Rouge youth movement with seemingly limitless potential. The other is that his life has aged him far beyond his years. The Baton Rouge set like guns, and not just for show; a recent New York Times profile reiterated the message underlying every co-sign from YoungBoy’s more-established peers: leave BR or perish. The comeback record after a prison stint is something of a rite of passage, and yet it’s impossible not to wonder how many more lie in YoungBoy’s future. If you’re looking for “real,” this is it: a promising young star racing against pre-fame charges and a time bomb of an environment that, as all that he’s known, is understandably difficult to abandon. –Corrigan B --- Deem Spencer - We Think We Alone [stream] Deem Spencer opened the final Yule Prog. At 22 years old, he might not realize how big of a deal that is. Shit, the world probably doesn’t realize how big of a deal that is. I may be the only person who thinks that’s a very big deal. But history will absolve me too, damn it! I digress. Deem Spencer proved he could rap his ass off with last year’s Sunflower, and his latest, We Think We Alone, is already something totally different. It’s the sound of a guard down, a garden, a gargantuan heart springing hope eternal. It’s really nice. –Samuel Diamond --- Wifisfuneral - Boy Who Cried Wolf [stream/download] Aesthetically, Wifisfuneral’s second record is standard Floridian fare — it wouldn’t even be a stretch to call it a composite of ideas that have emerged from the peninsula’s SoundCloud scene as of late, scampering across bars at Ski Mask the Slump God’s jawless clip, paving his way with Cris Dinero’s plosive kicks and a menacing presence more akin to a horror flick’s titular spiritual entity than a typical trap-villain. Boy Who Cried Wolf’s a conservative follow-up to the January release of When Hell Falls, an introspective dip into wonky boom-bap production, the sort that populated Pusha T’s King Push prelude, only more dreary and droned-out. This time around, Wifi’s brought bangers by the bushel, immolating synth bells with hypnotically-present bass while nimbly stuffing these brief beats full of triplet flows and the distinctive voices of his featured friends: 458 Keez’s bratty resemblance to Lil Wayne, Danny Towers’s impossibly deep snarl, and CHXPO’s slurred near-giggle, (my personal favorite contribution). This is Wifi’s last nuanced tape to date, but it’s also his most replayable. Even when the 20-year-old emcee’s borrowing sauce, he makes it his own: not many Soundcloud rappers can boast his balance between technical proficiency, artistic merit, and (most importantly?) headbang-inducing aggression. –Jude Noel --- Eli Sostre - Sleep is For The Week [stream/download] Putting together a mixtape of Billboard-quality pop rap in the OVOXO vein is risky these days, considering how many Drake soundalikes have seen their clout evaporate shortly after entering the scene. But Eli Sostre’s lightly-melodyned vocals pose way more of a risk to the competition. His songs are self-serious but not overly self-aware, confident but not mired in cliché. Hailing from the Empire State, he channels a double-cupping club vibe more suitable farther south, but takes heavy visual cues from Basquiat, The Culture’s adopted fallen angel and street spirit of a dead-and-buried NYC. Sostre has a radio-worthy voice, strongest on “New Addy” and “Someone Like You,” that’s complemented well by Soriano’s woozy, vaporous productions. Sleep is For The Week is a great collection of songs to snuggle into. –Ross Devlin --- Lil B - Black Ken [stream/download] Black Ken is the most divisive Lil B mixtape yet, which is odd, considering that its most accessible release, swinging between G-funk and horn-/key-driven P-Funk throwback with chilled hyphy sprinkles. While the latter can be heard on the iLoveMakonnen-featuring “Global,” songs like “Free Life” showcase Lil B’s evolution into tight, spaced-out production, with a flow not unlike “The Super Bowl Shuffle” played straight. Club-banger Lil B is present on “Getting Hot” and “Turn up (Till You Can’t),” playing more like singularly twisted versions of “the hits” than bids for mainstream attention. Did I mention that Lil B produced every track on the tape? (As he puts it on “The Real Is Back,” “BasedGod on the beats/ It’s 100% me/ Put my life in this rap.”) Despite its alienating potential, Black Ken, in the end, triumphs as an amalgamation of his past and a sampling of a possible future, and it’s one that would appear to be both expansive and impressive. –Emceegreg --- Gunplay - The Fix Tape [stream] Never one to be sullied or bogged down by rap label politics, Gunplay’s quiet tear across 2017 continues with The Fix Tape. True to form, anthemic trap abounds (“All flake and no shake, shake, shake…”), but the clincher here is an ability to slide through styles — see the G-funk bounce of “Where It At” or the classicist bent of “Hot Plate” and “Patience 2.0” — without compromising on the delivery and storytelling parlance that bought ears to him in the first place. This one’s sharp, polished, and remarkably poised; if Gunplay