The Wake Issue 4 Fall 2017

fortnightly student magazine

volume 17 — issue 4

We Are “Family”

p. 8

Dollhouse

p. 14

UMN Acapella Singers

p. 9

Q&A: Greyson DeWolfe

p. 16

Big Taste, No Waste

p. 11

Early vs. Late Graduation

p. 19

Katie Heywood Lady Justice

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 4 EDITORIAL: Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Cities Editor Voices Editor Music Editor Online editor Copy editors Multimedia Editor Multimedia Producer

Emma Klingler Jake Steinberg Annie Burdick Kassidy Tarala Liv Martin Alex Wittenberg Chris Shea Kikki Boersma Carson Kaskel Olivia Heusinkveld

Editorial Interns: Abbie Clapp, Alexander Cain, Claire Becker, Ella Cashman, Emma Dill, George Miller, Hannah Haakenson, Luci Bischoff, Megan Hoff, Morgan Benth, Olivia Hultgren, Simon Batistich, Tala Alfoqaha

BMM EBZ

PRODUCTION: Executive Director Production Manager Creative Director Finance Manager PR/Ad Manager Social Media Manager PR and Advertising Associate Art Director Designers

Web Manager Distribution Manager

Holly Wilson Olivia Novotny Kate Doyle Rakshit Kalra Aaron Christianson Grace Steward Sophie Stephens Katie Heywood Andrew Tomten Kellen Renstrom Megan Smith Laurel Tieman Cassie Varrige

Production Interns: Darby Ottoson (PR) Art Interns: Emily Hill, Jade Mulcahy, Jaye Ahn, Lauren Smith,

Mariah Crabb, Natalie Klemond, Peyton Garcia, Sophie Stephens, Stevie Lacher

THIS ISSUE: Š2017 The Wake Student Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

Established in 2002, The Wake is a fortnightly independent magazine and registered student organization produced by and for students at the University of Minnesota.

The Wake was founded by Chrin Ruen & James DeLong.

Disclaimer: The purpose of The Wake is to provide a forum in which students can voice their opinions. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as a whole.

To join the conversation email eklingler@wakemag.org .

The Wake Student Magazine 126 Coffman Memorial Union 300 Washington Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55455

Writers Anna Cushing, Annie Burdick, Aubrey Asleson, Claire Becker, Claire Redell, Emily Ness, Emma Dill, George Miller, Hannah Haakenson, Helena Mueller, Jack Hedlund-Fay, Katrina Pross, Liv Martin, Lydia Crabtree, Megan Hoff, Olivia Hultgren, Taylor Pearson, Art 1 Morgan Wittmers-Graves, 2 Olivia Novotny, 3 Jade Mulcahy, 4 Katie Heywood, 5 Peyton Garcia, 6 Jaye Ahn, 7 Will Hanson, 8 Katie Heywood, 9 Stevie Lacher, 10 Emily Hill, 11 Katie Heywood, 12 Peyton Garcia, 13 Katie Heywood, 14 Katie Heywood, 15 Stevie Lacher, 16 Will Hanson Cover by Lauren Smith

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wink! one page magazine

Here at The Wake Magazine, our pets are some of our most loyal readers. We’ve decided to allow some of these good, good puppers and kitties to introduce themselves.

Here’s what they had to say…

“We’re cooler asleep than you are when you’re awake.”

- Chloe and JJ

“I will charm you just enough to capture your loyalty only to retreat to my bed, leaving you alone. It’s my world—you’re just living in it.”

- Lincoln

“I’m so savage, I once took a dump in my fam’s bedroom because she wouldn’t let me have my peanut butter bone.”

- Loki

“This face is actually a smile. And I’m smiling because I just visited wakemag. org and read our amazing web exclusive section!”

- Fenway

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“I was found by my mom in a tree on campus! If you want to keep up with my latest adventures, you can follow me on Instagram @willowthecoolcat” - Willow

NOV 20—DEC 3

INSIDE 6 7

Letter from the Director Peru, Shanghai, Madagascar...

Minneapolis?

8

We Are “Family”

9

Skin: Showing the Horrors of White Privilege

UPCOMING EVENTS 11/11—3/18

11/21

Adiós Utopia: Dreams and Deceptions in Cuban Art Since 1950 A

The Final Show at the Triple Rock! C

Focuses on the untold narrative of those who remained in Cuba and whose careers emerged or who were educated on the island after Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution Walker Art Center

11/12

10

Art by Katie Heywood

11

Big Taste, No Waste

The Feels: Ancestry in Progress B

14

Dollhouse

w/ Seaberg, Dua, Charles Zachary, Nick Muhammad, Fazayah Rose Augusta

16

Q&A: Greyson DeWolfe

18

Americans Need to Stop Ignoring Other Elections

19 20 21 22

Perspectives: Early vs.

Late Graduation Dealing with Drugs: A Nuanced Perspective

Dillinger Four, Negative Approach, Kitten Forever, Victory, The Slow Death Triple Rock Social Club

12/2 Choral Concert: Sounds of the Season Tedd Mann Concert Hall

The Feels provides a space for art, entertainment, and healing dedicated to removing the stigma of mental health.

Icehouse

11/ 21—11/22

A

Hip Hop Nutcracker contemporary re-imagination of the timeless classic taking place in 1980s Brooklyn State Theater

A Year of Trump in Images

11/22

Six Reviews

Doomtree

B

Palace Theater

11/30 Remo Drive w/ Beach Bunny and Pierre The Cedar Cultural Center

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C

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Letter from the Editor Hey readers. Welcome back. I imagine that many of you, like me, were brutally reminded that you live in Minnesota over the past few weeks, as that thing called cold came back and kicked our asses. We’re trapped in an endless cycle. Summer makes us forget about winter and winter makes us forget about summer.

Natural warmth exists? I’m not buying it.

But fear not! You’re holding a copy of The Wake. That means you’re one step ahead in your quest to survive the oncoming winter. Too engrossed in reading about acapella competitions or participation grades to leave the comfort of your couch? I’ve heard over-Waking is an excused absence these days. You read our reviews and spent the rest of the day in a cocoon listening to Snoop Dogg and REZZ? We understand. And, in fact, we support you. We’re not here to judge. We know there’s no better way to combat the cold than to stay inside and read great writing. No doubt that’s how Minnesotans have been surviving since the dawn of time.

And, if worse comes to worse and you’re forced to leave the house, finish reading your magazine and then give those beautifully illustrated, thick, glamorous pages a second life. Sew them together into a fashionable and warm cape that will inform, entertain, and inspire everyone you pass by. Who said we never give you life hacks?

In all seriousness, we’ve reached a hard point in the semester.

Somehow all the optimism of a few months ago has vanished.

I know it might feel like you’ll never pass that test or finish that paper. And I can’t say if you will or not. But I can say that everything will work out. Soon enough, the end of the semester will come. Some of us, me included, will graduate and face down the thought of full-time employment. And for those who don’t, a new semester will arrive. A clean slate, new deadlines to procrastinate, new start-of-the-year optimism, new chances.

And if all that newness scares you just as much as the midterms you’re grappling with now, just remember: The Wake will always be here and we’ll always be great. We promise.

Keep your heads up, fellow Gophers. You’re going to do awesome things.

Annie Burdick Cities Editor

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NOV 20—DEC 3

CITIES

Peru, Shanghai, Madagascar...

