Arts - The Spectrum

ARTS

J. Cole returns with ‘The Off-Season’

By Alex Falter | May 20

J. Cole has been on a stellar run the past ten years. After landing five consecutive albums at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200, he went on a run of exceptional features in 2018 with rappers like 21 Savage on “A Lot” and Dreamville labelmate J.I.D. on “Off Deez,” before he released “Revenge of the Dreamers III,” a project which allowed Cole to curate the best and brightest rappers — in and out of his label — to release his own “Cruel Summer.”

While cartoon references and sampling have always been featured across the genre, Ski Mask took those two elements to new levels on this project.

ARTS

Five years later, ‘DROWN-IN-DESIGNER’ is still one of Florida rap’s most important projects

By Alex Falter | May 16

People became unfamiliar with South Florida rap when Fort Lauderdale native, Ski Mask the Slump God, dropped his self-released debut mixtape, “DROWN-IN-DESIGNER.”

ARTS

The 10 best underground rap projects of the 2010s

By Alex Falter | May 7

The 2010s ushered in an unparalleled era of rap, with stars like Kendrick Lamar, Drake and Travis Scott carrying the torch and redefining the genre with countless hits.

“Invincible” parodies and satirizes the usual plot points and story beats of a stereotypical blockbuster superhero story, like those that involve saving the world from an alien invasion.

ARTS

‘Invincible’ turns superhero fiction on its head with ambitious first season

By Thomas Kowalski | May 6

“Invincible” may appear run-of-the-mill at first glance, but its first episode makes it clear that this isn’t an average superhero show.

ARTS

UB Arts Collaboratory opens downtown art space

By ANASTASIA WILDS | May 4

“The Space Between” is a one-room studio the College of Arts and Sciences has rented downtown for $500 a month to showcase the artistic process.

Most people have heard of this series thanks to the well-known TV adaptation of the same name, which follows a ragtag group of survivors of the zombie apocalypse as they venture across the U.S.

ARTS

10 must-read comic books for beginners

By Thomas Kowalski | May 3

Comic books and graphic novels are some of the most adapted forms of media today, but the medium remains a rather niche form of entertainment.

With the season finale airing last Friday, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” Marvel’s second Disney+ original series, represents a significant improvement over the previous series, “Wandavision,” which was bogged down by long, monotonous scenes that felt more like novelty than substance.

ARTS

‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ provides an exciting glimpse into the future of the MCU

By Alex Falter | Apr. 29

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken a backseat since the start of the pandemic, with upcoming films like “Black Widow” and “Eternals” being pushed back more than a year so spectators might watch them in theaters. As fans await those releases, Marvel Studios has begun rolling out original series on Disney+ to hold people over between films.

Only two months after his last project, “If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed,” Conway brings another tale of arrogance-induced cinematic hip-hop with “La Maquina,” which lets his wacky yet assertive persona shine across 11 tracks.

ARTS

Griselda continues its hot streak with the release of Conway the Machine’s ‘La Maquina’

By Alex Falter | Apr. 23

Only two months after his last project, “If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed,” Conway brings another tale of arrogance-induced cinematic hip-hop with “La Maquina,” which lets his wacky yet assertive persona shine across 11 tracks.

Since the pandemic has forced people all across the world to interact primarily online, “Telenauts” explores the idea of whether an electronic image can have a physical presence.

ARTS

‘We made the best of it’: UB Theatre and Dance Department stream first-ever ‘MFA Dance Thesis Concert’

By ANASTASIA WILDS | Apr. 22

The MFA Dance Thesis Concert — the first of its kind at UB — was streamed from April 16-18 on the UB Center for the Arts YouTube channel.

Armed to the teeth with a grandiose assortment of rappers and producers, Young Thug and Gunna have brought Thugger’s label to the masses with “Slime Language 2,” Young Stoner Life Records’ second compilation album.

