#about to look up lizzo and maybe read an article about what's going on but i just wanted to be :/ about this first

[gershwinn]

LILI REINHART

The Riverdale babe talks Hustlers, J. Lo and refusing to be typecast for the Autumn 19 issue.

“I hope to just keep it interesting and definitely not play the same role twice,” Lili Reinhart says over the phone. “I think that would be the worst case scenario.” The Cleveland- born star, 22, has been a mainstay of the Wednesday night television since 2017, thanks to Archie Comics’ Riverdale, in which she plays high school student Betty Cooper. Hard pushed as she’d be to replicate her girl-next-door-who-brings-down-cults character from the soapy teen drama elsewhere, her next turn in 13th September’s Hustlers is a far cry from the ponytail-wearing teen.

Hitting the big screen alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names — Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Cardi B, Lizzo and more — Hustlers was born from Jessica Pressler’s 2015 New York Magazine article, “The Hustlers at Scores”. The story follows a group of women who emotionally, financially, and chemically manipulate men, drugging them with MDMA and ketamine — so they’d be happy, but also forget the details of their high-priced evening — to spend tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars at a strip club.

Reinhart originally read the script in an airport while flying from Los Angeles to Vancouver. The characters and their story captivated her – and after an hour- long FaceTime with the movie’s director and screenwriter, Lorene Scafaria, it was set. Reinhart had the role. “The synopsis of it did not do it justice,” she admits. “I was like, ‘What is this movie going to be about?’” When she realised Scafaria — writer of Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World — was attached, she thought, “This is obviously much deeper than it appears to be on the outside”.

She liked that it was a story about women “trying to support themselves”. The women’s manipulation of the Wall Street money-making men in the film wasn’t “revenge” – for them, it was a means of survival. Whether it was to finance themselves, their grandparents and kids, or to take back what they thought belonged to them from the club, the hustlers wanted to redistribute the wealth. Ringleader Ramona’s excuse? Wall Street robbed the world in the 2008 crash, and most got away with it. And when you put it like that, well, it’s hard to argue.

Reinhart’s character Annabelle joins the scheme working with operation bosses Ramona (Lopez) and Destiny (Wu), as well as Mercedes (Keke Palmer). Annabelle is attracted to the “sisterhood” after being shunned from her own kin when they find out she’s a stripper, but the operation is uncomfortable for her – she throws up from all the mischief. “She was written as being the baby of the group, which she is,” Reinhart explains. “She looked to the other girls to take care of her a little bit. She clearly could take care of herself, but I think she certainly wasn’t the ringleader Ramona was. She let Ramona take her under her wing.”

Annabelle continues her participation with the crimes and gets caught up in her new “family” and the wealth her job brings. “She settles comfortably into this dangerous path of drugging these men, maybe not necessarily understanding the full consequences of what she was doing,” Reinhart says. “It was fun to play someone who doesn’t have their shit together… I was like, ‘This is a great opportunity to be a part of a film with a bunch of women who are experienced that I can look up to and a big feature film that I can play this naive, clueless girl.’”

Likeable as the characters are, Reinhart’s aware that sympathy is where the road to reason ends. “I don’t think you can ever sit back and defend these women for doing what they did,” she says. “You can understand, but you can’t go as far as justifying or defending it. What they did is illegal and wrong.” Not that that makes an underdog tale any less intoxicating (literally, in this case).

In a word, Reinhart’s more low-key than her Hustler ’s counterpart, using her time in NYC to “learn how to take the subway”, shop for vintage clothing, and get ice cream at 2 a.m. “I went to the Playboy Club,” she says, reminding me of her character momentarily. But it turns out her trip to the house of Hef was actually for Hustlers’ wrap party. “It was a little too loud for me,” she politely adds.

Pretending to be a girl who enjoys the club scene was a rather more enjoyable experience for Reinhart. “I really just had a good time being around the women and learning to be in a different environment, because I hadn’t done a film where I played a significant part for a while,” she says. “It was really nice to be on a film set again and Lorene as a director obviously was really wonderful in allowing all of us to share. It was very collaborative.” Scafaria encouraged the actors to ad lib and be a creative part of building their characters into more fully-realised people.

Though Reinhart feels like a staple on screen by now, Hustlers is actually the biggest film role she’s ever taken on. Understandably she’s excited about how people will react to seeing her in a different setting. “There’s so much hype for it,” she says. “[I’m] proud to have been a part of something like this, that was on such a big scale. I mean film is where my heart lies.” She adds, “There’s nothing quite like seeing your face in a movie theatre.”

Reinhart will see her name on screen not only as an actor, but as a producer too on her next movie, Amazon’s Chemical Hearts, due for release in 2020. Filmed right after Hustlers, she got in on the behind-the-scenes action as an executive producer. “That was really a passion project of mine, which luckily came together [timing-wise],” she says. “It’s cool to spearhead your own projects and really build something from the ground up. It makes things so much more special. You really just have such a drive to make things the best that they can be… I’m definitely going to try to be having more producing credits from here on out.”

She added buying a house in Los Angeles to her to-do list, too. Reinhart has lived in Vancouver for the last three years while shooting Riverdale but has had her heart set on LA since she first visited at 12 years-old. “I was just so in awe of the entertainment industry and how so much seems to be happening in that city,” she describes. “It was where the big movies were made, where the movie stars lived, where such history was, and film and television… It was a hard pill to swallow when I knew that I had to move to Vancouver to be on Riverdale because I had worked so hard and so long to make it to LA.”

I tell her she seems to be one step ahead of most of us 20-somethings (myself included) who are still trying to trace their trajectories. “I’m also still very much figuring things out,” she humbly replies, in what I’ve come to realise is a typically understated Lili fashion. “I know what I want, but I have no idea where I’m going to end up in a couple years… Things could go terribly wrong. Who knows?” Currently shooting season four of her hit show, and with Hustlers in theatres now, from here it looks like Reinhart’s name is only going to keep rising, with her feet planted firmly on the ground.