traded in the incendiary streak that gave us the likes of Bogota Rich: The Prequel, then he got a newfound sense of evenness and quality control in return. –Soe Jherwood --- Skye Verbs - Soul Food Eye Candy [stream] A few weeks back, I visited one of my favorite haunts for a curry burger and vermouth after a rewarding but tedious week of pulling artistic potential out of a bunch of squirmy middle schoolers. I floated in, grabbed a stool, paint under my nails, draped in a floral pullover sweater. Bartender, dripping with neck tattoos, looks me down, recognizes my face, offers: “I love that top, sweetie.” It was a bizarre, yet empowering moment; I don’t often get compliments on my appearance, so when I do, it’s uniquely affirming. Soul Food Eye Candy is rapper/singer Skye Verbs’s attempt at discussing inclusive values through neo-R&B and soul. There are a lot of platitudes here about who deserves who, but what she ultimately advocates is that good people deserve it all. And after a long day, it’s nice that I can throw this on, bob my head, and remember that still frame in which my value was affirmed by a wink. Check this out, know you’re worth it, and tip your wait staff extra when they make you feel it. –Jackson Scott --- Lil Tracy - Life of a Popstar [stream/download] Lil Tracy is the son of Digable Planets’ Butterfly and SWV’s Coko, a fact that almost assuredly means nothing to the majority of his fanbase. That’s OK. Of more immediate relevance is his association with Lil Peep, one of the SoundCloud era’s two or three biggest breakouts. Together with the rest of GothBoiClique, they’re the most straightforward example of the emo/rap analogy that has dominated the discourse surrounding rap’s youngest stars. For listeners who came of age at any time but the present, some degree of initial resistance is understandable; it’s been fascinating to watch the critic class balance a play count-mandated obligation to pay attention with the inability to form a personal connection with the music itself. At present, there’s no vision of rap’s future that excludes these kids; the ever-shortening generation gap aside, refusing to engage with a bona fide movement seeks to set the genre’s current conventions in stone. It’s already far too late for that, and yet rap’s hegemony over pop forms is just getting started. –Corrigan B --- Byou - I’m Gone [stream] The stylistic outlier of Lil Yachty’s “Sailing Team” collective happens to be the crew’s most consistently exciting contributor. Atlanta’s Byou boasts an unhinged vocal delivery, a knack for hook-writing, and a sense of doggerel humor that’s often laugh-out-loud humor. Although, sonically, his previous output hasn’t strayed far from his maritime mates’ bubblegum trap production, his longest effort to date — titled I’m Gone — revels in its own versatility. “Superstar” dabbles in bossa nova, “Money” throws back to the brass-laden hedonism of OJ Da Juiceman’s peak, and standout track “JK Rowling” pairs a twangy shuffle with one of the best choruses I’ve heard all year: “Smokin’ on that Harry Potter/ JK, rollin’ up.” It’s not one of more polished projects I’ve heard lately, but I’m Gone has charm for days. It’ll win you over if you let it. –Jude Noel --- Hotel - Have You Ever Tasted Hell Fire [stream] Hotel caught a lot of attention earlier this year when Mass Appeal posted his track “Hellbound.” Complete with illegible black metal script and a broken-in black metal denim jacket, with hot blood spurting from between his fronts and a black gun (I don’t know shit about guns. This is the best I got.), his latest mixtape Have You Tasted Hell Fire continues to document Hotel’s journey through a grim world. Maybe Hotel realizes what metal kids have known all along: that Satan has all the fun, that the baddest people throw the coolest parties, that embracing darkness and nihilism can be as equal parts kitschy and liberating as Kenny G saxing it up on an airplane. The tape is very short, with scorched, lo-fi samples and high-key energy that begs to be heard live. His voice is labored like a werewolf. “Four Rings” and “Gone” are pitch-perfect Piss Christ exhibitionism. He just finished a tour of the South, so you might be able to catch him before the hellfire swallows him up. –Ross Devlin --- Purple Dialect - Campfire EP [stream/download] Purple Dialect paid for his name in burnt hairs, the moniker coming to him in a shamanic vision he experienced while being electrocuted by his SP-404. At least, that’s what I gather from all this. He has bionic limbs and shoots rainbows from his eyes and raps “I’m in a folding chair, I’m eating graham crackers/ I’m in the woods, I’m a literal backpacker” in his latest video. This could all be dismissed as cheap gimmickry if Purp D weren’t so skilled on both the mic and the pads. “Take this L chief, peace cos I don’t even battle/ I just make dope beats over which I casually babble,” he says on “Tent Light,” as if it were so simple anyone could do it, as if this were a folk tradition. And it is. And a Pennsylvanian with robot arms is carrying it onward. –Samuel Diamond http://j.mp/2vGWK1m

