We've all been home for weeks, and that most likely means that there have been a ton of online orders placed and packages received. You may have not thought of it before, but cardboard boxes are a great medium to draw on and make crafts with. Cardboard art has actually been around for quite some time, and it's a hugely versatile medium that can be used for anything from drawing on to creating sculptures with. One of the best aspects of utilizing cardboard for creating art is the unintentional, but beneficial, environmental impact, by re-using something that can now serve a secondary purpose and not just end up in the landfill.
In honor of the various ways cardboard can be used as an art form, we wanted to showcase some of our favorite pieces. Keep scrolling to check them out!
A breakfast spread created with cardboard by Marie-Laure Pham
Cardboard used as an illustration medium by Okat
Cardboard faces by Amaiaarrazola
Cardboard artwork by Dave Silkerk
Dragon illustration on cardboard by Charlotte Reynold
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -As the Hollywood writers’ strike approaches the 100-day mark, Writers Guild of America (WGA) negotiators met on Friday with representatives of the major studios for the first time in three months to discuss whether contract talks can resume.
The 11,500 members of the guild walked out May 2, citing an impasse over pay, streaming residuals and other issues such as setting curbs on the use of artificial intelligence. Next Wednesday marks the 100th day of the strike.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she was encouraged by the reopening of communication, as the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ dual strikes negatively impact the economy.
“It is critical that this gets resolved immediately so that Los Angeles gets back on track and I stand ready to personally engage with all the stakeholders in any way possible to help get this done,” Bass said in a statement.
Neither the WGA nor the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which negotiates on behalf of Walt Disney, Netflix, had given any updates on the talks by mid-afternoon.
But ahead of Friday’s meeting, they traded pointed statements.
Picketers carry signs on the picket line outside Universal Studios on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in Universal City, Calif. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
The WGA’s negotiating committee said it was time for the studios to abandon the tactics they used during the previous writers’ strike in 2007-08, including allegedly spreading misinformation about the real impact of the strike.
“We challenge the studios and AMPTP to come to the meeting they called for this Friday with a new playbook,” the WGA said in an email. “Be willing to make a fair deal and begin to repair the damage your strikes and your business practices have caused the workers in this industry.”
The AMPTP called the WGA rhetoric “unfortunate.”
“Tomorrow’s discussion with the WGA is to determine whether we have a willing bargaining partner,” the AMPTP said in a statement, adding “Our only playbook is getting people back to work.”
Previously, the group said it had offered writers generous increases in compensation, and put forward improvements in the residuals paid to writers for making their movies and TV shows available on streaming services.
UNIVERSAL CITY - AUGUST 04: Members and supporters of SAG-AFTRA and WGA walk the picket line at Universal Studios on August 04, 2023 in Universal City, California. Members of SAG-AFTRA and WGA (Writers Guild of America) have both walked out in their first joint strike against the studios since 1960. The strike has shut down a majority of Hollywood productions with writers in the third month of their strike against the Hollywood studios. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
David Livingston via Getty Images
The work stoppage is taking a toll on florists, caterers, costume suppliers and other small businesses that support the entertainment industry. Those impacts were magnified, on July 14, when members of the Screen Actors Guild went on strike, after being unable to reach an agreement with the studios on a new three-year contract.
The AMPTP issued a statement, saying the actors had walked away from more than $1 billion in wage increases, pension and health contributions and residual increases.
The twin job actions are rippling broadly through the entertainment industry, halting most work on scripted series for the fall TV season as well as film production.
Fox is expected to announce that television’s Emmy Awards will be rescheduled to air in January due to the strikes, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing a person familiar with the plans.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros Discovery warned investors Thursday that uncertainty over the dual strikes could delay film releases and impact its ability to produce and deliver content.
(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; additional reporting by Danielle Broadway in Los AngelesEditing by Mary Milliken and David Gregorio)
Few titles sum up an era and a movement like Spare Rib. When the first issue came out in July 1972, many women were starting to question their position and role in society. The magazine was an active part of the emerging women's liberation movement. It challenged the stereotyping and exploitation of women in what was the first national magazine of its kind. It supported collective, realistic solutions to the hurdles women faced and reached out to women from all backgrounds. Spare Rib became the debating chamber of feminism in the UK. It continued until January 1993 and the full archive of 239 magazines provides a valuable insight into women's lives and this period of feminist activity.
Design studio Kapitza, founded by sisters Petra and Nicole, wants “to color the world with positive and uplifting works of art, as we believe that color has the power to make us feel better in ourselves and our communities.” We completely agree! Located in East London, the duo collaborates with brands and institutions to create everything from large murals to pop-up events to products and more – you can check out some of their projects below!
