APRIL 25, 2018 VOLUME 102 ISSUE 28
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NEWS
It’s movie night at the Thad!
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FEATURES
DAMN - Kendrick Lamar wins big.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Pentatonix’s new album is aca-awesome.
serving southern miss since 1927
Hattiesburg named third most visited city in MS Lanie Leach printz reporter
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is known to many by its nickname, “the Hub,” which stems from its proximity to the coast, Jackson and New Orleans. Hattiesburg has recently acquired a new nickname as the third most visited city in Mississippi. “This kind of shocks me just because I have lived here my whole life, and I often forget how unique of a city Hattiesburg truly is,” Hattiesburg native and freshman exercise science major Hadley Fortenberry said. With Southern Miss at its center, Hattiesburg has become “a hub for growth.” With so many activities and opportunities open to a range of individuals, there is no question as to why Hattiesburg is such an attraction. It is possible for just about anyone to go see a new genre of music almost on any given night in Hattiesburg. Executive Director of Visit Hattiesburg Marlo Dorsey credits Hattiesburg’s music scene for the city’s diverse appeal. She told the “Mississippi Business Journal” that Hattiesburg
is open so many different music genres because it is a university town. “We have a lot of new elements to enhance our local culture. What we’ve seen is a renaissance of music,” Dorsey said. Music has become such a big part of Hattiesburg’s nightlife scene, many college students in particular enjoy seeing bands at local bars. A favorite among many students is The Prom Knights, a band native to Hattiesburg. Music is not the only thing that brings people to Hattiesburg. Many local shops, including The Lucky Rabbit, are very good at bringing in people from all around. “I love going to the Lucky Rabbit weekends to see what’s going on,” senior marketing major Michelle Le said. “The limited edition T-shirt’s always get me. I love exploring downtown’s little bakeries and shops too. I love T-Bones’ coffee and desserts.” The Lucky Rabbit is a locally owned business that sells a variety of vintage items and is only open once a month. These limited openings allow for many patrons to schedule time to travel to Hattiesburg. Food is also a great way to bring
people together – or in this case, down to Hattiesburg. It’s a nice alternative to the traditional coffee shops on campus,” Le said. Many popular restaurants include T-Bones, which doubles as a record store, and Ed’s Burger Joint. T-Bones entices students with a variety of offerings to come to their store. Students come to study, eat, buy records, listen to new music, stand-up or poetry. “It’s a nice alternative to the traditional coffee shops on campus,” Le said. The food in Hattiesburg comes in quite a variety. You can find hole-in-the-wall sushi restaurants like Sakura, or even smaller coffee shops with a fantastic food menu like The Depot. More activities for families, couples, friends and people of all ages can enjoy include going to Kamper Park, the Hattiesburg Zoo or even walking around the revamped Downtown Hattiesburg area. The zoo is home to more than 100 different animal species, including two golden eagles. Downtown Hattiesburg recently passed a Go Cup ordinance, which allows people to walk within the designated district with alcoholic
Gabrielle Williams, Printz Photo taken in Downtown Hattiesburg. beverages at events like Live at Five – a free event held weekly. This event caters to all ages and is sponsored by local businesses. “Hattiesburg is a melting pot that keeps on growing, and it’s
going to be on a list of ‘must visits’ in the near future,” Le said. “[Hattiesburg is] a natural overnight stay. We’re not just a stop; we’re a significant stop,” Dorsey said.
Record Store Day a success for the eleventh year Caleb McCluskey printz reporter
Mik Davis, record store manager for T-Bones, said that people were lined up at six in the morning waiting for the café to open so they could get their hands on abundant exclusive records that were released for the special day. “It is good to see people come in,” Davis said. Davis said the store got people from first time visitors to their loyal customers to come enjoy the atmosphere and music this event has. “It is great to see [Record Store Day] expand and grow over the years – that [it] can still bring in new people, as well as, regulars who have been here since the beginning.” “The width and the breath of the event has expanded dramatically,” Davis said. “There was a moment when [T-Bones] was the only record store participating [in Record Store Day] in Mississippi.” “There are now three record stores in the state that participate,” Davis said. “That really says something for this ongoing vinyl trend that everyone studies and talks about. Every year it is the same cycle. It is crazy trying to get all the [records and merchandise] in the system, trying to align the planets
Caleb McCluskey, Printz DJ Todd Tomorrow on the turn tables for Record Store Day at T-Bones. and put [the event] together, but when you walk outside and see the line of people here and talk to them, you get a surge of adrenaline that makes it all worth doing.” The purpose of Record Store Day is to celebrate independent record stores across the world.