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mind-set-to-blog-mode · 7 years

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Top 5 Woman-Crush-Wednesday's

Anyone remember my blog post on the Top 5 Man Crush Monday's? Remember how I said I would write a post in the next couple of days? Well a year has past and still haven't done it, so what the heck. Better late that never.

Moving from 2016 to 2017, I'm still the same Joe. The s*** with money, power ranger obsessed Joe. But with a touch more sass. Well I think so anyway. And recently I have been admiring a few female stars with what they've achieved and their talent. Which is why not so long ago I created the slogan GGL. GGL stands for Gay Girl Love. This is for when a gay man (such as myself) really likes a female person for multiple reasons such as their hair, voice, stuff they appeared or worked for etc. Multiple traits that you really admire about one person. For example, Nicole Scherzinger. I think her voice is brilliant, her hair is always flawless, her song Poison is amazing and she was killing it in the music video. I love her for all that. More than just saying 'OMG I love her' but not in the way of really loving/ fancying her. So then I would say I have GGLs for Nicole. If that makes sense. So going back to the trend of WCW. WCW stands for Woman Crush Wednesday. This is exactly the same as Man Crush Monday but with Woman and on a Wednesday. I am obviously not the kind of guy who would use this hashtag to post pics on their social media of bikini models wearing only swimsuits showing off their boobs and butts (for an obvious reason which I've said 2/3 times already). But it doesn't mean I would ignore the hashtag. Just because I'm not attracted to women doesn't mean I think women are only good for showing off their body and absolutely nothing else. Women can do what men can do and vice versa. Equality, plain and simple. There are so many great people who have done some amazing things who are female. And despite not being attracted to them, I would use the WCW hashtag to show how incredible they are in what they've achieved. So this post is a list of my Top 5 most likely Woman Crush Wednesday's. I think these people are amazing and you'll find out why.

