A&E

Avi Cantor

Staff Writer

Cole Bennett is a multi-faceted talent that shoots and directs videos, promotes up and coming artists, has signed an artist named Warhol .ss, acts as an A&R finding talent all over the country, and organizes concerts and festivals for all sorts of artists. He does all of this through Lyrical Lemonade, a company that his mom named while he was in high school.

Bennett is just 21 years of age but has been cultivating Lyrical Lemonade as a staple of the up and coming rap scene for close to five years.

Before establishing Lyrical Lemonade, Bennett was a junior in high school who was in a film class and got the opportunity to mess around with the computer application, iMovie. He and his friends would go to Chicago every weekend, driving an hour outside of Bennett’s hometown of Plano, Illinois. Part of the appeal of going to Chicago was that it was the polar opposite of Plano, which Bennett describes as “just cornfields”.

Chicago was and still is a rough and tough city that has one of the highest murder rates per year in the US and 20.9% of Chicago’s 2.7 million people are under the poverty line. Plano, on the other hand, had 0 murders reported in the last year and 14.4% of Plano’s 11,920 are under the poverty line.

However, Chicago’s limitations lead to a burst of creativity from its youth.

Chicago’s emerging rap scene garnered a cult following led by Chief Keef, Fredo Santana, G Herbo, Lil Bibby, and Young Pappy among others. Bennett got a front seat to all of it.

After graduating high school, Bennett was able to work behind the scenes for Laka Films, a production company that has made music videos for the likes of Montana of 300, Lil Bibby, G Herbo, and many more.

While on set, he got to meet Famous Dex, a rapper known for an eccentric rapping style, off the wall personality and an insane work ethic. Dex was initially mesmerized by Bennett’s video production style that had the ability to transform even the dull basement of a trap house into a turnt up tripped out cartoon world. This world would be the first of many fantastical worlds that Bennett and Dex would create for the video for Dex’s song ‘Hit Em Wit It’.

The video would go on to be viewed more than 16.7 million times. ‘Hit Em Wit It’ would ignite an intense familial and business bond that would allow the two to churn out nearly 15 videos together since the release of ‘Hit Em Wit It’ in March of 2016.

Dex would end up becoming one of his best friends and the first person to have a music video reach one million views on Lyrical Lemonade’s youtube channel. Helping Dex launch his career would suddenly open up tons of doors for the young rap mogul.

He would get the opportunity to shoot videos with anyone from Chance the Rapper’s father to Soulja Boy to underground artists in the Chicago rap scene. He also got to hold his first concert in Chicago for Dex and another young rapper by the name of Lil Uzi Vert.

Uzi and Dex’s concert videos racked up millions of views and helped launch Uzi to stardom. Since those videos were released, Uzi has been featured on the 2016 XXL Freshman cover, had several songs go multi-platinum, and has transformed rap with his ability to break the mold of what rappers should look and sound like.

It’s safe to say that Bennett has the golden touch when it comes to promoting artists.

Since the concert videos, Lyrical Lemonade has helped launch the careers of some of the biggest up and coming artists of the last year including Lil Pump, Smokepurpp, Lil Xan, Ugly God, Ski Mask the Slump God, Trippie Redd, and many more. He did this by promoting their content and allowing that content to reach rap fans around the world.

This is where his ability to be an A&R comes into play. While Famous Dex was a Chicago native, making it a little easier to find and collaborate with him, most of the artists who Bennett has worked with artists from the states, and even one artist from Russia. Bennett has worked with artists from Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, California, Georgia, and many other places. Because of his ability to find talent all around the country, rappers feel a certain sense of gratitude for his ability to find their content and give it a platform for it to flourish.

In an interview with No Jumper, a podcast that helps promote young entertainers of all trades, rapper Lil Xan stated “I got mad love for Lyrical Lemonade for that ‘Betrayed’ video. Cole really out here starting careers. I owe him so much…[Xan’s career] was going good but Cole changed my life.”

