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STAND A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED IN NEXT MONTHS ISSUE
THE FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT
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JUNE 2020 • VOL. 1
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TOP 5 FILMS OF 2019 (AND 5 MUSTWATCH FILMS)
JUNETEENTH
The Official Heart Of Alpha Magazine Here to bring you quality entertainment and entertainment news for your enjoyment. Read through this magazine for laughs, to see great art from young talented individuals, to stay up to date with the latest entertainment news and much much more
Art By: Nigel Wurayayi
How after 400 years of slavery, the day that all the slaves were set free finally arrived
FIND OUT WHY CYBERPUNK 2077 IS THE MOST ANTICIPATED GAME OF THE YEAR
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CONTENTS
3. EDITOR’S LETTER
6. CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH 8. THINGS TO DO DURING LOCKDOWN 10. FUNNY PAGES
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14. JUSTICE LEAGUE: SNYDER CUT 16. BLOODSHOT MOVIE REVIEW 18. TOP 5 MOVIES OF 2019 19. TOP 5 MOVIES TO WATCH
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22. CYBERPUNK 2077 24. TOP 10 VIDEO GAMES IN 2020 29. TOP 10 rappers IN 2020 31. TOP 5 PRODUCERS IN 2020 33. sponsored posts
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41. OUR WRITERS
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EDITOR’S LETTER
DEAR READER, HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE FIRST EDITION OF THE ALPHA MAGAZINE, PUT TOGETHER BY OUR TEAM OF RESEARCHERS, WRITERS, EDITORS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, PRODUCERS AND PUBLISHERS. HEART OF ALPHA ENTERTAINMENT IS A MULTIMEDIA COMPANY FOUNDED IN 2020 BY NIGEL “ALPHA” WURAYAYI. THE GOAL OF HEART OF ALPHA HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO CEMENT ITSELF IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A TIME OF DUPLICATES AND UNORIGINAL IDEAS, CREATING NEW AND ORIGINAL CONTENT THAT CONNECTS AUDIENCES ON A DOMESTIC AS WELL AS AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, USING PHOTOGRAPHY, FILMMAKING, BOOK PUBLISHING, RECORD DEALS AND MORE. OUR GOAL WITH THIS MAGAZINE IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH GREAT ENTERTAINMENT, ART AND NEWS ON A MONTHLY BASIS. WE FEATURE WORK DONE BY YOUNG, TALENTED SOUTH AFRICANS AND WE ARE OFFERING YOU A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED IN THE NEXT ISSUE AS WELL, SIMPLY SEND US AN EMAIL AT heartofalpha@gmail.com. HAVE FUN READING THROUGH THIS MAGAZINE AND FEEL FREE TO SEND US ANY FEEDBACK TO OUR EMAIL. TO BE FEATURED IN NEXT MONTHS ISSUE: EMAIL: heartofalpha@gmail.com. WHATSAPP: +27 62 103 6126 SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: @heartofalpha PINTEREST: @heartofalpha TWITTER: @heartofalpha
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THE STORY OF JUNETEENTH, AND WHY IT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED By: Nigel Wurayayi
June 19th is more than just another date on the calender, especially to back Americans, and although it may not be of much importance here in South Africa, we believe that it is an important day that deserves recognition and celebration. Most people are not aware of this, but America actually has two independence days, one which celebrates America’s freedom from Britain’s rule and the second, less known one, which commemorates a day when a Union General came into Texas and gave an order which is believed to have actually ended slavery, this day is known as Juneteenth.
History
On January the 1st, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared that all slaves held in Confederate States be set free and become equals with the rest of the world, this was made official with his signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. However, this new never reached the Texas slaves and there are many theories as to why this is, but nobody can say for sure which one is correct. Some believe that the Confederate Armies in Texas purposefully withheld this information from the slaves while historians believe that due to the Civil War not being over yet at the time, the lack of Union Army presence in Texas made it hard for the proclamation to be enforced, and so slavery continued in the state of Texas and slave-owners from neighboring states moved their slaves to Texas, hoping that the Confederate Army would win the war, and once it was over, they would return and get their “property” (slaves) back. Slavery continued in Texas for two and a half more years until one day Union General Gordon Granger rode into Texas with an army of Union Soldiers behind him and saw all the slaves. He decided to make an announcement on June 19, 1865 (Which has come to be known as Juneteenth). He announced to the slaves and owners that two and a half years earlier, a proclamation had been signed by the president to free all the slaves and that they were now free men and women. It
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is believed that his exact words were the following: “All slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor” This is not to say that everything was well after this announcement. Unfortunately, the opposite is true, this announcement caused backlash as Confederate Armies and slave owners chased, intimidated, killed and hung black men and women, but this did not stop black men and women from celebrating their liberation.