Minneapolis?

1

Despite its bland, Midwestern image, Minneapolis has a lot to offer

BY EMMA DILL Recently, the Wall Street Journal released their 2018 Travel Guide. Guess which destination ranked fourth on their 10-location list of the best spots to see around the world. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef? Nope. Italy’s scenic Amalfi Coast? No, again.

Minneapolis, Minnesota? You betcha.

While the Journal mentioned Prince, Bob Dylan, and the imminent Super Bowl in their justification, they focused primarily on the Twin Cities food scene. The list itself was crafted to appeal to “adventurous sophisticates, curious foodies, and deep-pocketed beach bums,” according to the Journal. So, I guess they picked Minneapolis to please the foodies?

While I agree with their choice, Minneapolis has so much more to offer than its food, musicians, and football. In fact, cities shouldn’t be evaluated on their restaurants, sporting events, or shows.

Instead, free attractions should take precedent, since these are things anyone can access and enjoy. When tourists visit a city, they want to experience its vibe and culture, but not necessarily pay to do so. Luckily in Minneapolis, free attractions are everywhere.

Nature, both free and abundant, sets the tone for Minneapolis. The Mississippi River divides the city and brings trees and wildlife mere blocks from the bustling downtown. In Chicago and New York, remnants of nature fill city parks, but in Minneapolis nature is the city’s vein. Minneapolis also has an extensive network of walking and biking paths that crisscross the city and run parallel to the river, providing visitors with free and easy access to nature.

The Mill District straddles the Mississippi and richly echoes Minneapolis history with its repurposed buildings and authentic vibes. Stone Arch Bridge

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provides visitors with a mesmerizing view of St. Anthony Falls and other traces of Minneapolis’s industrial past. The District supplies a historical perspective that intertwines the Mississippi with Minneapolis milling history.

The foodies the Journal aims to reach would appreciate the organic produce, homemade goods and innovative food trucks of the Mill District’s weekly farmer’s market. Minneapolis does have a spread of exquisite cuisine, at least for a Midwestern city, but health-conscious travelers will be drawn to the market and Minneapolis’s many vegan and vegetarian restaurants.

For those impressed by the market, a stroll downtown reveals food trucks galore. On the way, visitors can view the intricate architecture of Minneapolis’s stone buildings and the modern skyscrapers that spring up as they reach downtown.

There, they can explore shops along the nearly refinished Nicollet Mall and take in views of the city from the observation deck at Foshay Tower (which yes, does require an admission fee).

From downtown, visitors can hike to the Walker Art Center’s free sculpture garden to see the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry, as well as a wide variety of interactive and striking sculptures that provide a fresh and innocent perspective on art. The worldrenowned Walker Art Center itself is a great stop, but there is a cost to visit it.

At the Walker you’re nearly in Uptown, a section of Minneapolis that, for me, has some of the most appealing vibes. Uptown is the definition of upscale, and would appeal to the Journal’s “adventurous sophisticates,” if shopping, people watching, and expensive dining can be considered adventurous.

After perusing the shops of Uptown, visitors can walk a few blocks west to the Lake of the Isles.

Lake Calhoun (aka Bde Maka Ska) and Lake Harriet are beautiful and offer wonderful framed vistas of the Minneapolis skyline. For those deeppocketed beach bums, the lakes have charming beaches by Midwestern standards, and these deep-pocketed visitors only need to glance at the gigantic houses lining the lakes to feel at home.

Even for those who don’t have such deep pockets, dreaming about owning these houses is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

While Minneapolis may not be an obvious stop for the world-traveler, it is a worthy destination.

Minneapolis offers an eclectic mix of history, food, renowned art, shopping, and historic houses, all framed by nature and the bustle of the city. It has a reputation as a city of lakes, snow, and the Vikings, but Minnesotans have much more to offer.

While Minneapolis undoubtedly appeals to the Journal’s sophisticates, foodies, and wealthy beach bums, as a city, we encompass and invite a much more diverse range of visitors. In fact, Minneapolis welcomes diversity, a quality the Journal’s nomination ignores in favor of more superficial attractions. Minneapolis is a worthy nominee, and not just for the reasons the Journal notes.

In Chicago and New York, remnants of nature fill city parks, but in Minneapolis nature is the city’s vein.

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CITIES

We Are “Family” How the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is connecting local children with the sibling they never knew they needed

BY CLAIRE REDELL When sophomore Roberta Svare joined Big Brothers Big Sisters this year, she was not expecting for such a small commitment to have a significant impact on her life. Svare is a “Big,” an adult volunteer that dedicates their time to mentor a child, often one facing some sort of adversity.

After being interviewed, screened, and accepted into the program, “Bigs” are matched with a child (called a “Little”) based on mutual interests, and can begin their (often weekly) match meetups, which often involve doing homework, playing games, or just catching up with their Little.

While you may not think that enjoying a book together or playing a weekly game of Uno (like Svare did) will have a noticeable influence on a child, mentorship in the program has shown to produce lasting effects on the confidence and success of the Littles. A study conducted by BBBS revealed that Littles are “75% more likely to receive a college degree, 52% less likely to skip school, and 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs.”

As Littles are constantly presented with challenges while growing up; things like transitioning to a new grade, tackling tough classes, and exploring colleges and careers, Bigs can give their Littles a sense of consistency in their hectic schedules—as long as they’re willing to commit. According to BBBS, Bigs are expected to maintain a relationship with their little for a minimum of one year in order to develop a consistent and lasting relationship.

Matches like Svare’s are constantly monitored and analyzed by supervisors such as BBBS coordinator Brittany Mugg, who has been with the program since 2015.

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On the topic of social and academic improvement, Mugg said, “I have seen Littles’ attitudes and behaviors change towards adults and to authority figures in general...I’ve seen Littles stepping out of their comfort zone and trying new and different things; things they never thought they would do and now enjoy.”

Svare personally witnessed this effect with her match: “In the beginning, my Little was very shy. I remember my supervisor informed me that she was having a hard time making friends in school.

Throughout our match, I watched her develop amazing social skills and confidence in herself.

Halfway through the year, I would pick her up from class and she would run up to me telling about all the friends she had made.”

Unfortunately, for some matches like Svare and her Little, they are faced with the harsh reality of the unexpected termination of a match after various situations arise. Near the end of the year, Svare was informed that her Little was moving.

To her surprise, her Little was understanding and accepting of the closure of their match and drew Svare a chart of the activities she favored throughout their time together, later telling her, “I wanna be just like you when I grow up! I used to be shy but you taught me how to be confident and make friends.”

While some may not expect a match to be mutually beneficial, Bigs such as Svare have learned lessons alongside their Littles: “It’s funny, because coming into the program I thought I was going to be giving life lessons to my Little, but she actually taught them to me too.”

“The program really changed me,” Svare continued.

“BBBS gave me the opportunity to not only be a positive role model in a child’s life, but to also reflect on my own… [it] helped me grow into my adult self, which I am very thankful for.”

Coordinator Brittany Mugg also commented, “... [being a Big] doesn’t feel like volunteering. I have heard Bigs tell me that going to see their Little is the highlight of their day. I mean, who doesn’t like playing board games and making projects!”