Source: Wonderland

#Such a great shoot!!! #one of my faves ever for sureeeeeee #lr #wonderland #also the interview! #love hearing lili's thought proces about hustlers #and her excitement for producing ch! #so proud of her #lr wonderland

[rosyrosethings]

Harry doesn’t love Y/n anymore.

Okay so this is where Harry doesn’t love Y/n. He falls for someone else but then he realizes the person he left Y/n for was not worth it.

2k+ words

Y/n has been feeling like Harry has been distant and she didn’t like it. She’s been trying her best to hold on to whatever was there. But she thinks she held on too tight that whatever it was that was left of their love withered away. She tried to give him space because he’s been distant. by focusing on her work as an actress.

But Harry was always gone. He didn’t care what she did to try to bring back the love they once had. Leaving her at home by herself. Her anxiety getting worse and worse. She didn’t think Harry was cheating. She was just so scared that he’d leave her. Ever since Harry came back from tour. Things were so different. Harry would not let y/n cuddle him ‘too hot.” He’d say, even when it cold. He’d never listen when she tried to start conversation. He’d always busy himself with things.sxc

Nights and nights of this. Them not even talking to each other even though they’ve been together for 5 years. Y/n decided that she was gonna go out. With her friend Brianna. She needed some air she’s been feeling suffocated in this house especially since Harry was never here. Y/n texted Harry that she won’t be home tonight she’s gonna spend the night at Bri’s. He read it but didn’t even bother to reply. He always says he’s out working on the album or that he has ‘work to do.’ Y/n just continued to get ready to go out with her friend.

Y/n heard a horn honking. She knew it was Bri. She quickly left the empty home not wanting to be there without him. She got in the car with Bri.

“Are you ready to get wasted hun?” Bri asked excitedly. Y/n shrugged.

“Y/n I got you out the house to not think about him.” She said, Y/n sighed. “You’re right.” She mumbled. “Let’s go have fun.”

//

The club was fun. Y/n didn’t drink at all because all she could think about is going home to Harry. So she made Bri drop her off at her and Harry’s home. Which they left the club early because Y/n was just thinking about Harry the whole night. When Bri pulled up to Their driveway both of them noticed another car in the driveway.

“Who’s car is that?” Bri asked, y/n shrugged her shoulders.

“Maybe Harry has a friend over.”

“I’m gonna stay out here, text me when it’s okay to leave. I just have a bad feeling.” Bri said, putting her car in park on the side of the road. Y/n didn’t think it was necessary but she didn’t bother telling to her to leave. So y/n got out the car and walked in the house. Y/n heard laughing coming from the dining area. Y/n walked over to the dining room. Seeing A cute candle lit dinner and Harry with Kendall. Her presence stopped the laughter. Both of them were enjoying themselves.their hands were connected across the table. Kendall stopped laughing and looked up at Y/n. Causing Harry to turn around. To make eye contact with Y/n for the first time in a while.

“I’m sorry.. I’m just gonna get my stuff and go. Please continue like I never existed.” She said, with a quick pivot. Y/n threw her heels off and quick ran upstairs to get her stuff. She grabbed one of the bags of luggage out the closet. Pulling out all her clothes just throwing them in the case.

“Y/n can we talk?” She heard. She looked up. Surprisingly she wasn’t crying.

“Ohh now you wanna talk? Months and months of pushing me away and now you wanna talk to me?” She laughed, she didn’t even look at Harry. She just continued to stuffed clothes in her bag.

“If you’re just here to tell me. You don’t love me anymore. Wowww that’s a shocker it’s obvious. You don’t even spend time with me. It’s obvious someone else has your heart and after being with you for five years. It isn’t me anymore you love anymore .” She said, trying to zip up the suit case she over packed.

“I never cheated on you..” he said, looking down at his hand as he leaned against the doorway.

“You fucking liar. Being in love with someone else is emotional cheating. But after tonight you’re free of me so go head and fuck your new girlfriend. I know you want to. You haven’t touched me in months.”

“Y/n please I didn’t wanna hurt yo-“

“I dIDNt wANt tO hURt yOU.” Y/n said in her mimicking voice making a funny face. Harry didn’t say anything. He felt horrible but he didn’t love Y/n anymore. He wish he did but when he saw Kendall over tour he couldn’t help but say Hi to her. After that the rest was history. Kendall has been such a good friend to Harry. He didn’t mean to fall in love with her. But he did. It was killing him that he was hurting Y/n. He wasn’t in love with her anymore but he did still love her. Y/n was his best friend even before he started dating her.

Y/n pushed passed Harry and took her over packed suitcase down the stairs. Harry following behind her.

“I’d be back for the rest of my shit tomorrow!” She yelled slamming the door shut. She rolled her bag to Bri’s car.

“What happen?” Bri asked as Y/n opened the back door to the car stuffing her suitcase in as she decided she’d sit in the back seat. Because she was too frustrated to go in the front.

“He’s in love with fucking Kendall Jenner and so we broke up.”

“That fucking asshole!” Bri said, as she pulled out the driveway driving to her home.

“Well Y/n we are gonna go home and listen to my breakup playlist and get drunk asl and you are gonna realize you don’t need him.” Bri said, but y/n wasn’t really listening. She was heart broken. The love of her life just said he didn’t love her anymore. She was honestly kinda lost. She had a movie premiere to go to in a couple weeks and she planned on taking Harry with her. But she can’t when she goes alone the world would know that her and Harry broke up.

Once they made it to Brianna’s home. Y/n immediately went to Brianna’s liquor cabinet.

“Alexa play Lizzo truth hurts.”

//

After Y/n got drunk and Alexa started to play the breakup playlist. Y/N and Brianna started to upload videos of them to their Instagram story. Lip syncing to all of the break up hits. From lizzo truth hurts, Ariana Grande boyfriend, to Whitney Houston I will always love you. Y/n knew the way she was singing in that video you could obviously tell that Y/n was single. But she didn’t care. She was so heartbroken that she couldn’t even cry but it did hit her. When she woke up in the middle of night to lay her head on Harry’s chest. But she looked around and realized she was in bed with Brianna and Harry wasn’t there. That’s when she cried until she fell alseep. She tried to get sleep because she had an PR interview for the movie tomorrow with Luke. She didn’t wanna show up looking tired and horrible.