5. Poppy

https://youtu.be/xqH3KaW25AA

The person in the photo above (who's hair is amazing btw) is Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. She's Poppy. Okay. That's enough. You are most likely to have skip read all of that but if you somehow decided to read all the sentences, how long did it take you? It took me 25 seconds which felt long enough to read 2 words. But imagine having two words said on and on for over 10 minutes, weird right. That didn't stop Poppy. Oh hell no! Poppy (also known as That Poppy) is an artist who has been known to make YouTube videos which weird the s*** out of everyone. One of her most popular videos is where she repeats herself saying "I'm Poppy" for over 10 minutes. And that's just one video. From interviewing a plant, to teaching you how to play the 'P' chord, to giving you a virtual hug and to loading a gun. There's a huge variety of weird. And I like that. Not your typical YouTuber, it's a fresh change. Especially since nobody knows much about her. Whether if this is all an act, what she is really like, if this is her actual personality, her age, interests. No one knows. But that doesn't stop a video of hers making you think. And you don't know what to think, you just do. From anything to everything. However, her videos are not why she made it in this list. The music she has released is incredible. Despite the videos being weird and probably full of hidden messages, the actual songs are simply beautiful. Examples include Lowlife, Money & I'm Poppy. Have a little listen for yourself and you'll see why she made the list.

4. Naomi Scott

http://www.lionsgatepublicity.com/theatrical/powerrangers/

There's obviously gonna be a Power Ranger in this list. It is me after all. Naomi Scott (who was also in the Disney Channel Original Movie 'Lemonade Mouth') plays Kimberly Heart, the Pink Ranger in the Power Rangers 2017 Reboot Movie. Based of the original 1993 character, Naomi does a brilliant job of bringing the character to life again with so much more depth. Not going into too much detail which could spoil the movie, her character has a brilliant way of teaching people that you can learn from the mistakes you make and just because you do a bad thing, it won't automatically make you a bad person. An important message, shown perfectly well. Not only just that, Naomi's character gives you so many moments that get you pumped in this movie too. There's scenes which makes you laugh, get excited, be shocked, and feel worried etc. There's even a scene where she walks down a staircase (pictured) and you can't help but think 'Yassss Queen, Slay That Staircase'. Or at least just me anyway. Simply said, the way she portrayed the character was on point, you can't help but love the new Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger.

3. Dove Cameron

http://www.game-ost.com/albums/87630/one_second_chance_from_%22liv_and_maddie_cali_style%22_-_single/

There maybe two in the picture but trust me, there is only one Dove!

Dove Cameron is a current Disney Channel Queen. Now don't get me wrong. I loved growing up with Disney Channel. My childhood dream was to be in front of a white backdrop holding a glow stick saying "I'm Joe Smith and you're watching Disney Channel" whilst drawing Mickey Mouse ears (if you don't know what I'm on about, watch this). High School Musical, Hannah Montana & That's So Raven. Those were the classics. I lost count how many times people who know me personally asked me if I knew about the Raven sequel series that's been announced. Of course I did. It's me. But it's safe to say that most things made after Season 2 of Shake It Up were pretty awful. To some, I'm even being generous by saying the first season of SIU was decent. I feel like I can safely say shows like Dog With A Blog and Ant Farm lost a generation of viewers. They lost comedy and Disney Channel spark. To me, the Disney Channel I knew was dead. But a couple of years later, the return of Cory and Topenga from Boy Meets Worlds sequel series Girl Meets World, brought me back to the channel. The show is special and brought back some magic of enjoyment like my younger self had from my DC days. I didn't even watch Boy Meets World but I could feel so much nostalgia and happy feelings from it as well. Because of this, I could watch other shows every now and then from around that time (such as I Didn't Do It, K.C. Undercover, Best Friends Whenever) and despite not enjoying them as much as the old shows (mainly because I'm [apparently] an adult and these are made for teens), they wouldn't be an unpleasant viewing. But not so long ago, I subscribed to Disney Life to binge watch the old shows as often as I wanted to. But there was one show I couldn't help but take a little look at. And that was Liv And Maddie. A few episodes passed and that was it. Turns out despite the immature comedy and easy to figure out plots sometimes, there's something about the show I really like. I don't know what it is but I really do enjoy watching Liv And Maddie. Liv And Maddie stars Dove Cameron as both Liv Rooney & Maddie Rooney. Identical twin sisters who are reunited and living together after Liv comes back home after filming her own TV show for quite a long time. Remember earlier how I said women are more than just here to look pretty and nothing else? Well Liv And Maddie deals with this topic really well. They bring up topics from guys ranking the girls from 0-10 just on their appearance, schools putting more money & care to boy sports teams than girl teams and female actors getting more questioned about what they wear than their time on making the show. Liv And Maddie just screams girl power, and it's done perfectly well. The show ran for three seasons and a fourth with the updated title Liv And Maddie: Cali Style (pictured above). The show has something unique about it (joining the small list of DC shows that got the 4th season renewal such as That's So Raven, Hannah Montana & Good Luck Charlie) and Dove does a brilliant job of bringing such big personalities to life in two characters with the way the show is made. But it's not just this show that makes Dove a Disney Channel Queen. She also is a Disney Villain... Kinda...