Celebration
To celebrate their freedom, former slaves created a holiday that was formerly known as “June The 19th” but was later on changed to “Juneteenth”, also known as “Emancipation Day” or “Freedom Day”. However, when they wanted to celebrate the first annual Juneteenth, segregation laws forbade them from using public spaces, but they did not stop them from celebrating their new found freedom. They found a way to celebrate near rivers and lakes, and dressed in the fanciest clothing so that they could combat laws that required them to wear ragged clothing. They preached religious sermons, sang spiritual songs and held feasts, and to commemorate the blood that had been spilled during slaver, they ate red fruits and desserts such as strawberry pie and red velvet cake. These celebrations still occur to this day, whether it be parades, cookouts, or five day festivals
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9 THINGS TO DO DURING LOCKDOWN By: Alulutho Sentile
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Section Name We might be on lockdown, but our goals and dreams should not be placed on hold. While it may be tempting to just sit around and complain, those things will not get you closer to your dreams. So here are a few things that you can do during lockdown
1. Get to know yourself
Go back to those new year resolutions and vision boards, and see if you are still on path, and I realize that some people actually set resolutions just for the fun for it and don’t stick to them, so make a commitment to yourself to set goals and stick to them. This would be the perfect time to reflect and set new realistic goals. To take it a step further, be creative and create vision boards, where you cut pictures out and paste them out to reflect what you want your life to look like. This assists in setting clear goals for the universe to receive, and serves as a constant reminder of where you want to go.
2. Get to know yourself even more
A lot of people may be suffering from mental illnesses so these may be trying times for them, so you can use this time to prioritize your mental health without the pressure. HOW? There are various ways in which you can get to know yourself. And one of those ways is through meditation, this allows you to have time to yourself & your mind, I feel we are constantly trying to catch up with the world, getting a degree, getting a job, chasing deadlines that we don’t know how to be with ourselves anymore.
3. Refuel old flames
No. Not what you thinking. We all have that one thing that we really loved and we have neglected because we didn’t have time anymore. Revisit that and find new ways to develop it. Be it painting, sewing, knitting or whatever it may be, refuel it.
4. Learn a new skill
5. Feed your mind
This is something most people dread, but it does make such a huge impact in the way you write, think and reason. If you think reading is not for you then you can find podcasts, speeches or lessons on YouTube from people in your industry.
6. Find ways to develop you
Use this time to practice and polish your craft. After lockdown you have to be ready for any opportunity that comes your way, a lot of people will be caught off guard and unprepared and you don’t want to be one of them. If there’s one thing that the Lockdown has taught us is that the 4IR is closer than we think, so try and find ways to get your business or your skills online.
7. Get Active
People assume that the only people that must and need to get active are that have fitness goals but being active also assists with increasing mental alertness , so get fit, even if it’s a walk/jog a day.
8. Rest
Rest is as important as working, because in order for you to be able to function and work effectively, you need rest, and by rest ,I don’t only mean sleep. There are several other ways to rest, like dancing and relaxing with a glass of wine, whatever makes you feel relaxed. 9. Spend time with family This is the perfect time to get to know your family and try to repair strained relationships. We spend so much time working, studying and pursuing that we sometimes don’t realize that we’ve neglected the ones closest to us, so use this time to reconnect. Suggest and play games that will help the family have fun together . And remember stay home and stay safe…
Skills are the future. In the current economy it is not enough to just have a qualification, employers are seeking for individuals that are constantly developing themselves. This also applies to you, if you want to start your own business, why pay when you can do it yourself? Find a skill that you would really like to learn, there are various platforms that offer free online courses, find one that works for you & start learning. It might also be a way to gain extra income.
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Section Name An Old Italian’s Tomato Garden
An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament. Dear Vincent, I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days. Love, Papa A few days later he received a letter from his son. Dear Papa, Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried. Love, Vinnie At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son. Dear Papa, Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
The Atheist
An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the “accident of evolution” had created. “What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals” he said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. As he turned to look, he saw a 7’ grizzly charging toward him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw the bear was closing on him. He tried to run even faster, he was so scared that tears were streaming down his cheeks. His heart was pumping frantically as he tried to run even faster. Just then he tripped on a root and fell to the ground. As he turned to get up, he saw the bear right on top of him with his paw raised to kill him. At that instant he cried out, “Oh my God.” Suddenly time stopped – the bear froze, the forest was silent, the river stopped flowing, and a bright light shown on the man. The a voice came out of the sky saying, “For years you denied my existence and taught others that I don’t exist. You even credit my creation to a cosmic accident as you take my name in vain. And now do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I now to count you as a believer?” The atheist, ever so proud, looked into the light and said, “It would be rather hypocritical of me to ask to be a Christian after all these years, but could you make the bear a Christian?”
Chemistry Class
One day, the chemistry teacher asked his students, “What is the chemical formula for water?” Silly Suzie immediately raised her hand. “Yes, Suzie, what’s the answer?”, the teacher asked. Suzie answered proudly, “The chemical formula for water is ‘HIJKLMNO’!” Her teacher looked perplexed. He asked, “What are you talking about?” Suzie replied, “Yesterday you said the formula for water is H to O!”