But soon morning arrived and Y/n couldn’t help but feel like shit. Her eyes were swollen but luckily her makeup-artist helped with that on the set of interviews for the movie. Y/n finally had a free moment on set to check her phone and notifications were blowing up. Articles with the titles ‘DID Y/N AND HARRY BREAKUP?!’ Or ‘HARRY STYLES SINGLE?’ And texts from friends and family. Asking is she okay.

“Wow Y/n you look beautiful as always.” Luke said, causing Y/n to look up from her phone to see him there. Blonde curly hair and blue eyes. Cheeks freshly pink. Y/n always thought He was so cute. He was such a good friend to her also. Y/n sent him a small smile.

“And you look adorable as always.” She responded,

“What’s wrong?” He whispered to her. He could tell she was off. Usually Y/n would continue the conversation with Luke. Telling him how cute he would be if he grew his hair out or just asking him anything else to keep the conversation going. But he could also see in her eyes. That she was sad.

“How’d ya know I’m upset?”

“Hmm ya know filming with you for a six months and spending a lot of time with you. Soo when you think about it yYou’re kinda like my best friend. Soo i know when something wrongs with my best friend.” Y/n could help but crack a genuine smile at his response.

“Me and Harry broke up.” She said, Luke frowned at her. She knew she must have been sad. They were together for like 5 years.

“The worst part is. Our 6 year anniversary is in a few months and i already got his gift and I can’t return it.” She said, he knew she was going to cry. He could see it in her eyes.

“Hey how about we spend some time together me, you and Brianna? We could have a fun night and help you forget about him.. and I’d let you do my makeup.” He said, he whispered the last part. Her eyes lit up. She asked Luke thousands of times to do his makeup to see what he looks like as a girl because he was so adorable y/n thought he would be a really cute girl. He’d would always say no.

“Ohh my gosh yess! Sounds amazing to me!”

“Okay guys interview in 5. Get in your seats.” Y/n and Luke obliged to the command by the set coordinator. Soon the interviews started. Multiple different interviews all basically asking the same questions. Until they got to one of them interviewers names Rachel.

“So Y/n is it true that you’re single?” The question shocked Y/n she literally just broke up with Harry yesterday. Y/n didn’t say anything.

“I don’t understand how’s that relevant. Either way single or not. I’m not gonna stop trying to be her next and last boyfriend.” Luke answered. Making Y/n smile. She whispered over to him thank you.

//

Soon days turned to weeks and weeks turned into months. The media soon found out Y/n and Harry broke up. It was now public that Harry was dating Kendall and That Y/n and Luke were dating each other. Even though they haven’t made things official. They both liked each other. Y/n was starting to be happy again. Even though she did still love Harry and she pretty sure she’d never stop. She’s starting to get a point where she’s happy if he’s happy. Today was the day that she was talking the rest of her stuff to her Brianna house from Harry.

Harry on the other hand has not been taking the break up too well. When Y/n left at first he okay. Kinda hurt but not too hurt because he thought he was in love with someone else. But after the first two weeks of being with Kendall he realized it was all a mistake. The smallest things would make him miss Y/n the most. When it lasted and Harry wants to talk Y/n would listen. Kendall would tell Harry to go back to sleep. Y/n loved kissing all over Harry showing him affection no matter where they are. He’d get lucky if Kendall decides to hold his hand. Harry didn’t want her and not to mention the sex. Y/n was 100 times better than Kendall. Every time they had sex he’d always think of Y/n to make himself cum. As they were sitting there cuddling. Harry was thinking how he made a big mistake. Kendall laying on his chest as he scrolled through his phone. The tv was on. Showing reruns of a celebrity gossip show that Kendall was watching.

“So Y/n, is it true your single?” The reporter asked, he quickly looked at the screen seeing Y/n there with Luke sitting in separate chairs but close to each other y/n didn’t seem like she wanted to ask the question. Why would they ask her that?

“I don’t understand how’s that relevant. Either way single or not. I’m not gonna stop trying to be her next and last boyfriend.” Like responded as Y/n face lit up. Harry couldn’t help but feel jealous. Even though this was old. He felt that Luke was trying to get at his Y/n.

“Ohh so you have a little crush on Y/n?” The reporter ask.

“A little?” He laughed, “she’s so amazing and so good at her job. It’s just an absolute honor just to be next to her. She’s an fantastic person and friend and anyone who doesn’t realize that is dumb.” Luke said, not even looking at the reporter. He was looking directly at Y/n. Y/n leaned over and kissed his cheek. Harry quickly took the remote and changed the channel.

“Why’d you do that?” Kendall asked, sitting up looking at him. He shrrugged his shoulders.

“Harry what’s wrong?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re off. Lately you don’t seem too happy with me and I can see you’re getting jealous because another guy admitted he has feelings your ex girlfriend. That you left.”

“I was with her for 5 years. What do you want me to say?” He responded.

“Harry you left her to be able to be with me. You told me you’re not in love with her anymore, Do you even love me?”

“Y/n you know I love you.”

“Y/n?” She laughed, “did you just call me Y/n!” She said, getting up from the couch. Harry was shocked. He didn’t mean to to say Y/N’s name but he does love Y/n.

“Gosh Harry you guys broke up months ago you left her! You shouldn’t even be thinking about her.”

“I’m sorry Kendall.. I just don’t wanna be with you anymore. It was a mistake. ”

“A mistake?! A fucking mistake? You told me we can be together. You told me me all these things how you loved me and you still love her? Do you think she’s gonna take you back?! Do you think she’s gonna come through that door?” Kendall yelled at Harry. Followed by a knock on the door. Causing Kendall to look over at the door. Frustrated Kendall went to the door swinging it open. Revealing Y/n

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Kendall said, Y/n scrunched her face at her greeting.

“I just came to get the last of my stuff.” Y/n said, stepping inside while holding a huge box full of stuff. “I’m leaving.” Kendall announced as she walk she grabbed her keys and purse and walked out the house closing the door behind her.

“I hope everything’s okay.” Y/n said looking over at Harry. Harry sighed and stared at the beauty in front of him. He missed her so much.

