Documentaries about musicians serve to tell a story about who they are and what their career generates. The documentary titled, Beware of Mr. Baker shows us the timeline of a drummer named Ginger Baker, and his constant fallout with music and the world. As for Lil Peep: Everybody’s Everything, the documentary portrays the late rapper Lil Peep, his attempt to change the genre of rap, and the life of those around him. Both documentaries had a similar take on framing in their interviews. The behind-the-scenes story captures parallel film shots, different narratives of the subjects, and the archives that explored more than the music. 

In both documentaries, they included interviews framed in medium shots that displayed nonverbal cues in facial and hand movements. One example in Beware of Mr. Baker was when bandmate Jack Bruce talked about his experience with being part of Ginger Baker’s life. Being in focus to Jack Bruce in the shot, compliments his point-of-view and his feelings towards Ginger. Similarly, in Everybody’s Everything, identical shots are seen when those close to Lil Peep are interviewed, such as his mom. The medium shot here shows her body language as she tells about the birth of Gustav and how he became Lil Peep. When compared, they both displayed effective frameworks to the positioning to the speakers. 

In contrast, the way the subjects were tied in, made for two different tellings of a story. In Everybody’s Everything, the highs and lows in Lil Peep’s career were told by his grandfather. While the subject, Lil Peep himself, is not physically present in the documentary, his grandfather shares letters of advice between the two. This draws us emotionally closer to who he was as a family member and musician before his passing. Ginger Baker on the other hand, felt biased as a subject when he gave input on relationships with his band, drug abuse, and how settling his life was. Everybody’s Everything made for a genuinely touching storyline whereas Ginger Baker’s documentary, felt out of place with the direction of what he said and what others said about him.

The two documentaries made visual enhancements that contributed to my analysis. The archived media in both documentaries conveyed an important message to the viewers. The use of digital illustrations replaced graphic moments like Ginger Baker’s addiction to heroin to not be too disturbing than if it was actually filmed. The recordings and photos of life outside the music, really captured the rapid evolution of a man who simply tried to be his honest self. In Lil Peep’s documentary, it presented childhood recordings, onstage presence, and his battle with drugs. In this case, addiction taking his life painted an alarming image to the current state of rap. Altogether, each compilation of moments paved the way for a theme greater than their art. 

In conclusion, the documentaries shared more commonalities than differences. The ability to share perspectives from interviewees, unique storytelling, and compiling sources of media, made their legacies enlightening and spread messages that will last forever.

When people host a podcast, it is their goal to properly mix, narrate, and provide the best content for their audience. After having listened to Season 3 of Slow Burn and Missing Richard Simmons, both executed their series well, despite the two having different elements from one another. Similarly, the techniques in their interviews can be seen in certain moments of their show. The delivery of their storyline, the sound transitions and the production overall, made them enjoyable to reflect on as a listener. 

In Season 3 of Slow Burn, the tales of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls open with the downfalls of Tupac’s life told by close sources in his career. Throughout the season, the guests spoke on moments that potentially led up to the feud and how it unfolded into a lost investigative file for both sides. Overall, the guests on the show and the topic sequences, tied the story cohesively. Missing Richard Simmons on the other hand, tells the story as it’s developing and the missing parts that Dan Taberski explores. In Taberski’s podcast, it’s evident that he handpicked the people he interviewed and why they meant a great deal to the story’s adaptation. In comparison, both had sources that led to a compelling presentation of the shows.

In contrast, the audio’s format was notably different when listening to them side-by-side. In Slow Burn, the fades and pauses were incorporated smoothly with the dialogue. When music was played, it served its purpose and was not just simple background noise. The transitions of fading in and out mixed in well. Contrarily, in Missing Richard Simmons, they muffled the guests voices when the narrator was giving context to who they were. In some instances, this choppiness made the listening experience feel like too many things overlapped. Both had different priorities in sound that ultimately come down to personal preference. 

In the two podcasts, the production was done effectively and allowed me to analyze even further. While Slow Burn focused on events that have been retold numerous times, the intensive research of the two rap moguls felt refreshing and insightful to past narratives. From the violent displays in Tupac’s career to the investigations mentioned, addressing facts as accurately as possible was a valuable asset to the storyline. As for Missing Richard Simmons, the ability for a host to tell about his encounters as they occur, was the most intriguing part of the entire series. Dan Taberski allowed me to empathize with Simmons and see his emotions kept behind closed doors. 

In conclusion, both podcasts were composed efficiently and kept me tuned in the entire time. Whether the story was told uniformly, improvised, or the sounds created different effects, the understanding I gained afterwards was the most important part of it all.

I’m here with Nathalie and she is my girlfriend’s best friend. We attended high school together but I never really knew her back then. Fortunately, I got to be friends with her through meeting my girlfriend. And a while back, I found out that she was actually born in Colombia and that’s where her roots are placed. She moved here at only 7 years of age. Since then, she’s been living in the United States and now I’m going to let her take over and give us some background on the rest.

Tell us a little bit about your daily life in Colombia at such a young age? I used to go to a bilingual school in Colombia and — it didn’t help me at all. All I knew were the colors, like “jellow” [laughs]. After going to school, I just came home and road bikes in a dirt road with my friends. It’s not much different (than the United States) other than the roads aren’t paved.

So technically were you only there until the first grade? Yeah, I got all the way up until the first grade. But when I came here I think I was old enough and intelligent enough to go into third (grade) but my mom was like “no no no” so my mom held me back.

