Movies based on casinos and gambling have been around since the advent of cinema. It’s one of those genres that makes good viewing from multiple perspectives. Most film buffs can probably name a dozen top-rated gambling movies, such as Casino, 21, Rounders and The Gambler. However, there are a few hidden gems that you may not have heard of.
Let It Ride (1989)
While many gambling movies have a dark and gritty edge, Let It Ride breaks the mold. This 1989 American comedy, starring Richard Dreyfuss, is centered around a regular gambler who typically loses. However, on this particular day, he wins every bet he makes. If you’ve had a bad day at the bookies, Let It Ride will give you the feel-good factor again. What to know more? Click here to read this Let It Ride movie review.
California Split (1974)
California Split is one gambling movie that you should have already watched but probably haven’t. It stars the magnificent George Segal and Elliot Gould as two gamblers that become friends. Segal’s character, Bill Denny, starts out as a part-time gambler, but he gradually gets hooked on the gambling lifestyle after befriending Charlie Waters, played by Gould.
After falling into debt with his bookie, Bill sells his possessions and the pair head to Reno to play poker, roulette and blackjack. Rather than spoiling the end for you, we’ll let you watch it to find out what happens next. The movie was directed by Robert Altman – a five-time Academy Awards nominee. Many critics feel that this is among his best early work.
Deal (2008)
If you’re a fan of Burt Reynolds, the chances are you’ve seen this 2008 poker-themed movie. Reynolds plays a retired player, Tommy Vinson, who takes a young up-and-comer (Alex Stillman) under his wing.
Both Vinson and Stillman have to deal with different family situations throughout the movie, but they continue their partnership with Tommy tutoring the younger player. After a bust-up one night, the pair split. Stillman goes back to his parents, and they agree to let him play in the World Poker Tour Championship. Vinson, feeling he has nothing to lose after his wife walked out on him, enters the same event. We’re sure you can see where this is heading – they both make it to the final heads-up game, but we’ll leave the climax for you to see yourself.
Bookies (2003)
Bookies is a comedy thriller about three college students who start their own bookmaker (bookie) business. Immediately, the business takes off – making the friends plenty of cash. However, their newfound wealth attracts the attention of two local bookmakers with connections to the Italian mafia.
One of the students comes up with a plan to eliminate the other bookies and put them out of business. After agreeing to a bet with them, the three students put all their money on the underdog in the belief that the mafia would rig the result. But did they? Who came out on top? This is a decent film and worth a watch to discover how it all ends.
Eight Men Out (1998)
While not an out-and-out gambling movie, Eight Men Out has a strong connection to illicit bookmaking. The film, with an all-star cast, including John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, and Christopher Lloyd, is based on the real-life events of the Chicago White Sox intentionally losing baseball’s World Series in 1919.
Despite being regarded as one of the best teams of their time, the Chicago White Sox’s players were unhappy with how much the franchise owner, Charles Comiskey, was paying them. A couple of local gamblers got wind of their discontent and told them that they could make more money by losing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Although not every player agreed, the fix was on. However, several journalists soon felt something was amiss; then, the gamblers didn’t pay the money they promised to the players. Understandably, everything fell apart. In 1920, the men involved were tried and all banned from playing in the majors again.
God of Gamblers (1989)
With traces of comedy, drama, doubling-crossing and murder all combined, God of Gamblers is an action-packed Hong Kong movie featuring Chow Yun-Fat.
Chow plays Ko Chun, who is known as the God of Gamblers for his skill in winning a variety of different games. Unfortunately, after an accident, Chun loses his memory and a young gambler by the name of Little Knife takes him in. He soon learns of Chun’s remarkable gambling abilities and takes advantage of them. However, Little Knife takes pity on Chun and wants to help him restore his memory.
After another accident, Chun is back to his normal self. He has to go and play a poker game against the Demon of Gamblers Chan Kam Sing, who cheats by wearing a pair of special glasses. Chun eventually bets his entire fortune on the last hand despite knowing that his opponent is cheating. Does he have a trick up his sleeve himself?