“Yea.. everything fine. What’s in the box?” He asked, getting up as he took the box from Y/n. Placing on the table.

“Ya know stuff i made a mistake and took when you dumped me.” She smiled, Harry looked at her. “Must you make things awkward?” He asked.

“Ya know it’s one of my many talents.” She smiled as Harry opens the box. Y/n pulled out the few shirts in the box.

“These are all your favorite T-shirt that i took purposely when we broke up so you’d look for them you’d never be able to find them.” She pulled out the shirts and placed them down. “Here are all you’re old vintage one of a kind records.”

“I was looking for those! Y/n how could you?”

“Do you think i wanna gonna just go and let you be happy? While i sit around and cry over you. You needed some kind of pain.” She said, “wow Y/n. This really hurt my heart.” He said, Harry looked over at her.

“Y/n I’m really sorry for how i handled things.” He said,

“It’s okay Harry. You felt trapped and you didn’t love me anymore and if you want the honest answer. I’m not over you but I’m happy as long as you are.” She said, she reached up to kiss his cheek. She walked around the back room where they kept all storage of things. Grabbing her last couple boxes of stuff walking back to the door.

“I’ve made a mistake.” Harry said, y/n set the boxes down and walked over to Harry.

“Harry I’m pretty sure whatever you and Kendall got to arguing over she would get over I’m pretty sure she’d get over it.” Y/n said as she approached him.

“I’m not talking about that. It’s you. I shouldn’t have left you. When I felt lost.. i shouldn’t have shut you out. I miss you.” He said to Y/n, Y/n was confused . She was planning on coming here telling Harry they could be friends not for him to tell her she misses him.

“Harry I-.” She started but interrupted by a knock on the door. Harry looked over the door and walked over and opens it. Revealing Luke.

“Hey Y/n I just wanted to make sure everything is okay you’ve been in here for a while.” Luke said to Y/n not even bothering to greet Harry.

“Ohh yea me and Harry were just catching up. Harry you remember Luke. He brought me over to get my stuff today.” Y/n said with a half smile. Then she picked up the boxes. “Okay Harry I have to go. We can talk another time.”

#harry styles fluff #harry styles #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfiction #short story

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

POST #24- J’s Year in Review 2019

Jesus Christ it’s 36 degrees and dark at 5:30. The most depressing time of year for me. I owe my friends a few reviews and keep putting them off. I’ll do them tomorrow. Hell, maybe when I have time over the weekend I’ll get that one out I promised a few weeks ago. Here I am, sitting on the couch trying to figure out which record I want to highlight next. It’s a daunting task. A lesson I’ve learned over the past year. I need to get those reviews out but my mind (and ears) get the best of me. What do I do instead? I listen to a couple of records and skip right to the end. What I mean by end is that cliche year in review article that all music journalists put out with their favorite artists, songs, records, and shows of the year. This is all new to me. Shortly after the new year I decided it was time for me to get in the game. I don’t have much to offer but I wanted to put my perspective on paper. My first article was a piece about Tyler Childers raising awareness and getting a large donation of bottled water for the citizens of Martin County, Kentucky. I knew about Martin County. I didn’t know how deep it went. It wasn’t the meet and greet and small solo set that made me want to write about my experience. It was Tyler’s words. It was the raw emotion and the choked up words that inspired me to be a writer. I wanted as many people to know about this event as I could possibly get the word to. Be it 5, 10, 20 or even 30 people that read the article and learned about the plight of the citizens of Martin County have been in for years. That maybe 5, 10, 20 or even 30 people that may learn how to contact their representative and ask questions. I hope it inspires people to learn about their community and lend a helping hand to those in need. That event was last year, but it inspired my path this year.

Let me begin by saying that I have met some of the most amazing people over the past 12 months. I will touch on as many of those people as much as I can. I am going to highlight the music that has moved me over the same amount of time. I’m gonna forget people. I’m sorry in advance. I could put a list of my top 10 albums out but that just wouldn’t be fair. To be honest, there is one album that stands head and shoulders above all others. It’s not even a competition. How do you compete with amazing art? I look at it like its a steady stream of good shit coming out and keeping my playlist full.

Album of the Year (Any Genre)

Sound and Fury - Sturgill Simpson

Why?

It’s f*cking amazing. Earth shattering. Ground breaking. LOUD!

Sturgill Simpson took everything you thought you knew about him and his music, threw it out the window of his muscle car, and backed over it about a hundred times. This man does not give a shit. I screwed up on my first listen. There are two ways this album should be heard. 1) On a turntable with the volume turned as loud as it can possibly go. 2) Watching the accompanying anime movie with the volume turned as loud as it can possibly go. Unfortunately I did neither. Most of my first listen was a track at a time on my phone or in my truck. Dead. Wrong. If I had it to do over again I would most definitely start with the anime.

I get it. Anime is not for everyone. If I could give someone a starting point with anime, it would most definitely be Sound and Fury. This album is The Wall of our generation. After my first listen I posted, “Album of the Year Any Genre”. I fully stand by that assessment.

Favorite Albums of the Year

This is where I will most definitely make someone mad or make myself mad for leaving off someone who deserves to be included.

