Thursday, January 22, 2015 Volume 119, Issue 55
Honoring Dr. King
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The Sunflower’s guide to weekend entertainment • thesunflower.com
MUSIC: ‘Thumbprint’ not worth the listen p. 2 | MOVIES: Five stars for Oscar snubbed ‘Selma’ p. 3
JANUARY 22, 2015
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Skip the new Nicki Album The new highly anticipated Nicki Minaj album is one best heard on REVIEW BY the radio. In COURTNEY HOLMES December, Minaj released her newest, album titled “Pinkprint,â€? featuring 20 tracks. It features Beyonce and Chris Brown and a long list of other famous friends. The 32-year-old, originally from Trinidad, came into our lives five years ago with her smash hit “Pink Friday,â€? which spawned the even bigger hit single, “Super Bass.â€? Unless you live under a rock you’ve probably heard “Super Bass,â€? which has just under a half-billion views on the VEVO YouTube channel, and was the highest selling single of all time, according to Billboard. Because of her massive success from “Pink Fridayâ€? and her second album “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,â€? as well as her duets with other pop icons like Justin Bieber, she had a lot of pressure riding on her newest album. There are a few songs on the “Pinkprintâ€? album that are instantly likable, but if you sit down to truly listen to the content, the risquĂŠ lyrics may surprise some audiences. In one of the most upbeat and catchy songs on the whole album, “Truffle Butter,â€? The Sunflower is published by student-employees on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. During the summer session, the paper is printed once weekly on Wednesday, with exceptions for holidays and finals. The Sunflower (published for use by WSU students, faculty and staff) is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. One copy may be taken for free. Additional copies must be purchased for $1 each. The Sunflower is also partially funded by the Student Government Association. The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters, call-in line and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.
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Minaj and Drake rap about having sex in public. In her song with BeyoncĂŠ, they just sing over and over, “I’m feeling myself ‌ I’m feeling myself.â€? Not only is that song not catchy, but it also makes you glad when it ends. It’s painful to listen to how slow Minaj is and how she threw away a chance to use Beyonce’s vocals. The whole album is really slow, riddled with foul language and uncomfortable sexual references. At times, it is even embarrassing to listen to. It shows in her album sales, too, according to Billboard magazine, which reported Minaj only sold fewer than 300,000
copies in her first week and not much more after that. Minaj has tried acting since her last albums. She is also going to the X Games next summer. Minaj is not just a rapper anymore. Perhaps these distractions have affected her processes. Minaj is trying to be risky in “Pinkprint.� She is trying to be fresh. In a recent interview on the Lifestyle channel’s “The Real,� the hosts tried to build up her latest album, but Minaj deflected their questions, refusing to pick a favorite song and diverting the topic. Maybe Minaj knows it’s not her best stuff, either.
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MUSIC
3 Snubbed ‘Selma’ deserves shot at Best Picture JANUARY 22, 2015
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Most of the time, the Oscars voting committee is out of their minds. This COLUMN BY isn’t new. They ALEX PERRY thought “Crash” and “Chicago” were unequivocally the best movies of their respective years. But for “Selma” to only receive two Oscar nominations (Best Picture and Best Original Song) is downright unthinkable. Whether the predominantly white voters were unconsciously motivated by race, or some simply hadn’t seen the movie (which has happened in the recent past with “12 Years a Slave”), the fact that the acting and directing in “Selma” will go unrecognized during Hollywood’s most prominent awards show is nonsense. Director Ava DuVernay has crafted something worth everyone’s attention with “Selma,” a film that takes on the monumental task of humanizing no less a figure than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo), and wildly succeeds in doing so. Instead of being a broad biopic, the film follows King’s organization of marches and protests in Selma, Ala., in the mid-1960s with the goal of convincing the federal government to pass voting rights legislation. That somewhat limited scope works well because nobody needs an origin story for King. Most Americans, on a basic level, know
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who he is. What “Selma” seeks to do, instead, is present him as a human being instead of a portrait next to an inspirational quote, as he is so often reduced to today. Oyelowo’s performance is masterful because it offers something of a look at the human being instead of the figurehead. King’s powerful oration has been co-opted and warped in so many ways since his death that we forget who he was and what he really stood for.