Our Designer Desktop for August features Kapitza’s abstract composition entitled NEW WAVES. It’s full of curved line segments that connect and cross each other to create “a flowing rhythm.” Petra and Nicole shared, “We were inspired by one of our favorite artists, Vera Molár, the first female artist to incorporate computers into her practice and her constant search for challenges, new materials, and surprises.”
Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.
Art is said to be the collective memory of society with artists expressing how it feels to exist in a particular time and place. In Prafull Sawant’s atmospheric watercolors, he does exactly that, sharing his impressions of the many corners of the world that he encounters.
This article originally appeared in WatercolorArtists Magazine. Subscribe now so you don’t miss any great art instruction, inspiration, and articles like this one.
Born in 1979, in Nashik, in the state of Maharashtra, in western India, Prafull Sawant was drawn to a life in art. As early inspiration, three things mattered to him most: the continuous encouragement of his father, artist Bhimraj Sawant; the fluid watercolors of artist Vasudevrao Govind Kulkarni, the founder of Nashik Art College, where Sawant studied; and the quiet back streets and old temples of Nashik, which have provided an endless supply of subjects for his plein air landscapes. Sawant fondly remembers the period of time when, in the early hours of the morning, he and his friend Ambadas Nagpure could reliably be found painting en plein air in the Godaghat region of that ancient holy city.
Last Light at Grand Palace Abudhabi Commissioned by Rami Al Kilani, Jordan (361/5×48) is a large-format watercolor painting. Sawant demonstrates how the fluidity of watercolor can be used to bring out the magic of sunlight. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TO WWW.IMAGEANATION.COM. COLLECTION, ABU DHABI GOVERNMENT.
Working in Watercolor
Sawant developed an interest in watercolor after encountering the paintings of Vasudev Kulkarni and Shivaji Tupe, another famous Nashik artist, early in his career. He discovered the potential for layering in watercolor from studying the works of watermedia masters like William Russell Flint and John Singer Sargent. Now his principal medium, Sawant identifies the transparency and fluidity of watercolor as the main attractions. His initial excitement for the medium has since become an enduring attachment.
Still, believing that an artist must be versatile in both subject and medium, Sawant has also worked successfully in oil, acrylic, soft pastel and charcoal. “In oil, I can make huge paintings,” he explains, “which is more difficult in watercolor.” He further notes that watercolor requires a lot of advance planning as corrections can be challenging, and the quality of the surface plays a major role in a painting’s success. And yet, the benefits of the medium more than compensate. “In watercolor,” he says, “one is guided by an inner feeling that drives spontaneity and assists in making creative choices.”
Sawant’s use of an underlying abstract design can be seen at work in compositions such as Magnificent Light at Jodhpur (watercolor on paper, 22×30). He conceived the scene as an arrangement of shapes, including the white of the paper (seen on the house in the background) to denote sunlight. He used large fluid washes to capture the effect of sunlight falling on architectural forms. The artist uses tonal contrast throughout the painting for visual interest, but places the highest contrast near the focal point for maximum impact.
Additionally, he loves how an entire painting remains active with washes throughout the painting process.“This poses a challenge every moment to control what is in front of me,” he says, “requiring high concentration and energy.”
The Lure of the Light
The artist doesn’t intend for his paintings to be straightforward representations of objective reality. Rather, an external stimulus—be it form, shape, value or color—drives him toward creative expression, chiefly, his interpretation of the light.
Sawant’s emotive landscapes and portraits are, according to the artist, “nothing but abstract compositions of shapes and tonal values, creating a push-pull effect in order to move a viewer’s eye around the painting.” Magnificent Light at Jodhpur is but one example of how an underlying abstract structure provides a compositional foundation.
In Top Light at Bologna, Italy (watercolor on paper, 133/4×173/4), Sawant builds a feeling of strong sunlight in the middle-foreground by creating high contrast between that area and the adjacent shadow.
While mixing color on paper, Sawant is mindful of the granulating colors that tend to settle in the paper’s tooth, which can create wonderful texture. It’s but one of the multitude of effects possible in watercolor that he appreciates and makes use of.
More than anything, it’s Sawant’s aim to capture the special character and magical quality of the light—however complex or disguised it may be—by carefully modulating the tonal values in his paintings that has earned him the moniker “master of light.”
A Composition of Buildings
Inherent in the painting of a sweeping cityscape are the challenges of composing architectural forms. “Each place has its distinct style and pattern of buildings,” Sawant says. “Although it’s relatively easy to master the architecture of your own locality, painting urban scenes around the world—which are vastly different in character and mood—requires a solid understanding of perspective and abstract design.” As an example, Sawant refers to a recent demonstration painting, Afternoon Light in Bologna, that he did in Bologna, Italy, and the difficulty of composing the iconic Asinelli Tower. He decided to use scale—with the presence of minuscule human figures in the foreground—to denote the structure’s massive size.