Home - Billy Strings

Favorite Tracks: Away From The Mire and Watch It Fall

Country Squire - Tyler Childers

Favorite Tracks - Creeker and Peace of Mind

Stranger In The Alps - Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle

Favorite Tracks: Buffalo’s Canon and Stewball

Between The Country - Ian Noe

Favorite Tracks: Barbara’s Song and Methhead

Seneca - Charles Wesley Godwin

Favorite Tracks: Hardwood Floors and Seneca Creek

Chris Knight - Almost Daylight

Favorite Tracks: I’m William Callahan and Go On

The Wind - Eric Bolander

Favorite Tracks: Closer to that Flame and Ghost

Josh Nolan - Kind Heart to Follow

Favorite Tracks: Makin’ Eyes and The Honeysuckle

Nicholas Jamerson - Floyd County All Star

Favorite Tracks: Patience and Floyd County All Star

High Expectations - Sean Whiting

Favorite Tracks: Melody and Misery

Songs Only A Mother Could Love - Wayne Graham

Favorite Tracks: By and By and Every Evil Thing

On The Hilltop - Nic Allen and the Troubled Minds

Favorite Tracks: Cheap Pills and Wine and For Heaven’s Sake

Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold - Mike and the Moonpies

Favorite Tracks: Cheap Silver and Danger

The Gospel - The Local Honeys

Favorite Tracks: Amazing Grace and Let the Church Roll On

Full Moon/Heavy Light - Ona

Favorite Tracks: Young Forever and True Emotion

Trial and Error - Vintage Pistol

Favorite Tracks: Lay It Down and Leave Me Behind

The Pilot Light - Derek Spencer

Favorite Tracks: The Witches of Appalachia and Lit By Moonlight

We Fall, We Break - Walter DeBarr

Favorite Tracks - Wicked Eyes and We Fall, We Break

Alive at Hillbilly Central - Arthur Hancock

Favorite Tracks - Take Me Back To The Country and Kenton’s Outdoor Seating Area

Cuz I Love You - Lizzo

Favorite Tracks: Truth Hurts and Juice

I have to give a shoutout to some amazing visual artists for their work on some of these records. Jimbo Valentine and Colonel Tony Moore did an absolutely amazing job on the Country Squire album art. With Valentine’s futuristic hillbilly aura and Moore’s gritty comic book background, their collaboration is my favorite album artwork in some time. Honorable mention goes to Nashville Tattoo Artist, Squishy Eyes. His work for Billy Strings’ home is colorful and visually stimulating. I definitely want some skin art done by this guy!

Next. Let’s talk festivals. Jon Grace burst onto the scene this year putting on not one but two music festivals. Jon and I go way back. We’ve been to country shows, rock shows, heavy metal shows, nu metal shows, Ozzfest. You name it and we were probably in the vicinity. Laurel Cove Music Festival was Bell County’s first foray into the music festival scene and it started with a flash of lightning, then another, then a shit load of rain. An outdoor music festival being held at a beautiful natural amphitheater turned in to an indoor show in the conference room at Pine Mountain State Park. It was a tough decision to make, but in the end, it was worth every minute. The lineup came together in short order and provided us with two days of blistering sets. Jon then put together the FREE Cumberland Mountain Fall Festival in downtown Middlesboro, KY. Featuring local and regional talent for another two days of fun and music. 2019 set the bar high for live music in Bell County.

Festival of the Red is located in the heart of the Red River Gorge area and put on three days of camping and music. The only downside was that I was only there on Saturday. My buddies Blake and Dave packed in the truck with Dave’s little boy Waylon to make the two hour trip to Slade to catch up with old friends and new.

Master Musician Festival is a yearly mainstay in Somerset, KY. Tiffany Finley and company put together a stellar lineup year after year. My wife and I went for the day on Saturday and returned home with memories that we still laugh about months later. I first want to give a shoutout to the staff of MMF for enduring a brutal storm and having the integrity to cancel the headlining act in the face of severe storms. We were devastated that we missed out on a Jason Isbell set, but we are also blessed that we were not injured in a stupid storm. The party rolled on to Jarfly and into the wee hours of the morning.

This brings me to the granddaddy of them all.

Kickin’ It On The Creek.

The Roberts do it up right on Ross’ Creek. The 5th Annual Kickin’ It On The Creek held on Byron Roberts’ farm is something every music fan should experience once in their life. I went to Irvine in June to attempt to buy tickets in person. I left the house Saturday morning around 4:30. My anxiety hit when I got into town and parked and saw the line stretched nearly a half mile down the road. What do you do though? You hop in line! My friends Jon and Daniel arrived about an hour and a half ahead of me and were about 15 people in front of me. Throughout the morning we made conversation with both veterans and newbies alike. The vibe was jubilant. It was almost like a family reunion atmosphere, and this was just the presale. Long story short, about 3 hours later we get to the front of the line when Byron exits the store to announce the tickets were sold out. My friends who were 15 people in front of me were the last group in. It made me ill to realize I was that close. Never fret, the next step was an online sale that supposedly sells out in seconds. Over the next few weeks, karma would smile on us as we were able to purchase enough tickets so everyone in our group of friends were able to procure tickets. Now the wait.

I’m not a festival virgin by no means. I was fortunate enough to go to three Bonnaroo festivals in the early 00’s. Needless to say, I had an idea of the festival life. However, I can’t begin to explain the giddiness that my wife and I felt driving to the festival that Thursday evening in late September. We made it just in time to set up camp and catch Bedford Band and one of the acts I most looked forward to, Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle. The family atmosphere was in full effect. We were home. On Friday we were treated to sets by a variety of artists handpicked by the Roberts family. Favorites included Luna and the Mountain Jets, Crownover, Laid Back Country Picker, Green Genes, Jericho Woods, Vintage Pistol, Magnolia Boulevard, John R Miller and the Engine Lights, Town Mountain, and the ‘Lectric Wooks. Saturday favorites included Abe Partridge, Padre Paul Handleman, Wayne Graham, William Matheny, Senora May, Ona, The Wooks, Arlo McKinley, and festival headliner Tyler Childers. I’m already thinking about KIOTC 2020.

This year was magical. I heard amazing music, saw amazing music, introduced my children to amazing music, and most importantly shared with with my wife. I met lifelong friends and have several shows to look forward to in 2020.

Upcoming shows I’ll be attending are The Wooks, Arlo McKinley, Eric Bolander, Charlie Woods and Deep Hollow, and Dave Shoemaker at the Bell Theater on December 21st. 2020 brings Morgan Wade/Kelsey Waldon, Town Mountain/Buffalo Wabs/Geno Seale, Billy Strings, and Sturgill Simpson/Tyler Childers. The festival circuit is also ramping up with dates set for Laurel Cove 2020.

-Josh Trosper

*This is an independent review. The Hillbilly Hippie Music Review was not compensated for this review.

*The opinions expressed are solely that of the author(s).

