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Arts & Life Editor Arts & Life Joe Wolfe Big K.R.I.T. improves from his debut

Commentary By K.R.I.T.’s music is so obviously ply, K.R.I.T. oozes intelligence in Charlie Osborn influenced by still-reigning south- his rhymes. If you were to cross Staff Contributor ern champions, Outkast’s Big Boi UGK with Dead Prez, I believe and T.I., it borders on obnoxious. you would produce a hybrid ripe The only time I heard Big One of the first lyrics on the al- for Big K.R.I.T. comparison. While K.R.I.T. prior to blasting through bum that struck me was “You each group deserves credit, they his entire premiere album in one gotta get up, get out, and get tend to become redundant and sitting was on satellite radio. I something,” a throwback rhyme boring after awhile. The same could not place specific songs, structured after Outkast’s hit “Git thing happened less than half- but I remember seeing his name Up, Git Out.” The tone to K.R.I.T.’s way through “Return of 4eva’s” 21 scroll across the LED screen and southern drawl is almost precise- tracks: I was sort of bored. laughing at it. After wikipedia ly that of T.I.’s and, although it Although the boredom dis- research proved irrefutably that may just be an unfortunate case sipated after hearing “Lions and “K.R.I.T.” stands as an acronym of a Pennsylvania boy regionally Lambs,” a lyrically superb half- for “King Remembered In Time,” stereotyping the great American way marker to the album, truly a weak answer to 2Pac’s “T.H.U.G. South, I grow quickly sick of art- great debut album would not L.I.F.E.,” I haven’t stopped laugh- ists who sound exactly like other, have allowed me to grow bored ing. Monikers aside, however, more established contemporaries. with it less than halfway through. K.R.I.T.’s debut album represents Additionally, his flow would earn Alas, Big K.R.I.T.’s album deserves a so-so rookie attempt at the po- a ribbon in a Big Boi imitation credit for its several fantastic larized southern hip-hop genre. contest. Aside from his flow and tracks and its dozen solid ones. Typically, a contemporary south- annunciation, however, K.R.I.T. If you’re in the market for an up- ern hip-hop album is either excel- sure seems to understand how to and-coming southern hip-hop lent (“Sir Lucious Leftfoot,” “Paper write a song. Courtesy of Myspace artist, you could do worse than Trail”) or terrible (“The Rehab”), Lyrically, the album’s stand- BIG K.R.I.T. matures his sound on his newest release, “Return of 4eva’s.” Big K.R.I.T, but if you’re in the but K.R.I.T.’s “Return of 4eva” outs include “Dreamin,” “Lions offers perhaps the best encap- / I guess the story of a country market for an album to blast in manages to float somewhere in and Lambs” and “Another Naïve sulation of the album, all within boy just ain’t compelling.” As his your car this summer, go grab the the middle, with perhaps a slight Individual Glorifying Greed and two bars: “Besides I ain’t rap- self-imposed exclusion from the Beastie Boys’ “Hot Sauce Commit- lean toward “excellent.” Encouraging Racism.” “Dreamin” ping about dope nor did I sell it drug game would seem to im- tee Part Two.”

Download of The Week “Swing Life AWay” Attention Students by rise Against With the end of the year approach- ships, as evident from its very begin- Do you have an interest in music, movies or art? ing, the time at The University for the ning when Tim McIlrath sings “Am I class of 2011 is quickly coming to a loud and clear or am I breaking up? / close. Over the past four years, the Am I still your charm or am I just bad class has grown together, whether it be luck? / Are we getting closer or are we through forced triples Freshmen year, just more lost?” on top of the strum- Do you want to enhance your resumé? house parties on Taylor or just hanging ming sound of a lone acoustic guitar. out on the commons. The class has es- This song would be quite a de- tablished friendships and bonds, which pressing graduation song, however, if are sure to withstand matriculation this was its sole message. As the song from The University. continues, the strength of the relation- Apply for the position of Arts & Life Editor today Rather than look to stereotypical ship is quickly seen to be strong. This graduations songs, such as Vitamin C’s is never as evident as in the song’s “Graduation Song,” Green Day’s “Good chorus, with the lines “We live on front Riddance (Time Of Your Life)” and Eve porches and swing life away / We get Contact Joe Wolfe 6’s “Here’s To The Night,” to reminisce, by just fine here on minimum wage / it is time to give a different song a If love is a labor I’ll slave till the end, / I chance. won’t cross these streets until you hold In 2004, Rise Against released its my hand.” McIlrath makes it clear that third full-length, “Siren Song Of The neither money nor distance can break at [email protected] Counter Culture,” which contained the their love since he will slave for it to band’s highest charting single to date, continue. The song ends with its chorus “Swing Life Away.” “Swing Life Away” as McIlrath echoes “swing life away.” stands apart from Rise Against’s nor- Although “Swing Life Away” isn’t mal breed of song. The band sheds its the prototypical graduation song, it for more information about the position hardcore sound for an acoustically- is a song that is sure to hit home for driven song that is full of emotion. the graduating class. With lines such The beauty of the song is that two as “I’ve got some friends, some that sets of characters can be interchanged I hardly know/ But we’ve had some for the narrator and his object: two times, I wouldn’t trade for the world,” friends or two parts to a relationship. it is an easy track for the class of 2011 The song seems to be questioning the to relate. strength of the two kinds of relation- Congratulations to the Class of 2011. Campus Comment What did you do when you heard of Osama Bin Laden’s death?

“Turned off the TV and slept “Got on the internet and discussed “I watched the news coverge “I was curious about how he “Had a beer.” like a baby.” with friends.” and the President’s speech.” died.”

Scott Stange Lou Balzani Chris Ritter Holly Pilcavage David Giglio Sophomore, Scranton Freshman, Scranton Freshman, Scranton Junior, Plains Senior, Wellingford, Conn.