We get to see King as a man whose actions were occasionally questioned by his allies and as a man whose commitment to nonviolence didn’t mean letting his oppressors walk all over him. Oyelowo channels how unsafe King must have felt as he was closely monitored by the FBI and threatened with death everywhere he went. Special mention also needs to be made of Carmen Ejogo’s performance as Coretta Scott
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MOVIES
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In a rare dramatic role, Jennifer Aniston wrestles with the suicide of a woman she knew, as well as her own personal problems. Early reviews aren’t especially positive, but they do make positive note of Aniston’s strong performance, so it might have some merit.
King. Ejogo shines as a character whose strong will and leadership rivaled her husband’s, a fact which has been forgotten with time, something that unfortunately tends to happen to women. DuVernay’s directing is impressive, as well. The film is emotionally effective without being emotionally exploitative. Bradford Young’s cinematography is top notch, too, with each frame being exceptionally composed.
‘Mortdecai’
Many have written and will continue to write about the cultural significance of “Selma,” and how it relates to current racial oppression. It’s not my place to do that, but I can say that, as a film production and a piece of storytelling, “Selma” is wonderful and deserves much more recognition from the Hollywood elite than it’s received.
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The Johnny Depp comedic vehicle “Mortdecai” looks supremely awful in a way most movies don’t. In that sense, it might in a roundabout way be worth seeing, but it’s probably best to just stay away.
4 New Year’s Resolution-ers: Welcome CAMPUS LIFE
JANUARY 22, 2015
It’s the time of year when the gyms fill up with people hoping to get a fresh and COLUMN BY healthy start SHELBY REYNOLDS in the new year. For the gym veterans, it may be a little annoying to have the place busier than usual. But I say “Welcome.” Everyone has to start somewhere. And if that’s the new year, then so be it. I got serious about fitness about a year and a half ago when my life took a sudden turn. Things happened that were out of my control, so I decided to take control of something that was all mine: my health. I hit the gym more focused than ever before. Since then I’ve had a few hiccups. I’ll get out of a routine and slip back into my old ways. But that’s life. When you get down, you get back up and come back stronger and better than
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before. It’s unavoidable. So, maybe your comeback — or just-starting-out — begins on Jan. 1 or maybe Sept. 1, but it’s the “begin” part that really matters. All the gym veterans — or the more familiar term, “gym rats” — had to begin one day, right? Maybe they even started in the new year. We all looked like complete newbies who didn’t know what they were doing or how to work the machines or that you’re supposed to wipe down the machines after use. I, for one, don’t usually set New Year’s Resolutions. I almost feel like it’s a curse on whatever goal you have because resolutions rarely carry through the entire year. But I do have one healthrelated goal for the year: drink more water. I love water. I actually drink quite a bit throughout the day. If anyone knows me, you’ll know I always have a bottle at my side.
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But I hope to drink more of it in 2015. It keeps me full and focused. Studies show that the average person — it varies depending on age, activity level, etc. — should drink nine to 16 cups of water a day. I’ve got a ways to go. I’ve already noticed the benefits of increased water consumption. I’ve avoided the winter cold, my hair is softer and I don’t feel as
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hungry just before meals. And yeah, I’ll probably forget about my resolution by next month. But at least it gives me a reason to start. And if a new year is somebody’s reason to start getting healthy, then I say “Happy New Year, let’s exercise!”
In the words of Jake the dog from Adventure Time: “Dude, sucking at something is the first step to becoming sorta good at something.” Visit runningwithreynolds. wordpress.com for more info on health and fitness.