From my perspective, being a Big my freshman year taught me that there is more to life than midterms and minimum-wage jobs. By leaving the U of M campus for just a few hours each week, I was reminded that there is a world that exists beyond our three campuses. I am eternally grateful for how BBBS kept me grounded in a truly fun and rewarding way.

For those interested in becoming involved in the program, Svare says, “Sign up! The BBBS staff is absolutely wonderful and [the program] is so rewarding.”

To apply, visit https://www.bigstwincities.org/, or send an e-mail to thinkbig@bigstwincities. org to get started on your journey towards becoming a Big.

Skin: Showing the Horrors of White Privilege A horror festival theatre piece that explored the effects of white privilege and the appropriation of black bodies

BY HELENA MUELLER

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The Twin Cities Horror Festival (TCHF) is a yearly two weekend-long Twin Cities theatre marathon at the end of October, which asks local artists to devise and perform new, horrific theatre pieces.

As stated on the TCHF website, one of the many reasons why the horror fest occurs every year is, “Horror demands the exploration of the unknown and terrible.” Dangerous Productions pushed that statement this year with their piece, “Skin.”

“Skin” tackled the terrifying and all too real issue of white privilege and the acceptance of certain physical characteristics that were never praised on black women throughout history, but are now sought after in modern, white media. “Skin” mixed the gory dissection of women by a plastic surgeon with the disturbing desire of a white woman to physically steal these body parts for herself to create this truly horrific performance. What I found most terrifying about this piece was the directness of the language used. The audience heard a white woman on stage say she wants the “ass” of one black woman, the nose of another, the lips of yet another and the coloration of their skin in general, but did not want to actually be black. This forced me to acknowledge the toxicity of secular acceptance of these features on a white woman without their true acceptance of the bodies to which they are natural. We are constantly presented with celebrities getting surgery to make their butts bigger and enlarge their lips. “Skin” brought up the important issue of what this means for black women when they see the features that are naturally theirs be praised only when placed on a white body.

Dangerous Productions is a St. Paul-based theatre company whose mission is to “reveal the stories and amplify the voices of audiences and artists in Minnesota communities”. To follow what they are doing next and read more about their previous work, go to dangerousproductions.org.

THE WAKE

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CITIES

UMN Singers Are (Acapell)Off the Chain

4

The singer-students in the university’s acapella scene are harmonious on stage and off

BY ANNA CUSHING A soon-to-be audience fizzled and popped outside of Coffman’s theater on the first Friday of November, anxiously awaiting this year’s AcapellOff competition.

When the theater’s 402-seat capacity was properly strained, the singers took the stage. The acapella groups Urban Sound, Basses Wild, 7 Days Acapella, the Enchantments, and Vocal U competed at this year’s Acapell-Off, all skillfully blending energetic throwbacks with stone cold modern ballads.

The winning group, U Sound, purred with noticeable teamwork. The group was buoyed by delicate harmonic precision across the scale, and anchored by impressive vocal percussion by the group’s music composer, Justin Bain.

Caden Potapenko and Matthew Przeslicke balanced parts in two competing acapella groups, Basses Wild and U Sound, with no conflict of interest. Capitalizing on the typical friendly spirit of Minnesota rivalry, Przeslicke said, “No one has bad blood except maybe a little passive-aggressively.”

Speaking to the importance of intergroup harmony, Przeslicke said that in acapella singing, the group is only as strong as its weakest member.

“We’re really responsible for our own parts for the sake of others,” Przeslicke said.

Potapenko kicked off his freshman acapella debut with a velvety bass solo in Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” for Basses Wild, and ended on a high note, also singing with the final (and victorious) group, U Sound. The humble first-year said he enjoys the energy of Basses Wild, and the difficulty of Vocal U. “You just have to bring your A-game to both groups,” Potapenko said.

Grace Hausker from 7 Days said that being in acapella is like being in a family. Complementing the group’s syrupy solos in “Take on Me” by A-ha and Demi Lovato’s “Stone Cold,” 7 Days fed the audience’s appetite for more with an encore performance while the judges scored the final results.

“Everyone’s really supportive [of each other], and it shows in the music,” Hausker said.

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CREATIVE ART WRITING

Katie Heywood Team Cockroach

FEATURE

Taste,

Vegan and plant-based eateries are changing the way Minnesotans eat food

BY OLIVIA HULTGREN 11

FEATURE

The Herbivorous Butcher: The name itself is an oxymoron, and the small shop in Northeast Minneapolis lives up to it. Customers enter through doors with mock butcher knife handles and are greeted with a rich, meaty aroma.

Except it’s not meat—it’s vegan.

More and more people are abandoning meat and adopting plant-based diets. The percentage of vegans in the United States has increased from 1 percent to 6 percent since 2014, according to a recent report from Global Data. Whether they’re environmentalists, animal rights advocates, or simply health-conscious consumers, their diets emphasize eating whole foods and plants and abstaining from animal products and processed foods.

This rise in demand for vegan products has resulted in an increase in plant-based dietary options. Though many non-vegans associate this food with being plain and unflavorful, the community of plant-based food businesses in the Twin Cities aims to prove them wrong.

That’s where The Herbivorous Butcher comes in.

Siblings Aubry and Kale Walch started small selling five different vegan meat products at the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market. In 2015, their success and shared passion for experimenting with food led them to open The Herbivorous Butcher, the first vegan butcher shop in the country.

“We actually try to make it look and taste and have the same texture as meat,” said Aubry Walch.

“A lot of naysayers think that vegan meat is just cardboard,” she said. “But then they try it and think it’s absolutely great!”

The Herbivorous Butcher uses a high protein wheat flour to make most of its meat-free meats.

Nutritional yeast supplies essential B vitamins that vegan diets typically lack, and a wide range of fruit juices break down the flour to give the faux meat an authentic texture. Thirty different kinds of vegan meats fill the shelves, including deli meats, sausages, and even ribs. Their Korean ribs lend a rich barbecue flavor while the teriyaki jerky yields a tough texture and savory taste. The shop also makes about 12 different vegan cheeses daily using organic coconut oil and soymilk bases.

The siblings stand by their #allveganeverything social media staple. From the freshly made meats and cheeses to a wall of retail products like Bee Free Honee and K’ul chocolate, everything The Herbivorous Butcher sells is 100 percent vegan. The shop also supplies over 20 different restaurants throughout Minneapolis with veganfriendly options.

Walch says even though many people reject plantbased diets, the emergence of their shop at least spurs conversations about the ethics, sustainability, and health of veganism.

“It’s easy to pretend it doesn’t exist,” Walch said of vegan meat. “But when you put a vegan butcher shop in a city, whether you love it or hate it, you want to see what it’s about.”

Since the The Herbivorous Butcher opened in 2015, more plant-based eateries have popped up around the Twin Cities. One of them is Reverie

Cafe and Bar, a plant-based restaurant and music venue formerly on Nicollet Avenue that was forced to close in July after another business bought out its lease.

Co-owners Jeffrey Therkelsen and Kirstin Weigmann started the business on a shoestring budget after taking over a coffee shop at the same location and converting it to a plant-based menu. However, Therkelsen and Weigmann took a different approach, and in turn, fostered a community around the restaurant.

“We’re really interested in making a space for any kind of eaters to try food we make, and not making it about being vegan or not vegan,” said Weigmann, who has been a vegetarian since she was 3. “It’s just about good food. I think that helped us create an environment where people were willing to try things.”

