Who is Druski? A comedian, an actor, a clothing designer? It seems as if no one really knows but one thing we do know for sure is that Druski is up.
Recently the “comedian” was featured on this month’s cover of Complex Magazine with his best friend Jack Harlow. The two surely have come a long way but unlike Jack, who had a hit single take him to the top, Druski had to take quite a different path to success.
The comedian spoke on this in his interview with Complex.
“I remember, I think when “Whats Poppin” came out, he shot through the roof. And I remember seeing it like, “Damn.” And I remember he had money coming in and everything, but he was such a good friend. It would be no question. He would pay for shit and would just be like, “Yo, I got it.” But I would want to, of course, but I didn’t have the money like he had at the time. So now that I’m in the place where I’m at, now I’ll tell him, “I got it. I can pay for it now.”
Druski found a lane and stuck to it. To this day, his Kyle Rogger character still gets millions of views. It got so much attention that Drake had to include the comedian in his video for Laugh Now, Cry Later.
That cameo solidified his presence as a cultural figure within hip-hop. We’ve seen this formula before… legendary comedian Chris Rock has always remained present in hip-hop culture.
From his own music video to his present-day guest appearance in Lil Nas X’s video for Old Town Road, Chris Rock most likely served as an inspiration to Druski as a comedian, amongst many others.
Some more comedians who have done the same…
Martin Lawrence mad an appearance in the Big Sean Ft. Chris Brown & Ty Dolla $ign – Play No Games music video
Issa Rae, Tiffany Haddish, Lil Rel Howery, Lakeith Stanfield, Jarrod Carmichael, Hannibal Buress and Tessa Thompson show out in Jay-Z’s Moonlight video
Eddie Murphy promos Back to America in the Michael Jackson video for Remember The Time
More than a comedian, Druski got real sponsorship partners
What’s my Yeezy moment? What’s my Fenty Beauty? What’s my business that I do that blows up for billions of dollars outside of comedy? I ain’t fulfilled until I get that type of moment.”
From MTN Dew and addidas to Call of Duty, Druski has made himself a household name with the media sponsors he’s been able to pull in. For example, his Sneakin In with Druski series on Revolt has garnered close to 30M views.
Druski pulls up to Teyana Taylor’s home to school her on sustainability | Sneakin’ In With Druski
Durski has come a long way as a comedian from getting paid $20 to $50 per post…
He kept his head down, believed in himself, and stayed at it
Taking a chance, on yourself, takes more than just hope. You’ve gotta stay at it no matter what. You’ve got to inspire others to believe in you. There is no room for doubt.
Druski took a leap of faith and knew deep down that he had “to get his shit together.” Serving tables at Red Lobster might be the reality check we’ve all been looking for…lol.
Seriously though, a call from his grandmother, where she said she didn’t want to see or hear from him anymore, would push him to go after what he really wanted — to become a great comedian.
“I think it was one of those things where it was like, ‘You need to get your shit together, but you’re going to have to do it on your own. It sounds so goofy to say, ‘I’m going to be a comedian and I’m going to be famous.’ That sounds so crazy.”
Druski the Comedian, via Complex
Hopefully, you can catch a glimpse of greatness as he hosts J.Cole’s Off season Tour
Trust, that there are levels to this glow up. Growing up in the violent parts of the East Bay Area of Northern California, Coogler’s future wasn’t very hopeful.
Born in Oakland and raised in Richmond during a time where an African-American was more inclined to become a statistic than a star, the now 31-year-old director with only three feature films stands on the edge of glory.
Put yourself in Coogler’s shoes. You’re in the trenches where everyone around you is warring over street turf, selling or shooting up drugs, and getting shot while most of your peers end up either dead or in jail. You happen to be different because unlike most around, you have two loving, educated, and supportive parents.
Neighborhood kids tease you because your life seems better and your only escape is the house after the front door closes behind you. Coogler mentioned the tough times he dealt with while growing up in Oakland in an interview with The Undefeated. He said,
“Where we were living … there were kids that were on Section 8… There were housing projects … right behind us. I would play with those kids, but I would get teased because I went to a nicer school. I had both parents in the house. So, I didn’t really fit in.”
Shutting out a dangerous world, Coogler escaped to a fictional one by turning on the TV, popping tapes into the VCR, and watching multiple movies with his father. Little did Coogler know watching Rocky II with his dad would have a huge impact on his creativity and where he is today.
Still, even with an unknown deep interest in film, no one told Coogler that he could be a director and screenwriter at a young age. So, he took the route most looked to in order to get out of his situation and at the age of 7 picked up football.
In his interview with The Undefeated, he said,
“A lot of kids struggle. Somebody asks you who you are, man, you got to be something, ‘Are you in the streets? Are you an athlete? What are you?‘ Growing up, it was always one of those two things…”
Football changed Coogler’s life and he knew that when he stepped onto the field it provided him the balance he needed to progress. His grades were always great, but he ended up sticking to the sport, became captain of Saint Mary’s College High School Panthers and snagged a football scholarship to Saint Mary’s College of California.
