NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 39, No. 39
TueSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2011
nyunews.com
OWS calls New York students to action
NYU fraternity rocks to a good cause
By Amy Zhang
By Kristine Itliong
Last night marked the beginning of the second annual Rock-A-Thon to raise money for Save A Child’s Heart, an Israelbased non-profit organization. In front of Weinstein Residence Hall, NYU community leaders and members of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity will take turns rocking in the AEPi chair until Nov. 16. SACH provides pediatric heart surgery and care for children in developing countries. The Rock-A-Thon is an opportunity for AEPi to not only make a positive contribution to the cause but also to further its Israel advocacy campaign. Zachary DuBow, a CAS senior and the president of Alpha Epsilon Pi, was the first person to sit in the rocking chair for the fraternity’s 48-hour fundraiser. “Two facets, SACH and Israel advocacy, are most important to us,” DuBow said. “Since [the
Emma Pliskin/WSN
AEPi members raised money for charity with the help of the community and a rocking chair. organization] works so well with our mission as a Jewish fraternity on campus, we decided to make this an annual event.” Last year, AEPi raised $5,400 for SACH. For each minute
Garden hosts delectable comfort food at Roberta’s By Cody Delistraty
Just a few stops off the L train, you’ll find Roberta’s restaurant in Bushwick, Brooklyn, a quiet refuge from hectic Manhattan. Strings of lights set the mood in the restaurant’s outdoor garden where 20-somethings casually eating their dinners. A two-hour wait might seem a little extreme for a restaurant
that, from the outside, looks like it could play host to drug deals. But when you move past the curtain and into Roberta’s makeshift vestibule, you will find yourself in an effervescent and bustling dining room. It’s here that you can find fresh salads and creative pizzas, a talkative mix of local families, cu-
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via robertaspizza.com
The innovative food pairs well with the laid-back atmosphere.
spent in the chair, they earned $1. The group also accepts donations from passersby, AEPi members sat through hail, rain and cold last year during their 30-minute-long shifts. Unlike at last year’s event,
the second Rock-A-Thon has sponsors who have donated food and money for the event. T-shirts will also be given to Rock-A-Thon participants.
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The Occupy Wall Street is seeking more student voices. In an effort to broaden its reach, organizers have invited New York City students to join in a Week of Student Action. With mounting concerns over student debt and tuition increases, organizers from CUNY, Columbia, the New School, Pratt, Julliard and NYU have issued a call to increase awareness of their universities’ ties to Wall Street. For student organizers, this week is pivotal in that it coincides with both the two-month anniversary of the movement and the City University of New York Board of Trustees’s meeting to discuss tuition hikes on Nov. 21. Yesterday, NYU4OWS organizers hosted a Corporate University Walking Tour. Modeled after admissions tours given to prospective NYU
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Drake solidifies place among best rappers By Natalie Hawley
As far as album sales go, Drake has nothing to worry about. Despite his quick and unlikely rise to the spotlight, he’s enjoying his hard-earned income and boasting about his successes just like any other rapper. But what sets Drake apart from his contemporaries is his willingness to express his emotions. On his 2010 debut, “Thank Me Later,” he created his identity: a sensitive up-and-comer, still acclimating himself to fame. Now, with his second album “Take Care,” Drake sets up a platform to reveal his versatility, bask in his indulgent life, and at the same time, rely on his soft side and ask for sympathy. His lyrics are blunt, but his delivery is persuasive because he swiftly taps into that swooning-voice quality in a way few other rappers can pull off effectively. This is the appeal of Drake. Solidified on “Take Care,” he plays the role of hiphop’s sensitive asshole. We got a taste of this in “Marvin’s Room,” a track made available early this summer. The barebones production (only a muted
bass and long, ominous chords) perfectly underscored Drake’s drunken, cooing phone call to his ex-girlfriend. He allows himself to be vulnerable — the move is risky but well executed. “I’m lucky that you picked up/ Lucky that you stayed on/ I need someone to put this weight on,” he sings — after, of course, letting her know the price he has paid for fame. “Take Care” features several topnotch choices in the artists that accompany Drake. In fact, the collaborations are arguably the strongest tracks on the album. Lil Wayne appears on two tracks, with lyrics as clever and crude as you would expect. Rick Ross throws down a verse on the epic, chorus-supported “Lord Knows,” and Rihanna sings alongside the fast piano on the title track, “Take Care.” Drake also takes some risks with the experimental, catchy “Crew Love” and the emotional “Doing It Wrong,” where he demonstrates his singing ability. To top it off, Stevie Wonder delivers a gorgeous outro via harmonica — an unexpected but perfect ending. Drake himself said it best on “Take Care’s” first single, “Head-
Courtesy of Cash Money Records
lines”: “I might be too strung out on compliments/ Overdosed on confidence.” Fame hit him hard, he accepted it, and now he’s letting us know how it feels. In a world so strongly influenced by egocentric rappers like Kanye, that may not sound so impressive. But Drake craftily maintains his honest, passive quality amidst these rough verses, oddly giving him a lot of validity. “Take Care” reveals Drake’s creative growth as an artist and reinforces that he doesn’t plan to leave the spotlight anytime soon. Natalie Hawley is a contributing writer. Email her at music@nyunews.com.