Chapman Ain’t “Sorry,” No Mixtape for Minaj

by | Jan 12, 2021 | Music

"Forgive me is all that you can't say," sings Tracy Chapman on "Baby Can I Hold You." Which is ironic because these are the exact words she wants to hear from Nicki Minaj after Minaj sampled this very song without Chapman's permission. Tracy Chapman takes aim at mixtape culture and makes Nicki Minaj pay for leaking "Sorry" in Dodson's new piece.

Weekly Roundup

by | Jan 11, 2021 | Hoops, Movies, Music

As part of our revamped 2021 slate, we'll be doing a weekly roundup every Monday morning to get everyone oriented for the week ahead. Monday morning can be tough, so it's good to have things to look forward to. One rec/topic + a little hometown love--spotlighting an upcoming OC piece! In this pre-inauguration week: Livingston Taylor, MLK/FBI, and Lakers-Pelicans.

Way Too Early NBA Trends

Way Too Early NBA Trends

by | Jan 7, 2021 | Hoops

Cody scoured the archives of Minas Tirith--aka nba.com--to bring us the most scintillating statistical trends from this young season. Will Jokic continue to lead the league in assists? Maybe! Could Ben Simmons continue to lead the league in 3PT FG%? Maybe!

Audio Engineer Shop Talk

by | Jan 4, 2021 | Music

Andrew Oedel, Charlie Kramsky, and Lang Freeman are acclaimed audio engineers and somehow even better people. Collectively these engineers have earned multiple Grammy nominations, worked with Paul McCartney, Anderson .Paak, Vampire Weekend, Willie Nelson, and had songs in blockbuster films. Andrew, Charlie, and Lang join Sasha in the proverbial sonic barbershop to discuss all aspects of the recording and mixing process.

Top 5 Film Starting Fives of the Past Five Years

Top 5 Film Starting Fives of the Past Five Years

by | Jan 3, 2021 | Movies

To quote the always dependable Cake, "I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket." Or in Nate's case, a simple column concept with a long title. Our Roger Ebert meets Zach Lowe columnist ranks 2016-2020 based on each year's top 5 films (with consideration for the bench).