Finally, Coogler made it out the hood, but this would only be a small step in his life. He still had obstacles to face. During his freshman year, he would major in chemistry in order to become a doctor, but little did he know that a creative writing class would change his life.
His creative writing teacher at the time, Rosemary Graham, gave them an assignment where students had to write about the most emotional experience they have ever faced. Coogler then submitted a story about his father almost bleeding to death in his arms.
Coogler thought nothing of it after he submitted his assignment but Graham was touched by the story and requested his presence immediately. She wanted to tell him that he had a rare talent, a talent rarer than having the brain of a doctor. Coogler had the visionary mind of a screenwriter. Peep what he told the East Bay Times,
“She looked at my essays and told me I had a creative eye, that I should go to Hollywood and write screenplays… I thought, ‘Where is she getting this?’ Then I thought ‘Why not?’ I went on the Internet, learned how to write a screenplay and fell in love with it.
However, after Coogler’s freshman year, Saint Mary’s College of California cut their football program and he lost his scholarship. Yet, that didn’t stop the future Black Panther director from obtaining a college degree, but let him know how little power you have as a student-athlete.
He could’ve quit and gone home but he stayed strong and carried on. That same year, because of his good football season at his previous university, New Mexico State, Brigham Young University, and Sacramento State all recruited the young wide receiver. Once again Coogler was able to use football as a platform to launch him to an education.
He ended up choosing Sacramento State where he majored in finance and ended his football career grabbing 112 receptions for 1,213 yards and six touchdowns. Don’t think Coogler forgot about a possible career in screenwriting. He lowkey chose Sacremento State because of their interesting film production programs.
At Sacremento State Coogler would get the creative film experience he needed. According to the East Bay Times, it was there he made “Story of a Dollar,” which was about a $20 bill that circulates around the Bay Area and the lives of the people it reaches. Plus, a 12-minute movie named “Eyes Like Mine,” which was about a young man in college who struggles with the loss of his girlfriend.
After graduation, Coogler had a decision to make — to go pro football or pro in screenwriting. He told Film Magazine about his decision to attend USC film school. He said,
“It was either go there or play wide receiver. I was short, my prospects weren’t the highest, so I jumped off that cliff and drove to L.A.”
In L.A. he honed his craft at USC creating a grip of short films like Fig. Actually, during his first semester, Coogler had to live out the whip, couch hop, and post up with Jesuits, before finding an apartment in LA.
“When I first went to film school, however, because it was such a sporadic thing, I went down to Los Angeles and I didn’t have anywhere to stay yet. So I kind of had to jump-start in classes and things like that. So, for a few—I would say, for about a week and a half, you know what I mean, I was getting dressed in my car, spending most of my time in school, you know, until I found a place. But I bumped around quite a bit. I stayed with some Jesuits, you know what I mean, with a group of Jesuits that were in training, basically. I stayed with like a distant relative for a day or two.”
He never let the pressure get to his head which is something he can thank football for. As an ex-athlete myself I know that times when you’re under stress you have a chance at performing your best.
This mentality is probably what led him to win big at the Sundance Festival for Fruitvale Station back in 2013. Lowkey this jump started Coogler’s career and gave him the confidence to talk to Sylvester Stallone, make Creed, and continue the Rocky legacy.Coogler explained the feeling when he first tried to pitch Creed to Sly. He told Deadline,
“The filmmaker inside of me…well, I’ll never forget the feeling I had when Sly was telling me stories. He would become so animated, he’d go across to the side of the desk and pretend to be this person or that person. I thought, this dude is an off-the-charts actor. I felt a little bit like a coach gets when he sees a greatly talented player, and I thought, if I ever had the chance to work with this dude, I’ll have to jump at it because this is nuts…”
Take Coogler’s story into consideration. The odds were against him. Yet, he managed to maneuver to space where he can now call himself a legendary director. Homie never expected that his three feature films would rank award-winning.
Nor did he expect to create Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Black Panther, but mission accomplished. Now, I bet that young boys from the East Bay Area when they see Coogler winning an award on TV it’ll change their lives for the better.
Listen, don’t be afraid to jump and use the tools provided for you to get out of a shitty situation or into an even better one. You never know where you’ll land if you take a leap of faith.
Casino culture and gambling are popular pursuits all over the world. But for people in areas like Asia, there are severe limitations on placing bets, with many countries having strict anti-gambling legislation.
But gambling laws may be slowly changing on the world’s largest continent given the large public demand and potentially huge taxation revenues to be reaped by governments. Still, there are some key cultural and legal differences when it comes to gambling in the west and in Asia.
This doesn’t mean that gambling is completely absent from Asia – Macau is a renowned world casino destination to rival Las Vegas and Monaco – but casinos are far from prevalent. Let’s take a look at those legal and cultural differences.