Though they were worried the switch to plantbased food would deter customers who were regulars at the previous coffee shop, the transition actually attracted more people, says Weigmann.

The pair built Reverie’s menu on creativity, putting plant-based spins on classics and adding some original, exploratory dishes of their own. Many options employed the Indonesian soy-based tempeh or jackfruit, a crop native to India, as meat alternatives. Weigmann deems the berbere barbecue sauce the most unique item, but she says the jackfruit carnitas tacos were the most popular.

“One of the common misconceptions about vegan or plant-based eating is that you don’t get full, and we firmly disagree with that,” Weigmann said. “You eat one of our sandwiches, and you’re going to be super full.”

FEATURE

“It’s just about good food. I think that helped us create an environment where people were willing to try things.”

Reverie added a breakfast menu after the plantbased switch, utilizing both tofu and polenta, a grain made from cornmeal, in many of the dishes.

Since it doubled as a music venue, the restaurant was open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. most days of the week. Music acts ranged from bluegrass to heavy metal and punk.

“It was a place that meant a lot to people for a lot of different reasons, not just because we served plant-based food,” Weigmann said. “I think we actually introduced a lot of people to plant-based eating as a byproduct of them just being there and being hungry.”

Despite regulars’ disappointment in the restaurant’s closure, Weigmann assures them that she and Therkelsen have more in store. They plan to do something “a little bit different” with their next operation as they search for another space to house Reverie.

A little bit of difference goes a long way, especially for Minnesota native Katie Sanchez. A vegetarian and trained pastry chef, Sanchez founded and co-owns Bee Free Honee, a company that makes vegan honey using apples. Sanchez discovered this vegan honey by accident in an attempt to make apple jelly without following a recipe.

Sanchez canned the “jelly” and realized the next day it looked and tasted just like honey.

After looking into the maltreatment of bees in the honey industry and learning more about the environmental effects of animal products, Sanchez decided to start her own vegan honey company.

Sanchez says standard retail honey often filters out pollen, which ironically contains all the nutrients. Bee Free’s flower-pollen infused flavor filters out the allergens associated with bee

pollen and contains complete nutrients collected from flower pollen without the exploitation of bees.

“We’re able to make something that’s much more diverse in its nutrients and have it be enjoyable and have a smaller impact on the environment,” Sanchez said.

Bee Free Honee has six different flavors on the market, including mint, red curry, and slippery elm, a substance made from tree bark that soothes sore throats.

Just as cooking shows follow the opening of traditional restaurants, plant-based operations have also sprouted up to cater to hungry vegans at home. “Feed Me Vegan,” a local television show sponsored by the Animal Rights Coalition, follows hosts Chelsea Youngquist and Sarah Norine as they serve up vegan dishes weekly on cable and YouTube. The pair uses plant-based foods like seitan and tofu, which Youngquist claims is the “misunderstood” vegan option.

“It’s a way for us to show vegan cooking,” said Youngquist, who is also Program Director at ARC. “It can be affordable, accessible, and easy and fun.”

Youngquist says even the workers at Northwest Community Television have considered plantbased diets because of “Feed Me Vegan.” She attributes the success of the show to the growing number of vegan and plant-based businesses in the Twin Cities.

based baker by night, Diemel substitutes natural ingredients like coconut oil for butter and often uses flax meal instead of egg to make her desserts vegan. Sweet Root caters desserts for events around Minneapolis, including several farmer’s markets and the recently celebrated Twin Cities Veg Fest.

Despite their differences, each of these businesses aims to redefine the image of plant-based foods.

Advocating for animal rights and sustainability is just a small part of their efforts to erase the stigma around the word “vegan.” As Weigmann says, the plant-based diet is much more than eating kale salad every night.

“It doesn’t have to be like that,” Weigmann said, laughing. “I mean, I haven’t eaten a big pile of kale in a long time.”

Among this exponential growth began Sweet Root, a one-woman vegan dessert company run by Sarah Diemel. Sales rep by day, plant-

Art by Lauren Smith

CREATIVE WRITING

Dollhouse

BY AUBREY ASLESON She was his wife before she was really a woman.

She was his right away, the third day of sophomore year when he leaned against her locker so she couldn’t get in it and looked at her like he knew he’d have her. The crawling look in his eyes made her heart beat hard and she held her books across her chest so he wouldn’t see.

Everyday for three years she waited for him outside his last class, doodling hearts on her palms and wrists and smiling viciously at the girls that stopped to tell her You guys, like, belong together.

She poured herself into him and told her mother she would marry him when she was done with school, welcoming the tender way her mother touched her face.

She was his, too, the night she sneaked out the sliding back door after her parents had fallen asleep. She went to his truck and clutched him to her as he split her open and thought that to be loved like this was to be broken a little. She gasped at the pain and smiled at the ceiling of the truck as he breathed into her neck.

Later, she returned home and sat down in front of the dollhouse her father had bought her when she was younger and he was kinder. The house was clasped tightly shut and she squeezed one eye shut tight and peered through each window and door until she had seen the entire gut of the thing, every piece in place as she’d left it before locking it shut.

There are pictures in pretty albums of the two of them at graduation. She’s wearing a blue scalloped dress and he is gripping her waist and kissing her cheek. It was only a month later that she found out she was pregnant. He asked her to marry him right away and his father gave him a job and a house in the suburbs.

She returned home the day after she told her mother about the baby and found her things spread across the lawn. She picked up her sweaters and books and old homework assignments and placed them carefully in the truck she now

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NOV 20—DEC 3

CREATIVE WRITING

shared with him. She found the dollhouse hanging open in the grass and locked it shut, held it steady in the passenger seat as she drove to their new home.

She became his wife when she was eighteen, the mother of his child when she was nineteen. She loved her baby, the smooth doll-like face, hated to put it down and he had to rip it out of her arms to put it to sleep. When she felt him fall asleep at night, she would creep into the nursery and hold the baby close, crying into its soft head. The chubby hands began to pull at her over time, yanking her hair until her eyes watered and one day she took a pair of scissors and cut her long curls until they looped next to her skull.

She became his wife again and again. Every morning she handed him a travel mug of coffee seeped in cream and sugar and he kissed her on the cheek as he left. She would spend the day drifting about the house with the baby in her arms.

The baby grew into a child and she watched the yellow bus lurch around the corner away from her every day. She scrubbed the shining surfaces of the house and set out ingredients for the dinner she’d make later, then put them back in the refrigerator so they wouldn’t go bad. Once, she caught her reflection in the faucet and thought she saw wrinkles on her smooth, young skin.

She forgot to pick the child up from the bus stop.

They called him at work, and he returned from the office early with a distrustful look in his eyes. She thought she felt something unravel inside her. She pictured herself falling, breaking open and spilling over the linoleum.

Just before the sun rose one morning, she slipped out from under his arm and his breath, which held the lingering scent of beer. She padded down the hall in her slippers, stopping outside the child’s room for a moment and squeezing one eye shut to peek through the crack in the door. She could see the tuft of yellow hair sticking up the pillow and smiled to herself before drifting down the hall and out the back door.

