by Devin McCue, Sumner Newscow — It feels good to say it: Wu Over Everything.  Since I was born in 1995 and my parents didn’t exactly keep up with the rap game, the new album, The Saga Continues is my first introduction to the Wu Tang Clan.

The Wu has an incredible history as the world’s best rap group and their new album only furthers their legacy.  For a quick recap about the saga of the Wu, check out HipHopDx’s breakdown this week by clicking the link right here.  Scattered singles by Clan’s individual members drop like firecrackers in a sea of producers and crazy samples.

Wu Tang’s collaborative genius is in full effect this album and while my knowledge of the history of the Clan is limited, this is a great place for younger listeners to come together with the old heads and appreciate the culture.

The album plays like an old Kung-Fu movie where the protagonists rap their opponents into submission instead of using martial arts.  Side note: the RZA

, a founding member of the Wu, wrote an co-pro

duced an excellent Kung-Fu movie called Man with the Iron Fists that everyone should check out.

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Robert Deniro and Michelle Pfeiffer gave spectacular performances in HBO’s The Wizard of Lies.  It’s a biopic about Bernie Madoff told from the perspective of his incarcerated interviews with Diana Henriques, who appears as herself in the film.

The Wizard of Lies looks back at the collapse of history’s biggest Ponzi scheme and how it affected the Madoff family and the millions of his victims.

Many documentaries and biopics tell the tale of how the financial collapse ruined the lives of the bankers and millionaires, but forget that millions and millions of people lost everything in the late 2000’s. 

Those stories are front and center of this film and actively confront the Madoffs (and the viewers) at every angle.  The somber tone and dark lighting of every shot leave you with a sense of sadness when the credits role.  The small details are what make this movie so entertaining.  For example, the font used for the subtitles is the same as the font on money or the gradual, yet noticeable aging of Deniro’s character in prison.

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Dan Brown is back with his latest installment in the Robert Langdon series with Origin.  Early reviews are positive and it’s no surprise from one of the best suspense writers in the game.  Dan Brown is no stranger to controversy, especially with books in the series like The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons.

His last two novels sent the main character, Robert Langdon, a symbology professor from Harvard, to Washington D.C. and Florence.  Each story was as fast-paced and exhilarating as the first books, but lacked the historical bite that made the series great.

Origin promises a return to his religious based subject matter after a two-book hiatus.  Apparently, this book takes aim at the debunked idea of creationism as Langdon and his partner embark on a pulse-pounding adventure.

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Vevo the preeminent leader in dope music videos came released John Legend’s video for Penthouse Floor 3 days ago and it’s already passed 1.5 million views.  Legend is no stranger to politics and uses this funky R&B track to address the division he sees in the country.  He plays a wealthy spectator who watches the protests and political strife from his penthouse window.

The video ends with a sense of unity as Legend’s smooth voice plays us out over the entrancing beat of the cello.  The only drawback of this video is that Chance the Rapper isn’t in it.  If you’re in the mood for something a little less heavy, check out Aminè’s new video for Spice Girl.  If you listened to his debut album, Good for You (which I very kindly asked you to do back in September) then you won’t be surprised to find out, it’s super weird.

Aminè plays most of the parts in the video and each scene seems independent of the one preceding and following it. At one point, he even sings to his own face on his own foot… The lyrics are still entertaining and the young rapper’s singing is as enthralling as his verses, on the up side.

Meme of the week

I unfortunately can’t look at every meme that dominates the internet every week, so if you see a meme and think it should be the meme of the week please send it to: SumnerCultureCow@gmail.com

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