The Exorcism of Roman: Nicki Minaj Goes Too Far

For those intuitive enough to opt for a bathroom break during Nicki Minaj's performance on the Grammys Sunday night, the debacle proceeded as follows: first, an attention-drawing red carpet debut as Minaj (clad in a bright red robe) sauntered into the building with a man dressed as the pope. This was followed by an instantly controversial performance of Minaj's song "Roman Holiday," complete with an ensemble of provocative back up dancers seducing the hired actors (masquerading as priests, alter boys, monks, and the like). Minaj also included a short film in which her character, Roman, is confronted by a Catholic priest attempting to rid her of her demon. The performance's chaotic peak unfolded as a church choir filed onstage to sing a beloved Christian hymn while a priest assisted Minaj in levitating above the stage as she screamed frantically in tongues. Sounds like a masterpiece, right?

The performance's resulting backlash might suggest differently. The Huffington Post quoted Catholic League President Bill Donohue saying: "It's bad enough that Catholics have to fight for their rights vis-a-vis a hostile administration in Washington without also having to fend off attacks in the entertainment industry." Truly the Minaj camp must have foreseen the inevitable repercussions of such an outlandish performance, so the question remains: Why?

Why the calculated jab at the Catholic community and, on a grander scale, the religious community at large? I ask all pop culture and music enthusiasts alike to remember the central purpose of the Grammys: to pit multimillion-dolla- engrossing musicians against each other in a competitive duel. Winner gets that shiny gold phonograph thing.

Minaj, as evidenced by her nomination for "Best New Artist," remains a relatively fresh face in the American pop music scene. Powerhouses such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Rihanna have earned their spots in this media hierarchy--oftentimes as a result of controversial live stunts akin to Minaj's. These tactics guided the poorly engineered, debauchery of a performance. I invite readers to recall Lady Gaga's video for "Alejandro" where she swallows a rosary in one of the opening scenes, or Rihanna's graphic song "S&M" released after her bout with domestic violence. Both artists’ strategies inspired massive hype and, in turn, appreciation for a certain courage to embrace taboos. As Loyola freshman Zach Everett tweeted that night: "If Gaga did the exact performance as Nicki y'all would dub it as art, amazing, and groundbreaking."

Zach is absolutely right. Minaj's sloppy performance was nothing more than a publicity stunt, an attempt to earn her spot next to her constituents in an overwhelmingly competitive industry. Minaj not only severely damaged her burgeoning career, she also left thousands offended, angered viewers in her wake. Perhaps Entertainment Weekly said it best: "It's a weird mess with no real message."

Loyola University New Orleans: In the Presence of Greatness

So one of the main reasons I decided to attend Loyola University New Orleans really doesn't require much explanation: the wealth of musical talent present in the city of New Orleans. The music scene here mimics the foundation of the city itself--that of a cultural melting pot. Let's try a fun little word association game. What's the first word you think of when you think about New Orleans? Please, God no--not Bourbon Street or Mardi Gras--I'm talking about Jazz! Yes, of course, the presence of jazz is palpable and thriving in this city, but all New Orleans enthusiasts and general music enthusiasts should take some time to explore the other just as present, just as incredible music New Orleans has to offer.

So now that I've reminded you that New Orleans is a haven for music lovers, let me take a little time to describe my wonderful school to you. Home of the Thelonious Monk School of Jazz, Loyola is extremely well known for our talented music students. This semester I have chosen to take a freshman seminar entitled "The History of Music in New Orleans." On the first day of class, my professor assigned a paper on an artist from New Orleans. We were to research an artist, write a short paper, and bring a sample of their music in to play for the class. After listening to a handful of New Orleans bands, I started to notice a trend: the majority of these bands showcase students that once went to or still attend Loyola. This list includes only a few of the talented musical acts keepin' it funky here at Loyola. 

Naughty Professor

This group of enthusiastic Loyola musicians labels their genre of music as "Funk/Soul/Insanity." Founded in September of 2011, the six creative musicians have effectively earned their place in the lively music scene of New Orleans. Naughty Professor features two saxophonists (Nick Ellman, Ian Bowman), one trumpeter (John Culbreth), a guitarist (Bill Daniel), bassist (Noah Young), drummer (Danny Milojevic), and vocalist Mahoganee Medlock. All students in Loyola's music program, this group of instrumentalists demonstrates a phenomenal knack for funk as well as jazz solo improvisation. The band independently recorded their new EP entitled "theep" in October. This compilation features five mostly instrumental songs that are sure to get you on your feet. Though most of the songs are instrumentally dominant, the track "Now & Never" features the outstanding vocal talents of Ms. Medlock as she shows off  her bluesy yet powerful voice. This group plays constantly in the New Orleans area so be sure to catch them whenever you can. Their next show is at the Maison on January 28th!

Recommended Track: Now & Never

G Eazy

Blog readers, meet Mr. Gerald Earl Gillum. Born and raised in California, Gillum then chose to venture to Loyola to earn a degree in Music Industry Studies in 2011. Though G Eazy is known to put on fantastic live shows, he maintains the goal of someday breaking into the world of music education. Gillum spent his years at Loyola building an impressive fan base in New Orleans all while maintaining his grades and his goal of earning a degree. Gillum has gone from tiny local shows in the New Orleans area to arena shows opening for headliners like Lil Wayne, Big Sean, and Drake. G Eazy is most famous for his sampling of the 1960's hit "Runaround Sue." The song's music video knocked up over 100,000 views within a week. New Orleans locals and rap/R&B enthusiasts alike should look out for G Eazy.