[womenofcolor15]

Here's How Kobe Bryant's Grammy Tribute With Alicia Keys & Boyz II Men Came About + Ratings Took A Dip, But Lizzo & Lil Nas X’s Sales Surged

With just hours before the show, Grammy executive producer Ken Ehrlich shares how the Kobe Bryant tribute by Alicia Keys and Boyz II Men came about. Also, ratings for the awards show dipped a bit this year, but artists' sales surged following the show. Get it all inside…

Following her second consecutive year hosting the Grammy Awards, Alicia Keys stepped for a family dinner with her husband Swizz Beatz and her son Genesis in Beverly Hills (above) Sunday night. The 15-time Grammy winner rocked a look similar to one of her on-stage looks during the ceremony: a crop top and jeans. For dinner, she wore a Versace crop top paired with blue ripped jeans, a pink cropped blazer and black boots.

Little Genesis looked cute in his black-and-white 'fit.

For the opening of the Grammys, host Alicia Keys and Boyz II Men paid tribute to the NBA icon Kobe Bryant with an a capella rendition of Boyz II Men’s classic “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye.” The tribute came hours after it was confirmed the 41-year-old retired NBA player and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant died in a helicopter crash.

Grammy Awards executive producer Ken Ehrlich, who’s stepping down from his role after 40 years, shares how he and his team came up with the tribute with just hours before show time.

Ken tells Billboard he found out about Kobe’s death between 10AM and 11AM PST while they were in rehearsals. Someone walked up to him and put a phone in his face with the TMZ article that Kobe had been killed in a helicopter crash.

There wasn’t even a second thought that they would do SOMETHING to pay tribute to Kobe, especially since the Grammys were held inside “his house,” the Staples Center.

"We were at Staples, we were at his house,” he says. “We're sitting there looking up at [his] two [retired] jerseys that are on the wall there. So there was no way we could not do it. And, secondarily, he [wasn’t] necessarily that close to a lot of musicians, but everybody looked up to him. You couldn't go anywhere without seeing number 24.”

Here’s how the tribute was executed:

Billboard: How quickly did the idea to incorporate Boyz II Men into Alicia’s intro come together? They were there to perform with Tyler, the Creator. At that late point you have to work with what you've got, you can’t bring someone else in, right?

KEN: No. That we couldn't have done. Alicia was on her way to the stage. It was probably noon, maybe 12:30 p.m. I took her aside and said I have some terrible news, but I have to tell you that you need to keep your focus on what we're doing here and let us come to you with some thoughts. She was obviously visibly shaken by [the news]. Then we went on with the dress [rehearsal]. We started coming up with a plan and it was basically [Grammy show executives] David Wild, Ben Winston, Garry Hood, who’s my lead stage manager, and myself, and we went into her dressing room. Alicia and I primarily were thinking about songs and we went a little gospel. I never said it, but I was thinking about Boyz II Men. I left and about five minutes later I got a call from one of her people saying, “Hey, can we find Boyz II Men to do “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday.” We found them and they went into her dressing room. It was about 15 minutes before showtime. They spent probably 10 minutes working it out and then it was there.

Billboard: Bryant’s jersey or image was also in the Lil Nas X, Nipsey Hussle and Aerosmith performances, in addition to Lizzo’s opening shout out.

KEN: I made a few calls and then there were others who had already decided they wanted to do something. I did have a conversation with Lee Zeidman, who runs Staples, and he said, “Whatever you need—jerseys, equipment.” I think we did get a couple and a couple of the [performers] had them already.

This wasn’t the first time Ken had to quickly amend the Grammys hours before the show started. In 2012, musical icon Whitney Houston died the night before the show, so they had to quickly make changes to honor her legacy.

Viewership for this year’s awards show hit a 12-year low, raking in 18.7 million viewers who watched it live. But, it wasn’t a huge slip in ratings compared to last year. The ratings dip was 6% less in total viewers compared to last year’s telecast, which drew a 5.6 rating and 19.9 million viewers. In 2019, the show had seen an improvement over the previous year. However, the 2020 Grammys is not the lowest-rated in Grammys history. The least-watched Grammys was in 2006, with 17 million viewers.

The reason for the decline? More people are simply streaming these days. On the flip side, the Grammys was the highest-rated and most-watched telecast on all of television Sunday night. According to CNN, CBS noted a record number of views via its streaming service, CBS All Access, surpassing last year by more than 30%.

While TV ratings took a drip, the sales for the artists who performed – like Grammy winners Lizzo & Lil Nas X - surged.

According to Billboard, Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” went up 107% to 3,000; up from 1,000. Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” surged 217%, as it sold 4,000 downloads the day of the show (up from 1,000 on Jan. 25th). Grammy winner DJ Khaled’s “Higher,” featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend went up 9,044% to 1,000; up from a negligible total. Alicia Keys’ “Underdog” went up 787% to 3,000; up from a negligible sum.

Everyone’s sales went up! Collectively, sales of the tunes that were performed on the show grew by 266% on January 26th, as compared to the previous day.

Congrats again to all the YBF winners!

Photos: Backgrid/Getty

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2020/01/28/heres-how-kobe-bryants-grammy-tribute-with-alicia-keys-boyz-ii-men-came-about-ratings-too

[bigyack-com]