Davis said T-Bones takes pride in being one of the many independent stores that participates in the global celebration. Irwin Nelson, sophomore biological science major, said that the appeal of records is having something tangible. He discovered
T-Bones through the event and has gone to Record Store Day at T-Bones for the last four years. “[Record Store Day] is a great excuse to have fun,” Nelson said. “It’s become a tradition to come to T-Bones on Record Store Day.” “We are in the business of
helping people find music, so a day dedicated to that is a day where we really get to overemphasize the things we love about records, bring in DJs and put [items] on sale that we normally could not afford to,” Harry Crumpler, owner of T-Bones, said. “We try to make it as much a reward for customers as a celebration because they are why we are here.” “You cannot deny the convenience of streaming, but when I am at home and critically listening or [maximizing] enjoyment of a record that means a lot to me, it has to be vinyl,” Crumpler said. “Streams sound good and get you through traffic or when you are just checking it out, but to hear the sound come out of a couple speakers on a turntable is a rare gift and it encourages people to listen to the music instead of just playing it,” Davis said. “In this day and age, music is great, but it is omnipresent and easy to be taken for granted, but vinyl for the most part is not to be taken for granted because it is an experience,” Davis said. “[Records] are tactical. You are reading, looking at things and listening intently to things trying to hear things you’ve never heard before.”
APRIL 25, 2018 ANDREW ABADIE
Assistant Sports Editor andrew.abadie@usm.edu
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KAITLYN WATKINS
SARAH ANNE SCHLOEMER
ALYSSA BASS
DEVON DOLLAR
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KYLE WILLIAMS
CARLTON MCGRONE
CAMERON CUMMINS
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Executive Editor kaitlyn.watkins@usm.edu Managing Editor alyssa.bass@usm.edu News Editor nate.schumann@usm.edu Entertainment Editor carlton.mcgrone@usm.edu Design Editor jhaimee.bullock@usm.edu Social Media Editor ashley.hobson@usm.edu
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The Southern Miss Activities Council in partnership with the SGA Freshmen Associates invite the campus community to attend its annual Crawfish Fest to be held on Friday, April 27, from 4-7 p.m. on Centennial Green.
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OPINIONS
EDITORIAL POLICY The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
Joe Paul Student Theater set to open Fall 2018 Lanie Leach printz reporter
The Joe Paul Student Theater is set to open for business in the fall of 2018. Located on the second floor of the Thad Cochran Center, the multipurpose theater has been under construction for quite some time. “I think the new theater was a smart investment for Southern Miss. A lot of people are looking for safe and clean fun on the weekends, and I think Southern Miss will be surprised at how much interest they get,” junior biology major Grace Eden said. The decision to create the theater was made during the 1990s when plans for building the Thad Cochran Center were underway. When the Thad Cochran Center was completed in 2006, the Joe Paul Student Theater had been deemed as a different phase of construction. Funding for the student theater came from the $35 Capital Improvement Fee students pay every term, according to Amber D. Sumrall, Sales and Marketing Manager for the Event and Conference Services at Southern Miss. The Southern Miss Activities Council will be in charge of what will be happening in the theater once it opens. Student organizations, departments and other groups will be competing to reserve the space at competitive rental rates. “[The theater] is equipped to
Blair Ballou, Printz The Joe Paul Student Theater will open for business in Fall 2018. show movies, with a seating capacity of 324, state of the art digital cinema projector technology, a 31foot screen, and Dolby Surround Sound, but will also be available for keynote presentations, panels, and small entertainment acts and performers, such as comedians and magicians,” Sumrall said. “The
theater will have the capability to live stream video and audio of events to other rooms in the facility for overflow, as well as the ability to live stream content on the internet.” “I think the theater is pretty cool, because sometimes I don’t feel like paying $40 to watch a movie and
get popcorn, so having a theater on campus will be really nice,” freshman graphic design major Emilee Hoang said. Although attendees will be required to pay a nominal fee for entry and concessions, Sumrall said this is because of high movie licensing fees.
The theater is named after former Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Joe Paul. Paul retired from his position as Vice President of Student Affairs in June 2015 but returned to campus to strengthen relationships and raise funds for the betterment of the Southern Miss community. “At an event to honor Dr. Paul’s career and retirement, University President Rodney D. Bennett announced that the student theater would be named in his honor. Now, a fundraising initiative through the USM Foundation seeks to establish a scholarship endowment to honor Dr. Paul and meet his challenge to ‘Leave Southern Miss better than you found it,’ Sumrall said. Sumrall said the endowment will assist those who are “significantly engaged” in leadership roles at Southern Miss. Alumni who were student leaders during their time at Southern Miss also have a chance to be recognized in the Joe Paul Theater. “Contributions in the amount of $1,000 provide the opportunity to have your name, class year and affiliation listing of your choice displayed on the back of one of the 324 chairs in the Joe Paul Student Theater,” Sumrall said. “A gift of $5,000 provides the opportunity to have your name, class year and accomplishments prominently displayed on a ‘Wall of Fame’ outside the Joe Paul Student Theater.” For more information on how to contribute to the endowment, contact the USM Foundation.