Casino culture and gambling in the west
United States
Casinos are an iconic part of popular culture in the United States. The grand casinos of Las Vegas and Atlantic City immediately spring to mind, but online casino games are now wildly popular across the nation, and “Indian” casinos on Native American reservations – not regulated by state or federal law – are also popular options.
That’s not to say there aren’t restrictions – individual states regulate casinos in different ways, although only two states – Hawaii and Utah – have total bans on all forms of gambling.
Europe
Europe is home to some exotic and classic casino locations, none more so than Monaco, the playground of the rich and famous.
Though the principality is home to the iconic Monte Carlo Casino, residents of Monaco are not allowed to set foot in it – only foreign visitors – this is because the casino was intended to bring money into the city rather than encourage gambling among the populace.
Across the European continent, states are allowed to regulate gambling as they see fit. The UK, for example, is home to many legal casinos, and online casinos are immensely popular, as they are across most of Europe.
The island nation of Malta, for example, is home to four major casinos for tourists to enjoy. They also regulate the majority of online casino licenses in the world – and online casinos are legal in most European nations.
Casion Culture differences in Asia
Conversely, casinos are widely banned in most of Asia, although many people do find ways to gamble.
Extremely conservative views in some parts of the continent mean that casino gambling doesn’t exist, and is, in any case, illegal, but there are traditional non-casino games such as Mahjong and Pai Gow that are regularly played for a stake but at a local, unregulated level.
That isn’t to say that casino gaming isn’t popular at all – even in a country like China where the government actively tries to stop all forms of gambling apart from the state lottery, the traditional ideas about fate, luck, and destiny in some ways lend themselves to placing bets.
Casino gambling in Asia
China / Macau
Casinos are illegal in mainland China, with heavy penalties for illegal operators. Online casino gambling is also illegal, and the government attempts to restrict it via the “Great Firewall of China”. However, many in the country play online with the use of VPNs to get around the ban.
The rare place in China with legal casino gambling is the island of Macau, sixty kilometers west of Hong Kong. Macau is a global casino destination, with all the glamour, glitz, and atmosphere of Las Vegas, which aims to attract high-rolling professional gamblers rather than tourists and thrill-seekers who flock to Vegas and Atlantic City.
Despite its status, online casinos are actually banned in Macau, like in the rest of China, so visitors should be aware of the regulations – more information and advice about casinos is available in local languages on sites like Casino Tops Online
India
As a federal state, India allows gambling regulation to be handled on a regional level by local governments. Goa is the state most recognized for its casinos – four of them housed on boats.
These floating casinos, situated on the Mandovi river, have been patronized for many years and offer a wide range of casino classics such as baccarat, blackjack, and roulette, as well as traditional Indian games. The other states with legal casinos are Daman and Sikkim.
Online casino gambling is in its infancy in India, and falls into a legal gray area. However, while it isn’t technically legal, many Indians play casino games online without fear of prosecution.
Other areas
Casinos are illegal in many other Asian countries. In much of Southeast, Asia casino culture are illegal, although there are moves to open up casinos for visitors rather than residents in Thailand and Vietnam.
Stringent regulations exist in South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, and of course North Korea, where anyone found gambling will be imprisoned, often with the rest of their family.
There are some major differences both culturally and legally between Asia and the west when it comes to gambling. Visitors from the US and Europe should make sure they’re well-informed about regulations and customs before traveling.
College football season is officially underway and for those looking to own the aux at their next tailgate or watch party, TIDAL released HBCU Homecoming, a centralized hub dedicated to the music, culture, and collegiate experiences at HBCU colleges across the country.
The playlists range by category to embrace the different aspects of HBCU life.
From Stroll and Step Songs with beats that get the intensity going, to Black Excellence which salutes the pioneers of past, present, and future, and Music Videos that are based on the energetic campus life of HBCUs, listeners will hear and feel the authenticity of these carefully curated playlists.
Y’all remember Drumline. Yeah, it’s all that energy but IRL.
HBCU Homecoming is one example of TIDAL showcasing its commitment to celebrating the different cultures that make us by highlighting their significance, influence, and contributions to the music we love.
The HBCU Anthems playlist
Including songs from the late DMX to songs that have become HBCU anthems by Wacka Flocka, these playlists do more than just set the scene for a perfect homecoming or tailgate party.
The Marching Band playlist
Bring the halftime heat to your dorm with this playlist compiled and curated to bring that drumline and HBCU marching band energy every time.
The Music Video playlist
Want more of a visual experience? TIDAL got chu. Bring HBCU throwback videos straight to the crib with this video playlist.
The Black Excellence playlist
Historically Black institutions of higher learning have always been known to breed and cultivate the brightest, most ambitious minds of the students who walk through their campuses.