The Incredible Shrinking Wallet - The New York Times

As co-owner of Billykirk, a leather goods brand based in Jersey City, N.J., Chris Bray has devoted the past 20 years to hand-crafting wallets, among other accessories. He can wax philosophical about how “your oils, your skin, your travels” affect the wallet that you carry around. But when Mr. Bray goes out at night, he takes just his ID, one credit card and a few business cards, tucked into a slim card case.“Simplify your life,” he said. “Nine out of ten times, if you have a bi-fold wallet, you’ve got crap in there you don’t need. You’ve got a ticket stub from three years ago.”This from a man who sells bi-fold wallets in four colors. But in recent years, the physical wallet’s central role in our lives has been greatly reduced, as have the size of wallets themselves. As tech companies have introduced mobile apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay in an effort to make the smartphone into a digital wallet, “real” ones — long a fallback of the holiday gift season — are shrinking, or disappearing altogether. Some are becoming gizmos themselves, as if to seem more current: popping out cards with the press of a button and offering benefits like locating services or radio-frequency identification (RFID) blocking, intended to protect against credit-card or identity theft.For men, the classic multi-pocketed model is losing popularity to card cases like the one Mr. Bray carries. They aren’t much bigger than a credit card, and slip easily into a front pocket.Bernard Capulong, the co-founder and editor in chief of Everyday Carry, a men’s gear website, called them “minimalist wallets,” adding, “What’s popular now is as minimal as you can get.”Shinola, a Detroit-based watch and accessories brand, sells the Slim Bifold and the Slim Bifold 2.0 for “pared-down simplicity.” The Slimwallet and Miniwallet by the Dutch company Secrid are leather-wrapped metal cases that can only comfortably hold around four cards. Brands like Ridge, Dango and Trayvax offer similar styles.Mr. Capulong carries a leather card case by Veilance with only two pockets. “The seams are bonded, not stitched,” he said. “So it’s durable and minimalist. I keep maybe eight cards total and a $20 bill folded twice so it takes no space.”Augusto Gomez, who was behind the Prada counter in the men’s arcade inside Bloomingdale’s Manhattan flagship on a recent afternoon, said wallets still ranked as a popular gift, though there were no customers shopping for them at that moment.“Men tend to get things we need,” Mr. Gomez said. “Small items — key chains, wallets. Things they notice you’ve had too long and it’s falling apart.” He added, “I’d say 65 percent of men don’t carry cash anymore. But some still do.” In women’s fashion, leather and nylon belt bags by brands like Gucci, Balenciaga and Supreme, which leave hands free, are also reducing the need for bulky purses and long wallets.“As bags get smaller, the easiest thing to take space away from is the wallet,” said Megs Mahoney Dusil, the founder of PurseBlog, which reviews bags and other accessories. “The shrinking of the wallet allows for more carrying of day-to-day essential items.”Ms. Mahoney used to carry a continental wallet — the zip-around kind with room for receipts and even a passport — but switched recently to a Gucci card case, which she slips inside a Fendi “Peekaboo” bag.“Micro mini” or “toy” bags make plain the diminished role of cash, at least for celebrities and the rich. Last month, Lizzo showed up to the American Music Awards with a Valentino bag so small the strap fit one finger. The interior was big enough to contain a single mint.The French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus sells a 4.5 inch handbag called Le Chiquito, which might hold a change purse. The absurdly tiny Le Petit Chiquito, introduced during Paris Fashion Week last February and retailing for $258, barely holds a few loose coins.

Stuffing It

For centuries, going all the way back to the introduction of paper currency in America in the late 1600s, the wallet has been a traveling bank vault and all-purpose file cabinet for men and women, a place to keep checks, cash and personal ephemera.“I remember my dad’s wallet,” said Leland Grossman, a strategist for a Manhattan-based creative agency. “He had receipts, cards, pictures and a million things. That was my ethos originally. I kept a folded two-dollar bill. I had a Steve Jobs quote: ‘Stay hungry, stay foolish.’”A 1998 episode of “Seinfeld” known to fans as “George’s Exploding Wallet” satirized this tendency to overstuff. The George Costanza character is carrying a wallet so engorged with random items — Irish currency; a rewards card valid at any participating Orlando-area Exxon station — that he can barely close it.“I need everything in there,” George tells Jerry defensively at their favorite diner, before adding Sweet & Low packets to the jumble.By the end of the episode, George is complaining that his back is killing him.Played today, the scene would look strange, even antiquated. “Before, you used to carry everything in a wallet, from your medical card to store cards and receipts,” said Daniel Caudill, the creative director for Shinola. “Now, all of that lives on our phones.”The wallet has seen its responsibilities slowly taken away. Debit cards have all but eliminated the need to carry cash. No one carries checks anymore. Receipts can be emailed. Photos and rewards cards have gone digital.A lot of millennials and members of Gen Z no longer want to be paid in cash; they prefer payment services like Venmo, leavened by emojis, to pad their digital wallets. The future is not a hunk of cowhide in your back pocket. The future is smartphone apps, contactless cards and, ultimately perhaps, a machine that scans your brain for total frictionless life.As if the physical wallet didn’t have enough problems, there’s now an accessory called the Wallet Slayer ($14.99): a sleeve that fits over your smartphone and holds three cards plus cash. As with phone cases before it, a luxury version cannot be far behind.Might the wallet disappear altogether? Increasingly, businesses are no longer accepting cash. In China, big cities like Beijing and Hangzhou have already gone almost entirely cashless, requiring payment by mobile device, which has flummoxed tourists but also made wallets unnecessary.Recently, Shinola has received requests from young urbanites to make a case to hold just one card — ID, said Mr. Caudill, the creative director. Everything else is arguably extraneous.“It’s an aspirational dream for now,” said Mr. Capulong of Everyday Carry. “We’re not quite there yet.”Many retailers in the United States aren’t yet set up to accept mobile payment methods, especially in areas outside big cities. There are also security concerns about having everything on one device. And old habits have a way of hanging on. “I have Apple Pay on my phone, but I use it shockingly little,” Mr. Grossman said. He still carries the Bottega Veneta bi-fold wallet that he bought in college, though he has streamlined its contents. Mr. Grossman pointed to the way watches have remained a steady, if somewhat marginalized, accessory in the digital era. While wallets aren’t luxury status symbols in the same way, he allowed, “You develop wear and tear that gives it character like clothing. It’s part of your journey. It’s a staple of the wardrobe.”Mr. Bray of Billykirk, who has a vested interest in the wallet sticking around, also argued for its indispensability. He said, quaintly, “You need a place to put your stuff.” Read the full article

[ellenlucasonlinedatingblog]

Sexuality in Color: Of Queens and Bs

Hey, hey, hey, it’s Chanté, back this week to continue the convo about sexuality and intersectionality. This week, I want to revisit a little basic terminology I brought up last time.

Sexuality and intersectionality are my jam. Why? Well, because I’m someone who identifies as so many things that talking about anything without intersectionality seems literally impossible. I think the more we can connect the two, the easier it may be to see the fluidity in and the intersections within our own identities and those of others.