Heavenly Golf
Moses, Jesus, and an older bearded man were playing a round of golf. Moses stepped up to the tee and hit the ball. It headed toward the water. Quickly, Moses raised his club and the water parted, allowing the ball to roll to the other side onto the fairway. Next, Jesus came up and hit his ball toward the same water hole. This time it hovered for a few seconds over the water. Casually, Jesus walked over to it and chipped it up onto the green. The older man then teed up and whacked the ball which headed over to a nearby highway. It bounced off the top of a truck and rolled down the gutter of a nearby house, then landed safely on a lily pad in a small pond where a large bullfrog swallowed it. At that moment a large eagle swooped down and grabbed the frog. As they passed over the golf course, the frog burped and the ball fell out of his mouth and into the hole for a beautiful hole in one. Moses turned to Jesus and said, “I hate playing with your dad.’’
Just One Copy
A young executive was leaving the office at 6pm when he found the CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand. “Listen,” said the CEO, “this is important, and my secretary has left. Can you make this thing work?” “Certainly,” said the young executive. He turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button. “Excellent, excellent!” said the CEO as his paper disappeared inside the shredder. “I just need one copy.”
“Very well,” said the voice. The light went out, the river started flowing again, the sounds of the forest started up, and the bear put down his paw. Then the bear knelt down, bowed his head and said, “Lord, I thank you for this food which I am about to receive.”
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14. Justice League: Snyder Cut Article 16. Bloodshot (2020) Movie Review 18. Top 5 Movies Of 2019 19. Top 5 Movies To Watch
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The Snyder Cut Is Coming! By: Emmanuel Naicker
It’s Finally Happening! On the 20th of May 2020, Warner Brothers finally announced that they will be releasing Zack Snyder’s cut of Justice League, set to release on the streaming service, HBO MAX, somewhere in 2021. I feel like writing this may be difficult because of my current levels of excitement but here we go... Let me give you an explanation and history of The Snyder Cut Movement. For those who are unaware of the situation, On the 17th of November 2017, the first live action film featuring DC Comics heroes, the Justice League, was released worldwide to let’s say…a very mixed reaction. However this was not the film that was originally intended to be released and seen by fans and this was not the intended follow-up we were suppose to get from the now Cult Classics, Man Of Steel (2013) & Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016). In May of 2017 it was announced that Director Zack Snyder would step down from the project during the Post-Production Phase due to the unfortunate loss of his daughter. The film was not to be delayed from its scheduled November release date. Reshoots were carried out by The Avengers (2012) director, Joss Whedon, with a musical score provided by Danny Elfman, replacing Thomas “Junkie XL” Holkenborg as the musical composer. The changes that were made to the film during reshoots were glaringly obvious, the wildly inconsistent tone of the film and clearly unpolished CGI made it extremely easy to see that it was a product of 2 directors and a heap of Studio Meddling, the 2 worst examples of such changes being the Mandated under 2-hour runtime for the film as well as the shoddily done CGI used to cover up Henry Cavills moustache that he was not allowed to shave since he was in the midst of filming Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018). The film had a budget of $300 Million (excluding marketing) with a lacklustre gross of $655,945,209 worldwide, this was certainly a disappointment for a giant Superhero Blockbuster based off one of the most iconic comic book teams of all time, that was suppose to blaze a
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trail for a new wave of DC Superhero Films. The very day the movie hit theatres, a petition on Change.org was created to Release The Snyder Cut, which almost hit 200k signatures. On the 17th of November 2019, 2 years after the movie came out, soon fans decided to start piecing together scenes from the trailers that were not featured in the final release. Things didn’t quite add up. Soon after, Snyder took to the social media platform Vero and started posting individual black and white stills from his cut as well as storyboard panels from scenes that wasn’t in the theatrical release. Snyder hosted a special fan screening for Man Of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice The Ultimate Edition, which is the 3 hour edition of the film. During the event he handed out and signed posters revealing that the run-time of his cut would be 214 Minutes, which is approximately 3,56hours. After examining the final film, we can see that about only half an hour to 45 minutes was Snyder footage and the rest of the 2 hour film was Whedon footage. Cyborg actor Ray Fisher has stated that Zack shot everything he wanted to shoot, and that only trolls say that the SnyderCut does not exist and it’s not a matter of whether it exists but when they will choose to release it. Claran Hinds who played the villain Steppenwolf stated that It was better than the movie in the theatres. Aquaman actor Jason Momoa claims that Snyder has shown him the film and that The Snydercut is Sick! Some of the many discarded or alternate scenes are those of Barry Allan using his powers to save Iris West, Bruce and Diana discussing Aquamans answer as to whether or not he would join the team, Superman arriving at Wayne Manor to talk to Alfred, and almost all of Cyborg’s backstory as well as the Ancient History Lesson scene given by Diana playing out differently with Darkseid himself leading the attack on Earth instead of Steppenwolf. Snyder himself has said on Vero that a completed Score for Darkseid was made as well as actor Ray Porter completing all his motion capture and ADR responsibilities for the character. Snyder has also said that compared to what is actually in the movie,
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Section Name he hasn’t given away any major spoilers. I highly recommend checking out his Vero account if you wish to see more. #ReleaseTheSnyderCut trended number 1 worldwide on twitter with over a million retweets from fans as well as members of the cast and crew who worked on the film with notable people being Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher and Jeremy Irons as well as Zack Snyder himself tweeting it. This was not only limited to them as many notable others supported the SnyderCut movement such as Kevin Smith, Dave Bautista, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, director David Ayer, Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld and Mortal Kombat kreator Ed Boon backing up the more than worthy cause. It looks like a few months later, Warner Brothers have answered out cries and is finally going to Release Zack Snyders Justice League next year on HBO MAX. This is definitely the best news of 2020. Putting my love for comic books aside, I personally believe that a Directors Vision should be respected and be made public for all to see, I am very happy that Zack Snyder gets to have that chance. The Bell Cannot Be Unrung.