ARTS

Young Thug brings his YSL imprint to the forefront with ‘Slime Language 2’

By Alex Falter | Apr. 21

Armed to the teeth with a grandiose assortment of rappers and producers, Young Thug and Gunna have brought Thugger’s label to the masses with “Slime Language 2,” Young Stoner Life Records’ second compilation album.

ARTS

The best music projects for 4/20

By Alex Falter | Apr. 20

Today is 4/20, a.k.a “weed day.” Once a year on this day, people look to unwind, enjoy some snacks and have a good time.

Emilia Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen on 'Game of Thrones,' which celebrates its 10th anniversary today.

ARTS

‘Game of Thrones’ is 10 years old and still worth watching despite its flaws

By Alex Falter | Apr. 17

Exactly one decade ago, the world was blessed with the release of the first episode of “Game of Thrones.”

ARTS

In the wake of his death, DMX’s ‘It’s Dark and Hell is Hot’ tells the story of a tortured artist searching for answers

By ANTHONY DECICCO | Apr. 16

In 1998, a 27-year-old Simmons released his debut album, “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot.” Supported by singles “Get at Me Dog,” “Stop Being Greedy,” “Ruff Ryders Anthem” and “How’s It Goin’ Down,” the album saw immediate success and shot to No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Ianna Hawkins Owen, assistant professor of English and African American Studies at Boston University, spoke at a free Zoom lecture through UB’s Department of Global Gender and Sexuality Studies.

ARTS

UB hosts a presentation about the combination of asexual studies and critical race theory

By Lily Smith | Apr. 15

On March 30, UB’s Department of Global Gender and Sexuality Studies hosted Ianna Hawkins Owen, assistant professor of English and African American Studies at Boston University, for a free Zoom lecture.

Five years ago today, rapper Lil Uzi Vert set the world on fire with his third mixtape, “Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World.”

ARTS

Five years later, ‘Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World’ is still one of the best mixtapes ever

By Alex Falter | Apr. 15

Five years ago today, rapper Lil Uzi Vert set the world on fire with his third mixtape, “Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World.” The colorfully moody project proved to be Uzi’s breakout moment, as the artist made his first appearance on the Billboard 200 and went platinum in the U.S.

Two separate casts of five actors performed in the show, with the first cast acting as if they were in 1916, the year the play is set in, and the second cast acting as if they are in 2021.

ARTS

UB’s ‘Trifles’ brings together the past and present

By Kara Anderson | Apr. 12

At first glance, a murder in 20th century rural Nebraska and the COVID-19 pandemic may seem unrelated, but UB’s Department of Theatre and Dance made a connection in its spring production of “Trifles.”

DMX was one of the most prolific rappers of the late ‘90s to early ‘00s, taking the music industry by storm with his multi-platinum album, “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot.”

ARTS

Legendary rapper DMX dies at 50

By Alex Falter | Apr. 9

Yonkers rapper Earl Simmons, who went by the stage name DMX, died Friday morning due to complications from a heart attack, his team shared with XXL.

After years of anticipation, this flick finally pits the titular titans against each other for the first time since the 1962 Japanese film, “King Kong vs. Godzilla.”

ARTS

Godzilla vs. Kong knows exactly what kind of movie it is

By Thomas Kowalski | Apr. 6

Movie buffs hoping to catch a giant gorilla punch a radioactive, skyscraper-sized lizard in the face, all while desecrating entire cities, will find themselves right at home watching “Godzilla vs. Kong.

ARTS

The 10 best quarantine hip-hop albums so far

By ANTHONY DECICCO and Alex Falter | Apr. 4

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down nearly everything in the world, with one exception: the music industry. During a time when people cannot physically go to work, artists can still record music from their homes, and in the case of rap, the results have been excellent.

The album art is a blatant reference to the hit animated series “Beavis and Butthead,” featuring Glock and Dolph on a couch amid piles of cash and an assortment of random items — including a parrot.

ARTS

Young Dolph and Key Glock return with “Dum and Dummer 2”

By Alex Falter | Apr. 2

Young Dolph and Key Glock are two artists who are often undeservingly left out of the top rapper conversation. They prove that again in “Dum and Dummer 2.”