Afternoon Light at Bologna, Italy (watercolor on paper, 14×14) is the finished outcome of a plein-air demonstration at the Fabriano InAcquarello event, in Bologna, Italy, this past April. In an effort to convey the scale, Sawant included people on the street, establishing a stark contrast with the massive tower.
To his mind, what helps the most to convey the sense of a place is sharp observation and an effective color palette. Sawant—unlike painters who prefer to work with a consistent, and somewhat limited, color scheme—will vary his palette as needed in order to bring out his vision of each subject. See Evening Ambiance of Banaras, for example. “If nature has given us so many shades to choose from,” he asks, “why should I shy away from enjoying the bounty of an unlimited palette?”
“Art is like an ocean …I’ll need several lives to experience it.”
—PRAFULL SAWANT
Working Outside a Comfort Zone
Even after 48 international awards, more than 80 exhibitions and a schedule that keeps him on the road six to seven months of the year, teaching workshops in venues around the world, Sawant continues to resist landing in a comfort zone. The artist is committed to experimenting with technique in an effort to make continuous progress. “Whatever I accomplished last year, I’ll try to advance one step further this year, and then one more step the year after,” he says. The artist believes that painting is like a river and the flow should never stop. If artists stop growing—if they rest too long in a comfort zone and cease to reinvent themselves—they risk becoming listless, like stagnant water.
The character of the light plays a significant role in Sawant’s portraiture, as well as his landscape work, as seen in Devotee (watercolor on paper, 22×141/2).
The closest Sawant comes to a comfort zone is in his choice of tools. He relies on Daniel Smith watercolors and is a global ambassador for the brand. The company, in fact, offers a Daniel Smith Prafull Sawant Master Artist set of paints.
For paper, his preference is Arches rough. He enjoyed Indian-made brushes until 2014, when he took part in an invitational program in Suzhou, in Eastern China, and was introduced to the Chinese goat-hair calligraphy brushes. He fell in love with them and now has his own signature brand of Chinese brushes.
Sawant extends his attention to design to portrait work as well, which is evident in Ambiance of Meditation (watercolor on paper, 14×22). The artist’s placement of a second figure in the background creates a shape that enhances and further develops the principal form of the primary subject.
On the Global Stage
Throughout his career, Sawant has preferred painting en plein air. “Right from the start,” he says, “during my early days of painting in Nashik, Banaras and Rajasthan, in India, I’ve loved a face-to-face confrontation with the light.”
Nowadays, the artist’s extensive international travels present an array of diverse conditions for plein air painting. In India, he explains, conditions are drier than other countries and washes of watercolor dry very fast. Whereas in China, for example, washes take much longer to dry and, therefore, one will see fewer brushstrokes and more fluidity.
Sawant expands his palette as necessary to capture the desired atmospheric effects. “Variety in paintings is my spice of life,” he says. In Evening Ambiance of Banaras (watercolor on paper, 14×22), he created the appearance of smoke by deftly lifting color in the wet wash.
Similarly, the experience of lighting conditions are also completely different from place to place, and from season to season. In a European summer, for instance, the sun may set around 10 p.m. “As it gets darker, the shadows become longer,” Sawant says. “To capture that effect in a painting requires careful observation and skill.”
The artist feels gratitude that he has had the opportunity to paint in these varied conditions—and the chance to experience and observe the wonderful diversity of the world. Knowing how art has enriched his own life, Sawant would love to see a wider segment of society be able to enjoy engagement with the arts. “Art should become a way of life for all,” he says, “rather than remaining a luxury for a few.”
To that end, he nurtures a dream of establishing an art museum in his hometown of Nashik through which he could encourage greater awareness of art and offer much-needed exposure to the budding artists of tomorrow. In the meantime, Sawant will continue teaching and painting, creating pieces that compel viewers to explore the still-undiscovered possibilities of meaning in representational painting.
About the Author
Contributing writer and artist Sagnik Biswas (paintpaperbrush.com) is based in Mumbai. His work has shown with the National Watercolor Society and the Bombay Art Society.
Meet the Artist
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Prafull B. Sawant (prafullsawant.com), of India, is well-known for atmospheric landscapes and cityscapes, painted en plein air. The artist is in high demand around the world as a demonstrator, workshop instructor, juror and lecturer. His work has been included in numerous international exhibitions, including prestigious invitational events in France, Russia, China, Italy, Peru, Malaysia, Türkyie and Thailand, among other countries. He has earned many awards not only for his watercolors, but also for his acrylic and oil paintings. His paintings are part of private and public collections throughout the world, and have been featured in a variety of arts publications.
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Let’s celebrate diversity! The newest challenge over at Doodle Addicts is to draw yourself, whether it be a spot-on representation or a more creative and interpretative self-portrait - every selfie is welcome.