The rapid pace of technological developments are being felt in virtually every aspect of our lives. This is also true of the automotive sector, with technology making our cars more secure. From airbags to anti-lock braking systems, technology has come a long way in making cars safe.
If you want to make your car safer, be sure to embrace the following top 8 technologies!
Vehicle Access With ANPR
You’re probably wondering what ANPR is. This acronym stands for Automatic Number Plate Recognition, and although you’ve likely never heard of it, you probably come across this technology all the time. This system scans and registers car number plates as part of access control or law enforcement systems. In busy parking lots, this technology is helpful as well with ANPR Access Control infrastructure helping to managing entry and exit of vehicles, as well as space availability.
How Does It Work?
These system use ANPR cameras at entry points to identify and read the number plate when a vehicle approaches. This camera will send the number to the access control unit for validation. If the number is valid, the unit will tell the entry barrier to open and allow the vehicle to enter. This makes your car more secure by preventing the entry of an unauthorised vehicles, and so reducing the risk of malicious individuals entering the parking area.
This technology can also be used for counting the vehicles in a commercial parking lot. Some parking lots will have space only for a specific number of cars. In these systems, the signal for opening the barrier also sends the signal to the control unit. The same is applied to the exit, meaning the associated count management system can keep track of the number of vehicles entering as well as leaving the lot. Therefore, the remaining space can be easily calculated and used to allow or deny entry to new vehicles.
Vehicle Self-Braking Systems
Self-braking is, of course, not a new technology. However, it has improved greatly in recent years. Of course, self-braking systems do not bring your vehicle to a complete halt. However, this system will come in handy in the event of loss of control, helping to keep you safe.
How Does It Work?
Self-braking systems work with sensors at the front of your vehicle. These sensors will alert you whenever your vehicle is approaching an object or a person. For example, when a person unexpectedly crosses the road in front of your vehicle, this system will automatically slow your car down.
Active Health Monitoring
You might be wondering where does health comes into the picture when it comes to cars. However, if you think about it, you need to be healthy to safely drive a car. This is what the active health monitoring technology will keep track of.
How Does It Work?
As you can probably gather from the name, Active Health Monitoring assesses the driver’s health metrics. It then tells you whether it is safe to drive or not. It works with sensors such as electrodes that are placed in places like the steering wheel and seatbelt. It will check your heart rate, blood pressure, glucose and other vital to check whether you are ok to drive.
Blind Spot Sensors
At times, even experienced drivers may be surprised by a vehicle in their blind spot. Blind Spot Sensors help you to avoid this issue, which can cause minor mishaps or even serious accidents.
How Does It Work?
Blind Spot Sensors work by connecting sensors to the car’s visual and auditory systems. They scan the vehicle’s blind spots and alert the driver as necessary.
Lane Detection
If you often drive on busy roads, lane detection technology will come in handy. This helps to prevent accidents by warning you when you drift from your lane.
How Does It Work?
Again, this technology relies on sensors. The sensors detect the vehicles nearby as well as the lane markings to alert you when you unintentionally move away from your lane. The most advanced systems using this technology can automatically correct the path of your vehicle.
Adaptive Headlights
This intelligent headlight technology will adjust the headlights based on the road. For example, when you drive on dark roads, it will give you better visibility by automatically increasing the lighting.
How Does It Work?
This technology works by automatically triggering the lights to make them brighter when needed. It will also adjust the light to a high or low beam based on driving conditions to ensure safe driving.
Driver Alertness Monitoring
When you drive long distances or for a long time, you can often feel drowsy. This can be very dangerous and may lead to accidents. This system will warn you immediately before it becomes too late.
How Does It Work?
This technology works by understanding your driving pattern. When you drift or if you suddenly slow down, it will immediately warn you with an alarm.
Final Verdict
Technology has come a long way and can even make you, your car, and your passengers safer. Of course, technology cannot replace good driving skills but it can undoubtedly make a difference and help to keep you safe and allow you to make your journey with complete peace of mind.
