Arts & Life. January 14, 2013. The DePaulia | 23 'Girls' returns despite racial criticisms on. By NATALIA HERNANDEZ Will there be a fifth “Girl” Contributing Writer added to the line up (Maria Lopez, perhaps)? Who will start Lena Dunham is 25 years old dating the black guy? Will we and last April, she starred in and finally find out that Marnie was created the show “Girls.” Jan. actually adopted by two Asian 13, “Girls” returned for a second parents? season. Whatever the surprise "If you loved what we were ingredient will be that will doing last season, we're going remedy the concerns of well- to push it further. And if you meaning critics, it has opened up hated what we were doing last a dialogue that has been far too season, you're going to hate it silent in the past. A dialogue on even more," said Dunham PHOTO COURTESY OF AP misrepresented realities, perhaps, in an interview with the Cast members, from left, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, Jemima Kirke and Lena Dunham, at because “Girls” is not the disease, Today Show. the premiere of "Girls" at the NYU Skirball Center on Jan. 9. but the symptom of an ignored The show follows Hannah culture that cares about issues Horvath, Jessa Johansson, Marnie obstacles that one has overcome key chains or snow globes.” 10-episode series, but Dunham of race, gender and sexual Michaels and Shoshanna Shapiro, – Dunham is no stranger to the Julia Poukatch, a psychology says that for season two, things representations in our media. who are four 20-somethings obstacles of criticism. major at DePaul University, are about to change. Meaning that this season navigating a post-graduate life in Within hours of its premier, agrees. “I really wrote the show comes with an added element of New York City. the show received noteworthy “[The show] is great, but from a gut-level place, and each excitement and curiosity, because “It's a very adult show. It's amounts of criticism from only represents the ‘white’ character was a piece of me or this show really is something about the mistakes you make bloggers, news sources such as perspective,” said Poukatch. based on someone close to me… fresh that many people are along the way to happiness,” said Fox News and, most notably, “Lena Dunham has said before only later did I realize that it was excited about. Judd Apatow, executive producer from writer Jon Caramanica of that she doesn't feel comfortable four white girls,” said Dunham. “‘Girls’ is super relevant of the show and director of the New York Times. Caramanica writing for other races because “As much as I can say it was an to both sexes and one of the movies such as “Bridesmaids,” called the show out on their lack she doesn't think she'll be able to accident, it was only later as the most realistic interpretations “This is 40” and the upcoming of racial diversity, its narcissistic do it justice since she's writing criticism came out, I thought, ‘I of American 20-somethings “Anchorman 2.” “These are the characters and their state as from experience.” hear this and I want to respond I've seen on TV,” said Alex disasters you go through before privileged millennials. It is true: it is almost to it.’” Thibodeau, 22, a political science you find the right person to settle Caramanica gives the impossible to find that many Although many of us might major at DePaul. down with and the right job that example of character Jessa, who Caucasians in Brooklyn. About have brushed past the criticism, Perhaps we do not have to like you like. It's the ‘lost years.’” is “nervously facing down an the only encounter we get in it has now become something of everything we watch; perhaps we Booker T. Washington abortion [and insists], ‘to have “Girls” is a homeless African- an irritation. Like one of those can just laugh and love the fact once said that success is to be children with many different American, and some Haitian pimples that, until shamelessly that after months of waiting, we measured not by the position one men, of different races,’ as if they and Jamaican nannies that make pointed out, went unnoticed, and can love that “Girls” will give us has reached in life, but by the were trinkets to be collected, like minute-long appearances in a is now all we can keep our eyes something to talk about. Drill music on the rise Entertainment (GBE) artists went crime connections via hashtags By ANDREW MORRELL from minor celebrities in their on Twitter. Even the descriptor Contributing Writer South Side neighborhoods to the for their music, known as “drill,” next big thing in the eyes of carries connotations to a vicious Phill Roche, then a DePaul recording industry executives. lifestyle that for them is the norm. senior finishing his degree Keef now boasts a respectable “To ‘do a drill’ means to in marketing and business six-figure record deal courtesy of commit a crime,” said Pan. “It management, was sitting in class Interscope, while GBE affiliates also refers to the musical aspect… May 1, when