The only requirement, you may ask? Using crayons as the primary medium.
Inspired by Crayola’s new line of products, “Colors of the World.” This new set of 24 skin tone crayons have been formulated to better represent people around the world. The new collection will be accompanied by colored pencils and markers with an upcoming release date.
Everyone is welcome to participate and upload their selfie (US and International), but make sure to read the submission guidelines to ensure you qualify to be entered to win the grand prize!
*Challenge ends November 9th at 03:00 PM EDT. See complete rules and submit work on the official challenge page.
Will Gompertz, artistic director at the Barbican arts centre in London, has been appointed the director of Sir John Soane’s Museum in a surprise move. He replaces Bruce Boucher who retires at the end of this year after almost eight years in post.
Gompertz was appointed director of arts and learning at the Barbican in March 2021, later becoming artistic director. He joined the Barbican from the BBC where he was arts editor since 2009; prior to that, he was director of Tate Media for seven years. His publications include What Are You Looking At? (2012) and Think Like an Artist (2015).
His programme at the Barbican has included Differently Various, an exhibition in The Curve (until 6 August) produced in collaboration with the brain injury charity Headway East. Earlier this year however he was drawn into an anti-Palestine censorship row when Resolve Collective accused staff at the London arts centre of censoring a talk.
In 2021, the Barbican Centre carried out an extensive staff reorganisation following the publication of a book that included more than 100 instances of alleged prejudicial behaviour at the City of London cultural venue. Gompertz was at the forefront of implementing the organisation’s anti-racism plan, telling The Times late 2021: “It’s not lost on me that I’m a white, middle-aged, middle-class man, nor that I’ve had great privilege in my life. But I can do something with that privilege, help this institution become inclusive, diverse and equitable.”
In May, in an article for The New Statesman, Gompertz was asked: “What is the greatest challenge facing the arts industry today?” He responded: “[…] it has to be cancel culture. The purpose of the arts is to question, challenge, reflect and enlighten... [With] the rallying power of social media, debate is being stifled by self-censorship and fear of disagreeing with the prevailing orthodoxy.”
Once the London home of the architect John Soane (1753-1837), the institution's eccentric interior, held in affection by many museumgoers, is packed with his eclectic collection of sculptures, paintings and curios (the British architect built, lived and worked in the tall, stately buildings that overlook Lincolns Inn Field for much of his life).
The Soane, along with the Geffrye Museum, is one of the smallest UK national museums with central government funding, attracting a record 133,785 visitors from 2022 to 2023. According to the World of Interiors, “visitors flock [to the museum] for its architectural principles, its Neoclassical design and the dazzling theatre of its objects.”
When Boucher was appointed in 2016, Guy Elliott, the then chair of trustees, said that “he is… a respected scholar whose research is very relevant to our collection”. According to the museum’s 2020 annual report, Boucher’s salary was between £80,000 and £85,000; the same year, grant-in-aid funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport totalled £1.3m.
In the 2020-21 annual review, Boucher wrote: “Anticipating a post-Covid climate of some duration, our aim is to reconcile ambition with financially sustainable funding. Whereas the dominant achievement of the previous decade was the physical renewal and restoration of the museum through the Opening up the Soane project, we want to ensure that our focus is on how we articulate, communicate and promote access to the museum and its contemporary relevance for today’s audiences and today’s world.”
A woman who worked at the front desk at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland for over a decade is being charged with the embezzlement of nearly 1 million Swiss francs ($1.15 million). The unnamed 54-year-old woman is currently being tried before a criminal court in Basel, where it has been alleged that she diverted cash from ticket sales.
Her colleagues first became suspicious in 2019, according to Spiegel. One found that tickets she had sold would later falsely show up as canceled on the box office system. The handwriting apparently matched that of the accused woman. They also claim that she would sell the same ticket twice by telling visitors that the ticket could not be printed due to a technical glitch. She would give them a receipt to show the entrance guard, and then sell the real ticket to a second customer.
According to Badisches Zeitung, a former cashier testified that in 2019 he had discovered cancellations of ticket sales under his name that were not his. A former supervisor said there had also been emergency tickets issued—this occurred between 20 to 40 times per day in 2019 during a popular Picasso exhibition.
The woman, who is not directly employed by the museum but by a service provider, had been working as a cashier at the museum from 2008 to 2019, and was a manager from 2010. The reports allege she pocketed 986,126 Swiss francs ($1.1 million). After an initial internal check carried out by the museum raised alarm bells, the service provider investigated and found evidence of wrongdoing.
Prosecutors later found that large sums of cash had been deposited into her bank account and saw significant spending on expensive clothes, travel, and cars. She allegedly purchased four cars, though she holds no drivers license, according to Badisches Zeitung.