Congratulations to the 2017-2018 Student Awards Day Recipients Hall of Fame
Leave It Better Than You Found It Award Joy Netzhammer
Carrie Anne Bounds Caroline S. Bradley Jacob Garrett Karis Hill Aerial Holmes Kayla Hubbard Franky Lopez Carlee Welch-Dick
Barbara Ross Gold Leaf Scholarship
Outstanding Freshmen
SGA Officers 2017-2018
Sumar M. Beauti Andrea Boykin Erik Cebrian Sarah Chappell Kelsi Ford Tyler T. Lewis Raymond Powell Samuel Sumrall Carley Williams
Most Outstanding Freshmen Jourdan L. Green Joshua C. Williams
Best Citizens
Maggie Dickerson Picasso Chevaz Nelson Jr.
Joe Paul 1910 Scholarship Award Ian Brant Vowell Corai Jackson
Phi Kappa Phi Silver Bowl Ariel Patience Elliott
Cameron Cloud, President McKenna Stone, Vice President Kayla Hubbard, Attorney General Henry Bruebaker, Election Commissioner Brooks Rhaim, Treasurer
SGA Officers 2018-2019
McKenna Stone, President Corai Jackson, Vice President Lauren Gaudet, Attorney General Katie Rogers, Election Commissioner Matthew Keller, Treasurer
Judge R.J. Bishop Mississippian Award Derrick Dyess
Who’s Who Among Students At Southern Miss
Carrie Anne Bounds Jessica Bourgeois Caroline R. Bradley Caroline S. Bradley Gabrielle Chamoun Delaney Clouse Maggie Dickerson Samantha Eshleman Krista Friedlein Jacob Garrett Samuel Gearhart Victoria Gieger Karis Hill Aerial Holmes John Hood Kayla Hubbard Ebonee Jackson Morgan Jackson Terrie Jackson Rodnecia Joiner Courtney King
Alexis Le Harrison Livingston Franky Lopez Benjamin Luckett Hunter Martin Michael McDonald Jordan McHenry Janay Morgan Joy Netzhammer Janine Nowak Anna Peel Kijana Potee Gillian Purser Maya Rex Jesse Robinson Taylor Smith Ashton Vice Breneesha Washington Carlee Welch-Dick Rachel Williamson Henry Woodyard
APRIL 25, 2018
Superman reaches record-breaking landmark Nate Schumann news editor
On April 18, 1938, DC Comics, then called National Comics, published “Action Comics” #1. This historic issue was the first appearance of Superman, who has become one of the most iconic superheroes in pop culture history. Since then, Superman has frequented “Action Comics” regularly until he became the title’s central character. On April 18, 2018, exactly 80 years later, DC Comics released “Action Comics” #1,000. This landmark issue makes “Action” the first American comic book to reach 1,000 issues. In recognition of the milestone that lined up with Superman’s 80-year anniversary, DC Comics arranged for “Action Comics” #1,000 to be an 80page super-sized issue. The issue is filled with multiple stories written and drawn by a variety of DC’s top writers and artists – including Geoff Johns, Scott Snyder, Marv Wolfman, Tom King, Paul Dini, Jim Lee, Patrick Gleason, Curt Swan and more. Dan Jurgens, who had been charged with writing “Action Comics” since the “Rebirth” initiative began in 2016,
is heading the first story in the 1,000th issue. The issue’s final story is written by renown comic writer Brian Michael Bendis, who recently left Marvel and signed a contract with DC to write all of Superman’s current titles. This issue marks his first in a long line of upcoming Superman stories. DC published “Action Comics” #1,000 with over three dozen cover options. In addition to the milestone issue, DC published and released “Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman” on the same day as “Action” 1,000. The work is a collection of the most iconic Superman stories found within “Action Comics” throughout the past 80 years. The collection was edited by longtime editor and former DC Comics president Paul Levitz. “[Action Comics is] really almost inarguably the most important comic book,” Levitz said in an interview with The Washington Post. “It’s wonderful fun to be able to look back on anything that has so rich a history and say, how do I curate essentially an exhibit of how the culture has evolved.” To further celebrate Superman’s anniversary, DC Comics is hosting
a sweepstakes, giving fans an opportunity to win collection of the following prizes: Superman-themed action figures, statues, Injustice 2 console game, Justice League movie on Blu-ray, a copy of “Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman Deluxe Edition” and one copy of each variant of “Action Comics” #1,000 – totaling 41 comics. The “DC Action Comics #1000 Sweepstakes!” began on the issue’s release date April 18 and will be open until May 21 this year. Any U.S. resident 13 years old or older may enter. While these landmark events may be international news, their effects can be felt locally in Hattiesburg. Justin Adcock, owner and manager of Bombshell Comics in Hattiesburg, said that the 1,000th issue was “huge.” Expecting a large turnout, Adcock ordered four times his usual supply of “Action Comics” for the 1,000th issue, and he still sold out of copies by around 1 p.m. on its release date last Wednesday. Adcock has ordered additional copies of #1,000 and will have more available soon for a limited time. Adcock said that many non-regular customers came in to buy this historic
Nate Shumann, Printz Hattiesburg resident Trip Gillespie picks up both Superman milestones. issue. As an extra bonus for his regular customers who subscribe to his store, Adcock held a special giveaway event, where subscribers got to reach into a bowl of tickets and take home an issue of “Action Comics” that corresponded with the ticket number. Adcock gave away issues from several decades of DC history. Hattiesburg resident and long-time
comic reader Trip Gillespie picked up both “Action Comics” #1,000 and the 80-Year anniversary collection. Gillespie said that he and his wife had looked at the many covers for “Action Comics” #1,000 the night before to decide which ones they wanted to buy. “I’ve been a Superman fan since I was a kid. I grew up watching ‘Super Friends,’” Gillespie said. “I had to get [these books].”
