Since being discovered by American rapper Lil’ Wayne, Nicki Minaj has become a commercial success after the release of her latest album Pink Friday. Not only has she peaked atop the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA, Minaj also became the first artist ever to have seven songs within the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. “Your Love” was Minaj’s first single released off of Pink Friday and peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, 7 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart and topped the Rap Songs chart. “Moment 4 Life” and “Right Thru Me” followed and also had massive success on the charts as well.

“I just kinda do what I feel. I never knew what lane I would fill, [or that] I would fill a lane at all. I didn’t even really contemplate that far down the road. I just started having fun, and a lot of that came from me seeing Wayne dare to be different, and I started feeling like I can be a multifaceted rapper. I don’t have to be a one-dimensional female rapper. Once I put that in perspective, it was like everything just got easier for me, because I no longer wanted to fit in anybody’s box… I just wanted to be Nicki.”

Nicki Minaj has also collaborated with many successful artists such as: Ludacris, Jay Sean, Trey Songz, Eminem, will.i.am, Drake, Kanye West, Young Money, Jay-Z, Robin Thicke, and many more. She is currently on the radio for her latest single “Super Bass,” and the remix of Britney Spears’, ” Till the World Ends,” along side singer Ke$ha.

“I don’t know where I fit in the spectrum of rap yet. I think now I’m kind of proving myself, but before, people thought I was more of a sex symbol or wannabe sex symbol. Now they’re seeing. That’s why I make the goofiest faces, I don’t want people to think I’m up here trying to be cute. I’m trying to entertain and entertaining is more than exuding sex appeal. I don’t think that’s fun. I don’t find it fun watching someone trying to be sexy. It’s whack. I’m trying to just show my true personality and I think that means more than anything else. I think when personality is at the forefront, its not about male or female. Its just about who is this weird character?”

- Nicki Minaj

Check Out Nicki’s latest video for her new single,”Super Bass.”

Nicki Minaj-Super Bass

Many are raving over this summer movie, released May 13th, 2011. Saturday Night Live star and co-writer of Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig brings the role of Annie to life with her hilarious wit. In this unflinching and somewhat unconventional comedy, Annie turns her role as Maid of Honor into Monster of Honor as she fights with her best friend and bride-to-be Lillian (Maya Rudolph). Annie thinks she has to compete with Lillian’s new rich friend, Helen (Rose Byrne) as the role of best friend, but she learns they can both be a part of Lillian’s life (after a few blowouts).

But this film isn’t just about weddings. Annie’s poor luck in love and business causes her attitude to change toward her friends. She loses her temporary job selling jewelry by harassing the customers, constantly returns to the bed of a jerk (Jon Hamm), gets kicked out of her apartment and has to move back in with her mother (Jill Clayburgh), and pushes away all the good in her life- her best friend, Lillian, and her love interest, Officer Nathan Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd). She keeps her life in a rut by refusing to acknowledge that only she can turn her life around.

Throughout the film, she learns that life doesn’t have to be terrible, even though she screwed up a few times as Maid of Honor: hilarious scenes of her giving her friends food poisoning, getting them kicked off of a plane on the way to the bachelorette party in Vegas, and throwing a hissy fit at the wedding shower (including destroying a giant cookie). Her friend, Megan (Melissa McCarthy), points out that she cares too much about herself. Her speech causes Annie to pull out of her cave and push her way back into Lillian’s life and into Officer Rhodes’ heart. Annie learns to stop being negative and to start looking at the bright side.

Many thought Bridesmaids was going to be a female version of The Hangover, a bachelor party in Vegas filled with roofies, tigers, and a missing groom. But not much is similar. The only major comparison between the two is Megan (Melissa McCarthy), the sister-of-the-groom and female Zach Galifianakis. Both are crazy and don’t seem to hold anything back. Megan steals the show, adding commentary at the oddest of moments that only seem to make it more hilarious.

Trust me–you aren’t going to want to miss this one.