Whether it’s a breakthrough in medicine, business, cinema, or every other discipline imagined; innovation and success are not foreign to HBCU alumni.
The Stroll and Step playlist
There’s nothing quite like a good Stroll and Step song to get the vibes going.
The House Party classics playlist
From Juvenile to Gucci Mane this HBCU homecoming playlist ensures to keep bodies moving.
The Essentials playlist pays homage to the perfect HBCU Homecoming
TIDAL has gone above and beyond to put together a complete curation of playlists focused on the musical contributions from some of the most notable HBCU alumni. (click here to access)
As one of the key aspects to creating the perfect gaming atmosphere in any video game, music plays a huge role in enhancing the tone and themes of each and every game you play.
From the very first monotone notes emitting from early Tetris games to the incredibly complex and expertly composed scores of modern AAA games, music, and sound design have evolved tremendously over the years.
Played to create an ambiance amongst both video games and even online casino games, a variety of the best games in the industry have been significantly impacted by sound design.
The role of music is to grab hold of the player and offer them something that visuals and controls can’t always provide: a sense of belonging.
Music can often transport you to your own world, which certainly comes in handy when wanting to dive in deep into the storylines of some of your favorite games. Allowing you to truly feel the emotion of every game you play, music is the driving force behind any good game’s emotional core.
Music at the heart of a video games
While the vast majority of games use music in the background, there are some that feature it as one of the key tenets of the game’s design.
With games like Brutal Legend requiring you to play music in order to defeat your enemies amongst their gaming storylines, many games in the industry not only use music to keep players engaged but to help them with their quests in each and every game.
Whilst the vast majority of games will focus on making sure that the player is drawn in by the visuals, those that are more focused on the music itself tap into a deeper level of engagement.
There are a range of important aspects to video games and making sound a key part of the game means that you’re engaging senses which would otherwise be left as circumstantial, requiring players to pay an extra level of attention to the game.
The use of sound in video games is a win-win situation for both the players and their gaming experience and also the developers with the success of their game. Putting music and sound at the heart of any game design ensures the highest player engagement and a good user experience in all types of games.
How music plays a huge role
Music plays an incredibly important role in supporting the emotional nature of every story in a game.
Games have always relied on the highest quality animations and even CGI faces to enhance their storyline, and developers now use music to add to the story, letting players know what they should be thinking or feeling at that point in the plot’s progression.
Just one amazing example of this is the ‘Thomas Was Alone’ game, in which the players have to collect rectangles to light at the end of the level. With no words spoken, apart from the narrator, or faces even used in the game, the simple combination of lighting, animation, and most importantly, music, helps you to forge an emotional connection and certainly helps players work their way to victory.
Games like these have been developed throughout the history of video gaming where sound and music is the pinnacle point of the storyline.
Many video game musicians such as Darren Korb and Ashley Barret have made huge impacts on the way video games are seen and played by gamers all around the world.
The music in a game can be the difference between a slightly interesting game and one of the most favored and engaging games to be made in the industry. With careful consideration of the sounds and music by developers, their work and storylines that they aim to achieve can be truly felt by their players with each and every sound that is played in the game.
The importance of music in online casino gaming
Music doesn’t just influence video games, but it is also integral to creating the perfect atmosphere in any online casino game. Many online casino games are recognizable through their animations, music, and sound effects, so players know exactly what you’re getting.
When playing casino games and slot games online, the sound design is on point when it comes to bonuses, wins, and losses, as every single sound effect is tailored to give the player feedback on how their game is going.
Just like any other game, the sound design in online casino games is always reliant on keeping the player updated, involved, and engaged. Without the right music and sound effects to set the tone of the game, many online casino games would not draw people’s attention like they do when it is used.
The importance of music in online casino games is huge as it helps contribute to the theme and storyline of each game the online casino has to offer and further enhances the feeling of being in a live casino with high-quality music to set the tone.
Are you looking for new activities and hobbies to try? As a tall woman, there are all kinds of great hobbies and activities to try that could allow you to capitalize on your height or simply be activities that you might find enjoyable in your spare time.
Being a tall woman has its advantages, and you will find that many of the most powerful, successful, and influential women throughout history have been taller than average.
So, if you are looking for a new hobby or two to try, read on for a few suggestions that are worth considering and could improve your life in more ways than one.
Sports
“Do you play basketball?” Is a question that every tall woman has heard and is likely sick of (even those that play!), but there are sports that are worth considering that could allow you to take advantage of your height.
Competitive sports can improve your life in many different ways, and it can also be a chance to meet other tall women (as well as women of all sizes, ages, and backgrounds). In addition to basketball, a few other sports worth considering include:
Tennis
Volleyball
Track and field
Netball
Badminton
Hiking
Another activity that tall women tend to enjoy (along with many other people) is hiking. This is a great form of exercise; it allows you to explore nature and enjoy spending time outside and in the fresh air.