The woman has been at court since Wednesday, and after a three-day hearing, a verdict is expected Friday. The public prosecution is asking a prison sentence of three and a half years.
The lively crowd of NPR employees standing shoulder-to-shoulder to watch Juvenile perform some of his greatest hits knew exactly what was about to happen as soon as the string players from the Louisiana Philharmonic began to set up their instruments.
“All right, before we get into it, I need all the ladies to take a stretch. Get a stretch in,” the rapper told the eager “Tiny Desk” audience while delivering one of the most raucous and rowdy performances to ever hit North Capitol Street. “We about to get real athletic in this muthafucka.”
The anticipation was palpable. The room fell dead silent as the band set up for its final song. Then, the iconic strings sent the crowd into a cheer. “The greatest love song ever wrote,” DJ Mannie Fresh said as the band blared. Juvenile went into a blistering performance of his magnum opus, “Back That Azz Up.”
The fans enjoyed the song so much that they requested an encore, a “Tiny Desk” first. He obliged, as he’s never been one to turn his fans — the people who’ve always supported his career even when it seemed like the rest of the world hadn’t — down.
“Back That Azz Up,” one of the hit singles from Juvenile’s third studio album, “400 Degreez,” will live on decades from now. As soon as fans hear the iconic bassline and strings, they know exactly what to do next. Everyone stops what they’re doing, there’s a mad dash to the dance floor and the twerking begins. Widely considered a Black party anthem, the track is still played at events to this day, remixed by several artists, including Drake, and listed as an inspiration for others.
Juvenile performs at BUKU Music and Art Project at Mardi Gras World on Friday, March 10, 2017, in New Orleans. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
“I feel like the song is just a part of history,” Megan Thee Stallion told Teen Vogue in 2020 when curating the soundtrack to her life. “Who doesn’t know ‘Back That Azz Up’?”
With the 1998 release of “400 Degreez,” Juvenile helped thrust New Orleans rap into the mainstream after the apex of the West Coast/East Coast hip-hop beef, with the album becoming the crown jewel of Cash Money and lasting as the best-selling album of his career. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the album’s release, which was certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
“When we recorded ‘400 Degreez,’ the energy was there for it to be one of those albums that was going to last from infinity and beyond,” said former Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh. “You don’t have too many songs or too many albums in hip-hop that last maybe a year, so for this to be 25 years old and still going hard …That is a blessing in itself.”
NPR’s “Tiny Desk” concert has become a must-watch for music fans of all ages since its debut in 2008. With roots in “hipster-infused indie rock,” there’s been a concerted effort over the years to infuse hip-hop into the live performances hosted at the desk of “All Songs Considered” host Bob Boilen in Washington, D.C.
More recently, fans have taken to social media to request their dream hip-hop artists they want to see on “Tiny Desk.” But despite their best hopes, some hip-hop legends either aren’t interested in performing or are not familiar with “Tiny Desk” themselves. One of the most influential rappers from the American South falls under the latter category.
When a fan asked Juvenile to appear on NPR’s live video series, he responded the only way he knew: straightforward and raw. “Wtf is a tiny desk and no,” the rapper tweeted, quickly shutting down the notion. Hundreds of Twitter users voiced their objections, fully understanding that classics like “Slow Motion,” “Rodeo,” and “Back That Azz Up” deserved a “Tiny Desk” performance.
Juvenile’s authenticity is how he carved a lane for himself in hip-hop history.
“I just wanted to make music that would connect with the culture, and we went out and did that. We’re still rocking to this day,” Juvenile said. When asked about his career, the rapper summed it up succinctly: “A lot of traveling, a lot of shows, a lot of people, a lot of jumping on stage. A lot of booty shaking.”
C Flanigan/FilmMagic/Getty
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty
For Black America, Juvenile has always felt like an underrated rap star who has never received the proper recognition for his timeless hits. In June, fans rallied for Juvenile to be added to the Essence Festival lineup in New Orleans. So when the artist came to NPR’s headquarters to record for Black Music Month with a can of his beverage “Juvie Juice” in hand, his fans claimed it as a momentous win for the culture.
Juvenile wasn’t alone for the occasion. He was assisted by fellow New Orleanian music greats Trombone Shorty, Jon Batiste and Mannie Fresh, none of whom would miss the chance to perform alongside the rapper, even if they happened to be across the Atlantic.
Batiste flew in from France, where the Grammy-winning musician and former bandleader for “Late Night with Stephen Colbert” had been rehearsing for a performance at a garden party at the residence of French President Emmanuel Macron. Performing alongside Juvenile was important to him, Batiste explained.