The Internet has opened a door for the discovery of new music and new artists around the world. There are millions of artists, songs and genres that create traffic and noise around the Internet. People like to find what they are looking for on one or three websites, and if they need to look further they give up and turn off the computer. There are websites that allow you to find new music in an easier way and have become popular. These websites are:

Pandora

Pandora is an Internet radio website that provides playlists that are based on similarities between the song, genre, or artists selected with others. The “Music Genome Program” breaks down songs into small components, through the use of mathematical logarithms. It matches these components according to their similarities. As people listen to the playlists, they can “like” or “dislike” a song. With the use of these the program eliminates the song disliked as well as songs that are similar to that song. There are around 700,000 tracks in the Pandora database and is growing daily.

• Advantages: This program can be easily accessed through the Pandora website or downloaded as an application for smart phone, video game consoles (Wii, PS3, XBOX) and Internet connected TVs. It also allows access to direct retailers to purchase a song. There is no need to access a different website to purchase a song.
• Disadvantages: Pandora allows 6 skips every hour, and 12 skips every 24 hours. It does not allow the listener to go back and listen to a song again.
• Membership: It has 3 types of memberships. Free membership that allows the listener to play music for 40 hours a month, a membership that costs 99 cents a month &allows unlimited listening hours or Pandora One, which is $36 a year and allows unlimited listening hours and does not contain any advertisements.

We Are Hunted

We Are Hunted is an online music chart based on the popularity of songs and artists on the Internet. Its popularity depends on the number of hits and mentions song have though blogs and music charts managed by We Are Hunted. We Are Hunted can be accessed online or downloaded as a music application for smart phones or smart tablets. There are three main charts the website manages, which are “Popular” (main stream music), “Emerging” (new indie artists and songs)  and finally “Remixes” (popular or emerging songs remixed with others). Anyone can access this website and stream songs from each music chart. These songs can be shared to social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook, or they can be purchased on the website. There is also an option to become a member of the website for free. The advantage of becoming a member is the ability to create a music chart and share it with the rest of the website members as well as your friends. Members can comment on each other’s chart and blog about them through We Are Hunted. The charts are changed every week allowing an entrance for new music.

Pitchfork

Pitchfork does not only concentrate on tracks, but it introduces music news and music reviews. It presents a description of how the music was created, the ideas behind the music, and  ratings by Pitchfork experts. There is a section in the website called “Playlist” where all the featured tracks are available to stream online. Although there is no membership to this website, listeners can follow Pitchfork on Twitter and Facebook in order to access the information on their phones.

Last.fm

Last.fm works similar to Pandora. It is an online radio station that provides playlists based on similarities according to genre, style, and artists through a method called Scrobbling.“Scrobbling helps us tell you what songs you play most often, which songs you like the most, how much you’ve played an artist over a certain amount of time, which of your friends have similar tastes… all kinds of stuff. By focusing on the music you already play we can help you discover more music” (via Last.fm). Last.fm is a free service to listen to music and discover new music online. You are allowed to buy the songs that you like, or comment on songs on the artist/ song profile page.

Stereomood

Stereomood provides listeners with a different way to look at music. Listeners are allowed to find music according to the mood they are in. Stereomood provides the audience with around 100 moods that someone can possibly be in, then the listener chooses a mood. Stereomood creates a playlist with around 100 songs according to the selected mood. Also, in each mood’s side bar it presents featured artists whose music is inside the chosen playlist and gives information about the artists. Similar to the rest of the websites, the listeners are allowed to purchase the songs that they enjoy as well as share them on Twitter or Facebook.

These are just 5 of the most popular websites that people use  to stumble upon new music everyday.