Again, taller people often find hiking easier than others, and this is a hobby that can be enjoyed either solo or with others.
Online Casino Games
Of course, not everyone wants to play sports or have active hobbies, and it is important to have activities that you can enjoy simply while relaxing around the house.
Recently, online casino games have become hugely popular, and it is easy to see why. You can play poker, blackjack, slot games, and all kinds of other fun casino games without leaving the house. Places like Royal Vegas Casino have many great games to choose from that you can play in your spare time on any device.
Yoga
Yoga is an active hobby and one that can improve your physical and mental health, but it is also something that you can easily do at home by yourself if you wish. If you want to make it a social hobby, yoga classes can be a great way to make new friends while reaping the benefits that yoga can bring to so many different aspects of your life.
Hopefully, this post will give you a few ideas for activities and hobbies to enjoy. You will find that being tall has its advantages and there are many things that you can do (other than basketball) to embrace this and other hobbies that anyone can enjoy.
Everyone needs to have a few different hobbies that they can enjoy in their free time as a way to improve their overall wellbeing, so if you feel the need for a new hobby, then try one or a few of the above.
So boom… During the pandemic, I picked up a camera and never looked back. And thus far, having a camera by my side has gotten me access to some of the dopest happenings in the culture, including photographing this year’s Made In America Music Festival.
My camera was the missing link and helped me, as a journalist, take my words off the paper and into the eyes of the beholder.
It’s been a year after the pandemic and now I’ve shot hundreds of flicks on my Canon AE-1 Program. Keep rolling the tape, and now I’m in the photo pit at Made In America Festival shooting Young Thug perform. Sheesh! Who would’ve thought?
Somehow, someway, my credentials as a writer worked to help me navigate exclusive pull-ups where some of my favorite artists were performing. Here’s how I did it.
Got the PR plug to Made In America
Made In America Festival Entrance | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
PR peeps are a journalist’s best friend… sometimes. You have to pick and choose your allies at PR firms as most reach out, use you, and never return the favor or in some cases don’t have anything to offer.
It takes a lot of good judgment and experience to know who to keep in your Rolodex. In this case, our PR contact for MIA Fest has been with us since we started KH and many times over has unlocked the gates to some great content. So, she’s the homie.
Still, this is where preparation meets opportunity. Anything my plug needed leading up to Made In America, we worked together to make it happen. Also, we didn’t reach out and ask about PRESS ACCESS a day or two before.
We gave our PR contact a month’s notice and started the process (filling out forms, COVID clearances, interview requests, agreements, the whole enchilada).
How are we getting to Philly, tho?
Now a native NYC aficionado, driving has become a thing of the past. And once I got the news that we were approved for photo and press for MIA Fest I hit Wanderu for the cheap transportation, there and back.
It was like taking a little time machine to another world. And yeah, I got to Philly a little early but it allowed me to get some practice shots in. Also, they just got hit by Hurricane Ida, so I didn’t know what to expect upon arrival.
Check-in time was 11 am so you can guess what time I got there… 11 am. That’s the first thing we learn as journalists in college or from experience. Be on time and, oh yeah, hit deadlines.
But, getting there on time allowed me to map out my plan of attack. From previous MIA Fests, I’ve attended as a journalist, I knew that when you’re working a music festival, you’re working a music festival.
Plus, when you’re on time you can brainstorm with your squad, get some dope shots of activations without the business of a music festival, and interview some early arrivers.
From Left to Right: Hulu WuTang Installation and Coinbase Ferris Wheel | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
Before the first set, I began interviewing and photographing some music festival fans, where I asked them about the feeling of coming back from a pandemic and going to a music festival.
“I’ve enjoyed my last year creating with my collective in Philly. But this will be my first big event since the pandemic and I’m excited. Hopefully the artists bring the heat.”
Liam and James patiently wait for MIA Fest to commence | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
As the giant festival venue continued to fill up, the vibes led me to Marian and Kandy, both were sitting under a tree by the main stage. They were excited to be there and for them, it was a mixture of angst and a spiritual blessing.
“You still want to social distance but at the same time, I’m happy to be in an environment with other people because we’ve been isolated for so long. To be able to hear music, just vibe out, and be out in nature it’s kind of like a spiritual blessing. I’m grateful.”
– Kandy
Kandy and Marian pose for a picture at Made In America Fest | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
Doing my rounds at Cause Village at Made In America Festival
Whats are good vibes without a good cause? Music is a universal language that can be used for good and being at MIA Fest reminded me of that.
It’s more than just music, it’s bringing people out to collectively support a bigger mission and Cause Village did exactly what it was designed to do.
With the power of music in mind, the vibes led me to my first stop at Cause Village, the School District of Philadelphia Office of the Arts and Creative Learning.
There I spoke with Frank Machos who told me about using music programs at the School District of Philadelphia to empower the youth.