I was also held back too since I was 5 day short of being in the grade level above me. Aren’t you glad you were since you fit in more with this crowd?

Yeah, because who would know who my friends are, you know? I’d barely be making it with the older kids. So I’d like to back up a bit. So before you got here what are your other childhood memories and any experience you can hold onto that you truly remember? So, because my mom lived in the U.S., she was able to bring me like the coolest toys. I would be the coolest kid on the block and everyone came to my house and played Playstation and stuff. I was the shit. [Laughs]

Was there a lot of friends and family you had to say goodbye to once you left Colombia? My family was pretty small and my friends were pretty young and we didn’t know the concept of being apart from each other. It was the first time I saw my dad cry . I wasn’t really scared or anything because I missed my mom.

You hold your mom closer than your dad, you would say? Well, I lived with my grandma but I still felt like a part of me was missing because I still didn’t have my mom.

How did you feel coming to school and not having English as your first language? It was integrating—my 2nd grade teacher was awesome I wish I can see her again and thank her for being so kind to me.

Where’d you go? It was called Glenview Elementary it was in Anaheim Hills.

So then you went to middle school where you met all of your friends now? And the distance from Anaheim Hills is pretty far, so how did that happen. Ugh, I hated middle school. [laughs] My mom just got a new job—from a flower company to Forever 21.

At your middle school, you had already established English as your second language, and then you were good by then. Academically speaking did you start taking more honors classes because you realized your potential? I don’t think I would have reached my potential if it wasn’t for my mom pressuring me to do so well in school.

So throughout all this how often did you see family? Every Summer—never missed it!

So you finished high school, and did you always know where you wanted to go? UCLA? No, never in my life. I tell people UCI was my dream school, UCLA was like, “yeah right”.

It never crossed your mind? No, because I knew the people who were going there and I didn’t feel like I measured up to them. I didn’t take all AP classes, and my life wasn’t solely school—I mean it was.

Who was the first person you told when you were accepted? Her. [points to her best friend] I wanted to tell my mom in person, do you want to see her reaction?

Coming from a place where English was not your first language and going to UCLA, how do you see your timeline from then till now? I don’t want to sound corny but I think it’s the “American Dream”. I see myself and I want to make myself proud. I didn’t come from poverty but Colombia is a third-world country and I would want to have someone see what I did and and maybe inspire someone in Colombia and make them proud.

After leaving their royal duties, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in attendance for Thursday’s JPMorgan event in Miami, Florida.

According to the Today Show, they have decided they will no longer use the royal terms given to them, as part of the split deal. A statement issued by Buckingham Palace in January described the deal.

Both of them have been really quiet about their lives since their move to Canada where they now call home. Meghan was seen hiking on Vancouver Island along with her pets and son Archie back in January as well.

Harry spoke about his move away from the royal position stating, “Once Meghan and I were married, we were excited, we were hopeful, and we were here to serve. For those reasons, it brings me sadness that it has come to this.”

Harry stated, “It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges.”

After his efforts to fight against the media’s constant backlash, the Ex-Prince decided to step down for the sake of his own family.

“It actually wasn’t. Sorry”, says the rapper after many assumed was protesting silently along with his wife Beyoncé during the Super Bowl’s National Anthem.

Demi Lovato was singing the National Anthem when the couple was spotted sitting down with their daughter according to video gathered by TMZ.

According to CNN Entertainment, a few days later at Columbia University in New York, Jay-Z revealed that his intentions were only part of his work in Roc Nation—which has a business deal with the NFL in music productions for the football league. Prior to the National Anthem sang by Demi Lovato, him and Beyonce were already seated at the football event.

It “was not premeditated at all,” according to Jay-Z.

Jay-Z was observing the specifics of the music in order to seek out if there were any faults in the mics, speakers, or other music adjustments that needed to be made.

The diversity in the halftime show with Latin artists Shakira and Jennifer Lopez was a statement itself according to Jay-Z.

It was, the “biggest, loudest protest of all”.

I am Jesse Nunez-Garcia and I am a recent graduate from California State University, Long Beach. My degree is in Communication Studies with a minor in Journalism.

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” -Jimi Hendrix

I first got introduced to Communication Studies by a public speaking professor on campus my freshman year at the university. I loved the class so much, that I was intrigued by all the other courses the department had to offer. As a result, I switched my major to Communication Studies and have taken courses that have been very applicable to my personal life outside of school. As for journalism, I found an interest in broadcasting through my Youtube subscriptions on news sources like: Highsnobiety, Complex, and GQ. My career goal is to enter the music or fashion industry and become a marketing or public relations specialist, so that I may represent a brand on a global scale through social media or news outlets.

In the culture I grew up with, music has always been the motivation behind many of the ways I live. My interest in clothes comes heavily from the current rap scene. My love for an artist like Kanye West, has influenced the appeal I have to fashion and creativity. I am currently in the works of making my own clothing line with my friends.

One thing about this process, is that there is always something to learn everyday. The dedication it takes to sew, choose fabrics, and trademark designs, pushes me to practice even further. Other iconic artists, such as Pharrell and Travis Scott, motivate me to push the boundaries in fashion and to work hard for my vision. I am positive that if school does not work out for me in the future, my upcoming brand will be enough to fulfill my dreams of making it to the same industries that catch my interest.