LUDACRIS
continued from page 13
baked, grilled — whatever way it's
definitely chicken. But beer, you
don't have to have it a certain way,
just brewed (laughs).
Q: So what's your favorite beer?
A: Well, right now I'm working on
three different endorsement deals, so
ask me again in a few weeks (laughter).
Q: How do you see yourself sepa
rating from the Atlanta scene?
A: What sets me apart from South
em rap, and everyone else? I feel like
I'm the most versatile MC out there.
Doing collabos (collaborations) with
different people, this is why I like do
ing them, because it shows my versatil
ity. Whatever you want to do — rap
ping fast, slow, about certain subjects;
women, make you laugh, make you
cry; I'm trying to do it all. Over time I’m
starting to drill that into everyone's
brain. I want to be the most versatile
Q: All right, last question: What
would you like to tell Bill O'Reilly (who
called for a boycott of Pepsi because of a
deal for Ludacris' endorsement)?
A: I’d say: Buy the album But I han
dled him in a very intelligent manner.
I say his name in two songs on the
new album. One I can't say, but on
the other the lyrics go like this: "Shout
out to Bill O'Reilly / throw you a
curve. You're mad 'cause I'm a thief/1
got away with words. I'm gonna start
my own beverage that will calm your
nerves..." For the rest you're going to
have to buy the album.
Steven Neuman is a freelance writer
for the Emerald.
SHAKRA
continued from page 10
already a great amount of censorship
in place using a method best called a
"corporate filter."
This corporate filter operates on
the assumption that entertainment
thrives on your consumption and
pleasure. This is the sole reason why
"entertainment" exists — it's a prod
uct. For a given company, consump
tion of the product equals profit,
and in turn, profit equals more
product to be consumed. This cycli
cal process is a devastating one be
cause it usually considers nothing
else. Occasionally, something slips
through — some idea that might
subvert the cycle — but profit al
ways triumphs as the paramount
importance for entertainers. There
fore, a slew of marketers, demogra
phers, advertisers and orchestrated
production teams are called forth to
perpetuate this cycle to the point in
entertainment that we've now
reached. We believe that what's pro
duced is actually worth something
real and meaningful. But it is all a
vapid sequel to perpetuate more of
the same, the same, the same.
Perhaps I've gone too far in saying
entertainment isn't creative It is quite
creative indeed because it remains so
successful. However, the basis of this
success is destruction. I don't mean
violence and car explosions, but
rather destruction of thought and the
natural world around us. We don't
see it because this argument sounds
tired, or perhaps like an attack on
"what we like." But listen: We're safe
ly detached, and entertainment helps
assist that. Turning a blind eye to the
world's exploitation is easy because
we live so comfortably. Again,
entertainment helps perpetuate
this process.
I could go on, but I'll let you fill in
the specifics of this argument and
find these points of exploitation for
yourself. But still, the last thing I
would want to do would be to put
this all on you, the reader. I was once
entirely susceptible to the argument
I've just oudined. I'm just waking up
myself and am becoming more aware
of how visual images affect my life
every day. It's time to start turning this
death cycle around and breathe some
life back into art.
Contact the Pulse editor
at aaronshakra@dailyemerald.com.
His opinions do not necessarily
represent those of the Emerald.
3-D FILM
continued from page 11
Game Over." Now, frequent 3-D
screenings are planned for the Bijou
An Cinemas. Bijou projectionist Scott
McGahan said he sees 3-D film expe
riences as journeys back in time.
"1 like the novelty of it" he said. "It
feels retro to put on the glasses and
imagine what things were like in the
'50s." However, McGahan said 3-D
content is viewed by fans in a lighter
perspective now than during its debut.
"1 think the scary 3-D films were
taken seriously when they first came
out, but now people just think they're
funny," he said.
After the success of "Creature From
the Black Lagoon," the Bijou is plan
ning to show a new 3-D film every
month. Among those under consider
ation are 1954's "Dial M For Murder,"
1953's "It Came From Outer Space,"
1983's "Jaws 3-D," 1982's "Friday the
13th Part 3: 3D" and the aforemen
tioned 1953 film "I louse of Wax."
Contact the Pulse reporter at
natashachilingerian@dailyemerald.com.
SPEARHEAD
continued from page 8
equally hostile back toward them. In
my later works 1 have rethought that. I
believe that compassion brings about
resolution to conflicts, and that's what
we want — those who are working to
ward this greater goal of a world that is
a demilitarized world, a less corporate
world, or at the very least (a world) for
corporations that feel like having some
responsibility can also be part of their
profit agendas. In order to do that, we
have to make this resolution irre
sistible. We don't make it irresistible
when we make it about hatred; when
we make it about anger; make it about
retaliation. We make it irresistible
when we make it inviting to people.
When we make people feel like they're
welcome to exploring other ideas. I
don't play that song anymore; I
haven't played it for five or six years.
Emerald: How do you feel the new
album has been received? The Emer
ald review said, "The problem lies al
most entirely with the lyrics, which
call for social change, peace, love and
unity using all the profound wisdom
of a bumper sticker." How would you
address this critique of your lyrics?
MF: I would address it in that I
write lyrics, and then people put
them on bumper stickers (laughs).
That's what's happened. You know,
everyone has their opinion about it.
But I perform the music every night
and I look out into the audience
and see the effect it has on people.
So, someone says "It has the pro
found effect of a bumper sticker or
whatever," it's like, "What?" That's
your thing man, and if you're just in
your house looking at bumper stick
ers driving by as they all go by, then
that's probably how you're going to
get it. But if you take time and sit
with the music, and you listen to
more than just the hook of the song;
if you dance and you celebrate; put
your arms in the air, and smell your
own funk, you might get more out
of it. But it's not for me to judge
what other people think. Some peo
ple say it's the greatest thing in the
world; some people find it heinous.
Some people think it's too radical;
some people think it's not radical
enough. But it is me, and it is who I
am — it's all 1 can be.
Emerald: Do you think releasing
your albums independently has af
fected Spearhead's popularity?
MF: I think that's affected our
popularity a little bit in that we have
a much more loyal fan base. We
have people today that travel from
show after show after show. It's be
cause we tour a lot, but it's also be
cause we've changed the way we do
things, and people understand that,
and people resonate with that and
feel it. So I guess the thing that I'm
most proud about our music and
the way that it's grown since we've
started our own label is that it has
n't grown through advertising,
through media or MTV — it's grown
through word of mouth. I think of
all the people who've done that for
our music and I'm grateful.
Contact the Pulse editor
at aaronshakra@dailyemerald.com.
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