The ‘Betrayed’ video that Xan references is a video that Bennett shot and directed which blew up on Youtube racking up nearly 50 million views on Youtube and peaking at No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Cole Bennett is a switch army knife that features tools that allow him to have the potential to be one of the most influential people of this generation of music. However, the biggest upside to the Plano native is that he’s only 21 years old, so he has ample time to cultivate artists that he works with into the superstars of this generation.

Here are a few of Bennett’s most successful videos. Explicit content is included, viewer discretion advised.  

Betrayed by Lil Xan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbfK7dei7ec

D Rose by Lil Pump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Prfg3vyZkA

BabyWipe by Ski Mask the Slump God https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JA4QNmpteU

Sarah Berg

Staff Writer

Brian Imanuel, better known by his stage name Rich Chigga, is an 18 year old rapper from Jakarta, Indonesia. In early November, I went to a show he headlined at the Theater of the Living Arts along with my friend, Junior Ariana Flores. The small venue was packed tightly with a young crowd mostly appearing high school and college age.

After an hour of openers, Rich Chigga took the stage to enthusiastic cheers of excitement. His presence and command of the stage soon became clear, and was contrasted but not limited by his small physique.

I believe that the crowd makes or breaks a show. This one was pretty good; high energy, loud, and responded to prompts from the performers. It was intriguingly not that diverse, a mixture of mostly white and Asian kids, something that came to the forefront of my attention towards the end of the show. Chigga was almost through the set, and had only yet to perform one song; “Dat $tick”, his 2016 breakthrough hit.

As the opening lines of the song passed, I started paying attention for one in particular, a line that was originally recorded including the N word. I was expecting and not surprised when Chigga said “people” instead of the word, but caught off guard by the large group of white boys next to me who did not hesitate to rap the uncensored version. I turned around to look at Ariana, who rolled her eyes with a sigh of reconciliation.

So what was the lyric, and why did Rich Chigga not say it?

The recording goes, “12 in the morning, pop shells for a living

And berry gon’ smell blood trail every minute

Rogue wave on you n***as, no fail when I hit em,

everytime I see a pig, I don’t hesitate to kill em”

In an interview with Genius, Imanuel explained that when writing the song, “I sort of knew that it was bad, but I didn’t know that it was that serious. Nobody was around me to tell me that that’s f*cked up.”

Does an Indonesian rapper have the right to use this loaded word? Flores, who is primarily black and Puerto Rican, has complex feelings about it. “His initial use of the word was not justified, but it was expected. He didn’t have the context that that word has behind it.”

Junior Gregory Tasik, who is Indonesian, echoed this thought, saying, “Over [in Indonesia] they don’t understand what the word means or the history behind the word. They just think of it as something cool. They hear it in rap songs.” He added that there have been immigrant students at SLA who said it and “didn’t know what it meant.”

After an outrage on Twitter in response to the lyric, Imanuel decided to take the word out in the future. When talking with The Fader, he explained that his intention was not to “be edgy or stand out” and that he meant no offense.

He also said that “I’m not a big activism or politic guy. I wouldn’t say I’m super educated in that stuff, and I feel like I shouldn’t speak on things that I don’t understand too much. I’m just doing what I can.”

Although Junior Messele Asfaw, who is black, was originally critical of those who were offended by the line, after hearing it, he commented, “In the lyric he’s taking shots at someone. That’s why people are getting riled up. If you replace the N word with ‘black people’, you can see why people are mad.”

This idea of context is a common one brought up in conversations of this sort. Imanuel himself even said “I’m all about context.” In his mind, the context in which he originally used it was neither casual or derogatory, but with a purpose to desensitize people.

“I was basically just trying to make people less sensitive to the word and take the power out of the word, but then I realized I’m totally not in a position to do that… So, I just don’t say it anymore.”

But can the power so easily be taken out of a word that historically prominent?