Music Beta by Google (“A better way to play your music”), allows the listeners to upload their music collection online in order to listen to their library and manage it from anywhere. Listeners can access their music on their personal computers, other people’s computers, Android powered smart phones or Android powered tablets. Music can be accessed and managed online, as well as listening to recently played music offline (on an airplane, for example). Listeners are able to upload their entire music collection into a single collection, even if all of their music is scattered around different devices. This helps people avoid carrying around cables, CDs, multiple music devices (IPod or other MP3 devices). It also saves storage place, because all of the music files are uploaded to the google cloud, instead of the same information being saved into the computer, the phone and/or tablet.  The last interesting feature Music Beta has is “Instant Mix”. It allows the listener to choose a song and Music Beta automatically creates a play-list with songs that are similar to the song chosen.

Unfortunately, Music Beta is not available for everyone yet. The system started working in May 2011, and is still going through some system maintenance. The biggest issue is the influx of music files from consumers. In order to solve this issue, users are put on a wait list in order to upload all their music.

To get started the listeners have to:

1. Request a Music Beta invite on music.google.com
2. Upload music files & start managing music
3. Download the Android application

Having music in one place that can be accessed at any time will change the way people listen to music.

“The vision is of me in an endless journey. I am a vehicle. I am a vehicle for all of the ideas. And I’m not riding away or towards anything, I’m just in endless state of creativity”.

-Lady Gaga, on her new upcoming album “Born This Way”.

Two years after the release of “The Fame Monster”, Lady Gaga will release her latest album “Born This Way” on May 23rd. So far four singles from this album have been officially released, and the UK already had a taste of Gaga after she streamed the entire album on Metro.co.uk. on May 18th.

“Born This Way” is expected world wide, due to the large amounts of promotion online and through Gaga’s image. From the arrival to the 53rd Grammy’s inside a translucent egg to her over the top face makeup, her image has grown and evolved as the date of the release approaches.

The fourteen track album will be in stores May 23rd, 2011. The complete tracklist and all available lyrics are as follows:

1.     Marry The Night

2.     Born This Way

3.     Government Hooker

4.     Judas

5.     Americano

6.     Hair

7.     Scheiße

8.     Bloody Mary

9.     Bad Kids

10.  Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)

11.  Heavy Metal Lover

12.  Electric Chapel

13.  You and I

14.  The Edge of Glory

After a year raising a hype for this album, it is finally here. Will the world go gaga for Gaga once again?

For more information about Lady Gaga and “Born This Way” visit: www.ladygaga.com

How to Present Yourself for an Interview

Interviews can be very stressful. Not all of us are able to shock everyone with how brilliant we are, so these tips can help you keep your cool when being interviewed for a job.

1. Confidence is key. Keep your shoulders back and remember, they called for an interview so you must be qualified and worth their time. A lot of people don’t even make it past the application. You got this far so keep your head high. Tuck those nerves away for another day.
2. Smile. Even if you’re nervous and you fumble over your words, make sure to keep a positive attitude.
3. Relax. Try to get comfortable. You’re interviewing for a job with this employer, right? That means you have a chance of working with these people. If you aren’t comfortable in your workplace, you won’t be able to do your job. Remember, all employers had to start somewhere. They know what it’s like to be on your side of the desk.
4. Keep your nails clean. If your polish is chipping, take it off. It looks more professional.
5. Don’t overdo your makeup. Keep it light and simple (unless your job requires it).
6. Tame your hair. If it looks like you just rolled out of bed, employers are less likely to give you a chance. Keep a brush in your purse just in case.
7. Dress professionally. This usually requires khakis, a polo, and closed toed shoes. If you are interviewing with a more professional job, wear business formal. First impressions are important.

How to Present Yourself for Your First Job

Now that you’ve landed the job, it’s important to keep yourself looking professional. Not only is it imperative to stay presentable, it is also important to develop skills that will keep you looking and feeling good. These tips will get you closer to employee of the month, and maybe even employee of the year.