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Bloodshot Movie Review By: Nigel Wurayayi
Rotten Tomatoes: 31% Screen Rant: 2.5/5 IMDb: 5.7/10 With such a low score on Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, and Screen Rant, some of you may be wondering why this movie is being featured in the magazine. To find out the answer to that question, keep reading. Based the bestselling comic book series by the same name, Bloodshot is centered around Ray Garrison (played by Vin Diesel), a soldier recently killed in action and brought back to life as the superhero, Bloodshot, by the RST corporation. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he is an unstoppable force, stronger than ever and able to heal instantly. However, in addition to being in control of his body, the company has sway over his mind and memories too. No longer knowing what is real or not anymore, Ray is on a mission to find out the truth. Now, a warning before you decide not to watch the film just because it got a rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes, do not let others decide what is good or bad for you. We suggest you find a warm place, grab a bucket of popcorn and watch the movie yourself and see what you think Depending on who you ask, most people will tell you that Bloodshot is “A good sci-fi movie ruined by violent filmmaking”, however, we would like to argue against that. We sat down and watched the 2020 film and after the dull first act, we are happy to say that the film picked up pace, got more interesting and kept us hooked. Admittedly, the film does contain quite a few scenes that serve no meaning to the telling of the story but rather show off the visual effect talent of the director. Speaking of the director, you may not know this but David S. F. Wilson is a first-time director and Bloodshot is his first feature film. Before he decided to become a film director, David Wilson spent his career as a video game visual effect artist and supervisor, working on video games such as “Bioshock: Infinite”, “The Elder Scrolls Online”, and “Star Wars:
The Force Unleashed” amongst others. David also assisted with visual effects in famous and popular films such as “Avengers: Age of Ultron”. Perhaps this love for visual effects is the reason why his film is so reliant on visual effects, which by the way, are absolutely fantastic. Everywhere you look on the internet you will find critics and wannabe critics telling you that the film is a flop, that it is your typical superhero story but we believe that it is far from that and apparently, so does the audience, who give the film a 4/5. We suggest that you rent or buy the film, watch it and decide for yourself whether you think it is a goo or a bad film, and when you do, feel free to email us your feedback on the film. From the acting, writing, direction and visual effects, we feel that Bloodshot is a fantastic movie and that is why this month we give the film a 4/5. If you have any feedback on the film you would like to share or if you have a suggestion for our next film review, please contact us at heartofalpha@gmail.com ENJOY!
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Top 5 Movies Of 2019 By: Karabo Louw
Excuse me madam/sir, may I please get your autograph right here_____? Because if you are reading this, then you have made it to the TOP 5 Heart of Alpha readers, well done for reading this far. Let’s get to it!
1. Joker (2019)
Genre: Drama, Crime. Failed comedian Arthur Fleck (an award winner for best actor, Joaquin Phoenix) seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham city. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as Joker.
2. Ready or not (2019)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Suspense.
Ready or Not, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett, follows a young bride (Samara Weaving) as she joins her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, economic family (Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in time-honoured tradition that turns into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival. A smart, subversive, and darkly humorous, crowd pleasing horror film with giddily entertaining bite.
3. 1917 (2019)
Genre: War, Drama. 1917, the award winner for best cinematography and for best film, directed by Sam Mendes, follows an event that happened in World war 1, where two British soldiers – Lance Cpl. Schofield and Lance Cpl. Blake receive seemingly impossible orders. In a race against time, they must cross over into enemy territory to deliver a message that could potentially save 1,600 of their fellow comrades, including Blake’s own brother. This masterpiece just takes your breath away. The most epic one-shot movie ever, this movie is filled with amazing shots. The editing is top notch, and the natural lighting works so perfectly. If you are the future Roger Deakins – you better take notes while watching it.
4. Jojo Rabbit (2019) Genre: Comedy, Drama.
Jojo Rabbit (2019), Written and Directed by Taika Waititi (THOR: RAGNAROK, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE) bringing his signature style of humour and pathos to a World War 2 satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), he must confront his blind nationalism. Interesting right?
