I recently wandered into one of my friends’ classes, where the instructor began playing the film Almost Famous. I had never seen the movie before, but it portrayed a dilemma that I have encountered as an MIT student and lover of popular culture. Continue reading
Gescha
Crayon Politics
N E Kind Entertainment
Because the hip-hop industry is dominated by mainstream artists, it’s hard for underdogs like Gescha to shine. This Saskatoon-based rapper invites the listener to dive in and learn more about his life in his 13-track debut album, Crayon Politics. On this album, produced by Factor and Muneshine, Gescha collaborated with many artists including Moka Only, Kay the Aquanaut, and Tom Pickett. The name of the album derives from Gescha’s comparison of crayons with his life. Like crayons that constitute a wide spectrum of colours from light to dark, Gescha’s life has contained a range of emotions and stories that are both bright and gloomy. In an interview with Hip-Hop Canada, Gescha expressed that the album is, “a representation of life in all its colours”. Continue reading
Dr. Maya Angelou
If anyone passed by Alumni Hall around 6:00pm on November 3rd, they might have wondered why there was a long line filled with anxious people that stretched outside the building on the sidewalk. The reason for this line was to listen to Dr. Maya Angelou. She is a famous and influential African-American poet, who came to give an inspiring presentation to the London and Western community. At 7:00pm, after everyone was seated, she was greeted with a standing ovation. She began by reciting her poem, entitled “Rainbow in the Clouds,” and noted that she was overjoyed to be in London. The eighty-three year old woman was able to effectively engage the audience by telling jokes about her travels and experiences. She even attempted to rap a poem. It was riveting to listen to her intellectual ideas, and inspiring to observe the respect given to her by the audience in their attentiveness and silence. Not only was her presence powerful, but so were her words. Continue reading