No matter the car, you’re still vulnerable to accidents on the road, and even if you’re safe in your car – you’re going to need to deal with the aftermath. Exchanging information, consider contacting a car crash lawyer, and checking in at the hospital just to make sure. You should always make sure to cover yourself if you’re ever caught in a road collision
Shady El-Hamus, director of De Libi, delivers an intense thriller in Forever Rich. Up-and-coming rapper Richie is on the verge of his breakthrough. In the days leading up to his most important show, he is robbed by a group of teenage thugs. As Richie pursues revenge and tries to save his reputation, he pushes himself harder and harder.
Robert Altman’s The Player may not be the director’s best-known film, but it’s a revered piece of cinema, especially among film critics – which is perhaps ironic, given the film’s story. Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) is an influential studio executive who becomes embroiled in the darker side of Hollywood when he ends up murdering a screenwriter; incidentally, this happens not long after Mill jokingly suggests that writers aren’t necessary for the creative process of making a movie.
Mill’s anxieties surrounding his work become heightened when he fears that the authorities are on to him, but the film explores his woes with a decent measure of humor and satire. By the end of the film, viewers will feel more connected to cinema, thanks to the film’s clever writing and the story’s apparent self-awareness.
Though the film is a satirical examination of the film industry, it also juggles crime, thriller, suspense, and romance. While it subverts the audience’s expectations about Hollywood, it also fulfills them – The Player is, after all, a Hollywood production.
While Altman is known primarily for projects like Nashville, MASH, and The Long Goodbye, films like The Player and his earlier California Split are among his somewhat underappreciated works. Here are ten of the most memorable quotes from The Player.
Griffin Mill: “Actually, we’re doing a movie right now, called Lonely Room, and Scott Glenn plays a detective much like yourself.” Detective Susan Avery: “Is he a black woman?”
Griffin Mill: “I was just thinking what an interesting concept it is to eliminate the writer from the artistic process. If we could just get rid of these actors and directors, maybe we’ve got something here.”
Griffin Mill: “This is a red wine glass. Can I have my water in a water glass?”
June: “What took you so long?” Griffin Mill: “Traffic was a b**ch.”
Griffin Mill: “No stars, just talent.”
Tim Oakley: “If I’m perfectly honest, if I think about this, this isn’t even an American film.”
Griffin Mill: “Can we talk about something other than Hollywood for a change?”
Griffin Mill: “Stop all the postcards.” David Kahane: “I don’t write postcards! I write scripts!”
Griffin Mill: “I would hate to get the wrong person arrested.” Detective Susan Avery: “Oh, please! This is Pasadena. We do not arrest the wrong person. That’s L.A.!”
Malcolm McDowell: “Griffin? Griffin! Hi, how are you? Listen, the next time you wanna badmouth me, have the courage to do it to my face. You guys are all the same.”
Place has always been important to Ailsa Tully, who grew up singing in a church choir in the Welsh countryside before moving to South London to study music. The singer-songwriter finds subtle ways of evoking elements from her childhood in her music, particularly on her new EP, Holy Isle, released last week via Dalliance Recordings (Gia Margaret, Francis of Delirium), which follows her 2018 EP Feuds as well as a string of promisingsingles. There’s a nostalgic, self-reflective quality to how she incorporates both lush vocal harmonies and field recordings into her brand of warm indie folk, whether capturing scenes of nature – gale-force winds, birdsong – or using the rumble of a washing machine to hint at a sense of domestic stress on ‘Sheets’. But even in this quietly mesmerizing, 17-minute project, everything in Tully’s work – from her vulnerable lyricism to her string arrangements and wonderful production flourishes – contributes not only to a distinct sense of atmosphere, but also serves to advance the emotional narrative that is woven throughout. Holy Isle is centered around a breakup, but it’s everything around it that gives the music its own sense of identity – one that can only grow with each subsequent release.
