In today’s Arts section, freshman hip-hop Hatchet writer (say that 10x fast…) Devin Smith takes us behind the scenes of the National Portrait Gallery’s newest art installation: RECOGNIZE! Devin writes;
Hip-hop has at times been cast by the establishment as a negative force, despite it arguably being one of the most important cultural movements of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. It is easy to see how much modern culture has been affected by hip hop: whether it’s a beat-boxing McDonald’s commercial, or Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. With this in mind, it’s only fitting that a new exhibit, entitled “RECOGNIZE! Hip-Hop and Contemporary Portraiture,” has opened at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery to, well, recognize hip hop’s growing influence on mainstream culture.
The newest member of our staff, contributing arts editor Amanda Pacitti, wrote an excellent profile of Chris Richards– GW graduate (2000), former member of D.C.-based band Q and Not U, and now editor for the New York music magazine Fader. Amanda writes;
GW alum Chris Richards recently spoke with The Hatchet about the D.C. scene, his past work for “The Washington Post” and, um, finding a writing voice when reviewing hygiene products. Richards, formerly a member of the now disbanded D.C.-based post-hardcore band Q And Not U, was recently named an executive editor at New York music magazine “Fader.” Richards offered some advice to students, newsies and young sophisticates like yo’self. Well, sort of.
Finally, movie reviewer Cristina Sciarra brings us her scope on Summit Entertainment’s movie, “Penelope,” including an interview with its star, none other than Christina Ricci (click the “more” button below to watch a preview.) Sciarra writes;
Once upon a time… in a not so far away land, there lived a young girl who was not very beautiful at all. Her name was Penelope. Born with the face of a pig, Penelope (Christina Ricci) must find a wealthy blue-blood to agree to marry her in order to break a centuries-old family curse.
“This is a film about genuinely liking yourself,” said Ricci in a recent phone interview with The Hatchet. “We are in this weird culture which attempts to homogenize everyone, but this movie has a great message about the value of individuality. We all have our own insecurities, but ‘Penelope’ celebrates how different we are.”
Oh, and the BarBelle gets shitfaced at Rocket Bar in Chinatown.
Rocket Bar was supposed to be a side stop worthy of grabbing a few cheap drinks before hitting up the nearby Fado’s and R.F.D’s in the district, but the charming little bar kept us drinking and laughing far longer into the night. …Decorated to suite hardcore Trekkies, this bar is covered in galactic pieces of art and installations that, while amusing after getting a nice buzz going, at best look like a twelve year old boy’s bedroom….Everyone there tends to come with a group of friends so you don’t have to worry about Creepy-Eyes McGee over there throwing you a line.