“Our biggest mission at Made In America is to let people know that music education in Philly public schools is not only alive and thriving but it’s moving into the future. We want to equip the youth with the tools they need to be on these stages in the future.”
– Frank Machos, School District of Philadelphia Office of the Arts and Creative Learning
Frank Machos and team | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
After having some fun with some of the instruments the Philadelphia School District had at their tent, I had to pull up on the fam at the Gathering For Justice.
There Luis Hernandez was setting up for passer-bys ready to learn more about the Gathering for Justice initiatives. It was great seeing a familiar face and make a connection over the music.
Asking him his thoughts on merging activism and music, Hernandez would go on to quote Harry Belafonte’s mentor Paul Robeson, “Artists are the gatekeepers of truth…”
Hernandez continued:
“We truly believe that, here at the Gathering For Justice. When the opportunity arose we were super excited. An opportunity to push out our initiative, let folks know about the amazing work that we’re doing, and to engage everyday people into our cause is amazing.”
– Luis Hernandez
National Director at Gathering For Justice, Luis Hernandez poses for a pic at Cause Village | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
Into the photo pit. The stress that comes with photographing a music festival
Finally, I was ready to put my Canon AE-1 Program to work. It was time to hit the photo pit. I had to choose carefully and now that the Made In America venue was jam-packed with fans, navigating would from stage to stage became a little more than a breezy walk.
MIA attendees line up at the front gate| Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
The first thing I noticed, the stage was high and my Slim Zoom stopped working the day before… SICK. Still, I managed to get a dope shot of Morray as he took the stage.
Morray takes the stage at MIA Fest | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
Shuffling my way over to watch Griselda’s performance, shamefully, I was unprepared. It hurts so much. I wasn’t checking the status of frames I had left but I managed to swap out my rolls with just enough time to capture Benny the Butcher and West Side Gunn in action.
West Side Gunn and Benny the Butcher take the stage | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
I then made my way to Baby Keem’s set. I was a little happier with the outcome here. I did miss a shot or two of Brent Faiyaz, who was also just casually chillin’ watching Baby Keem go off, but, it’s ok. =(
Baby Keem takes the stage at MIA | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
Feeling like I was on #TeamNoBreak, this time around I checked my frame count and swapped out my rolls in the press tent before Young Thug’s performance.
If you thought the stage was high in my other shots, to my luck, Young Thug pulled out all the stops for his very pink, very foggy performance. As we waited for him to hit the stage, to the crowd’s surprise, he would perform from atop a caged spider.
Young Thug’s very pink performance | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
Young Thug’s very pink performance | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
But wait what about the music festival fans, tho?
One thing we can’t forget when photographing a music festival is the fan experience. Because I had access to the photo pit this made capturing the overall experience of Made In America quite light.
Made In America fans had quite the experience. | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Portra 160
Photographing a music festival is not easy, Here’s what I learned…
Remembering the (L) I took missing out on capturing Brent Fayiaz at Baby Keem’s set, for Young Thug’s performance I kept my eyes peeled for rappers who might be watching in the crowd.
With a touch of luck and preparation, I was able to capture A$AP Ferg in the photo pit.
A$AP Ferg looks on Young Thug’s performance from the photo pit. | Photo Courtesy: @claudejeasy | Film: 35mm Kodak Color Plus
Shooting film is its own obstacle. A lot of money and a lot of failures before learning what’s really good. The next time, I’m presented with the opportunity of photographing a music festival like Made in America, I’m definitely going to need a zoom lens and Portra 400 instead of 160.
The movement during live performances was just way too much. But who knows? I’m still waiting to see what I get from this CinePlus 800 roll. Those are mine.
The NFL is back in the UK this October with two games set to be held at the magnificent Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London.
The first matchup sees the New York Jets taking on the Atlanta Falcons at 2:30 pm on October 10. The following Sunday, October 17, again at 2:30 pm, the Jacksonville Jaguars face off against the Miami Dolphins, two teams that are very familiar with the trip over to London.
This will be the 14th year that the NFL London games have taken place and, along with games hosted in Mexico since 2016, they are a fantastic mechanism to expose new audiences to the NFL.
The London Games have been sell-outs year after year, showing that interest in the NFL in the UK is thriving and future locations for the International Series in Europe look likely given the growth of the game across the Atlantic.
Jets and Falcons take the NFL to the UK
The first matchup between the Jets and the Falcons sees two teams that struggled in 2020 facing off in what both franchises will see as a great chance to get an important win on the board.
The Jets finished a lowly 2-14 last season, whilst the Falcons only managed a 4-12 record, and both sides will be desperate to improve upon that in 2021 and make a playoff push.
This will be the 13th matchup between the teams all-time, with the Falcons having won 7 games to the Jets 5 thus far. Their last meeting came back in 2017 with Atlanta claiming a 25-20 win on the back of 254 passing yards and 2 touchdowns from then-reigning MVP Matt Ryan.