Wild Frames take a walk on the wild side Caleb McCluskey printz reporter
Referring to themselves as surf, psychedelic and garage rock, Wild Frames held a listening party at The Thirsty Hippo on April 21 to celebrate the release of their debut self-titled album. Jessie Vasser, guitarist for Wild Frames, said they recorded the album in one night when they heard their original bassist, Jesse Spears, was moving to Washington the following week. Vocalist for Wild Frames Leeann Rogers said that the recording was not as bad on her voice as she had anticipated and that she was proud of the final product. Rogers said her persona is strongly influenced by the B-52s and “Club Kids” from the 90s. “I just like to get dressed up [and] not be the regular me, but the elevated or party version of myself,” Rogers said. “Sometimes I need to break out and not live the normal life. I just want to be freaky and weird.” “I enjoy doing my makeup, hair and costume designs. It is a labor of love for me,” Rogers said. “I can’t wait to get dressed up. It is just like play time for me.” “[Rogers] not only sings and dances, but she also comes to every show with a new costume. You never know what she will show up wearing.” Brittney Purvis, who runs the merchandise table for Wild Frames said. “Everyone wants to be a rock star, but I don’t want to learn to play an instrument, so I hangout with people who play.” Rogers said the band’s motivation could be boiled down to one sentence: “We want to have fun, and we want other people to have fun.” “I just want to escape my everyday grind. I wanted a designated party time where I could lose my mind for a minute,”
Caleb McCluskey, Printz William Bird and Ryan Locklear of Wild Frames performing at the Thirsty Hippo. Rogers said. “I want to give that to other people. I don’t want it to just be mine, but a collective community experience.” Rogers makes party favors before the show such as yarn monsters, streamers and many other small toys. She often throws them into the crowd and by the end of the night the crowd is playing with
her in the shared experience she mentioned. “[The band] is very talented. I like their reverb sound. It is kind of vintage, but they put their own spin on it.” Will Walters, junior hospitality and tourism management major, said. “I love all of their costumes and overall aesthetic.”
Wild Frames members are in a plethora of other bands in Hattiesburg. William Bird, Drummer for Wild Frames, is also the drummer for Goth Dad, another prominent band in the Hattiesburg music scene. Bird said it is nice to interchange styles between bands. “I am not anchored into one type of music, and it gives
me more freedom,” Bird said. “I think that [playing in multiple bands] gives you a chance to hone a sound with each individual band. That way, when you have a certain musical genre itch, you can work them out with another band and not push it into a band that doesn’t work” Vasser said.