If any of that’s brand-new to you, you might want to check out some content on our site about it (from awesome Scarleteen team members Al and Jacob, no less), to get yourself started:

Intersectionality Part 1

Intersectionaltiy Part 2

Intersectionaltiy Part 3

To read Kimberle Crenshaw’s version — the woman who coined the term — click here!

Current Mood: #GetMeBodied

There are two Queens I need to holler at and give all the praise to right now for reminding the entire (digital) world that BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!

drum roll, please…

#1) Beyoncé.

I got three words: SHE DID THAT. On second thought, I have three slightly better words: Get Me Bodied!

Once again, Queen B broke the damn internet when she dropped Homecoming via Netflix last month.

Of course, I stayed up way past my bedtime to attend her digital concert! Nothing (not even my kids waking up and demanding I turn down the TV) was going to stop me from singing, dancing and scrolling through my amazing social media feeds. I stayed up until 4 AM that night -- or day rather -- because I knew it was about to be LIT. The beautiful folx of Twitter and Instagram did not disappoint!

In case you missed it, I highly recommend starting here. This gem is brought to us by Patrice Peck, talented Buzzfeed writer who is has been doing a damn good job of covering all things: #blackgirlmagic, culture and technology.

Anyway, Beyoncé and her crew made me feel all the feels. I laughed, danced, cried and contemplated.

What I loved most was the intimacy of her commentary; it was powerful and poetic. I sincerely appreciated her attention to the details -- everything from the conscious curation (of black artists, performers, dancers, drummers) to Nina Simone’s voiceovers to Beyoncé sharing intimate details about her journey of coming HOME to herself after being pregnant with twins and surviving an emergency c-section. If there’s anyone who understands, I certainly do. Like Bey, I am a proud mommy of twins and went through a similar experience.

Since becoming mother of two highly active little kids, I’ve learned just how much of a sacrifice it can be to 1) conceive 2) grow and 3) raise children. It is NOT for the faint of heart. But as much as I like to joke and tell everyone that Beyoncé and are soul sisters (our names rhyme; we’re both Virgos who happened to be born in the same zip code; both have twins AND we share common interests in wanting to empower and educate urban youth within our communities.), the two of us live different realities and lifestyles.

Because of that, I wasn’t expecting a woman of her stature -- and especially because she has set a precedent: her personal life is off limits -- to blatantly share the fact that she weighed 218 pounds the day she gave birth. I also wasn’t expecting Queen B to spill the tea when it came to experiencing complications or misgivings she had about headlining at Coachella.

Ya’ll, this was a big deal to me because she’s built a brand that is iron clad. I can’t really think of a time where she’s folded OR subjected herself to being explicitly vulnerable. So when she shared such intimate details, I felt like I could FINALLY see more of myself in her. My respect and admiration for her grew tenfold this month.

Her story reminded me, and the world, that black is beautiful, bold and radiant. The glimpses into their family life was exactly what my soul had been yearning for. I loved seeing Jay Z in the background tending to their children while she worked her ass off for this comeback moment. His presence conveyed a strong message; black love and black excellence isn’t about being “Instagram perfect”. It’s about showing up and tending to your tribe. Sometimes it means taking a step back from your own spotlight to make space for your partner’s evolution and homecoming.

Now that she’s home, I can only hope this is the beginning of a new era; one where we start to experience more of the real Beyoncé and as a result, recognize the Queen in ourselves. Thank you, Beyoncé, you are the G.O.A.T.!

2) Lizzo.

Need I say more? Maybe not, but I will; she’s Black. Beautiful. Thicc. Sultry. Confident and my (new) Queen of Body Positivity!

Lizzo went mainstream when she dropped a masterpiece last month -- her album, Cuz I Love You, which quickly climbed the charts and proved to the world that black beauty is not objective, it’s subjective. YAAAS GURL! We see you and we LOVE you.

This is one of my favorite Lizzo quotes -- keep reading if you want to learn how a queen builds herself up and practices self-love:

"First off, I love my body. No matter what angle you shoot it at, no matter the lighting, my body is just so fucking beautiful all the time. I may talk shit about it sometimes, but fuck. She’s still a bad bitch," she explained.

"My second favorite thing about myself is my blackness. I am really just so honored to be graced with this identity. No shade to any other shade on the planet—I just can’t relate. I just love being a black woman, even in a world where [we] are statistically the least desirable. I am still here, and I still rise."

Want to read the full interview? You know you do. It's here.

Shout Outs, Recommendations and Resources

I discovered this awesome website last month (I know, I’m late!) and have to share with all of you - if you haven’t spent time scoping out the stories and content on ShondaLand, I implore you to do so now!

A shoutout to their managing editor, Liz Dwyer. I’ve enjoyed a number of articles at Shondaland, and have a short list of some favorites:

“Filmmaker Numa Perrier Focuses Her Fearless Lens on the Struggle to Survive in Las Vegas” written by Rebecca Carroll, features the work of beautiful Numa Perrier, a Black filmmaker who shares personal stories of sisterhood, love, and sex work.

“How BEAM Is Changing the Way We Look at Black Mental Health”  by Nyla Wissa, features Yolo Akili Robinson, Founder & ED of BEAM, who is doing something about black mental health. I feel this is a relevant resource given all the trauma happening IRL in the black community.

“Activist Mom Jodie Patterson: How I Fight for My Trans Child” written by Maggie Bullock featuring badass Momma (of five!), Jodie Patterson, who has inspired by her son, Penel, to write a memoir about transformation and the journey their family has been on raising a black trans child. And, once upon a time she worked for Hillary Clinton! Go check out her website, it’s quite impressive.

I also wanted to pass along this Upcoming QTBIPOC Series hosted in Toronto! If anyone goes, I’d love to get your thoughts and feedback!

sexuality in color

POC

black

Latinx

intersectionality

GetMeBodied

column

parenting

pregnancy

childbirth

family

relationships

scarleteen

people

Blackness

positive

self-image

queens

Lizzo

Beyoncé

Queen B

Shondaland

body image

from MeetPositives SM Feed 4 http://bit.ly/2JekymL via IFTTT

#IFTTT #MeetPositives SM Feed 4