We caught up with Ailsa Tully for this edition of our Artist Spotlight interview series to talk about her songwriting journey, how she approached Holy Isle, and more.
How do you look back on your upbringing?
I grew up in South Wales. My dad was a musician, and he was really successful – he played with John Martin and had lots of his own projects, and he won the Eurovision Song Contest and did the music for a film called Gregory’s Girl, which at the time was a big deal. I think having him as a parent completely made me want to do it – I wouldn’t have chosen to make music if it hadn’t been for him. We played a lot together, and that really shaped my childhood because it was so much music, all the time – him playing in different projects and kind of pushing me to make stuff and to be involved.
What kind of memories come to mind when you think of playing together or the kind of music that you were exposed to?
We played like all the time in the house. And he would sing a lot to me when I was growing up – my first memory is of him singing to me in a bath. I can remember it so clearly – I must have been about three. And I think I quickly realized it made me use my ear a lot to kind of form melodies and to remember melodies, because later on in my musical life, I went more through a classical system of reading music and stuff, and I was like, “No, I can just listen to my dad.” Like he’ll sing it to me and then I’ll go, “Oh, great.” So you kind of get around things if you’re bad at them, and that shaped a lot to do with how I then approached music and why I was so terrible at reading music. But yeah, a lot of my childhood I was just playing kind of naturally together with him, and then getting more involved in classical music in my A-level years, and then turning away from that, which, you know, had to happen [laughs].
How did you decide to venture out into your own songwriting?
I was doing classical music and it just wasn’t what I wanted to do at all. And one day my dad said, “I think you should start writing songs, because I was about your age when I started writing songs.” And I was like, “Okay!” So I just did. [laughs] I wrote my first song, and it was really complicated. It had like three different sections, and it was about Dido and Aeneas because I was studying classics at the time. It was the most pretentious thing I’ve possibly ever written. And that was my first song.
Why do you think that was the kind of song you wanted to write?
I don’t know, I think I didn’t really understand then about writing about personal stuff. I’d been very much in the classical world, I hadn’t done any singer-songwriter stuff when I was about 16. I kind of wanted to, but I didn’t really know how to approach it, and so I needed to write about something else. I suppose it’s quite an emotional story, but I still didn’t really know how to make might make something of my own yet.
How did you open up into a more personal kind of songwriting?
That’s been a very long process for me. I feel like only recently, like in the last year, I’ve been able to be really honest in a clear way. Because I started writing and I was like, “I’ll just disguise everything with really flowery language and people won’t really know what’s going on.” Because I didn’t feel that comfortable, I suppose, with expressing myself in such an honest way. I think I was still trying to work out my voice as a musician and I was listening to a lot of people like Joanna Newsom, and her lyrics are incredibly intricate and complicated. And I think I was trying to go down that path because I was scared – I didn’t want to reveal my emotional self at that point.
That’s interesting, because another artist I interviewed recently also brought up Joanna Newsom in a similar context. So I’m wondering if, for you, there were any songwriters that showed you that it was okay to write in a more diaristic kind of way.
I was very influenced by Laura Marling, but I think she’s also one to use poetry and other experiences to create. I think maybe someone like Marika Hackman in her most recent work has been very direct and honest, and I suppose there were a few artists at the time that were making a transition from very folky to maybe a bit more like, “No, this is what I’m feeling,” more direct.
What was your approach going into your new EP, Holy Isle?
I suppose it is a breakup EP – which I never felt like it was, but it is, and it’s very transitional. Some of the songs, like ‘Sheets’ and ‘Holy Isle’ and even ‘Your Mess’, they’re really quite old, and it’s taken me a long time to get them finished. ‘Greedy’ is much more recent and it was quite a different experience creating that, because all the other songs I’ve been very much mindful of how they’re gonna sound in a live setting. I didn’t want to overcomplicate everything, but with ‘Greedy’, because we were not performing and I didn’t do it with the band and we had to do everything remotely, it was really fun to play with. And I felt like that process really informed how we’re going to think about production for the EP, and it’s going to be creating more of a soundworld than just thinking about how it’d be live.