APRIL 25, 2018
Father-son relationship explored in ‘God of War’ Carlton McGrone entertainment editor
Killing Norse gods, vanquishing ice giants and learning to be a better father are some of the many facets that players will experience in the next “God of War.” As the game gives a better look at the infamous revenge-seeker Kratos, never-before-seen depths for the series are reached. Evolving from its gory straight-forward gameplay to a dynamic, beautiful piece of text, “God of War” is simply amazing and will undoubtedly be a strong contender for Game of the Year in December. As a sequel to the critically acclaimed “God of War III,” “God of War” also serves as a soft-reboot of the franchise. However, besides having the main character in common, this game may as well be a completely different series. The combat has been completely revamped and altered to better suit the modern era of gaming with harsh, heavy strikes and skill trees to introduce RPG elements to the series. The story has also been almost completely overhauled, relocating Kratos to an entirely new location unlike anything he or players have faced before. “God of War” continues the story of Kratos, a once-human Spartan that sought revenge on the Greek gods for their wrongdoings against him. After dying on multiple occasions, meeting and killing several gods and significant Greek figures, traveling through time and bringing a second war between the titans and gods of Greece, Kratos can
hardly be referred to as a human. After taking the throne as the new God of War in the events of the original trilogy, Kratos attempted to take his life only to go into hiding with his wife. The new “God of War” picks up several years later. Kratos is now a father and his wife has just passed away. Now, Kratos and his son Atreus must trek the treacherous mountains of Midgard to place his wife’s ashes at the base of a chosen tree. Needless to say, Kratos and Atreus are soon swept into trivial disputes between the Norse gods, putting Kratos in another position to wage his wrath against unkillable immortals. Upon the game’s announcement, fans of the beloved series were shocked by the incredibly unfamiliar gameplay and enhanced graphics. As the past games were released on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3, these highlyrealistic graphics brought the series into unmanned territories, but the change was well welcomed. “God of War” obviously pushes the PlayStation 4 to its limits with its unbelievably stunning graphics and smooth gameplay. Each texture is stunningly realistic from the massive Nordic beards to the winter foliage that often sparks with flames. “God of War” also leaves behind the repetitive, gory hack-and-slash gameplay for more realistic combat. As opposed to his chained blades, Kratos now sports an enchanted battle axe that he can throw and recall at his will. With this change, the camera is also over-the-shoulder third person rather
than the series’ traditional zoomed out camera. As stated by the developers, this change was meant to further immerse players into Kratos’ environments so that each bloody punch can hold as much emotional impact to the player as they do to Kratos. This new perspective on the world surrounding Kratos also allows for a much more impactful story that, arguably, may be the only story the series has seen. Released in early 2005, the original “God of War” was very much a product of its time. It had a very simple story that players could skip and still retain the gist of Kratos’ motives. In this new iteration, however, the game’s story is where receives most, if not all, of its praise. “From both a story and gameplay perspective, ‘God of War’ has grown up, turning the mindless hack and slash series into something with more thought and strategy than any game in the series that’s come before,” Chaim Gartenberg said in an article on The Verge. “The new ‘God of War’ game does something I thought was impossible: it made me care about Kratos,” The Verge reporter Andrew Webster said in his review of the game. “With a body count that is impossible to calculate, does Kratos even deserve redemption? Shockingly, his latest adventure makes a pretty strong case that he does.” The praise for Kratos’ actual growth has been phenomenal and widely agreed upon. The bond he forms with his son while both of our heroes are reeling from the loss of Kratos’ wife is
Courtesy Photo both beautiful and painfully realistic. Kratos and Atreus quarrel and bicker as if they weren’t in constant danger, but several times Kratos shows his soft side, wanting to comfort his son but knowing that this comfort will only make him a weaker man in a world where Atreus will be hunted by gods. “The relationship between the two is a key part of the maturation of Kratos as a character,” Webster said in another article on The Verge. “In previous games, he was entirely one-dimensional,
a being consumed by rage, out to avenge the death of his family. But here, he’s actively trying - albeit often struggling to be a more understanding person so that he can in turn help to shape Atreus into someone better than himself.” The many perfect scores that “God of War” has acquired demonstrate that it has become a revolutionary game for the series. Standing as a stellar addition to this franchise, “God of War” will undoubtedly reshape the medium of telling stories through video games.
Kendrick Lamar awarded Pulitzer Prize for music Lanie Leach printz reporter
At the young age of 30, Kendrick Lamar received the Pulitzer Prize for Music. The prestigious award was in response to Lamar’s latest album “DAMN.” “‘DAMN.,’ a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life,” the Pulitzer Prize website said. A rapper from Compton, California, Lamar raps about growing up in the notorious city, deeming himself “Compton’s human sacrifice” in his song “m.A.A.d city.” Lamar has a very large following, but not everyone can truly understand his music, believing that “you can’t spell crap without rap.” Many people believe that Lamar was undeserving of his win by saying things on the internet such as, “As if pop doesn’t have enough awards already,” and “[“DAMN.”] is incoherent, nasal yakking over a migraine inducing throb. The Pulitzer has lost all meaning,” according to the “Los Angeles Times” reporter Randall Roberts. This is not the first time Lamar received hate for his music. Just think back to his performance at the NCAA National Championship. Older generations were berating him on Facebook, but this is simply because they were unable to understand Lamar’s music. One of the most astounding things about Lamar receiving this award is that the award has never
been given to a “mainstream” artist, let alone a rapper. The award has only been given 67 times since the award was created in 1943 and was strictly given to artists in the jazz or classical fields. Another critique of Lamar winning the prize according to Roberts is the fact that he did so “without studying in a conservatory, mastering an acoustic instrument or composing an opera.” All of which have been done by previous winners. “I think that [Lamar’s win] is a big moment for both hip-hop and for the Pulitzer Prizes, one that we’re very proud of,” Dana Canedy, the new administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, said. “Obviously, this is not a genre we’ve seen celebrated before, so that in that sense it’s historical, and we’re glad to have made that happen.” “[Lamar’s] ability to capture the essence of black life, at its most minute, is also what makes “DAMN.” a great piece of journalism,” Huffington Post writer Julia Craven said. “The album chronicles the black struggle in real time, which makes listening to a Lamar album as satisfying as reading the works of Ida B. Wells or James Baldwin. His music, like the best journalism, is rooted in the moment and grounded in historical significance - like “King Kunta,” an oxymoronic ode to his life as a wealthy black man in America. “DAMN.” is a comprehensive explanation of the black struggle today that deserves its spot in the history books.” Courtesy Photo