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Q&A

1

Grayson DeWolfe

BY MEGAN HOFF AND HANNAH HAAKENSON We had the chance to travel to Schmidt Artist Lofts in downtown St. Paul to meet up with Grayson DeWolfe, an aspiring musician from Stillwater, Minnesota. Formerly a member of the band Time Atlas, DeWolfe is turning over a new leaf and pursuing his passion as a solo artist while writing his own music. Read on to find out how he got his start in the industry, who has inspired him along the way, and the challenges he faces as a young solo artist.

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Images courtesy of Grayson DeWolfe

: When did you start writing music?

Grayson DeWolfe: I started first writing music probably when I was in 5th grade. My mom forced me to play piano for four years before I could play guitar. I hated piano, but I wanted to play guitar really badly, and so after four years of playing piano, my parents got me a guitar for my birthday and I started writing songs immediately.

: Where was your first public performance?

What was that experience like for you?

GD: I was 15 years old. It was me and two high school friends at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall in St. Paul. I had just put out, like, a four-track demo thing online, and at that point, I was just emailing different venues like, “Hey, where can I play a show?”Amsterdam got back to me, so we set up a show there. We performed and family and friends came out... and we played for like a little over a hundred people probably. We were awful. We

were so bad! After that we just played show after show every month, and sometimes we sucked and sometimes we were okay. It was definitely, like, trial-and-error as a teenager. By the time I was 17, I gained the members of Time Atlas as my backing band, and they were all seasoned musicians, like in their early 20s. There wasn’t enough money, so we decided to rebrand as a band. So, we all put in money to fund the EP... I have no regrets.

: How did high school fit into all of this?

GD: High schoolers did not like me. People didn’t take me seriously and for good reason. I gigged monthly sophomore year of high school. I got like a lot of negative feedback from kids, like “He’s a wannabe singer.” I didn’t take it super badly. I was like, “Screw you guys, I don’t wanna listen to you.

I’m gonna do my thing.” I left high school after sophomore year and went PSEO full time. I went to community college and got my high school credits that way. So I got my Associate’s Degree before I

NOV 20—DEC 3

Q&A

got my diploma, which is pretty fun.

: Do you prefer working alone or did you like being in a band better?

GD: You almost have more freedom to collaborate [as a solo artist] that way, and the freedom to make your own choices. I really enjoy collaborating with a wide array of people.

That’s kind of what I’ve done in the past year. I went down to Nashville and worked with Mark Holman, who works with Florida Georgia Line. So, I worked on a song with him and recorded with him and went and worked with Rian Dawson [the drummer] from All Time Low. It helps me a lot because I feel like I’m at a spot right now where I want to be learning as much as I can. I think you get to a point as an artist where... you get so far writing by yourself and working really hard but you need to be around other people that think differently and that are ahead of you, essentially, and you just kinda learn tricks from them and better ideas.

: How did you get your name out there and gain popularity?

GD: I kind of arrived late to the social media game. I did it the old-fashioned way. I was fortunate enough that my booking agent was just like, “You should open for this show and this show.”

Sometimes I’d open for a band that was like a heavy band, you know, where all the people are like punk-rockers, and they didn’t really care for my pop. We’d maybe get like five fans from that show. And then we’d play another show and have like 40 people buying t-shirts. For like two years it was this monthly grind in Minnesota, just playing show after show.

: What was it like getting to play your music on tour?

GD: Really weird, but I actually really enjoyed it. When I was on my first tour, we were playing a show in Pittsburg, and it was the first song.

There was like 40 to 50 people there that knew every single word, and it was really bizarre. I thought I had made it. I was like, “I did it. This is it.” Looking back, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. But in that moment, it was the weirdest thing ever because these people I had never met, like, knew me somehow. It was very surreal. It was a big

THE WAKE

milestone moment for me. Touring, in general, is really hard on you mentally and physically. I always got sick on tour because I usually eat very healthy and then when you go on tour it’s really hard to eat healthy. It’s hard on you, but when you play that show and you have people in different cities every night singing along, that’s like the fuel to keep going.

: You did a rendition of “Hand of God” by Jon Bellion. What inspired you to recreate the song with yourself singing the various parts?

GD: I was super into Jon Bellion and super into the whole “Human Condition” record. I never knew there was an outro to “Hand of God.” One day, when I was in my car, and “Hand of God” stopped, I was like, “That was really good.” And then it faded out. Then, I heard something creeping up and I was like, “Hey...what song is this?” and then I realized “Hand of God” had two minutes left and I was like “What?” and then all of a sudden it goes [singing] “Tears at a funeral, tears at a funeral.”

And I was like “WHAT?!”I cried. I was like, “What is going on? How did I miss this?” It was so cool though because by that point I was already so emotionally attached to all of the songs... I was like, “I need to cover this.” I think that’s one of the coolest things a musician has done is that outro.

pretty much–like, us and Chicago–are pretty much the next stops for having an actual culture of music. We’re very fortunate to have that, and being a part of it and having somewhat of like a leading voice in it is really cool. I find myself very privileged.

: How do you balance your time between being a musician and a college student?

GD: It’s really hard. You have prioritize really hard.

I think it’s manageable... I think it’s easy to struggle.

I have a calendar for everything, like literally everything I do is in my calendar, except for when I eat and watch TV. That way, I make sure I have enough time for studying and for music and stuff, too. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you want to do both, you can.

: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

GD: I think I see myself living in Los Angeles. I plan on either moving to LA after this year, or after I get my marketing degree. I’m going to Hamline right now as a junior. I’ll probably be in LA though, for sure. If I’m not pursuing an artist career for myself, I want to be a songwriter for other artists... probably pop music, specifically. If I have my degree at that point, which I’m leaning towards, and if the songwriting isn’t going well, then I can lean on my marketing degree to get a normal job and then keep writing until it works out.

: What is your favorite part about being an artist in the Twin Cities?

GD: The music scene is very diverse, I think. A lot of people give it crap because they say there’s only like metal bands or punk bands from Minnesota in the global scene. But there’s also some really good indie bands and there’s also some really good rappers, and so there’s a little bit of everything.

I think we’re very fortunate to have one of the biggest music scenes in the country, really, after Nashville and New York and LA. We’re

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VOICES

Americans Need to Stop Ignoring Other Elections

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Elections that are taking place around the world are having drastic effects and should not be disregarded.

BY KATRINA PROSS A recent election that has captivated the world is the general election in Kenya, where Uhuru Kenyatta was elected president for the second time this year on Oct. 26. Kenyatta was elected into office this past August, but the Supreme Court nullified the election in September due to irregularities after the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, protested the results; a repeat election was held.

While supporters of Kenyatta assert that both wins are a symbol of wide national support for the president, Odinga and his followers argue that the election process is corrupt and not credible. According to The New York Times, “Mr. Odinga withdrew from the second election two weeks before the vote, arguing that the electoral commission could not oversee a free and fair process, and he called on his supporters to boycott.

His name, nevertheless, appeared on the ballot, and he collected just over 73,000 votes, compared with nearly seven million in August.” Election officials also argued that the election process might not be credible or neutral, with one official fleeing the country and resigning due to death threats and consequences for questioning the prejudice of the commission. Wafula Chebukati, the top elections official, was warned that the election’s credibility might be undermined by political interference; however, Chebukati refuted these claims.

