Ghetto gourmet: Cookin’ With Coolio’90s rapper Coolio is releasing a cookbook, Cookin’ with Coolio, featuring such recipes as “Chicken Lettuce Blunts” and “Drunk-Ass Chicken” in a style of cooking he calls “Ghetto Fusion”. Check out the book’s Top 10 quotes: “Everything I cook tastes better than yo’ momma’s nipples.”
Life / Culture / Music
Beenie man is a product of entrenched homophobia in Jamaica
Beenie, the Jamaican DJ just dropped from the Big Day Out, may be a phenomenal talent. But he has, at various times, been openly, flagrantly — almost murderously — homophobic.
The 50 best music videos of the last decade
As the decade winds up, every man and his dog is weighing in one the “Top x” of the past 10 years. Paste gives its take on the best music videos of the noughties — with an Aussie contender making it into the top 5.
Hey Victorian government, leave Britney alone!
A Britney Spears concert is presumably a mass of gyrating, fireworks and lip-syncing. But the Victorian government wants concert goers to be made aware when music isn’t technically ‘live’. Do we really need to be protected?
Film review: This Is It
The documentary of Michael Jackson’s concert-that-never-was, This Is It might be smashing box office records around the world, but the film’s lack of commentary, insight and context will make it a struggle for most to sit through, says Luke Buckmaster. One for the fans.
The wisdom of washed up boy bands
The hey day of the boy band may be over, but choreographed side steps lives on. The Guardian interviews five boy band-ers on the difficulties of fame. What do you do when your screaming teeny bopper fans move onto indie rock?
Michael Jackson’s This Is It: the reviews are in…
With the release of the much (over?) hyped doco of Michael Jackson’s final concert, This Is It, MTV has a roundup of some of the world’s most critical reviews. Is it a Thriller, or just plain Bad?
Album review: Martha Wainwright’s Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris
Martha Wainwright’s new live album sees the folk chanteuse breathe new life into a collection of (mostly obscure) Edith Piaf songs, says Tim Dunlop.
No. 1 with a bullet: which songs are on Guantanamo’s greatest hits list?
A coalition of musicians is calling on the US government to reveal which songs have been used to torture prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. One prisoner claims to have been subjected to 20 straight hours of “The Real Slim Shady”.
Rock ‘n Roll Rudd
Kevin Rudd’s globular mug is headed for the pages of Rolling Stone magazine. Because nothing says “rock” like a man who lists Handel’s Messiah as his favourite tune.
How rapper 50 Cent can make you a dollar
Even with the bling, bullet holes and cocky swagger, rapper 50 Cent is an economic success, and he’s singing his virtues with a new book of business advice. Start developing your “hustler eye”.
Rocking Turnbull and ballad boy Rudd: the tunes that lead the nation
What music do Australia’s top pollies get down to? Classy Kevin Rudd is a crooners fan, Malcolm Turnbull plays the cool kid and teeny bopper Joe Hockey is, gulp, a Delta Goodrem fan.
Songs for kids with two mummies
Canadian musician Kate Reid is making an album for children of lesbian parents. But wouldn’t my son rather listen to songs about trains than who his parents are? wonders Dana Rudolph
Who will be the next Rock and Roll Hall of Famer?
The nominees for next year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction have be announced. The list of potentials is a fairly mixed bag, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, ABBA, The Stooges, Genesis and LL Cool J.
You voted Armenian? Azerbaijan questions citizens over Eurovision
After people in Azerbaijan were questioned by police after voting for a song by neighbouring Armenia in this year’s contest, Eurovision Song Contest organisers are cracking down on countries who violate voter privacy.
Behind Beyonce: the man responsible for “Single Ladies”
Choreographer JaQuel Knight explains the inspiration behind “Single Ladies”, the music video that moved Kanye West to berate anyone who got in its way. A little bit of Bob Fosse. And a whole lot of Beyonce.
Further scandal taints Hottest 100: did they miscount the votes?
Triple J’s Hottest 100 was widely panned recently for its notable lack of female artists. Two ABC journalists have found that votes were manipulated in order to support CD sales, yet their investigation has been censored by the ABC. Are their findings true?
Inside 50 Cent’s business empire
Rapper 50 Cent is worth a leeetle more than his name suggests — a few hundred million more, in fact. A look at the ads, endorsements, book deals, movies and investments that have built his multi-million-dollar empire.
The Beatles: Bigger than Jesus. Again.
The Fab Four split up over 40 years years ago and half of the members are dead, but Beatlemania is back, with new remastered CDs and Rock Band video game sending them soaring back up the charts.
Obama calls Kanye West a jackass; internet explodes
US President Barack Obama labled rapper Kanye West a “jackass” in off-the-record “banter” with journos yesterday. But one reporter just couldn’t help Tweeting it. Cue internet meltdown.
The time has come for climate change song
Midnight Oil hit ‘Beds are Burning’, sung by our own Minister for Environment Peter Garrett, is to be re-recorded. Usual suspects like Bob Geldof and Duran Duran are contributing to raise awareness of climate change.
Go Betweens bridge push enters final days
Indie music fans across the country are voting in force to have a Brisbane’s new Hale Street Link Bridge named after Australian band The Go-Betweens.
“Who’s Jude?” Kids review The Beatles
The Beatles: you know they’re the most important band in the history of modern pop music — but most kids today have never heard of them. So what do the High School Music generation reckon when hearing the Fab Four for the first time?