5. Black and Blue (2019) Genre: Action, Drama.
A black policewoman, Alicia West (Naomie Harris), witnessing her colleagues killing a drug dealer which lands her into trouble. Falsely accused of the crime, she now must fight both the corrupt police and evil gangsters. Alicia West was both black and blue, both an individual and community member, both a victim and a hero, both ostracised and included, an insider and outsider, a protector and one needing protection.
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Top 5 Must-Watch Movies By: Karabo Louw
1. Queen and Slim (2019) Genre: Drama. A story that follows a black man (Daniel Kaluuya) and a black woman (Jodie Turner-Smith, in her first starring feature-film role) on how they are forced to go on a run after a black man kills a white police officer in self-defence. The incident is captured on video and goes viral, the couple unwittingly become a symbol of trauma, terror, grief and pain for people across the country. Stylish, challenging, and powerful, Queen and Slim tells a gripping fugitive story steeped in timely, thoughtful subtext.
2. A fall from Grace (2020) Genre: Thriller.
When a woman is indicated for murdering her husband, her lawyer thinks there may be a conspiracy at play. Another excellent Tyler Perry movie with an excellent selection of cast members. This movie is a definition of Stay woke. Proof that experience, patience, and God’s favour will lead you to the right people, places and events for your divine destiny and blessings.
3. Little (2019)
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy. Little (2019), directed by Tina Gordon, is about a take no prisoner tech mogul, Jordan, who torments her assistant and the rest of her employees and soon faces an unexpected threat to her personal life and career when she magically transforms into a 13-year-old version of herself right before a do-or-die presentation. Crazy, right? She will now have to rely to her longsuffering assistant, April, more than ever– if April is willing to stop treating Jordan like a 13-year-old child who has an attitude problem.
4. My spy (2020)
Genre: comedy, family. Nine-year-old Sophie catches JJ, A hardened CIA operative, spying on her family during a routine surveillance operation, in exchange for not blowing his cover, JJ begrudgingly agrees to show the intelligent girl how to become a spy. What at first seems like an easy task soon turns into a battle of wits as Sophie proves you don’t need much experience to outsmart a seasoned agent. Sherly J on reviews stated that this is “A funny lovely action movie”. Love, Laugh, live. Still reading? One last MUST watch film and you’ll be done
5. Harriet (2019)
Genre: Drama, History. This movie is about a great woman (Harriet Tubman) that escapes from slavery through dangerous missions and is led to liberate hundreds of slaves through the underground railroad, the story of heroic abolitionist Harriet Tubman is told. Are you convinced? We all could learn a thing or two about how to fulfil a life of charismatic and remarkable stature, when we think not of ourselves so much we forget about others.
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Gaming
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CONTENTS
22. CYBERPUNK 2077
24. TOP 10 GAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2020
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Cyberpunk 2077 By: Emmanuel Naicker
First of all let me make it clear that this is not sponsored promotion from Publisher CD Projekt Red, because let’s face it, they don’t know we exist yet. Second of all this article is entirely a bit of friendly advice from a group of Avid Gamer to others on why Cyberpunk would be a good choice to purchase and play. Third of all is if you have already played The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, you already get why we’re so optimistic for the game, and also, if you haven’t seen yet, pretty much the entirety of the internet is in agreement that it’ll be awesome.
CHARACTER
Our excitement comes from the game being a part of one of our personal favourite genre, being Open World RPGs, as well as the trust we have developed for the Studio. We are advocates for the Quality Over Quantity model of Game Development, where a developer takes as much time as they need to make the game the best it can possibly be before the release date, and truly new and different from the last game they put out. Examples of games that follow this mode of production are: Rockstars Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series, as well as Rocksteady Studios Batman Arkham Games and last but not lest, The Witcher. As much as we love those games, we cannot elaborate more on them, maybe that’s an article for another time.
KEANU REEVES!
Cyberpunk 2077 is the latest game from Polish Game Developer and Publisher, CD Projekt Red, and is their first game in 5 years since The Witcher 3 was released in 2015 and is still an absolute must own. Cyberpunk was initially announced in May 2012 with a brief teaser trailer released in January 2013. The teaser saying “Coming:... When It’s Ready”. Ever since then the tension and hype has been building to the point of us now being able to cut it with a butter knife.
THE SETTING The open world of the game is called Night City and is said to be the most believable open world City simulated to date. The game is divided into zones, the ones we know of being: City Center, Westbrook, Watson, Pacifica, San Domingo, Heywood & Badlands.
You will be fully role playing as a mercenary named V. Your character will be fully customizable from gender, voice, cybernetic implants, skin tone, bodily shape, tattoos, scars etc. The game is locked in First-Person View for an extremely immersive experience .You also choose from 3 backgrounds or upbringings that determine how the story plays out for you, how other characters react to you and your reactions to quests and dialogue choices, etc. These being: Street Kid, Nomad and Corporate. Each pretty much self-explainatory in terms of differences in your characters Personality. Yes, the inclusion of Keanu being cast in this game alone is enough to be its own point. Why? Because he’s a legend that’s why. Neo will be playing Johnny Silverhand, a character who is only visible to you as he is actually dead and just implanted ino your mind via a chip in your neck. He is essentially working in the same manner as The Joker from Batman Arkham Knight, someone only for the players acknowledgement, as for his role in the greater plot of the story, they have been quite secretive.