“When the music of that era — Juvenile, ‘400 Degreez’ — was happening in New Orleans when I was growing up, it was the most relevant export of our culture to the world that I lived through,” the 36-year-old said. “I wasn’t around for Louis Armstrong or Fats Domino, The Neville Brothers and my family, the Batiste family. I knew them. But I didn’t see it. So this was one of the biggest, most successful expressions of who we are: Raw, unvarnished, unapologetic.”
Juvenile performs during the Louisville Old School Hip Hop Festival at KFC YUM! Center on Feb. 14, 2017, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images)
Juvenile, 48, was born in New Orleans and raised in the Magnolia Housing Projects, a majority Black public housing development in Uptown that served as one of the breeding grounds for bounce music and the launch pad for the Cash Money Records label. The infamous public housing project was demolished after Hurricane Katrina, but the Magnolia Projects live on through the gritty rap birthed there. Fans can hear the influence of being raised in New Orleans public housing throughout Juvenile’s raps as he describes his life growing up, and the authenticity of his lyrics is evident.
The music video for “Ha,” Juvenile’s 1998 breakout single produced by Mannie Fresh, was shot at the Magnolia Projects. The Hot Boys, the rap group Juvenile formed alongside Lil Wayne, Turk and B.G., could be seen throughout the video with the Big Tymers: Birdman (then Baby) and Mannie Fresh. But it wasn’t simply a music video: “Ha” was a documentary, giving the world a genuine look at life for those living in the infamous housing projects.
“In the video of ‘Ha,’ when you watch, and you see the projects, and you see what’s happening, it really gave people a real look at what a part of New Orleans is. And that’s why I came to [‘Tiny Desk’ to] represent,” Batiste continued.
Some might even call the lyrics inspirational, with the chorus becoming a meme for positive affirmation: “You a paper chaser, you got your block on fire // Remaining a G, until the moment you expire // You know what it is, to make nothing outta something // You handle your biz and don’t be crying and suffering.”
Rapper Juvenile appears on MTV2's "Sucker Free Sunday" at the MTV Times Square Studios Jan. 27, 2006, in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
(L-R) Rappers Turk, Lil Wayne and Juvenile perform during the Hot Boys reunion at Lil Weezyana Festival at Champions Square on August 28, 2015, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)
Juvenile’s status as a pioneer of New Orleans rap has long been cemented. It makes perfect sense — the city is credited as the birthplace of two distinctly Black genres: jazz and rhythm & blues, and is full of influential musicians whose work inspired generations of artists.
The rapper said that popular artists like Lil Baby and Jacquees have approached him to tell him how his music inspired them over the years.
“A lot of these cats take parts and bits of what I’ve done back in my past like I did with artists that came before me, and they make their own sound with it,” Juvenile said. “And I just think it’s great, man. I like to see artists reinventing themselves and carrying on this tradition of great music.”
“In my era, we had influences, but all our influences weren’t visual, you know what I’m saying?” he continued. “They were old, to the point where they were either dead or if they was still in the city, we didn’t get opportunities to see ’em a lot.”
“When we came out, that changed for everybody. Like No Limit, Cash Money. We was actually visually in the city, and people could see us,” he explained, mentioning No Limit Records, founded by another New Orleans hip-hop legend, Master P. “That gave a lot of the new cats something to see and something to follow. My sound, just being from Uptown and doing what I did, it created this buzz. Now it’s got a whole bunch of artists using my [songs], and I’m not even mad at it.”
Cash Money Millionaires CEOs Slim (Ronald Jay Williams) and Baby (Bryan Christopher Williams) pose for photos with rapper Juvenile at WGCI-FM radio in Chicago in March 1999. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, fans are reminded of the Gen X rappers who’ve died far too early over the past several years — Black Rob, DMX, Shock G and Coolio, to name a few — none of whom reached the age of 60. That sobering fact wasn’t lost on Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.), who presented the rapper with a congressional proclamation recognizing him as “a trailblazer of the Southern style of hip hop.”
“We know that we’re celebrating 50 years of hip-hop. Now, I know you’ve all heard before when we say, ’Give people their roses while they’re living,” the congressman said in front of a sold-out crowd for Juvenile’s live performance in celebration of “400 Degreez” at the Howard Theatre in Washington. “We don’t give hip-hop nearly the stuff they deserve.”
The audience was treated to a DJ set by Mannie Fresh, and then Juvenile took the stage with a live band, performing some of his greatest hits. He ended the show with none other than his most popular track, “Back That Azz Up.” Very few songs elicit the sort of response as that classic. Seeing how the crowd reacted to the song, he performed it again.
“It’s kind of crazy knowing that it’s one of them songs where if you played it in a wedding, it will do good no matter where you at or what the age is,” Juvenile said.
“And I don’t think it ever will die, man.”
This story is part of a HuffPost series celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. See all of our coverage here.