Are the Jets ready to preform in the UK NFL gam?
The Jets drafted former BYU QB Zach Wilson with the second overall pick in April’s draft, filling a position of need for them, and new head coach Robert Saleh will be hoping the dynamic signal-caller lives up to the hype he carries in order to build a winning culture in New York.
The selection of USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker with the 14th pick will be a big help in protecting Wilson too, joining an offensive line that already includes 2020 first-round pick, Mekhi Becton.
The Falcons also have a new head coach in 2021, with former Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith taking over from Dan Quinn, and he will be thrilled to have added athletic tight-end, and 4th overall selection in the 2021 draft, Kyle Pitts to his roster.
Pitts joins former Alabama wideout Calvin Ridley as first-round weapons available to Ryan and Smith, and there will be much hope in Atlanta that they can rediscover the kind of high-scoring offense that took them to Super Bowl 51.
Atlanta will likely enter this game as the favorite, and UK bettors nationwide will be able to bet on the game live and in-play.
Comparatively, US gamblers can only bet on the game in states where gambling is legal such as New Jersey and Michigan where physical sportsbooks, that often don’t have betting apps or websites, are located inside casinos.
Falcons fans in Georgia are therefore unlikely to be able to bet on their team, whereas UK-based Falcons fans can easily access a betting site or app on their smartphone like 888 Sport, where they can place bets anytime, anywhere due to legalization across the board.
Jaguars and Dolphins face off in NFL London Games
The second NFL London game of the season sees the adopted home team, Jacksonville Jaguars, taking on the Miami Dolphins. Both teams are very familiar with the trip over the pond, with this being the 5th time the Dolphins have featured in London, whilst it will be the 8th time for the Jags, the most of any NFL team.
The teams had vastly different seasons in 2020, with the Dolphins finishing with a 10-6 record under head coach Brian Flores, their first winning season since 2016. Contrastingly, the Jags held an NFL-worst record of 1-15, struggling throughout the year without a franchise quarterback.
Lawrence is a prototypical pro-style QB with great size, arm strength, and accuracy, and his winning mentality coming from Clemson, where he won a national championship in 2018 and ended with a 34-2 win-loss record, have made him one of the most anticipated players to come out of college over the last decade.
Incoming head coach Urban Meyer will be hoping Lawrence can adjust quickly to the NFL game and that having former college teammate Travis Etienne, who they selected with the 25th overall pick, alongside him in the backfield will be a big help to kickstart what was a mediocre offense in 2020.
Jacksonville might be stacked…
Jacksonville only managed to post 231.2 passing yards and 19.1 points per game last season, but Lawrence coupled with the addition of Marvin Jones to a receiving corp that already includes pro-bowler DJ Chark, should help to turn that around some this coming year.
The Dolphins also loaded up in the draft, adding speed to their receiving corps in the form of Jaylen Waddle with the 6th overall pick out of Alabama, reuniting him with QB Tua Tagovailoa.
Miami was also able to add former UCLA line-backer Jaelen Phillips to their already stingy defense that allowed just 21.1 points per game in 2020, with the 18th overall pick. The Dolphins will come into the game as strong favorites and looking to win the AFC East.
Two exciting matchups await NFL fans in the UK this year, with another chance to inspire future fans and players of the game, and as ever it will be a fantastic experience for the players from all four franchises to play in an amazing arena in front of passionate fans.
It is especially rare that both the top two draft picks will be traveling over, and UK NFL fans will be in for a treat watching Lawrence and Wilson amongst a myriad of other stars of the game.
We connect cuteness to size, and the smaller something is, the higher the chances that it will be deemed sweet or cute. So why are we obsessed with everything small? The fashion, marketing, and design industry all use miniatures in one way or another, and the public seems to love it.
Experts have carried out numerous scientific studies to analyze our obsession with miniatures.
Here’s what science has to say about being drawn to all things miniature- be it a teacup pig, kitten, babies, dollhouses, or tiny figurines – it might be weird, but can science explain it?
Sense Of Control Over All Things Miniature
There’s a theory that miniature dollhouses allow their owners to create fantasy scenarios in an attempt to escape their own lives. When living in a chaotic or problematic household with absent parents, children may find comfort in controlling their own little family where those issues do not exist.
Dollhouses are often used by psychologists when treating younger patients that are dealing with serious issues.
Nurturers by Nature
One of the originators of ethology in 1943 proposed a theory as to why we feel the need to comfort and care for things that look ‘cute.’
Nobel laureate Konrad Lorenz’s theory states that characteristics deemed ‘baby like’ such as a rounded head, petite build, and big eyes will promote parental care.
The theory is that these features’ response enhances a living creature’s chances of survival and is a fundamental function of human social cognition.
1000 Miniature Things to Make at Home
We say the same about specific auditory and olfactory cues. Baby laughter or the smell of a new baby or puppy’s yelp can prompt a greater need for affection or caregiving.
