Fame (2009) is a "reinvention" (their words, not mine) of Fame, the hit movie from 1980, which follows a diverse group of students at a fictionalized version of New York City's LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts from their placement audition through to graduation. The film won two Oscars, inspired countless children of the 80s to move to NYC (ahem) and spawned a series of hit songs that are still vaguely familiar today.

So, I have to ask: do you really need to re-make a film that's less than 30 years old? They're dancing to electronic music on a taxi cab; it's not like they're doing the Charleston on a Model T Ford. It's not like it was filmed in black and white.

If you haven't caught an outdoor movie in Seattle this Summer, let me get you fresh: the scene is thriving. I would venture that it rivals the heyday of the drive-in, if not in sheer numbers then at least in kitschy-cool. A whole bunch of people park their asses in front of a big screen, eat, drink and snuggle. Laughter ensues. You're usually catching a classic or an 80s cult favorite, rather than a new release, but those of you who saw the 3 Dollar Bill Cinema presentation of the hilarious and oft-forgotten Little Darlings in Cal Anderson Park know that re-hashing the past can actually be a good thing.

All Summer long, screens of varying quality from West Seattle to Fremont to the Seattle Center have showed a plethora of films. (Or movies, or whatever you prefer to call the talking pictures.) We're talking The Godfather, Flash Gordon, The Princess Bride, E.T.and the list goes on.

Tonight, Redhook Moonlight Cinema in Woodinville not only boasts your old pals Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte, but also free massages for ladies and chances to win luxury raffle prizes. This particular event is 21+. Movie begins at dusk. More info here.

Oh and commenters, I'll save you the trouble: Woodinville is just off of 522! Now let's get out there and prove that Summer isn't over, not yet, not ever.

"Constant forward movement," is the key concept for this kind of music—a kind of ADHD for the bleeding-edge set. The hardcore continuum's artists and followers possess a voracious appetite for the next novel texture/rhythm/bass sound/vocal tic/genre mashup, no matter how infinitesimal the new wrinkle may be. Even as Reynolds is lecturing, some of his words are becoming outdated, as tomorrow's Burials and Rusties are concocting fresh sonic tropes.

ht: backspin_demon via Twitter

Napster.

I love you Shane. Today and forever.

I still have to scrub the bathroom tonight, though, if you think you've got a better idea.

You're welcome.

TMZ has the scoop:

For the second time in 9 months, Suge Knight got his face punched in—and the alleged ass-beater claims to be Akon's business manager.

It all went down in a private party at the W Hotel in Scottsdale, AZ where Suge was attending a private party for NBA All-Star weekend. Cops say they were called to the scene by hotel security who warned about a brewing fight between two groups in the VIP area. According to the Scottsdale PD website, when cops arrived, they saw a man punch the victim—aka Suge—"two times in the head."

The suspect, Robert Carnes Jr., was charged with one count of felony aggravated assault—they ruled it a felony "due to the severity of the victim's injuries"...According to the Scottsdale PD, "Carnes reported to officers that he is employed as the business manager for singer 'Akon.'" Suge was transported to a local hospital and treated for facial injuries.

UPDATE: Akon's publicist released the following statement about Robert Carnes Jr., the guy accused of beating Suge's ass: "He is not Akon's business manager, David Bolno is. He is with Akon's camp."

Don't miss TMZ's slideshow of photos of a knocked-out Suge—it's more gratifying than I ever imagined.

In the ten years that I’ve known Erin Tate, he’s always had a penchant for R&B and hiphop. As drummer for Minus The Bear, that penchant manifested itself in four-on-the-floor beats and a high-hat with a souped-up tempo. Granted, he’ll espouse the virtues of Monorchid and Mahavishnu Orchestra, but he’ll speak of D’Angelo and Cash Money Millionaires with the same degree of reverence.

One : Fifteen, the “neo-soul” project featuring Tate and fellow Bear bandmate Alex Rose, features the kind of auto-tuned vocals and synchopated booty beats you’d hear at KUBE’s Summer Jam. And while the music conjures the exaggerated sugary machismo of R. Kelly and T-Pain, the endeavor is far more homage than parody.

Summer is still a ways off, but One : Fifteen is a solid soundtrack to many a backyard BBQ.

One : Fifteen — Yo Style

One : Fifteen (feat. P.O.S.) - Saturday

Music and culture site The Quietus presents It's a Question of Mime: The Quietus' Album Cover Quiz Game, in which a pair of men in leotards silently recreate classic album covers. Good luck!

(Thanks for the tip, Metafilter.)

However, the article I wrote about Mad Rad this week does not address two big issues: the first concerns their curious relationship with local hiphop, and the second concerns sexism.

For the first: I maintain that a rap group like Mad Rad (a group that makes meta-hiphop) can only exist in a healthy hiphop environment. Their appearance on the scene is proof that it is a thriving scene. Mad Rad is the afterparty of local hiphop.

Now what about the sexism? One woman wrote this to me:

the first (and only, really) time i saw them i was really bummed. their music is exciting and refreshing and good, but three white kids from seattle rapping about how women need to pop their pussies? it was too much to handle. are you sure that "abandoning reality" isn't just a way to excuse their sexism in the face of their talent?

This is a difficult question to answer. So many points to make. I will give it some thought in a later post.