APRIL 25, 2018
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‘Top Pop, Vol. 1’ will make you an a cappella fan Carlton McGrone entertainment editor
Short, sweet and packed with the latest pop hits, Pentatonix’s newest album “Top Pop Vol. 1” not only made me a bigger fan of the incredible art that is a cappella, but it also made me a fan of Pentatonix. Despite my deep affinity for oncehit movie franchise “Pitch Perfect,” picking up an album created by YouTube sensation and a cappella group Pentatonix was more than a simple task. For one, the group is usually known for its covers of classic Christmas tunes that may have been popular years earlier. There was also always the hesitation of becoming invested in yet another music group with no prior knowledge of each member’s personality or motivation for singing, but Pentatonix was able to tap into my not-so-secret love: current pop. Like most young musical stars that seem to appear out of thin air, Pentatonix is a Grammy awardwinning group that got its start on YouTube in 2007. From there, Pentatonix won the a cappella competition “The Sing-Off ” in its third season. After being signed, the
group released its debut EP, “PTX, Volume 1,” in 2012, and was met with overwhelming positivity. Going back to their older music, I can definitely see where the appeal stemmed from. Casually watching the group’s success from my uninterested corner, Pentatonix became successful because of the raging success of “Pitch Perfect,” a movie I will firmly defend as a great film. Riding the high of this film, the release of Pentatonix’s first album focused on basic and overplayed songs that I maybe listened to a few times, namely: Nicki Minaj’s “Starships” and “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Goyte. There are also several original songs that do nothing for me in terms of their “wow” factors. Despite my personal gripes, “PTX, Volume 1” was met with stellar reviews and for good reason. Put frankly, their voices sound great separately, and when placed together they make incredibly unique sounds that seemed almost impossible at my first listen. Though, the group hit a particularly stale path when it decided to start crafting Christmas albums. Possibly the most boring of all musical genres, Christmas song
covers are almost always extremely well done while also being incredibly drab. This topic was even visited and parodied in “Pitch Perfect 2” when Snoop Dogg’s producer was desperately searching for a new sound for Christmas jingles rather than the same played-out thing. Yes, those movies only became weirder as they went on. Pentatonix currently has two Christmas albums, and both of them are as lackluster as any artist that decides to cover decades-old songs. Arriving at the group’s most recent release, “PTX Presents: Top Pop Vol. I” represents everything that the group has been building up to. Although, it may be completely possible that I enjoy it because there happens to be plenty of songs that I have come to love on the album. Starting with a massive surprise favorite “Attention” by Charlie Puth and ending with Demi Lavoto’s iconic “Sorry Not Sorry,” the range of their voices hold nothing back and stuns me with every repeated listen. Though there may be a few songs that I could live without – Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” and the incredibly awful “Despacito” – I can finally say that I have joined the Pentatonix family.
Courtesy Photo
‘Action Comics’ #1,000 presents Superman stories Nate Schumann news editor
“Action Comics” #1,000 was a landmark issue for DC Comics. As such, DC went all-out and had the issue be an 80-page giant, a number that coincides with this issue also marking Superman’s 80th anniversary. The issue is filled with stories written and drawn by a variety of DC’s top creative talent. The first story, “From the City Who Has Everything,” was both written and drawn by Dan Jurgens, who had been writing “Action Comics” since the 2016 “Rebirth” initiative. The story is about the city of Metropolis, the town Superman lives in, hosting a celebratory event in honor of “Superman Day.” Superman himself says he does not like these types of events because he does not save people to be recognized. He is not a gloryhog. His wife Lois and son Jon have him listen to the people at the press conference give testimonies of how Superman personally affected their lives and how grateful they are. Lois convinces Superman that this ceremony is not for him. Instead, it is for the countless people who have been inspired by his presence and heroic acts. This story is quite meta, as the people in the story also reflect the many readers who cherish Superman and who are honoring him on his 80-year anniversary. In addition, a crowd of heroes appear at the end of the story. They likewise thank Superman because, as they say, there is a very high chance none of them would “be here” without him. “Be here,” in this context means from an in-universe perspective that they would not be heroes without his inspiring them to do so since Superman is one of the first heroes to openly reveal him/ herself to the public. The words also
mean that they as fictional characters likely would not exist had it not been for Superman’s existence sparking a public appreciation for superheroes and thereby allowing comic books as a whole to succeed. While the first story of the milestone issue was written by “Action Comics”’ writer up to this point, the last story was written by Brian Michael Bendis, who will be writing the comic from here onward for the time being. The placement of the two stories is symbolic of Jurgens passing on the “Action” torch to Bendis. In Bendis’ story, “The Truth,” which was drawn by Jim Lee, Bendis has Superman (and Supergirl) getting their butts handed to them in battle by a new villain named Rogol Zaar, who claims to be the one responsible for Krypton’s destruction. This revelation, if proven true, will monumentally change Superman’s history by adding another layer to his origin. This story will be continued in Bendis’ first major Superman story arc in a self-contained miniseries called “Man of Steel.” Each “Man of Steel” issue will be released weekly instead of the standard monthly so that fans can conclude this story and dive into further Bendis Superman stories as Bendis takes over both “Action Comics” and “Superman.” As another noteworthy happenstance in Bendis’ story here, two civilians talk about how Superman now has his red trunks again. He has been without them since the 2011 reboot changed the design of his uniform. Some fans have awaited their return – because, like the civilians in the story say, “He doesn’t look like Superman without the shorts.” The stories in-between Jurgen’s first and Bendis’ last also offered some interesting and inspirational moments.