1. Wake up early to give yourself enough time to get ready and get to work on time (or earlier, if you need to). It’s easy to wake up at the last minute and throw your clothes on, but you will look and feel better if you give yourself plenty of time to get ready. Eat a good breakfast, take a shower–do whatever you need to do in order to feel good about your day. Starting the day off positively puts a smile on your face that will stay for the rest of the day.
2. Follow dress code. If your job requires a uniform, wear it. Keep it clean, ironed, and cat hair free in order to maintain a good appearance.
3. Follow the rules. Some jobs require you to keep your nails free of polish and your hair pulled back. Whatever it is your job requires of you, do it. You don’t want to get written up, or fired, for not following simple rules.
4. Make sure you’re prepared. Depending on the job, it is always a good idea to do some research and brainstorming before you show up on the first day. It will keep down the nerves and impress your boss that you know what you’re doing.
5. Bring a good attitude. Not everyone likes their job, but some are smart enough to fake it. Good vibes can ensure you have a good day, even if it is doing something you don’t like.
6. Don’t keep telling yourself (or others) that you hate your job. If you hate it so much, why did you get that job in the first place? Just remember why you’re doing it and maybe it will motivate you to keeping up a good attitude and appearance.

Most college students don’t have much money. It’s hard to save up cash when you’re constantly busy. Costs add up: a pizza here, a night out there–pretty soon your bank account is nonexistent. With just a few simple tips, you can learn to save money and have extra cash to do as you please.

Don’t buy a telephone.

Cell phones. Everyone has one. Why spend the extra for a land line when you have your cell attached to you anyway? MetroPCS is becoming more and more popular since the company offers cheap plans and no contracts. For just $40 a month, you can have unlimited calling and texting. They are even starting to come out with more popular phones now.

Don’t buy cable.

With Netflix and other online movie watching sites, why bother paying for cable? Netflix is easier, cheaper, and even allows you to watch up to two movies at a time. Split the cost and share it with a friend.

Don’t buy tickets to see a movie.

Redbox (Or Netflix) is easy. If you’re one of those people who doesn’t like it when people talk in movie theaters, wait a little and Redbox the movie. It’s the reason most movie rental stores have gone out of business. It’s a dollar a night, and you can return it to any Redbox.

Don’t buy everything wholesale.

Learn to shop at thrift stores or sale/clearance items. There is no reason to buy clothes for full price when you can (most of the time) buy the same item of clothing on sale for much cheaper. If you need a reliable pair of shoes or clothes for work, decide whether to splurge or not. Pick a few essential pieces that you must have and buy those at a department store or online.

Don’t buy anything for your dorm room without consulting your roommate(s).

Split the cost of the items. If your school requires you to purchase something each year, like a microwave/fridge combo, get in touch with your roommate and split the overall cost. There is no need to have more than one of anything.

Don’t avoid the dining hall.

If you paid for it, why not enjoy it? Take Tupperware containers and fill them with fruits, cereal, and other foods you like to eat. Then, stash them in your mini fridge for a snack when the dining hall is closed. On that note, avoid eating out. Try to limit dining out in restaurants and fast food places. It is cheaper to make meals at home, and with today’s portions so large, you’ll lose weight with smaller portions anyway.

Civil Twilight is a three-piece rock band from Cape Town, South Africa. Relocating to Los Angeles in August, 2005,  brothers Steve (singer/bass/piano) and Andrew McKellar (guitar), and Richard Wouters (drums) established a significant following on the west coast.  The band’s notoriety has grown organically sharing the stage with acts that have included Evanescence, The Bravery, Amos Lee, The Fratellis and Los Lobos, among others.  The trio recently relocated to Nashville, and has begun touring extensively east of the Mississippi, building a legend as they have in South Africa and Southern California.

Civil Twilight released their self-titled debut album on April 6, 2010 on Wind-up Records.  In early 2009, Wind-up released the album digitally with 11 tracks.  The band recorded an additional three songs for the album to hit stores this spring.  The 14-track album includes their hit single “Soldier” and the iTunes Single of the Week “Letters from the Sky,” which was added to the soundtrack for the 2011 movie ” I am Number Four.”