JANUARY 22, 2015
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CAMPUS LIFE
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Unity Walk to remember King, sacrifices for civil rights By TJ Rigg EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @TJ_Rigg
A group of Wichita State students will silently walk from the south entrance of the Rhatigan Student Center to the north entrance on campus starting at 5 p.m. tonight. It’s a Unity Walk honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., who fought for civil rights of African Americans in the 1950s and 60s. The Unity Walk is sponsored by WSU’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. ODI also cosponsored a worship service for King Monday at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex. Danielle Johnson, program coordinator for ODI, said the Unity Walk, in its seventh year, is the first walk that will be silent. “In the past, we have done some singing and dancing and some marching music and things like that, but we want to kind of reflect
on (what went on) in 2014, so we’ll actually be walking in silence,” Johnson said. After the walk, participants will head to Room 142 of the RSC for hot chocolate and to hear excerpts from the Black Student Union — which partnered with ODI — about King’s influence. A choir performance will follow the discussion. “We want to end (the night) on a high note,” Johnson said. Johnson said the basic principle of the Unity Walk has been the same in its seven years. The main focus of the walk is to honor King, but this year, it will also include King’s time as a college student. While in college, Johnson said, King was in Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Johnson said Joseph Shepard — a member of Wichita State’s Alpha Phi Alpha chapter — will talk about that aspect of King’s life. “You’ll hear a lot about Martin Luther King as a student, as the
person who pledged Alpha Phi Alpha,” Johnson said. “We want to kind of reflect on who he was as a college student.” There will also be a speech about King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, Johnson said. “A lot of the time they highlight the men of the movement, but there are a lot of strong women who were standing with them,” Johnson said. Johnson said ODI also encourages attendees to recognize other civil rights leaders, such as Malcolm X or President Barack Obama, or local individuals such as Wichita City Council member Lavonta Williams or Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer. “If someone has made changes for them, I want them to talk about the other people who are here with us during this fight,” Johnson said. The Unity Walk is free and open to the WSU and Wichita communities.
Photos by Kevin Brown
(LEFT) Individuals pray during a worship service at the WSU Metroplex on January 19 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.(TOP RIGHT) A woman rejoices as the choir leads the crowd in song. (RIGHT) The 2015 MLK Celebration choir leads the crowd in song shortly before the guest speaker takes the stage.
6 CAMPUS LIFE
JANUARY 22, 2015
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WSU alumnus brings local music flavor to redesigned RSC By Alex Perry STAFF REPORTER @SunflowerAP
Photo by Manny De Los Santos
Musicians Mark Horton, left, and Tom Page, right, perform at the RSC Unplugged Wednesday afternoon at the Fast Break Lounge. RSC Unplugged is a live music series at 11 a.m. each Wednesday. Students can grab snacks and enjoy the tunes.
“When I walked in here today, it was wide open. I think it’s great. It’s terrific.” Kang said the university used to mostly host artists who were
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doing nationwide college tours, so the emphasis on local music in the RSC Unplugged series is a welcome improvement. “I’m glad they’re kind of
getting back into the local music scene,” Kang said. “I think Wichita’s got one of the better music scenes.” See MUSIC on page 7
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Any student who has been at Wichita State long enough to remember the Rhatigan Student Center before its major renovations knows how small and closed off the atmosphere was before it was remodeled to its current, more open design. The new design includes space for musical performances in Fast Break Lounge, which WSU alumnus and local guitarist Tom Page, along with his partner Mark Horton, took advantage of Wednesday. “The redesign of the RSC is pretty bold,” Page said. “This is a remodel, not a redecorating.” Page’s performance was part of the RSC Unplugged live music series, which brings in a variety of musicians to perform during lunch hours on school days. Page said he is glad to expose WSU students to local music because that was a vital part of his college experience. “The university connection to local music changed my life,” Page said. “I would not be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for that.” Charlie Kang, a friend of Page and a WSU student at various points throughout the past few decades, said the atmosphere of the new RSC is perfect for live music. “When I went here in the 70s, this place was a lot smaller, more closed off,” Kang said.
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CALENDAR
JANUARY 22, 2015
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
TODAY
Tanganyika Painting Penguin
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., RSC 142 Tanganyika Wildlife Park will be bringing a penguin to campus to showcase its artistic abilities and the work it is are doing to conserve the species. For more information, call 978-3022. Free.
7th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Unity Walk 5 to 7 p.m., RSC, South Entrance This silent, candlelight procession remembering Dr. King will conclude in RSC 142. For more information, call 978-3034. Free.
Workshop: Library Services Orientation
5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Ablah Library This workshop will cover what the library has to offer. There will be another orientation Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. For more information, call 978-3022. Free.