Nate Shumann, Printz Compilation of “Action Comics” 1000 covers.
APRIL 25, 2018
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Devon Dollar, Printz Starbucks across the country will close on May 29 for racial-bias training.
Starbucks enacts May 29 as a day for racial bias training Will Veazey printz reporter
Starbucks will close more than 8,000 stores on May 29 for racial bias training. The closing comes as a reaction to the event on April 12 in which two African American men, Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, were arrested at a Starbucks for “lingering” too long, according to the manager. In reality, the men had merely arrived for a business meeting early at 4:35 p.m. allegedly. One of the men stood up to ask if he could use the restroom, and the manager declined, stating
that he and his partner had not purchased anything. The man sat back down, and moments later the manager called the police. The call was made only two minutes after the men allegedly arrived. The police arrived on the scene at 4:40 p.m. Backup was called by the first responders, and seven officers total came to the scene. The men were hauled off the premises in handcuffs and imprisoned after the police said that the men were causing a “disturbance.” Surveillance video from within the Starbucks received widespread backlash with many calling for
Starbucks to be boycotted. Over 60 fraternity brothers of Nelson and Robinson gathered at Starbucks to protest. Kevin Johnson, CEO of Starbucks, deemed this event “reprehensible” and has since declared May 29th a day to be utilized specifically for racial bias training. Many are deeming this response as “woke capitalism” or an attempt for Starbucks to revive their public image instead of taking real steps to make a difference. Of course this is true; however, I very much prefer this route to what we have seen in the past. More often than
not, CEOs or spokesmen of major companies undergoing scandals will treat these happenings as isolated events, saying things like, “This would never happen anywhere else, this is absolutely not indicative of us.” In reality, these events are never isolated, and that approach is what allows racism and other horrible things to maintain its foothold. I’m not saying that Starbucks’ response is going to definitively defeat racism altogether. However, they are absolutely making the best call possible. Some people need to be taught why racial biases are wrong. It isn’t enough for people
to figure it out on their own. There needs to be racial bias training for all companies to ensure that employees don’t hurt someone or their company’s reputation. The move to create a day for employees to learn about racial biases has gotten shot down by many already. Citing the notion of “woke capitalism” makes any moral thing they do obsolete. However, it should be a requirement of all employees of every company to be trained to understand racial biases, so they will be able to recognize them not only within themselves and in others.