Since the second vote, at least 14 people have been killed due to election-related violence, and many have been injured according to international officials. Most are believed to have been killed

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by police, who caused over 70 deaths after the election in August. Martin Kimani, the director of the Kenyan National Counterterrorism Center, accused Odinga of policies that aim at causing ethnic violence and blocking the vote.

changed. Le Pen also proposed that hijabs and other symbols of religion be banned in public places, which would drastically affect Muslims.

This proposal sent a message of intolerance worldwide.

Some counties in western Kenya were unable to vote in the second election at all, and turned to protesting and demonstrations in order to make their voices heard. Electoral officials stated that the votes by individuals in these counties would not affect the overall vote and cancelled balloting.

Another important election was the general election that British Prime Minister Theresa May held in June, which shockingly resulted in a “hung Parliament.” This means that no political party holds a majority in Parliament, which will make it extremely difficult for May to pass major laws, particularly those related to Brexit. Brexit itself was an important result that Americans should concern themselves with, as it affects foreign policy and the E.U. immensely.

This election is extremely significant, yet most Americans are unaware of it and are only concerned with the political happenings in their own country. While it is important to be current on the events unfolding in one’s own country, when an election such as this one in Kenya leads to so much violence, global affairs should be addressed.

World events and elections should not be neglected, as they affect other countries around the world, including the United States.

This was also seen in the most recent French election, in which Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron fought for the French presidency. One of the greatest differences between the candidates was that Le Pen, a member of the National Front Party, wished for France to leave the European Union, while Macron argued that France should stay. Macron won the election, and France will therefore remain in the E.U. However, if Le Pen had won and France had left the E.U., the future of the E.U. and foreign policy would be forever

As Americans, we often get caught up in our own elections and ignore those in other countries around the world. This is a detrimental mistake, as the elections in other countries, like our own, have lasting effects around the world. It is extremely important to be a global citizen, as our actions and the actions of others abroad all affect each other.

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VOICES

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Perspectives: Early vs. Late Graduation What it’s like to leave the college nest in more or less than the expected 4 years

BY ANNIE BURDICK Annie Burdick, CLA, graduating in three and a half years My experience with graduating early has been very odd.

Though most relatives and people in general hear that I’m graduating early and congratulate me on working hard and saving money, others question why I’d ever want to leave college early. They think I’m giving up all the partying and fun that college meant to them. And in some ways, I guess I am. I did love college, but more importantly, it was a means to an end for me. It brought me to the city I love, it taught me what I needed to know, and helped me find opportunities in my field. And honestly, it wasn’t a totally appealing decision to graduate early. Though saving money and getting to work sooner was a no brainer, I did know that I might feel like I was missing out. I won’t have a last spring break, my friends will all still be getting school resources and doing school activities while I’m a part of the struggling workforce. Still, I’m so tired of being a student and tired of school. Senioritis is real. It infuriates me every day that I’m working 50-60 hours a week at three internships that teach me far more than classes do and still barely supporting myself financially, all while professors for my final two classes still expect school to be my number one concern. It isn’t anymore, and that’s a huge difference from how I felt a few years ago. Now that I’m this close, graduation can’t come soon enough.

THE WAKE

Anonymous, CSE, graduating in five years When I first realized I would need more than four years to graduate, I was extremely disheartened and ashamed of myself. I had a lot of pressure from outside sources to graduate in four years, and I felt like I was inferior for not being able to achieve that. In addition to my parents, the university put a lot of pressure on me to graduate on time even though that wasn’t in my best interest. That weighed heavily on me, and it took me awhile to get past that. After some time, I began to accept my decision to stay a fifth year. I realized that a lot more people took longer than four years to graduate than I previously thought, and that people’s circumstances vary greatly. In the grand scheme of things, I now know that an extra year won’t matter in getting my degree, as long as I get it done. Most of my friends and peers have also been supportive and didn’t judge me when hearing that I’m taking longer to graduate.

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Native No More Donald Trump approves plans to strip land from Bears Ears National Monument

BY GEORGE MILLER President Trump recently announced his intent to downsize Bears Ears National Monument, which is a 1.35 million-acre protected area in Utah. It is home to many Native American cultural sites.

Bears Ears was originally designated a national monument by former President Obama in late 2016, and it is the latest victim of a string of presidential decisions to alter other monuments established by previous presidents. Although it has not yet been specified how much of the monument will be trimmed, some reports suggest that the state is pushing for as much as a 90 percent reduction.

While the commissioners of Utah’s San Juan County, which is home to Bears Ears, have expressed their support for the president’s decision, local Native American tribal leaders have renounced the president, claiming that he does not have the authority to take such action. In fact, tribal leaders have already prepared legal arguments against the president and plan to battle Trump in court, disputing the legality of his actions.

This unfortunately marks another instance in which the interests of our nation’s original inhabitants seem to be disregarded: a historical trend that, disturbingly, continues today. It seems that by and large the people who support Trump’s decision have little investment in the monument.

The officials who oppose Bears Ears are certainly not representative of the interests of the Navajo, for whom the monument holds actual meaning. Apparently for Native Americans, even after having the entirety of the continental United States wrenched from their grasp, a portion of Utah is still too much to ask for. After centuries of mistreatment, the Native Americans are due some respect. The least we can do is to recognize the sanctity of their land.

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VOICES

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Dealing with Drugs: A Nuanced Perspective

Participation Causes Perspiration: The Stress of Speaking Up

The forgotten driving forces behind drug dealing.

Requiring students to vocally engage in class can be nerve-wracking

BY MEGAN HOFF My face is bright red, my hands are sweaty, and as I’m talking, my tongue trips over itself, cutting my sentence short. I’m not giving a speech in front of hundreds of people; I just tried to contribute to a class discussion.

Professors have different ways of defining “participation” in class. Some might take attendance and call it good, others require you to be there and speak up consistently. I spoke with Spanish professor Thomas McCallum about his opinion on class participation: “It allows students to bounce ideas off of others, and helps you learn to think on your feet.”

Participation is especially crucial for language classes because speaking is necessary for proficiency.

Though engaging in class discussion is important, it can cause undue stress. According to Boynton Health, a third or more of all University of Minnesota students have a diagnosed mental illness, anxiety being among them.

Sowmya Narayan, a sophomore, said that expected participation makes her feel “a little anxious, like a competition to say something relevant before anyone else does.”

Farrah Mina, a freshman, also feels this pressure to participate: “It makes me feel like I have to say something, even though it might not be useful.”

For someone who is an introvert and has anxiety, what might seem like a simple assignment is a tall order. I understand that class discussion is a valid life skill, but there are better ways to go about it. Moodle posts are one way to hold discussions. For those who are more comfortable writing than speaking, an online forum gives them the chance to share their opinions more comfortably. Talking in small groups in class is another solution. This allows students to communicate and contribute without the larger pressure of the entire room’s attention.

Reducing participation stress could help students engage more, and benefit the classroom experience as a whole.

BY EMILY NESS People have been using drugs recreationally, religiously, and medically for thousands of years worldwide. Drugs have been used to connect the disconnected, to commune with God, and to cure disease. Furthermore, drugs have been used to cultivate new inventions, to calculate brilliant equations, and to canvass beautiful pieces of artwork.

Over the years, however, drugs have become a symbol of youthful rebellion, political defiance, and social unrest—ultimately leading to President Ronald Reagan’s devastating executive order of 1982, officially declaring a “War on Drugs.”