There has been some research done that hypothesizes that we perceive cute things smaller than they are. We can see this theory in action when observing a mother and her children.
Mothers misperceive their youngest children as much smaller than they are, an illusion that more often than not results in the youngest receiving more resources and care than their siblings.
It’s All In The Details
Just because it’s smaller doesn’t mean it lacks detail. Miniatures are compact and have to condense all of the intricate visuals into minimal space, making them highly appealing to our senses.
Research has shown that the human eye draws to areas or objects that hold the most information. We can say the same about touch and the urge to understand a detailed surface by touching it.
In a nutshell, we can put down our attraction to miniatures to the human sensory-seeking brain and its love for a stimulating scene.
The Urge To Care for Tiny Things
Cuteness motivates humans to protect and show affection, resulting in a gentle and caring approach. Experts did a fascinating study in 2009 that proves this theory.
Participants of the study took part in a game of Operation (pretend surgery game). Half of the test subjects were shown images of puppies and kittens before the game.
Those that viewed the photos performed better than those who did not. Hiroshi Nittono and his colleagues and the Hiroshima University in Japan further investigated this theory.
They discovered that cuteness would improve our performance in situations where accuracy and care are needed. For example, we will treat them more delicately when handling tiny furniture as we associate their cuteness with breakability.
The Helplessness
Babies tend to receive a lot of attention for their cuteness. Is it all to do with their helplessness?
Smaller objects tend to pose less of a threat due to their size. When something is smaller or considered miniature, we tend to feel less threatened by them.
Thinking this way is a crucial element when trying to decide whether something is cute or not. By calling it cute, you immediately deem the item as non-threatening.
This mindset is harmless most of the time unless you’re dealing with the big-eyed, blue-toed frog known as the poison-dart frog!
Once a Kid Always a Kid
Cuteness is not limited to living creatures. Inanimate objects such as toys often receive a lot of attention too. The teddy bear has evolved over the years and has become a lot more baby-like and cute-looking.
We deem miniatures to be cute because we connect them with toys and child play. We also consider small children as ‘cute,’ resulting in these items being considered ‘cute’ just by association.
There is the odd occasion where bigger objects will be considered cute, but mainly because it is a large version of the small item. Some view a human-sized teddy bear with baby-like characteristics to be more appealing than a normal-sized one.
Are we all still pining for our long-gone childhoods? Do miniatures remind us of simpler times when we viewed the world through rose-tinted glasses?
Maybe science has answered all of your questions, or perhaps you have your reasons for loving all things miniature.
The pandemic forced a lot of loneliness but online gaming helped many to keep up with their social connections in the virtual realm.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide health emergency that has had a massive effect on the entire world. Countries have been doing their best to fight off case counts and deaths since it was declared a pandemic back in March 2020.
And now, 16 months later, it continues to hurt so many countries in terms of both the health of the citizens and the economy. One negative effect of the pandemic has been the loneliness that so many have felt.
When countries were forced into lockdowns and social distancing sunk in, it chipped away at the ability to connect with others.
This is where online gaming has shot to the forefront, providing some relief to those suffering from loneliness. It has had several positive benefits throughout the year, and it is maybe something you want to embrace if you’ve been feeling lonely as of late.
Online Gaming Makes Socializing with Friends Convenient and Safe
In moments of crisis, it is human nature to come together, support one another and work on a solution together.
The COVID-19 pandemic crisis, on the other hand, has forced people to stay apart, respect social distancing and change the way they go about their regular life. Suddenly, weeks, or even months went by where seeing friends wasn’t possible or safe.
Online gaming has provided people with a way to socialize that is convenient and 100% safe. Gamers have been able to go online, connect with friends and strangers around the world, have conversations, challenge each other or work cooperatively depending on the game.
Online Gaming Isn’t Restricted by Operating Hours
Where traditionally you may have gotten together with friends at a favourite bar or restaurant, thanks to gaming, you don’t have to worry about hours of operation.
Online gaming is available 24/7 and, no matter what game you choose to play, it’s almost a guarantee that others are playing even if they aren’t in your social circle. A great example is brick and mortar casinos. Thanks to sites such as rubyfortune.com, players don’t have to visit a casino in person and worry about the opening hours.
Make New Friendships
This brings us to the next point, which is the fact that these online games also make it possible for people to make new friendships. You’re able to connect with people all around the world instead of just those that live nearby.
Online Game Chat Has Revolutionized Gameplay
It’s important to also point out how online game chat has revolutionized gameplay.
This is a feature that makes it possible to chat with others players in real-time, making the game more exciting, engaging and ensuring you never feel alone. This real-time chat feature is available on a large number of video game console games, browser-based games and even app games.
If you’ve been suffering from a sense of loneliness thanks to the pandemic, it’s time to look for solutions, and online gaming can help you to socialize safely and effectively.