APRIL 25, 2018
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Spring game highlights new faces of the offense Andrew Abadie
assistant sports editor The Southern Miss football team’s Black and Gold Spring Game created more questions than answers. Despite a 15-point second half, the Gold team walked away with a 20-15 win over the Black team. Many questions surround the offense as there is a variety of pieces that have yet to find their place. Quarterbacks: Junior transfer Jack Abraham had a strong spring training but had a poor outing at the spring game itself. Heading into the spring game Abraham looked to be the favorite to earn the starting job come fall, but his performance in the spring game left questions. Abraham was 10-for16 throwing for 103 yards and an interception. Junior Keon Howard had an average spring season but had a successful spring game where he threw 10-for-15 for 105 yards and ran for another 47 yards. However, a difference maker could have been the talent that surrounded each team as Howard had a strong receiving corps and a better offensive line on the day. To add to the complicated question of quarterback for a second season, last year’s senior starter Kwadra Griggs missed the entire spring season. So it is safe to say the quarterback position is nowhere close to being decided. Running backs: Senior Stephen Anderson has emerged as a new name to learn in the running back group. For most his career at Southern Miss, Anderson
has been listed as a quarterback. However, at 6’2 and 242-pounds Anderson moved to running back where his role will simple, to pound the ball and come in on third and short situations. Anderson filled that role well in the spring game on a one-yard touchdown run and had six carries for 29 yards. Next, to Anderson, senior T’Rod Daniels had the most impressive outing finishing with four carries for 40 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt senior George Payne looks to be returning to his true form after missing last season due to a hip injury while senior Tez Parks also had solid runs in the fourth quarter. Overall, having a go-to running back and replacing Ito Smith does not seem like an option but rather the team has four solid running backs to call on. Wide receiver: After losing Allenzae Staggers and Korey Robertson, sophomore Quez Watkins looks to be the next man up. Watkins dropped a touchdown pass but made up for it with a 16yard touchdown catch finishing with five catches and totaling 56-yards. Sophomore Jaylon Adams looks to be the deep ball receiver as he broke away with a 45-yard catch and finished with two catches for 73 yards. An unforeseen target was sophomore Anatawyn Fludd who had three catches for 77 yards. Aside from Watkins, the wide receiver group seems to be wide open much like the quarterback position. Offensive line: A key to holding all these moving parts together is naturally the offensive
Andrew Abadie, Printz Quez Watkins avoiding defenders at the black and gold spring game. line. Last year, the offensive line had a young group, but it was an unsung hero of last season. The Black team offensive line consisted of freshman Trace Clopton, redshirt sophomore Wyatt Richthofen, sophomore Paul Gainer Jr., redshirt junior Ty Pollard, freshman Douglas Gearity and redshirt junior Drake Dorbeck. This offensive line did not have a strong day, but Ty Pollard and Trace Clopton easily looked to be the strongest points
of the Black team’s offensive line. As for the Gold team that offensive line comprised of redshirt sophomore Arvin Fletcher Jr., senior Jimmie Terry, sophomore Bryce Foxworth, sophomore Travion Clayton and junior Tairek Johnson. This group had the best outing of the spring game with consistent pass protection and run game blocking. The offensive line may have the most consistent and talented depth on the team.
Many questions will remain unanswered as the team heads into summer training. The offense certainly has the parts to duplicate the 29 points it averaged last season. The most distinct factor for the team to find is their next star player. There are guys who have star player potential, but for the offense to go from good to great, it will need to find its next Ito Smith/Korey Robertson caliber of player.
Southern Miss gets first conference sweep of season Andrew Abadie
assisant sports editor
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Devon Dollar, Printz Nick Sandlin returns from injury and throws 12 strike outs in game three against MTSU.
The Southern Miss baseball team has begun to take its full stride in the most recent five-game stretch. The Golden Eagles’ bats have found an explosive consistency, while the pitching staff has taken an extra step that it had lacked for the first half of the season. Since game three of its series against Florida International, Southern Miss is on a five-game win streak outscoring opponents 53-8. With the sweep of Middle Tennessee, the team’s batting average has jumped to .298, which showed in this series as Southern Miss averaged 11 hits per game. While finding consistency at the plate is important, Southern Miss’ power has seen more action as well with the Golden Eagles hitting four home runs over the weekend. While the bats have found their usual groove, the Southern Miss pitching staff also put together a more dominant consistency. Starting ace pitcher Nick Sandlin left the first inning on April 6 against Western Kentucky and missed a start in the FIU series due to shoulder tightness. This prompted starters Stevie Powers and Walker Powell to step up along with the rest of the bullpen. “We didn’t draw any attention to [Sandlin’s injury],” Head Coach Scott Berry said. “I think it brought up a sense of urgency. Our guys aren’t dumb; they know what it’s like when [Sandlin] isn’t in there. For those guys [and] Stevie, those past two Fridays to step it up in
Nick’s absence has certainly led the charge I feel like from the pitching staff side. Those guys that have followed have done well.” Powers was moved to the Friday night starting role and threw a complete game shutout and then threw a career-high of 12 strikeouts in eight innings this past Friday against MTSU, which bumped his numbers to 64 strikeouts on the season. Powell has remained steady but has slowly logged more innings, which has kept the need to call for the bullpen at a crucial minimum in recent weeks. Powers and Powell made the first two starts of the series this weekend, but Sandlin made a triumphant return in game three against MTSU. Sandlin looked as if he had not missed a beat, throwing 12-strikeouts in five innings. In his 73 pitches thrown, Sandlin struck out the side three times, which earned him conference pitcher of the week. “It was awesome to see Stevie do what he did and then do it again,” Sandlin said. “Everybody has been stepping up, that’s what a good staff does. Everyone can contribute in different ways. It’s good to see everyone do that.” Southern Miss (28-11, C-USA 13-4) is now in first place after Florida Atlantic (30-4, C-USA 144) tied Rice. The tie erases the half game deficit Southern Miss faced after canceling a conference game against the University of Texas San Antonio. After the midweek game against South Alabama, Southern Miss will travel to Norfolk, Virginia to play Old Dominion in a threegame weekend series.