RATING
This game is also unsurprisingly pushing an M for Mature Rating and Adult Only ratings for other regions of the world. The game will feature Profanity, Extreme Violence, Use of Alcohol, Use of Tobacco, Use of Drugs, Nudity, etc. The length of the games story excluding side-quests is around 60 hours with 75 Story Based Missions, the developers have also gone on to say that Cyberpunk will have “No Less DLC than The Witcher 3”. The Witcher 3’s two expansions DLC’s added a minimum of 40 hours on top of the already extremely long game. Combined with the 3
different backstories for your characte,r the replay value of this game is very high and likely to keep you enjoying it for years to come just as people play The Witcher 3 & Skyrim today. This game is definitely not one for the kiddies, let them play something more wholesome like Doom Eternal. Cyberpunk 2077 releases worldwide on the 17th of September 2020 for the PS5, PS4, Xbox One and will be available on Xbox Series X as well. The game will cost R1000 but we guarantee it will be well worth it.
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Top 10 Games To Play In 2020 By: Nigel Wurayayi
As Sony and Microsoft eye the next generation of video game consoles, and Google experiments with cloud gaming with its Stadia platform, studios everywhere are preparing to give this generation its swan song while crafting the future of the industry. The result will be a year full of compelling new experiences, jaw-dropping remakes, long-awaited sequels, and a few games that defy classification. On top of this, the world has had to respond to an unprecedented development in recent months: the COVID-19 crisis, and as more and more people are forced to stay at home, they are reaching for their gaming consoles and devices. With social distancing becoming the norm, an increased number of people are turning to gaming for entertainment and as a method of escape. According to Verizon, video game usage has increased by 75% in the U.S. since quarantine policies went into effect. Fortunately, 2020 has plenty of high-quality worlds for you to escape to and as such, we’ve picked all of the upcoming games you need to keep an eye out for in 2020. 10. Halo Infinite Platforms: Xbox Scarlett, PC Release Date: TBC 2020 As if Halo Infinite wasn’t already one of the biggest upcoming games in the world, anticipation for the title has only grown following the announcement that it will be a launch title for Xbox Scarlett. Halo Infinite is positioned as something of a soft reboot of the franchise. It will continue the series’ story but will re-imagine certain concepts of God Of War. It’s also the first confirmed next-gen title and the most exciting Halo game since Bungie left the franchise. 9. Doom: Eternal Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia Release Date: 20 March 2020 Another iconic game sees a stunning new avatar in Doom Eternal, which incorporates some fresh RPG and storytelling elements into the frenzied shooter action you know and expect from the Doom franchise. You play as Doom Slayer, and your single-minded pursuit of the terrifying creatures from hell is unchanged. Your base is the Fortress of Doom, from where you launch into various missions and campaigns, and face some unspeakably horrible monsters. 8. Nioh 2 Platforms: PS4 Initial Release Date: 12 March 2020 If there is one thing that all the best games of the year have in common so far, it has to be the environments, offering settings that are a feast for the eyes, irrespective of the art style. Tam Ninja’s PlayStation 4 title, Nioh 2, is no exception. What sets this action RPG title apart is the sheer amount of customization. Players take on the role of Hide, a half-human, half-yokai. Apart from deciding what Hide looks like, there is an incredible amount of tinkering you can do with just about anything character related, including stats, weapons, skills, magic, equipment, and even home decor. It is, as IGN’s Mitchell Saltzman put it, “as deep as an ocean.”
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Section Name 7. Half-Life: Alyx Platforms: PC Release Date: 23 March 2020 Half-Life is back, and it is breathtaking in all its VR glory. Set five years before the events of Half-Life 2, Half-Life: Alyx features many familiar locations like City 17 and Combine facilities, as well as the ghastly alien creatures threatening humanity. All of this beautifully rendered in VR, offering levels of immersion that push the boundaries of the medium. You play not as the ubiquitous Gordon Freeman, but his collaborator, Alyx Vance. Alyx and her father, Eli, are founding members of the human resistance pushing back against the Combine collective following the Black Mesa incident.
6. Ghost Of Tsushima Platforms: PS4 Initial Release Date: 17 July 2020 A cinematic revenge story set in a heavily-researched recreation of 13th-century Japan, and an open world recreation at that. The game is about realizing the fantasy of becoming a samurai in a gloriously detailed Japan with the hero learning a new ghost fighting style to make amends for the massacre of his people.
5. Watchdogs: Legion Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC & Google Stadia Release Date: TBC A much revised take on the hacking series that’s set in a dystopic, future version of London. While an authoritarian regime uses a surveillance system to control the population, it’s down to you to help the resistance to disrupt and resist the authorities, and by you we mean potentially everybody, player control shifts between different civilians, meaning anyone can be part of the resistance who can all be recruited to the players roster, taking on different classes, specialities and affecting the game in different ways.