Recommended Track: Runaround Sue

Sun Hotel

Welcome to the Indie Rock scene of New Orleans. Sun Hotel features Loyola students Tyler Scurlock (vocals), Alex Hertz (lead guitar), Ross Farbe (drums), and John St. Cyr (bass). Far more than just another indie rock contender, the men of Sun Hotel along with their friends in the band Caddywhompus decided to found their own independent music label Chinquapin Records in early 2010. Classified as "Post-Gospel, Indie Rock," Sun Hotel's unique, ambient punk spin helps their music stand out among the "pseudo-artists dead set on making indie gold." Be sure to watch Sun Hotel's Facebook and Myspace for any upcoming shows!

Recommended Track: Talks

Well that's it for today's excursion into the world of the Loyola/New Orleans music scene! As always I appreciate comments and suggestions for future posts!

Guess Who's Back, Back Again? Best of 2011

So I've officially decided to break my blogging hiatus. Hooray!

The world has changed dramatically since my last post. While I was riding the unpredictable roller coaster formally known as my first semester of college, Libya's future was forever changed by the death of Muammar Gaddafi, America's future was temporarily defecated on by way of Rick Perry's various campaign strategies, and my future became increasingly more tangible, little by little. But I realized, looking back on my first semester, that I truly missed blogging. I read far too many books and wore far too many pairs of shoes to document, so instead I shall give you a list of my favorite books of 2011. Enjoy!

5. Freedom-Jonathan Franzen

If authors write about what they know, Franzen knows a thing or two about dysfunctional familial relationships. Similar to his novel The Corrections, Franzen chronicles the deterioration of a once beautiful family using the backdrop of rural suburbia. Freedom is Franzen's literary critique of how modern society has reconstructed the meaning of family and love. The once widely accepted code of ethics that has helped to uphold human relationships is demolished in Franzen's work and replaced with passionate, unbridled Freedom. Though Franzen's satirical smirk presents itself often in the story, Freedom truly showcases raw human emotion and the disturbing, negative side effects that result from an indulgence of freedom.

4. Galapagos-Kurt Vonnegut

In what world do humans evolve into birdlike creatures that procreate by way of a series of nubbins attached to their wings? Why, only in a Kurt Vonnegut world of course! Though Galapagos might seem like the silliest, most far fetched novel Vonnegut has ever dished out, it doubles as an honest, profound allegory of human evolution. In his novel, Vonnegut critiques the widespread neurosis of the human race. In his opinion, man has his "big brain" to thank for his ultimate downfall. Vonnegut tells the story of a wily group of passengers aboard a cruise ship destined for disaster. After the "Nature Cruise of the Century" shipwrecks on the coast of the Galapagos Islands, the human race begins a rapid process of deterioration. But isn't this a story about evolution? This is precisely Vonnegut's criticism: Evolution of thought causes the deterioration of the human race.

3. Fires in the Mirror

Everyone reacts differently to tragedy. In her revolutionary dramatic interpretation of the Brooklyn shootings of 1991, Anna Deavere Smith compiles the personal accounts of twenty six Brooklyn locals directly after the accidental killing of African American youth Gavin Cato. Cato's life was cut short when an intoxicated Hassidic man lost control of his vehicle. In an act of retaliation, a group of black teenagers brutally beat and killed a Hassidic man named Yankel Rosenbaum. The feud that resulted characterized the Brooklyn community for years as the war between black and Jewish waged onward. Smith's collection of monologues captures various points of view on one of the most controversial racial feuds in recent history.

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Stieg Larsson

I have but three words to describe this novel, this series, this phenomenon: believe the hype. As a slightly obsessive literary fanatic, I at first chose to ignore what I thought was a petty fad in the fiction world. Sure, tons of people have read these books--but tons have people have also read Twilight (Including me, freshman year. Stop judging). This mindset completely deteriorated seconds after seeing David Fincher's masterful film starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig. Hours later, I still couldn't get the addictive story out of my mind. I bought the first book the very next morning, I was done by the next day. I tip my hat to the most gripping, addictive, and cleverly written trilogy I have ever read.

1. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close-Jonathan Safran Foer

Even as a self professed writer, I struggle to find the words to accurately describe the most beautiful novel I read all year. Foer's work is a masterpiece about loss, love, and the growth one experiences when forced to adapt to the most unlikely circumstances. Oskar Schell absolutely idolizes his father, Thomas Schell: Foer artfully depicts the beauty of the father-son relationship in the first chapters. Oskar's world turns upside down when his beloved father is killed in the terrorist attacks on September 11th. While rummaging through his father's things, Oskar finds a mysteries key in an envelope addressed to someone by the name of "Black". A naturally gifted, incredibly intelligent, and curious child, Oskar decides to embark on an adventure to find the key's respective lock and to find "Black" all in the hopes of creating one last connection with his father. A frame narrative, Extremely Loud also chronicles the relationship of Oskar's grandparents, Thomas's parents. This powerful love story gives the story it's true meaning, depth, and beauty. As Oskar travels through his epic journey, he learns to make peace with his loss and appreciate the love around him, just as his father would have wanted. I'll be quite honest: I was crying within the first ten pages. This novel has the kind of heart that makes me love literature.

Well that sums up my five favorite books of 2011! I'm so excited to start blogging again. As always, I truly appreciate your comments! Let me know what you're reading and what you think of my list!