he got a call from an Lil’ Reese and Lil’ Durk have [the percussion] sounds like a unfamiliar number. Working as since been picked up by Def Jam, marching band.” a press representative for rising and King Louie by Sony/Epic. Stylistically speaking, “drill” Chicago rapper King Louie and The major labels’ delayed is a clear offshoot of the “trap” affiliated video producer Duan interest in these teenage stars, subgenre that has ruled rap radio PHOTO COURTESY OF INTERSCOPE RECORDS Gaines, Roche had been trying for combined with their meteoric rise in recent years, with producer Chicago trap musician Chief Keef. months to get major publications to fame based solely on YouTube Lex Luger and rappers like Gucci interested in his clients to no videos, and lyrics riddled with Mane, Waka Flocka Flame and of trap, but embodies versatility of record producers. Therefore avail. references to drug use and gang Juicy J being its most successful – the beats have their own artists like Chief Keef, Waka Upon calling the number violence, effectively captures the trailblazers. Originating from cadence.” Flocka Flame, Juicy J, etc. may back, he discovered it was zeitgeist of the hip-hop recording the Southeast, the trap sound has While evidently striking a set the new standard in hip-hop.” MTV, suddenly curious about industry today. But in an age proven undeniably influential chord with the mainstream, drill’s Record company executives Louie after hearing him name- when one’s “15 minutes of fame” and comprises most of what is detractors don’t believe the hype. are banking on Ruttenberg’s dropped by Kanye West on his is often more like 15 seconds, heard on the radio today. The “Personally, I really am prediction coming true, although, latest star-studded remix. Chief others see drill as a flash in the production, or “beat,” is typically not enjoying the music artists as Roche explains, they are Keef’s “I Don’t Like,” had been pan. down-tempo and bass-heavy, like Chief Keef are producing,” proceeding with caution. something of a local sensation “Keef is an organic artist,” with lyrics that meander through said Jacob Alderman, host of “The labels realized that since March, racking up views on said manager and GBE associate machine gun-rhythm hi-hats HipHop Times on Radio DePaul. they can try to capitalize on the YouTube thanks to a video shot Peeda Pan, whose real name is and staccato snare rolls. The Alderman has little faith in drill YouTube hits and are offering and produced by Gaines. The Idris Abdul Wahid. Speaking vocal hooks are repetitive and as an enduring artistic movement. them cheap deals,” he said. “A 16-year-old Keef, whose sound over the phone, the confidence in easily chanted, which makes “I think drill is a passing lot of these young drill artists are is a more abrasive example of the his client was palpable. for the ideal club anthem that fad in popular music, but will thirsty to sign, and if they sell burgeoning drill scene that Louie “This is a 17-year-old can be at once bombastic and definitely remain a part of the rap poorly, [record companies] don’t also represents, became heavily rapping about all of the grimy unnerving. Drill maintains all music scene as more artists copy lose much money.” hyped by the music press at large, things that take place in the hood, of these aesthetic hallmarks, the style,” said Alderman. With Keef’s debut album despite having been familiar to and people can tell that [he] is but implements hooks that are Dustin Ruttenberg, a co-host “Finally Rich” having hit the Chicago-focused hip-hop blogs really living this,” said Pan. more sung than rapped, as well of HipHop FriDaze on Radio shelves Dec. 18, it remains to be for some time. The “hood” Pan speaks as synthesized backing melodies DePaul, pointed out a lack of seen if Interscope’s investment “The media missed them,” of is Chicago’s deep South Side, doused in spacey reverb. This originality on Keef’s part. will pay dividends. In any case, said Roche, when contacted an area which has experienced a sonic patchwork, according “Chief Keef’s music is really the commercial success or failure by phone. “And the record huge increase in gang violence to Pan, is representative of nothing new in hip-hop,” said of drill will continue to be decided companies played catch up.” in 2012. Keef and company Chicago’s diversity. Ruttenberg. “Unfortunately not by record execs or YouTube Thanks to West’s remix, make it clear that they are no “Drill represents Chicago because of this style’s views, but rather on the attention singsong hooks and heavy strangers to gang culture, toting because it’s a melting pot of overwhelming popularity with span of its audience. social media presence, Chief firearms in music videos and different styles and cultures,” he this new growing demographic, “That’s business at the end of Keef and associated Glory Boyz making references to organized said. “It’s a great representative sales will drive the decisions the day,” said Roche.