Civil Twilight’s immersive repertoire is becoming a favorite among music licensing executives and television producers.  Their track “Human” appeared on the post-Super Bowl special episode of House on Fox and on CBS’ Without a Trace.  Additionally, “Letters From The Sky” was featured as the audio-bed for the season finale promo of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on FOX.  Their songs have also been placed on One Tree Hill, Harper’s Island and across a variety of VH1/MTV shows including Celebrity Rehab.

“There are so many levels to this band and so many bits of their brilliance that draw you into each song individually and don’t let go.”

– Hybrid Magazine

I recently got the privilege to have an interview with band member Richard Wouters:

What is the origin and the significance of your band name Civil Twilight?

We have always been fascinated with flying and aviation imagery. When we were looking for a band name we decided to look through some aviation terminology and we came across the term Civil Twilight. I guess we just liked the sound of it and the imagery attached to it. The idea of being suspended between night and day, not quite dark and not quite light. It happens at dawn and dusk, when the sun is just below the horizon. The beginning of day, or the beginning of night.

 What inspired you all to form the band and make music together/ who are your major music influences?

We started playing together when we were kids back in Cape Town. We weren’t really a band back then but we all knew each other when we started and began writing songs together at an early age. Back then our inspiration was mostly British and American rock bands like Oasis, Radiohead, The Verve, Doves, Muse, The Strokes, Nirvana,The White Stripes and some pop and R&B like Michael Jackson and Lauryn Hill, even some old school jazz. More recently our tastes have broadened to include a more American folk, hip hop, R&B and electronica.

 What has been your favorite show/or favorite venue Civil Twilight has performed at?

I really like performing at the 9:30 club in DC and the TLA in Philadelphia. We always have good shows at those places. Also, the Grand Ballroom and the Fillmore in NYC are great ones.

 Describe the writing process for your music/ do you write your own songs?

Yes, we write our own songs. Steve, our singer, writes some of them on his own and some are more collaborative, where we’ll all get together in a room and play off each other and throw ideas around.

 How has your music evolved since you first started playing together?

Hopefully it’s matured and the lyrics have got better I think. We’re about to make a second album so we shall see. I think the songs will be shorter than on the first album!

 What has been your biggest challenge as a band?

It seems like we’ve had many. Coming to America was a big one. I think staying together is always a challenge for any band, even though we get along pretty well, it’s still challenging working so closely with other people and having to learn to respect everyone’s opinions and ideas even when they differ from your own.

 What is your ultimate direction for the band/ do you have any goals?

Our main goal has always been to make the best music we can and do everything to the best of our ability. We got into this for the love of creating and playing music and we strive to keep that passion alive and bring it to every show. In terms of musical direction, we don’t really have any set ideas… Just keep ourselves excited about what we are creating and believe in what we are saying and doing.

 What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?

Make sure you really love playing music. Find others who are equally as passionate and focus on making music that excites you. Make the music that you want to hear, not what you think other people want to hear.

 Anything you would like to say to your fans?

We think we have amazing fans, we really do. We just finished our first headlining tour of the US and were overwhelmed by the response and appreciation of our fans. So, thank you.

www.civiltwilightband.com

www.myspace.com/civiltwilightband

Letters from the Sky (Official Video)

Our featured Game Changer, Mr. Alex Stern, has just released a new line of Eighties Babies wear. I am pumped to see another dope tank (pictured above) that’s in sync with the “Tengo Hambre” tank. Go check out the new line and place your orders. They also have a select number of shirts and sweatshirts left from their previous releases.

Check out Eighties babes USA here.

Digital Short: Zach Looks for a New Assistant

I recently stumbled across an” SNL  digital short” that was shown last month and wanted to share it. It features Zach Galifianakis looking for a new assistant and interviewing various  young kids one by one to see if they would work together. Not only is each kid adorable and answers various questions, but some of the topics brought up were: Justin Bieber, feet odor, fart machines, and by far the cutest kid talks about how he can make Zach happy again in such a rough industry of work. Flattery can get you a long way people! Check it all out below!