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INSIDE CAMPUS LIFE
Free Fallin'
The Best and Worst of Met Gala Fashion Rock 'N Fashion columnist Katie Ellis explores the history of the Met Gala and looks at the future of the institute.
An SRU student takes a leap of faith from 13,500 feet in the air. Read on to find out more about her firsthand experience.
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CAMPUS LIFE
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Juicy J and Wale perform for a sold out crowd
REBECCA DIETRICH/ THE ROCKET Wale reaches into the crowd of students during his performance, showing his devotion to his fans. The hip-hop star credits his fans for being the inspiration behind his music.
By Kristin Karam Sports Editor
Saggy pants, half-naked women, drug and alcohol abuse, violence and explicit content are just some of the stereotypes that plague the hiphop industry. Kevin Woods, also known as Chevy Woods, began his journey into the industry alongside his friend Cameron Thomaz (Wiz Khalifa). The pair, along with several other artists, are part of the Taylor Gang record label. Taylor Gang began as a fan base network but eventually expanded into a record label. Khalifa’s career took off after the release of “Black and Yellow” in 2011. He released several mixtapes prior to the hit song, but the tribute to
Pittsburgh caught national attention and threw him into the spotlight. Woods and Khalifa have kept a close relationship throughout their breakouts into mainstream success. “We started off together,” Woods said. “It didn’t matter if something happened for me or something happened for him. I’m happy for him and I’m supportive of everything he’s doing. I have a new single out now, so he’s supporting me. Taylor Gang is everything.” Being able to get into the mainstream in any genre is a difficult task. Artists spend hours writing songs, performing at local venues, promoting themselves and doing everything they can to get the right people to notice them. Olubowale Akintimein, better known as Wale, also fought through some of the same struggles
that upcoming artists experience. “You have to lead the way and be your own biggest critic,” Wale said. “You have to invest in yourself.” Wale and Chevy Woods were brought together this past weekend, along with Juicy J (Jordan Houston) and BAS (Abbas Hamad), by the Slippery Rock University Program Board for the university’s spring concert. Universities across the nation bring in artists to perform for students and many artists use the opportunity as a time to better connect with fans. “On a smaller stage, it’s more intimate,” Woods said. “I just try to get the whole crowd into it.” Woods briefly attended Robert Morris SEE RAP, PAGE D-2
"Laundry and Bourbon," "Lone Star" have rocky start, but keep audience laughing By Janelle Wilson Rocket Contributor
The Slippery Rock Department of The atre broug ht James McLure’s comp anion plays “Laundry and Bourbon” and “Lone Star” to the stage this week, but it didn’t get there without some difficulty. “Laundry and Bourbon” and “Lone Star” are both one-scene plays taking on two perspectives of the same story. Both take place in rural Texas and focus on the dynamic relationship of married high school sweethearts, Elizabeth and Roy, who can’t move on from the glory days of their past and into their less-than-glorious present. Director Dr. David Skeele brought “Laundry and Bourbon” and “Lone Star” to the stage after the good response his students had to the plays in his acting class. He said that among themes of war, relationships, and religion, the prominent theme of “Laundry and Bourbon” and
“Lone Star” is the crippling effect nostalgia has on people and their relationships. In “Laundry and Bourbon,” Elizabeth waits on her porch for her husband, Roy, to come home in the pink Mustang convertible that he’s had since high school. She explains to her best friend Hattie that she tolerates Roy’s flighty nature because of how he used to make her feel when they were dating. In “Lone Star,” we see a drunken Roy at Angel’s bar reflecting on his glory days of high school after someone wrecked his infamous convertible. “Nostalgia has a very toxic effect on people,” Skeele said. “People try so hard to relive the glory days of their past, that it destroys their perception of the present.” S k e e l e s a i d t h e bi g g e s t struggle of directing the plays was the unexpected illness of SEE ROCHOW, PAGE D-2
REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET Hattie, played by Kaitlin Cliber, in a drunken fight over an air conditioning vent with Amy Lee, portrayed by Ally Kryl in "Laundry and Bourbon". Follow this QR code to check out this online exclusive to meet the cast and get a back stage tour of the production, "Laundry and Bourbon" and "Lone Star."