4. Final Fantasy VII Remake Platforms: PS4 Release Date: 10 April 2020 The fact that Final Fantasy 7 still holds a place in the hearts of gamers over two decades after release is a testament to its masterful storytelling. While the essential elements of the plot remain the same, the remake is a breathtaking blend of narrative prowess and modern gaming technology. Exploring details of characters and locations in ways that were not previously possible. Final Fantasy 7 Remake offers a fresh look and experience.
3. The Last Of Us: Part 2 Platforms: PS4 Release Date: 19 June 2020 Considering that The Last Of Us was one of the best games of the decade, it’s safe to say that The Last Of Us 2 is riding a wave of expectations. Naughty Dog faces a very difficult task, as it not only has to make an entertaining game but also continue one of the greatest stories ever told in gaming form. However, we remain optimistic that the beloved studio will come through once again and find a way to meet all those expectations. The sequel picks up several years after Joel and Ellie’s escape from the Firefly facility. While Ellie is safe and living within the walls of a thriving community, all is not right with the world, which is still overrun by monsters and enemy settlements. Early on in the story, Ellie will be forced to leave the relative safety of her settlement in Wyoming to face new dangers and a brand new adventure. Everything we’ve seen of The Last Of Us Part 2 thus far suggests that it’s going to be a brilliant and worthwhile game in its own right. We just can’t wait.
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Section Name 2. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox, Xbox Series X, PC Release Date: TBC 2020 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla finally utilizes one of the most requested historical themes over the years (Vikings), but that’s not the only reason it’s on our radar. The early word is that Valhalla will build upon the RPG elements of Odyssey in exciting new ways. If Ubisoft can pull off some of their promises, this could prove to be one of the more bountiful and entertaining games of 2020. 1. Cyberpunk 2077 Platforms: Xbox, PS4, PC Release Date: 17 September 2020 It is definitely not a stretch to call Cyberpunk 2077 one of the most anticipated games in years, and that was true even before anyone knew Keanu Reeves was going to be in it. Developed by the team responsible for the critically-acclaimed The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 aims to be one of the largest, deepest, and most intense sci-fi RPG experiences ever made. Expectations may be high, but what we’ve seen of the game thus far has us feeling very optimistic.
BONUS!
Bonus: Resident Evil 3 Remake Platforms: PS4, Xbox, PC Release Date: 3 April 2020
We’d be lying if we told you that the Resident Evil 3 remake quite lives up to the expectations set by the first two remakes in the series. It just lacks the ambition that defined those titles. Still, Resident Evil 3 was a great game and this remake revitalizes many of its best elements. It’s an intense experience that looks beautiful and successful offers more of the core gameplay of Resident Evil 2’s remake.
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MUSIC January 2018 | 27 heartofalpha@gmail.com
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CONTENTS
29. TOP 10 RAPPERS OF 2020
31. TOP 5 PRODUCERS OF 2020
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Top 10 Rappers Of 2020 By: Chesley Moodley
We can already say that today is another day in the month of June as well as another day in the arms of the nationwide quarantine. Even still we as human beings crave new and exclusive music to keep us entertained and who better to provide those flaming new jams than our plethora of rappers, albeit some will be doing better than others and thus this is a list of the top 10 best rappers of 2020 so far, in no particular order.
1. Kanye West
Recently having been dubbed the richest rapper in the world, Kim Kardashian’s husband is one of, if not, THE most well-known rapper on the face of the planet. Noted not once but twice by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 influential people in the world, Kayne West takes the top spot in our list and his album released this year titled Jesus Is King sees him now experimenting with a new style and fans have seemed to have taken strongly to it.
2. Eminem
It goes without saying that we have been devastatingly murdered by his music ever since he told us his name. Whatever you may call him, Marshall Mathers, Slim Shady or Eminem, it doesn’t matter because we all know him and I mean it feels like we know him personally. Some of us grew up listening to him and he never failed to fulfil our hopes with his latest album Music To Be Murdered By, completely shattering his previous speed record on Nicki Minaj’s song, Majesty, with his song Godzilla featuring the gone too soon rapper, singer, songwriter Juice WRLD.
3. Kendrick Lamar
The Man, dare I say The Legend, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, considered by critics and contemporaries as one of the most influential names in hip hop of his generation. He has been graced with 48 awards over his career and nominated for more. Needless to say he has another album coming soon to speakers near you and people just can’t wait to get their hands on it.
4. DaBaby
Back in 2019, Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, more professionally known as DaBaby, was named “The King of Rap” because of his unbelievable 22 entries onto the billboard top 100. Also going by the name Baby Jesus, the rapper’s most recent album, Blame it on Baby, is already starting to make waves among his fans and non-fans alike.
