Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter IV (Album Review)

     Lil’ Wayne’s new album Tha Carter IV is the hot new thing out in the world of rap these days. This album review will give a detailed description of each delightful song. The album starts off with an intro that is probably the most inappropriate thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Themes that emerged from the intro and would continue to make their presence known throughout the album were sex and drugs. The first full song “Blunt Blowin’” has a very dark feel to it. All Wayne seems to talk about is haters and drugs with lots of violent undertones. This album is already well on its way to making an excellent impression on the younger generations. The second song, “MegaMan”, is absolutely about nothing other than haters, hookers, and money.

     Apparently Lil’ Wayne has his “swagga down pat” in “6 foot 7 foot”. In this lovely song, with an even lovelier beat, he talks about how he is the hottest thing in the world, hookers, and haters. The song “Nightmares of the Bottom” begins with a pleasant piano melody but as expected the rap and beat quickly wipe all those pleasant feelings into the abyss. “She Will” has music that sounds like it’s straight out of a Halloween soundtrack. This one is about haters, hookers, and how he is boss. There is definitely a recurring theme in this album. “How to Hate” is a slight change of pace with some new singers introduced in a frenzy of auto-tune. This song really shows off the true talent of these ‘singers’ with its message of hating girls that cheat on you.

     “The Interlude” is just a bit of filler with someone else rapping about how great Wayne is. The song “John” took on the UFO theme in its music (which I find highly unoriginal). The song is definitely the cheesiest song on the album and it’s about sex and jail, such a wonderful combo! “Abortion” just sounds like a good song from the beginning. Wayne starts off with some incessant gurgling noises and then breaks out into song with messages of drugs, haters, and how great he is. All I can say about “So Special” is that John Legend should never stoop to Wayne’s level again. “How to Love” is the only song with an actual melody and real instruments (well, just one, a guitar). Unfortunately the message to this song is nothing new and has been heard before in countless other mainstream songs. “President Carter” is about money and how haters don’t faze him. Hopefully Lil’ Wayne understands that he is not actually the former President Jimmy Carter and will never come close to being president. “It’s Good” has a very soulful beginning but as usual when the rap came in the whole song was ruined. “The Outro” was the same exact music as the intro with a rap that was slightly different. It was by far the most original piece on the album, not!

     Oh did I mention that Lil’ Wayne lights up a joint 4 times before a song in this particular album? Maybe that’s why he is so weezy, sleazy, and bad. I fear for the future generation of young adults in this world because the message is this album is rather frightening and bad. 

Chris Jones, Staff Writer

The Help - Movie Review

      There is obviously a reason why this movie came in fourth at the box office this weekend.  Based on the 2009 novel by Kathryn Stockett and directed by Tate Taylor, this story is about African- American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s. This well put together cast includes Allison Janney, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard, just to name a few. The plot revolves around a young woman named Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan (Emma Stone) who has just graduated from college and begins to write a tell-all book about the wealthy families of Jackson, Mississippi. In doing so, she interviews Aibileen Clark, (Viola Davis) a middle-aged woman who has been working as a maid since she was fourteen, raised seventeen white children and been more  a mother figure to Elizabeth Leefolt’s  (Ahna O'Reilly) children than just a maid. Skeeter also interviews Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) another maid in the house of Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) a bratty, rich and spoiled racist woman. These women work perfectly together on screen while telling their stories.  They touch your heart, cause a few tears and a lot of laughs. With every word they say, the viewers learn more and more about their sometimes heartbreaking stories.  This is so much more than just another movie describing the sixties. It makes you feel like you’re there living it with them. Even though the movie lasted two hours and seventeen minutes, viewers remained entertained throughout the entire movie. 

Lyndsay Johnson, Staff Writer

Clubs

     Riverbend high school is an enormous school that is waiting for you to explore. There are a variety of clubs at RHS. For example:

     (Ms. Schickel)Photography club- In this club the students run it. Sometimes the students go in the dark room or they go on the computer and work on the InDesign program. You don’t have to be in any journalism class to join.

     (Mrs. Keith) Library club- is open to anyone who is interested in joining this club. If you have a love for reading this is the club for you. In library club you do all kinds of activities like creating book trailers or entering NA NO WRI MO (national novel writing month).

     (Mr. Mann)Art club- art club is good for people who love art and need community service hours. In art club they sometimes go to homeless shelters and paint murals on their walls or they have auctions for some of their art projects.

     (Ms. Cresswell) Drama club is for anyone who enjoys acting. Racquelle Bradly, an active member in the drama club said, “It’s fun. It sets you up to become a Thespian. There are lots of plays and hands-on stuff in the club”.

     (Ms. Ewing)Spanish club –Spanish club has a lot of socials and food thanks to its high occupancy. To join this club you only need one year of Spanish class. “This club is a great way to earn community service hours” said Joanna Colon.

     (Mr. Keith) Latin club- is the head of the Latin club and to join you only need one year of Latin class.  Latin club has many activities like making a float for homecoming to playing kickball with the German club.  “The people there are really awesome and the events are really fun” said Shannon Becker a Latin club member.

     (Ms. Fiege)FITT club- the founder of this club has student work ‘till you can’t walk anymore. Austin Pfaff, a continuous member of fit club, said in fit club they do “some grueling stuff…and it’s a great way to stay in shape.”   If you love to feel fatigue fit club is the club for you.

     (Mrs. Dunford)History club- Future historians or people who just like history should join.  This is a new club and is open to anyone“so far we’re doing well and I think this club will turn out pretty well” Sean Curley said.

     (Fehrens, Gardner, Morris)DECA- Distributive Education Club of America is club for anyone who is enrolled in a Marketing Education course. DECA helps with leadership skills, professional attitudes, social growth, and Citizenship characteristics. 

Shadae Strother, Staff Writer

Big Burger Pub Critique

     The Big Burger Pub is a local restaurant located at 4256 Plank Road in the former Ukrop’s Shopping Center. When I first walked in the restaurant, I noticed the family friendly atmosphere with TV’s everywhere and tons of tables with families of all sizes sitting down and eating their meals.  There was no special décor, just a regular looking burger shack.

     I ordered a quarter pounder cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato; just a basic burger. However, they also offer various subs, chicken sandwiches, soups and salads. The service was average. You could tell that the server didn’t really like his job, but I could care less as long as I got my food. When I got the burger, I noticed that the lettuce and tomato were fresh and crisp, but sadly, that was the only good part. I ordered the burger medium-well and received it horribly rare with grease soaking the entire bland-tasting bun which wiped out my appetite.

     I took one bite, and hoped that the look would be deceiving. As I took the first bite, that whole “don’t judge a book by its cover” saying blew up, as did my stomach did when I tasted this greasy, tasteless, hunk of beef they call a burger. Best part of my trip? The vanilla Hershey-Brand freezer ice cream I had to get the taste out of my mouth. 

Will Young, Staff Writer