Following Reagan’s declaration, Americans were taught that drugs were fatal, and that those who sold drugs were mindless and murderous monsters. What many didn’t realize then, and perhaps don’t realize now, is that drug dealing is not always a choice. In fact, for many, it is anything but.

Drug dealing carries with it a number of inherent risks. These could be assault, arrest, or even murder. The drug game is ruthless, and many of its players bet their lives with poker faces and prayers each and every day.

Typically, the rich and the powerful win, while the poor and the vulnerable lose. In other words, white America goes unpunished while minorities are not only punished, but also targeted.

According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), African Americans are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of whites. This is incredibly unfortunate because the idea that minorities violate drug laws at a greater rate than whites, leading to mass incarceration, is incredibly racist. The U.S. Public Health Service Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that 76 percent of drug users in the United States were white, 14 percent were African American, and 8 percent were Hispanic in 1992.

In light of these numbers, one could argue that the reason some drugs are legal and others are not has nothing to do with science, health, or even the law but everything to do with who is perceived to use them. This is an inherent flaw in our justice system because it calls for a toxic cycle.

Once someone receives a drug offense, even if it is as minuscule as a petty misdemeanor, it is incredibly hard for them to find another job. If they do find another job, it often pays minimum wage, which has been proven time and time again to be too low to survive on. As a result of this, many turn back to the drug game where they are able to make a decent living. And thus, the cycle continues.

Many believe that legalization would break this cycle for all people as well as reduce cartels, corruption, and cash spent on fighting drugs. After all, this is an unnecessary battle with seemingly endless consequences.

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Our true battle as a nation is to learn how to live with drugs so they can cause the most positive gain and the lowest possible loss. Perhaps it is time that America embraces new drug policies in favor of health, compassion, and human rights. In achieving this, we can finally end the War on Drugs.

VOICES

A Year of Trump in Images Horrifying title, isn’t it?

BY CLAIRE BECKER I’m going to ask you do something very awful, dear reader. Steel yourself—it’s really not going to be fun. I’d like you to think back to 2016. Again— so sorry. I truly hate to make anyone relive that terrible year; however, for some reason, I am wont to provide you with a panoramic review of Donald Trump’s presence in modern media, social or otherwise. And while the media, if our beloved president is to be believed, may lie: images don’t.

Even pictures doctored or photo-shopped beyond recognition can offer us glimpses into the psyches of their creators and the cultural impulses that lead to their production. And images of Trump, as we’ll see, are quite telling. So put on your time travel hat and get ready to go back to 2016 and visually remember Trump’s rise to power.

Alright, the first memories I’m going to make you relive are of Trump’s presidential campaign.

One of the first images we

inauguration day juxtaposed with a picture of the mall on the day of the National Women’s March, space in the latter image appearing much more thickly occupied—truly a work of art. So far, we’ve seen images associating Trump negatively and in direct contrast with women and minorities. Does this surprise you, dear reader?

associated with Mr. Trump was not of the man himself, but rather of his wife, Melania. The image surfaced around March, 2016 and was originally tweeted by Trump next to an unflattering image of Heidi Cruz (wife of alleged Zodiac killer, Ted Cruz). The tweet, captioned “No need to spill the beans/ images are worth a thousand words,” implied that Trump’s wife was more attractive than Cruz’s. Later in 2016, another notable image of Trump appeared on Twitter. The photo showed Trump sitting at his desk with a smile and a thumbs-up getting ready to eat his lunch. Do you remember this particular lunch, dear reader? I’ll give you a hint: the tweet was captioned “I love Hispanics!”

Almost up to present-day now—let’s take a look at the rest of 2017. Trump is now in office, established and getting ready to “drain the swamp!” (Where the Shrek memes are, I’m not sure). I’m going to run through the images a bit quicker here because there are just so many. Ready? A gif of now-president Trump exhibiting his first order of business from his new desk in the oval office, photo-shopped so it appears as if he is displaying a crudely drawn picture of himself captioned “me.”

A photo of comedienne Kathy Griffin holding a fake yet realistic Trump head, covered in blood as if she had decapitated him. Screenshots of the “covfefe” tweet. A work of graffiti depicting Trump in a passionate embrace with Russian president Vladimir Putin. A photo of a young girl crying as the president approaches her. Alec Baldwin in a Trump wig on “SNL.” Tiny hands. Need I say more?

Bear with me folks, we’re halfway through 2016. I bring you now to early November when Trump was officially elected president. One of the first images I remember surfacing after the election was a dual photograph of two election parties: one democrat, one republican. The blue-affiliated side of the photo showed a diverse crowd including women and people of color looking beaten down and morose as they received news of Trump’s victory. The red-affiliated side showed a crowd of almost entirely white men and a few scattered white women in righteous celebration, grinning and celebrating their party’s success.

These images present us with different realities— some hilarious and absurd, some bitter and pessimistic. All the images, though, are reflective of our culture, our country, and how we, as Americans, are currently interpreting our political situation. So, dear reader, be conscious of the images you are being presented and really think about where they’re coming from, what reality they present, what they mean for our country, and whether or not his hands are really like that.

Those have got to be too small for normal human hands, right?

Alright, we’re done with 2016. Thank God. Now to January of this year when Trump was inaugurated.

Several gorgeous memes originated from the event-—most of which I trust you’ll remember—but the most significant is the crowd size meme, now immortalized in meme history. The meme shows an image of the national mall on Trump’s

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SIX REVIEWS

12

Stranger Things: Season 2

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The 80s spookiness we all needed

BY LYDIA CRABTREE 11

Snoop Dogg “Make America Crip Again”

BY EMILY NESS Since he entered the gangsta rap scene in the 90’s, West Coast legend Snoop Dogg has rolled out the blue carpet time and time again, unapologetically identifying as a member of the Rollin’20’s Crip Gang of Long Beach, California. On October. 27th, 2017 Snoop Dogg embraced this identity yet again when he released his 16th studio album, titled “Make America Crip Again”.

The Doggfather’s latest project is a play on words of Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” The album cover depicts a blue hat rather than a red hat, and the songs themselves proclaim lyrics that support the people, rather than the President.

Some have criticized the title of Snoop Dogg’s new album because they believe that itencourages gang violence. However, the Doggfather views his gang affiliation very differently. With features from Chris Brown, O.T. Genasis and others, as well asproducers Kid Capri and Dam Funk, there are references to the Black Panther movement throughout the album.

The title track, “Make America Crip Again,” takes a critical look at America today, from the eyesof a minority. “3’s Company” glamorizes the good in being a gangster. “MyLast Name” honors “black love,” such as Jay-Z and Beyoncé, and Michelle and Barack Obama. Perhaps more importantly, it honors Snoop’s wife, Shante Broadus, with whom hehasbeen married for almost 20 years.

Collectively,“Make America Crip Again” is not just timely, but also timeless. By incorporating people and places from his life, Snoop created a stylish and sophisticated masterpiece, full of cultural references, that did not disappoint.

For those who have been living under a rock and haven’t watched the new season of Stranger Things yet, beware of the spoilers ahead.