“The way you say it and the context of the situation definitely determines how powerful it is. I think the word has been desensitised in the way that more people are using it casually rather than in a derogatory manner. I don’t hear people walking around using it in a derogatory way,” said Flores.

Asfaw expressed that “I don’t think you can take power out. The history’s always going to be there,” and Tasik agreed, saying, “There’s a lot of meaning behind it. The history is still rooted, you can’t make it happy.”

In terms of the white people who said it in the crowd, Flores reflected that “They think that it’s cool,” but that she “didn’t have a problem with them saying it,” and was not offended, but “noticed it more when they said it.”

Asfaw said that in that context, “They’re not trying to make a statement that black people are less of a human, they’re just going along with the song.”

In the wake of this controversy, Imanuel has expressed regret with his choice of the name “Rich Chigga”, which uses his Chinese descent to make a play on the N word, saying, “I’m kind of stuck with this. I might change it in the future… But as for now, I’m definitely not going to let it be the only thing that defines me.”

A lot of fans disapprove of this idea for various reasons.

“I think his name is a really clever way to brand himself, not a lot of Asian rappers would have the guts to do something like that. It’s kind of admirable. I think it does define him, even though it shouldn’t. That choice is a bold choice, and it makes him who he is,” argued Flores.

Tasik agreed with her. “I don’t support changing the name. When saying ‘chigga’, I don’t think that you’re making fun of the N word.”

In terms of taking the N word out of his song, everyone I talked to thought it was a good decision, since it didn’t add to the meaning of the song. However, at the end of the day, they didn’t have strong opinions about non-black people saying it.

“I honestly don’t care about other people saying the word, I don’t feel offended. I personally don’t use it but I don’t care if you want to express yourself that way,” said Flores.

Similarly, Asfaw concluded, “If you want to say it, say it.”

Keith Hodge

Staff Writer

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to the Goldbergs.

This show is about an average family: one dog, dad, mom, sister, two brothers, and most importantly, grandpop. This family also has something in common with you, They live in Pennsylvania. The show is set in Jenkintown in the 1980s. and well they live in the 1980s.

In honor of the title of the show, I’ll introduce you to the family:

Adam Goldberg is the main character of the show,  played by Sean Giambrone. He is a high school student, the youngest child of three, a little bit of a geek. He has this reputation because he likes computers, Dungeons and Dragons, and filming his family’s life.

Barry Goldberg is played by Troy Gentile. Is a high school student at William Penn Academy. He is the middle child of three, and is very good at hockey.

Erica Goldberg is played by Hayley Orrantia. Was a high school senior at William Penn Academy, but is now in college. She is the oldest of three, she is very popular in school even though she was a little bit of a geek like her brother Adam when she was younger.

Beverly Goldberg is played by Wendi McLendon-Covey. She is the mother of Adam,Barry and Erica. She likes to go be involved the kids lives and she also really embarrasses them and loves them.

Murray Goldberg is played by Jeff Garlin. He is the father of Adam,Barry and Erica. He is the complete opposite of his wife and always calls his kids “ Moron ” because his father did the same to him.

Albert “ Pops ” Solomon is played by George Segal. He is the father of Beverly. He is always seems to be with his grandson Adam, Is laid back and just enjoying retirement.

So now you know the characters now I will tell you how the show works.

Usually it starts out as a normal day with everyone “ all buddy buddy ” and then one character brings in a problem and says to another character usually “ could you help ” or “ come with me .” The character comes and then something goes wrong, then the character acts upset. Then lastly they hug and make up to some popular 80s music and they say something like this: “ I promise I will never do this again.”

For example, in the episode “Smother’s Day,” Barry and Erica forget it is mother day so they make last minute coupons, then Beverly remembers all of the ones from years past so she cashes them in and after that Erica winds up saying something mean to Beverly, she gets upset and after all of that, they make up to a 80’s song.   

You should try watching this show, because even though the Goldbergs may live in the 80’s and you never experienced a day in that century, you will feel like you are living in the 80’s!