Music
FRI
SAT
NEXT WEEK Sunday
Women’s basketball vs. Rie Bloomfield Organ Illinois State Series presents WSU 7 p.m., Charles Koch Arena Organ Day Tickets are free for WSU students with ID, $6 for faculty/ staff (limit 2), $8 for general admission adults, $10 for reserved seats and $5 for groups of 10 or more. For more information, call 978-3267.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wiedemann Hall Attendees will discover the Marcussen organ and hear presentations from two eminent French musicians. For more information, call 978-3233. Free.
Observatory: Gazing at Jupiter and the Moon
Ulrich Winter Opening Reception
7:30 to 10 p.m., Lake Afton Observatory Use the big telescope at the Observatory to view Jupiter, its moons, our moon and Uranus. Students and faculty get in free with ID for this event. Public admission is $6 for adults. For more information, call 978-3022.
RSC House Party
8 to 11 p.m., RSC Join the Student Activities Council for a poker tournament, prize machine, live DJ and unlimited snacks and soda for the first 100 students. Free for students with ID. For more information, call 978-3022.
1 p.m., Charles Koch Arena Tickets are sold out, but up to 30 may be available if Athletics staff doesn’t use them. Call the ticket office at 978-3267 two hours before game time to find out ticket status.
Page echoed that sentiment, saying he is glad to help bring local music to WSU students. “There have been a lot of bridges coming out again,� Page said. “I’m happy to be crossing those and to be a part of that outreach.� Page also said he hopes live music in the RSC will inspire WSU students to turn to their creative sides and make art of their
Wednesday Hubbard Hall Hot Chocolate Bar
8 a.m. to noon, Hubbard Hall Lobby Join the Office of Student Success and pick up some Shocker freebies and free hot chocolate. For more information, call 978-3209.
Women’s basketball vs. Southern Illinois
3:45 p.m., Charles Koch Arena Tickets are free for WSU students with ID, $6 for faculty/ staff (limit 2), children 2-12 and adults over 65, $8 for general admission adults, $10 for reserved seats and $5 for groups of 10 or more. For more information, call 978-3267.
SAC Movie Night: Guardians of the Galaxy
Men’s basketball vs. Loyola
7 p.m., Charles Koch Arena Tickets are sold out, but up to 30 may be available if Athletics staff doesn’t use them. Call the ticket office at 978-3267 two hours before game time to find out ticket status.
Tuesday
8 to 10 p.m., CAC Theater Enjoy the film with your friends. For more information, call 978-3022. Free.
Ring in the Spring
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11 a.m. to 1 p.m., RSC First Floor Kick off the semester with carnival games and fun with Student Activities Council. For more information, call 978-3022. Free.
Men’s basketball vs. Drake
7 to 9 p.m., Ulrich Museum of Art This will be the opening reception for Evan Roth // Intellectual Property, In Living Color and The Ulrich Underground: Shock Print. For more information, call 978-6462. Free.
own. He said the university setting is uniquely suited to expressing artistic ideas in a welcoming environment. “If a university is a marketplace and an open area for the exchange of ideas, then certainly music and art have got to play a part in that exchange,� Page said. “In my mind, the open and safe area for that exchange is rare and valuable.� WSU students who are interested in hearing Page’s music can see the Tom Page Trio at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Cotillion, located at 11120 W. Kellogg Drive.
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Wichita Symphony Orchestra presents
TIME FOR THREE
Saturday, Jan 31 @ 8PM; Sunday, Feb 1 @ 2PM* Century II Concert Hall Daniel Hege, Music Director & Conductor *2pm Sunday start time gets you home in time for Super Bowl Kickoff
Take five minutes and YouTube “Time for Three.” The musicians of this phenomenal string trio have no boundaries - they play whatever they want, as fast as they want. From Classical to Katy Perry, Mumford & Sons to the Blues, we promise you’ve never heard anything like this. And for just $10*, you can see them perform live with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra on January 31 or February 1 with your student ID. *Does not apply for Friday, Jan 30 Blue Jeans performance
more information at wichitasymphony.org
$10 student rush
with student ID, one ticket per ID. One hour before each concert at the Century II Box Office walk up
$10 Student TICKETS WITH YOUR STUDENT ID One hour before concerts, One ticket per Student ID.