The highly anticipated second season of Stranger Things brought fans spooky 80s-era drama during the heart of Halloween season. Along with Season 2 came the introduction of new characters. The name of the first episode is MADMAX, which is a hint at a new character named Max: a feisty girl who is a master at the vintage video game Dig Dug. Their shared love of video games is what allowed the boys to warm up to Max. After Max persisted in her curiosity about the boys and their situation with Eleven, Max was rightfully accepted into the squad.

In addition to fresh characters, Season 2 featured a developing friendship between two Season 1 favorites. Steve and Dustin are the unlikely duo that needed to happen. Pairing these two characters was “not planned,” according to the Duffer Brothers (the creators of the show). Steve acted as a big brother figure for Dustin, who comes from a single-mother household. The best cinematographic moment of the season is when Dustin and Steve throw raw meat on the train tracks to lure a Demogorgon. The combination of wide angled shots, close-ups, and peripheral shots makes the audience feel like a part of the meat-throwing action.

The season ends with the Snowball dance, where the middle schoolers paired up to awkwardly slow dance to the timeless classic “Every Breath You Take” by the Police. The camera does a 180-degree spin to show the ominous enemy of the season: a giant spider-looking monster called the Mind Flayer, who is lurking over Hawkins Middle school. The lyrics “every step you take, I’ll be watching you” play as the final episode comes to a close.

All 80s references aside, the season’s plot definitely proved to be both exciting, nail-biting and at times unexpected. Will the team be able to defeat the Mind Flayer once and for all? This question is sure to be on people’s minds until the drop of Season 3.

Future & Young Thug “Super Slimey”

BY TAYLOR PEARSON Future and Young Thug collaborated to release their mixtape “Super Slimey”on October 20th.

I recently opened the mixtape on Spotify and decided to give each song a rating as I listened.

Mysophisticated song rating system consists of“it sucks,”“it’s alright,”oror“it’s fire.” The final tally was ten “sucked,” two were “alright,” and only onesong achievedachieving the prestigious rating of“fire.”

I consider myself a Future fan, but I may have to reconsider now.

Does Young Thug’s grandmother own the record label? I find myself asking this type of question as I try to figure out why Young Thug is a famous rapper. His fame remains a mystery, but I amconfident that his auto-tune is malfunctioning while he records. Young Thug’s voice has anuncanny ability to ruin almost every song heis featured on. I say almost because the track “Group Home” got an“alright” rating in spite of the high pitched, robotic sound of Young Thug’s voice.

The best song on the entire mixtape featured Future as a solo artist. “Feed Me Dope”is more than an eloquent song title. The track features the type of bass-heavy beat that has become synonymous with most of Future’s music. This song was really close to receiving an alright rating until I played the album a second time inmy car. I quickly upgraded “Feed Me Dope”to“fire” once the bass hit my subwoofers.

Clearly, I thought “Super Slimey”was pretty trash.

Only Future’s presence and a few tracks with heavy bass stopped me from calling this mixtape downright unfortunate.

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Slaughter Beach, Dog

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Rezz

“Birdie”

At Skyway Theater

BY MEGAN HOFF

BY LIV MARTIN

Jake Ewald of the band Slaughter Beach, Dog brings another vibe to his musical repertoire with his newest album, “Birdie.”

On Halloween night, the EDM scene at Skyway Theater in Downtown Minneapolis was bustling. In the bizarre crowd, one could find concert-goers clad in warlock costumes, one sporting a giant severed bunny’s head, people covered with glitter and barely anything else, and mohawks sticking straight upin the air.

As one of the lead singer/songwriters of the underground emo-rock band Modern Baseball, Ewald created Slaughter Beach, Dog, an indierock project, as an outlet for writer’s block. The name “Slaughter Beach, Dog” originates from a real town in Delaware, buthe tacked “Dog”on the end because the name “Slaughter Beach” was already taken byanother band. “Birdie” was released on Oct. 27, less than three months after the band’s second EP, “Motorcycle.” The band released their debut album, “Welcome,”on Sept.

30, 2016.

Slower-paced than its grungier predecessors, the soft guitars in“Birdie” are comforting yet wistful.

“Phoenix” begins by easing the listener in with a lilting stroll of a melody. The second track, “Gold and Green,” was a single released in August.

Upbeat lyrics and bouncy beats make this song perfect for dancing in the kitchen. “Pretty O.K.” and “Bad Beer,” two easy going tracks, segue into even slower “Shapes I Know.” The pace picks back up again with “Sleepwalking,” a short ballad that describes the downward spiral of a long-distance relationship. References to places in Philadelphia strung throughout the album pay homage to the band’s roots. “Buttercup” lingers, drawing out the words slowly but surely.

Though the music is warm, some of the lyrics are somber. “Fish Fry”is about drunkenly missing someone, and features the melancholy lyrics, “see you before I up and leave/ Tear out my hair and walk home wasted.” The final track, “Acolyte,” is sweetly romantic, emulating dappled sunlight on a fall day: warm with some cool shadows. Evenlypaced and steady, “Birdie” is Ewald’s foray into a relaxed, more acoustic sound.

Skyway is a maze with different DJs spinning dubstep and EDM mashups around every corner.

Find your way to the main stage and you will be greeted by funky women spinning hula-hoops that emanate psychedelic light patterns. Vape smoke created a massive cloud above the stage, where colorful streams of light moved to the rhythm ofthe low, continuous bass that remained a steady pulse over the course of all five sets ofthe night.

The concert was a progressive incline in energy, culminating with the main act: REZZ. Isabelle Rezazadeh (who goesby stage name REZZ) is only 22 years old, but has already made a name for herself in the industry. Her unique styleof incorporating heavy basslines with minimalist techno earned her approval from EDM supergiants Skrillex and Deadmau5. At Skyway, she did not disappoint. REZZ amped up the crowd with loud, punctuating bass motives that climaxed in epic drops. As soon as her set started, a sea of hands emerged in the air, bouncing to the beat.

Wearing her signature swirly glasses, she led the crowd through a series of infectious tracks that made the whole room vibrate. This Halloween, REZZ guided fans through a crazy performance that was sure to fulfill all of their trippy, techno dreams.

Retro Review: Yellow Magic Orchestra

BY JACK HEDLUND-FAY In music, the 1980s are viewed as the introduction into the mainstream of digital recording, synthesizers, and electronic, non-traditional instruments. During the decade, house music from Chicago and techno music from Detroit accelerated the adoption of these technologies.

The origins of the electronic genre can be traced back even further. The music group Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) was an important early innovators that created a sound still recognizable in synth-pop.

In1978, the three-man group of Harry Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Yukihiro Takahashi released their eponymous first official studio album.

Their name combined satire of exotica music in America in the1960s and Japan’s obsession with black magic in the late 70s. The album went onto influence a large variety of musicians, including Afrika Bambaataa, animportant figure in the development of hip-hop. Few bands could boast appearances in both the cerebral venues of Europe and “Soul Train.”

The album also notably sampled chiptunes from early video games like “Circus” and “Space Invaders,” becoming formative to the video game music of the 8-bit and 16-bit generations. “Tetris,” for instance, was influenced by YMO’s song “Tong Poo.” Electronic instruments, synthesizers, and computer-based technology seamlessly merge to“create a sound that was not possible until now,”as“Billboard” raved following the album’s release. Today, the music hasaged well, comparing favorably to modern electronic music.

To any fan of electronic music, YMO is a mustlisten band, and their first album is a great place to start.

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