SCRAPS!

There is no need to build up to this statement. Kendrick Lamar is one of the most celebrated hip-hop artists of his generation, and I share that general enthusiasm. That doesn’t necessarily mean I listen to him the most or devoutly await every release. It’s just, having lived through the 2010s, I saw the power of rap music to stand for something greater… and a large reason was him. The candid artistry was beautiful, and I think it only continues to grow in ways that propel the genre forward and promise something even more interesting on the horizon. In an era where music is at risk of disposability, picking up a Lamar album is being reminded of what a full front-to-back experience can give you. The reason I am writing this stems from my own contradictions surrounding his music that, in fact, don’t have that much to do with him in the first place. To provide a parallel circumstance, people often resent Zack Snyder films because of the audience he attracts, who tend to target those who d...

With the ball now firmly dropped into 2026, it’s time to get things up and running. Despite the infrequency of this column, I still feel the need to provide regular updates where I can. To put it simply, New Year’s Eve turned out to be a pretty good day overall. Along with having Chinese food, I got to watch Duck Soup for the umpteenth time as well as celebrate the countdown from various cities throughout the U.S.A. Most of them had big, elaborate shows, but then you’d get to places like Phoenix, Arizona, and you began to understand the constraints of living in a less populated region of the country. It probably looked great to people in the area, but it was also isolated, mostly taking place over the desert, which is far from the pageantry everyone else had. I also got to hear a variety of (mostly) classic rock bands play. I wouldn’t say I was terribly into most of them, though the presence of Cheap Trick reminded me how consistent their work is. My parents used to play the greatest h...