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5. Travis Scott
Bringing a new psychedelic feel to trap music is what our number 5 pick can be known for as his easily recognizable style keeps his fans always wanting more. His 2019 album, Jackboys became the first number 1 album of 2020 featuring his hit track Highest in the Room. The fans he has accumulated over the years shows that Travis Scott is another Juggernaut in the rap game today.
6. Drake
Canadian sensation and well known across the globe and to sum it up: basically a household name worldwide, Drake, has been in the game from a young age after choosing to leave acting after a little mishap on the TV show Degrassi. His solo debut album thrust him swiftly into ‘famous’ status and it’s just been uphill from there and it never stopped.
7. J. Cole
We know this is the real world, but J. Cole is in his own world, Cole World, and he has no problems with letting the people dive in head first to take a look at who he is as a person through his music. It is clear that many have been subject to his unmistakable flow and sound, not to mention the upcoming album he’s been teasing, titled The Fall Off, which is rumoured to be releasing later this year. The hype about the upcoming album is still on the rise and doesn’t seem to be digressing soon and neither does Cole’s reputation and/or creativity.
8. Logic
Not much can be said about Logic, the reason being that his music speaks volumes by itself and clearly his people are listening. His number 1 album, Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, holding collaborations with some of the greatest to date including Eminem, Tech N9ne, Joyner Lucas and more. You simply cannot think of the rap game today without somehow bringing up Logic.
9. Joyner Lucas
Massachusetts can hold its head high knowing that from its heart came a man of such skill and talent for rapper, singer, actor and producer: Joyner Lucas is and always has been making waves with his insightful, personal and deep lyrics. 2020 may prove to be Joyner’s best year so far with his most recent album, ADHD.
10. Tory Lanez
Most recently, Tory lanez’ album, Love Me Now?, has re-established his fame among his fans and newcomers alike. Having not 1 but 2 hit singles on the billboard top 100. Despite the controversy circling the feuds created by this album, Tory Lanez remains to be an unstoppable force in the industry this year.
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Top 5 Producers Of 2020 By: Chesley Moodley
For as long as music has been around there have always been people behind the artist who either make the song what it is or help to make it even better than it could have been. Those people are the producers. Today the producers are as much a part of the song as the vocalist, for without the producer, there would most likely not be a song to place vocals on. We owe a great deal of respect to our producers today because they are the ones responsible for literally making the song as we know it, and thus here is our list of the top 5 best producers ranked by fans.
1. Metro Boomin’
The 25 year old sensation Leland Wayne, known by his stage name Metro Boomin’ with his unmistakable tags and unique trap sound has taken the hip hop world by storm bringing us hits such as Jumpman and Bad and Boujee. Working most notably with rappers 21 Savage, Future, Migos and many more, Metro Boomin’ is along the lines of one of the most well-known and successful producers of 2020.
2. Tay Keith
Second on our list is Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, better known as Tay Keith. The Memphis born producer, working with hip hop juggernauts such as Drake, Beyoncé and Travis Scott, is now in 2020 another majorly recognizable and unstoppable force in the hip hop game with his dark piano riffs and his catchy drum grooves. Some of his best works include the famous Sicko Mode, Look Alive and Not Alike.
3. Mike Will Made It
Michael Len Williams II, also known professionally as Mike WiLL MadeIt will always get the fans riled up with his music for just being that good. Hailing from Georgia, Mike Will has been in the game for a long while and has definitely made a name for himself along with the countless beats he has produced. Working mostly with the artists on his label EarDrummers, Mike Will has graced us with bangers such as 23, Black Beatles, No Type, No Flex Zone, and the list goes on to the point where it doesn’t seem to be subsiding any time soon. January 2018 | 31 heartofalpha@gmail.com
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4. DJ Mustard
The Legend himself who we owe most of our gratitude to for giving us some of the best songs of the decade, Dijon Isaiah Macfarlane’s signature style always gets the club moving in the best way possible. Collaborating with voices and flows that we all know such as YG, Ella Mai, Chris Brown, Tinashe and many more, showing us that we shouldn’t drop our standards of his music and what he brings to the table with songs like 2 on, Boo’d Up, Ballin’, Who do You Love?, DJ Mustard’s creativity and understanding of what his fans want never lets him down when he drops and track.
5. D.A Doman
David Doman, the born in Chicago producer recently came into high popularity with songs such as Taste, Dip and ZeZe. D.A’s most recent collabs include songs on rapper Eminem’s latest album, Music To Be Murdered By, shows this vocal chopping master to be coming up in the world, and looking down on him is a big mistake as it seems that he is starting to work with more big artists, which really shows he’s in the bigger leagues now.
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OUR WRITERS NIGEL “ALPHA” WURAYAYI
INSTAGRAM: @BORNTOBEALPHA
KARABO LOUW
INSTAGRAM: @KARABO_SANAH_LOUW
EMMANUEL NAICKER
INSTAGRAM: @EMMY_R_N
ALULUTHO SENTILE
INSTAGRAM: @CREATIVEFORACHANGE_
CHESLEY MOOLEY
INSTAGRAM: @ITS_CHES_KANTII
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