I just love Dotun and Charity together. So I don’t want any surprises next week. I loved seeing a Nigerian family on network TV, and the family just seemed so warm and inviting to Charity in the episode. Seeing Dotun’s face light up when his parents showed up was just priceless. I was crying! Also, just really loved his grandma’s spirit. She was lighting up the whole place. It was nice to hear Dotun’s family reassure Charity that Dotun is ready to be married and is a relationship kind of guy. And then! Their evening date? With the Thunderbird and the drive-in movie with their home videos? Whew, I love them and let’s wrap this show up NOW. — Erin
Was extremely, extremely skeptical of how ABC was going to depict an actual Nigerian family on TV, as opposed to a fictional, stereotypical caricature. His parents not being there wasn’t a strong start, but it’s not unheard of for immigrant parents to visit home and just take a breather! When they popped up unexpectedly, that was super adorable; those trips involve a lot of planning and saving. Secondly, I was happy to hear that Charity had some exposure to Nigerian food, because I will never forget when Raven from “Love Is Blind” asked if she could eat fufu with a fork ... which is ... insane. (When in Rome, just do as the Romans do; it is not ludicrous to eat with your hands, please.) The bluntness of a Nigerian mother simply cannot be beat. “If you pick my son, I will whisk you to Nigeria and give you a nice wedding!” I know that’s right, Auntie! Seeing Charity shed a tear over this man ... yeah, he’s taken the top spot. The home videos were the most precious touch to close out this date. — Ruth
You CANNOT tell me these two are not cosmically meant to be together. I am so obsessed with their connection, and also I fully cried when Dotun’s mom told Charity that she already considers her a daughter. I will lose my entire mind if these two do not end up engaged at the end of this. — Alexandra
I haven’t been this into a “Bachelor” franchise couple in ... maybe ever? I loved Dotun’s family ― the way he talked about his grandma! So sweet! ― and his parents cutting their trip to Nigeria short to come back to meet Charity was an amazing surprise. (I’ll be angry on their behalf over that if she doesn’t pick him.) You could tell Charity was bracing for some hint of bad news about Dotun, but his family members’ answers couldn’t have been better if they were coached. His brother specifically mentioned that Dotun is incredibly loyal and would never cheat ― did producers slip him some notes?
And then the night date! To a drive-in movie like Charity’s parents used to go to when they were dating? To watch their memories? Part of me is scared I’m being built up for some devastation here. — Elise
I gasped when Giuseppe the poet walked out the dressing room at the Drew Barrymore Show with his package looking … like that! It was a funny little segment, especially when Drew just has her jaw on the floor but keeps trying to get through her script. However, did anyone else feel like there were just too many things happening in this episode? I would have loved one less storyline. I’m not even sure this should have been cut out because it was fun and lighthearted, but it also just felt random for a Valentine’s Day episode. — Erin
So, a little peek behind the curtain: when reporters and critics get screeners of a show, sometimes the episodes aren’t quite done yet, especially the later ones. There are visual effects, ADR, and other post-production elements that still might need to be added. So when I watched the screener for this episode a while back, the Drew segment wasn’t in here — all we could see was Charlotte watching a blank screen and reacting to it. So I was very much looking forward to seeing the final product — and it delivered (pun intended)! I agree, Erin, that there was A LOT going on in this episode. But somehow, with so many storylines, characters still get short shrift, as we talk about here, week after week. This was comedy gold, though.
Also, I’m obsessed with Anthony’s bread phone. — Marina
I’m no lawyer, but I don’t think it’s legal to fire all (or any) of your employees on the spot for taking human growth hormone. However, all of these dudes seemed bizarrely fine with being out of a job! I honestly thought they were about to unionize over the right to wear coats over their uniforms in the winter. — Lydia
Lol, a Hot Fellas union! I support their right to unionize. At the same time, I agree with Anthony that they were not the right vibe for Drew and her audience. Orange juice and juice heads, indeed, do not go together. — Marina
Loved the Drew Barrymore appearance, but obviously, there were even bigger stars this episode…sorry, bad joke…
But seriously, I thought this whole Hot Fellas ordeal was pretty amusing today. The growth hormone piece? That got a little chuckle out of me. But, Giuseppe situation on the Drew Barrymore show was totally uncalled for. — Taiyler
Drew Barrymore has expressed her love for “SATC” numerous times on her talk show, so I was thrilled that she (and, by extension, Ross Mathews) was able to make a guest appearance. The bit about Giuseppe and his, um, bread basket felt very classic “SATC” to me. His storyline with Anthony felt a bit open-ended – I wonder if he’ll be sticking around a bit for future episodes. — Curtis
A project to build a national museum of Latino history and culture is up in the air amid a dispute over the museum’s contents that has cast its funding prospects into the larger fight over the fiscal 2024 budget.
The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved an interior and environment funding bill that bans the federal government from spending any taxpayer money on the National Museum of the American Latino, part of the Smithsonian Institution, which was approved by Congress in 2020.