http://gattaracinefila.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/recensioni-di-descedants-i-guardiani.html

Dove also stars as Mal, Maleficent's daughter in the Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants. Not going into too much detail because I've talked about Dove a lot but this film is pretty decent. A story about the kids of Disney heroes & villains is gonna catch my interest. Kenny Ortega who directed High School Musical did this as well so I can use that as an alibi to prove it isn't awful. And soon there is going to be a sequel and I am really excited to see it. I haven't been excited to see a DCOM since Camp Rock 2. So that is why Dove is in the list. Mirror Mirror, on the wall, who's the baddest of them all? I'm not genuinely asking, it a quote from the movie. I felt like I needed to put it there.

2. Becky G

http://www.lionsgatepublicity.com/theatrical/powerrangers/

That's the longest I've ever gone not talking about Power Rangers. How did I mange that?! But carrying on with the list. Becky G is Number 2 on this list. She is a Pop Princess in the United States. Not that popular in the UK (yet), you may remember her collaboration with Cher Lloyd. But it's not just her music that puts her on this list. Like Naomi, Becky G plays Trini Kwan, the Yellow Ranger in the Power Rangers 2017 Reboot Movie. But Becky brings a change to her original 1993 character in such a great way and is a ranger you can really like. One of the things about her character is that she's gay. She admits this is in the movie and she talks about how she struggles moving home all the time and living with parents who want her to be perfect and how they believe in all these types of labels. And Becky's character deals with this topic in a small but brilliant way. Trini is the first openly gay Ranger in the whole PR universe and that's an amazing step forward. Power Rangers has been around for a long time and always been diverse with their many different cast members. The movies cast is also diverse and the fact that it's not just dealing with race but now sexuality as well, it's a brilliant thing. The cast and the way their characters are portrayed are done perfectly well. That's what makes Power Rangers a great movie. And Becky G plays a huge part in this, which is why I admire her.

1. Ariana Grande

http://gazettereview.com/2017/03/ariana-grande-net-worth/

Another Pop Princess makes the list and takes the crown as Number 1. Ariana Grande needs no introduction and if you don't know who she is, you've been living under a rock. Even though I'm not her biggest fan, I still have serious GGL's for Ariana. I loved watching her play the role of Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon series Victorious. The not so smart but still so talented character was portrayed by Ariana really well. Watching the series during its original run even made me want to meet Cat so much, I wanted her to be a real person. Her character was brilliant and brought so much laughter to me when watching the series. But it's not just the role of Cat that makes me love Ariana. Her voice is incredible! From listening to some amazing songs like The Way, Bang Bang, Problem & Break Free, it just proves how amazing her voice is. Have a little listen for yourself and you are most likely to agree with me.

Just before Christmas 2016, Ariana took the role of Penny Pingleton in NBC's Hairspray Live! and like any acting job she takes, Ariana plays it perfectly well. Her verse in You Can't Stop The Beat is really enjoyable and you can't help but admire her collaboration with Dove Cameron (who is also in this TV Special) and Maddie Baillio for the song Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now. When watching the special, it's easy to see how much Ariana enjoyed playing the role of Penny and I much prefer her take on the character than the 2006 movie Penny. I can't help but love Ariana. So that concludes my Top 5 WCW. I'll do my best to post more on this blog since I do enjoy it but for now, thank you so much for spending time reading this and I hope you enjoyed it.

@josephsmithy101

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