With zero funding for a project that’s been a core priority for many U.S. Latinos, the museum’s immediate future is now at the mercy of highly politicized budget negotiations in Congress.
“This is an unfortunate roadblock: to now be talking about zeroing out funding to the museum,” said Estuardo Rodríguez, president and CEO of the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino.
At Wednesday’s Appropriations hearing, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) introduced an amendment to restore funding to the museum that was defeated 27-33.
“The Latino community is not monolithic. We are very diverse and the fact that Republicans want to drive a stake into the heart of the Smithsonian Museum honoring the Latino culture in America is unacceptable,” wrote Espaillat on Twitter.
With Wednesday’s vote, the fight over funding the museum moved outside the committee’s reach, making it more difficult for any single legislator to reverse the action.
Before the funding fight, the Latino museum was searching for a permanent home, lobbying Congress to approve construction in one of two sites on the National Mall; a parallel push is being made to house the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, which received funding in Wednesday’s vote.
Republicans stripped the Latino museum’s funding in a dispute over its contents, vision and a gallery billed as “the first physical presence of the National Museum of the American Latino” the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History.
The Molina Gallery currently hosts the “¡Presente!” exhibit, which seeks to provide an overview of U.S. Latino history in a relatively limited space, but critics have said it reflects an ideological view, with a focus on European colonialism, forced migration and U.S. interventions in Latin America that propped up right-wing dictatorships.
The Molina Gallery’s avoidance of criticism of left-leaning totalitarian governments such as Fidel Castro’s in Cuba angered many Latinos whose communities came to the United States fleeing such regimes.
“I don’t know who did this, I don’t know if they’re Hispanic, but it’s really kind of like a racist portrayal of Hispanics. And also just trying to portray the United States as evil in every way,” said Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.), who has taken the lead in expressing GOP concerns on the issue.
Díaz-Balart’s issues with the exhibit generally mirror frictions that exist among communities that compose the broader U.S. Hispanic community.
Those differences can stem from peoples’ diverse countries of origin, reasons for migrating, length of time in the United States and other factors.
Broadly speaking, the dispute illustrates competing visions of Latino history, one anchored in the Mexican-American economic migration experience and another in the Cuban-American experience of fleeing the totalitarian regime set up in Cuba after 1959.
Hispanic identity in the United States is a diverse patchwork quilt of cultural experiences from more than 20 countries on three continents that’s created several distinct political and historical viewpoints within the community.
Díaz-Balart said the gallery’s focus on U.S. history of interventionism in Latin America and portrayal of Latinos as victims is offensive.
The gallery is named after C. David Molina and his wife, Mary Molina, the ancestors of the Molina family that funded the project.
Molina was the founder of Molina Healthcare, now a Fortune 500 company, which he started in 1980 to provide medical services to workers in Southern California.
According to detractors, the Molina Gallery shows Latinos through that Southern California lens, distorting the history of the country’s Hispanic community overall.
“For taxpayer money to be used, it’s got to be done well,” said Díaz-Balart.
“I for one have no inclination to support any entity that basically distorts the history and the reality of the Latino communities and of Latinos in the United States and then uses this as an excuse to bash, basically, the United States and make Latinos and Hispanics victims.”
But the museum’s supporters say the project can’t be judged based on one gallery’s contents.
“To hold the Smithsonian accountable to a gallery that was conceived prior to the actual bill passing in December 2020, that was conceived prior to Jorge Zamanillo ever getting the first job interview to be the director of the American Latino Museum, that’s unfair,” said Rodríguez.
Zamanillo, a Cuban-American anthropologist who headed the HistoryMiami Museum from 2016 to 2022, was appointed director of the Smithsonian Latino museum in May of 2022, barely a month before the Molina Gallery opened.
HistoryMiami, formerly the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, is a Smithsonian-affiliated institution that’s the largest historical museum in Florida.
The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on this story.
Rodríguez said he toured the Molina Gallery with members of Díaz-Balart’s staff to alleviate Republican worries about the content.
“I had a very good conversation about all of the concerns. I agreed with some of the concerns, but I also said, ‘This is 5,000 square feet. In 5,000 square feet, you’re just not going to be able to give every single exhibit the attention it deserves, right? You’re jamming 500 years of history into 5,000 square feet,'” said Rodríguez.
But Díaz-Balart said the Smithsonian has only given “lip service” to his complaints.
“I would hope that it was done right, but I’m not gonna just roll over – which is I think what they expected,” he said.
“For a long, long time, I’ve been sending every message possible. ‘Hey, folks, this is real. We have a serious problem.’ And it’s not just me, it’s not just me. So here’s where we are, and I hope that they wake up, I do. But as of now, they clearly have not.”
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