Why do you say it didn’t feel like a breakup EP at first?
I mean, in hindsight, I can really see that it is, but some of the songs, they’re about my relationship, but there’s only one song that really is about letting someone go, and I think that’s ‘Holy Isle’. And weirdly, with ‘Holy Isle’, I wrote the song ages ago, about the relationship that I was in then. And then I just felt like it was never finished. And then when I went through my breakup a few months afterwards, I came back to ‘Holy Isle’ when we were going to record it, and all the lyrics just came about the breakup. And it was like I needed to break up to have this verse so that the song felt finished, and I think that’s why I felt like, “Oh, it’s a breakup EP.” You know, the song wasn’t about my breakup before but it was never finished until I had the breakup, and it was like all the pain that had been in the song before, it just made sense. Sometimes you have to go through that emotion and through that stuff in your life to make a song complete.
I wanted to ask you about that song specifically, because I kept listening to it and I kind of realized that shift. And it’s a bit surprising because there’s this slow progression to the song and it starts out really gentle and affectionate, and then just as the strings come in, there’s this tension. I was wondering, besides the realization that made you want to add that verse in, what was your thought process for having the tone shift like that, as opposed to maybe letting the song be what it is in the beginning and then writing another song about what happened afterward?
I probably will write loads more songs about what’s happened, but that song, it was very much about my relationship at the time and what we were going through, but like two years before, about being in this place. We were on holiday in [the Isle of] Arran and we had this conversation, looking over the bay, and Holy Isle is there – it’s like a Buddhist’s island where you go and have a retreat from the world. We weren’t there for that reason, but we were on the island, looking over the other island, and the place is really important to me because my family’s been returning to Arran my whole life, and my dad’s family were returning to Arran before that. I’m also named after an island off of Arran, the Ailsa Craig.
And we had this moment when we were looking over this other island, we were talking a lot about our relationship and what we were going through at the time, and that felt like it was was just so meaningful. I didn’t want to write a song that was all about, you know, we broke up and I’m really angry with you, because that’s not how it was. It felt like it was really nice to capture that moment and be like, the love you feel for somebody and how much they mean to you, that still exists when you break up with somebody. That can still exist as much as the pain. And I think that’s why it felt like it was important to have an overarching feeling, and it wasn’t just going to be like, “I’m pissed off, argh!” Because it is nuanced, what you go through in a breakup, and anything you go through in your life is nuanced – there’s not just one emotion. And I think that’s why ‘Holy Isle’ I felt so important, because it had all that meaning for me anyway, about the place, and then that part of our relationship, it kind of moved forward into this moment where I was like, “We’ve been through so much and it’s so hard that we have to break up, but I’m so grateful for what you’ve given me in my life.” And the cellos were like this big explosion of gratitude.
I really wanted to use the cellos because I’m cellist originally, and I wanted to make it kind of catching you off because it’s intense, you know, what you go through, and I wanted to evoke the intensity after that brooding kind of conversation. Because you go through that in a breakup, lots of conversations and things that feel quite like you’re kind of going ebbing and flowing through it all, and then there can just be these big [makes whoosh sound] moments. And that’s why it felt like I had to bring it all together in one.
I was thinking of the line “I wish I could make a mess/ And feel from my chest,” which is such a powerful sentiment to have at the start of the EP. What does that mean for you, to feel something from your chest?
I think being in a really long-term relationship, you have lots of expectations, and you become someone from being with someone else. And I think sometimes, you try to grow out of that, and you can’t. And when I broke up, it was like this moment where I was like, I can do whatever I want. It is like a kind of release, but also it’s quite painful – well, it’s very painful, but the other side of it is, rather than thinking, you’re leading with your emotions. And that’s what it meant to me at the time, just that raw, impulsive movement to your life.
But there’s also something kind of holding you back at the same time, right, because you’re imagining it – you’re wishing.
Yeah. So that was like the kind of brink of moving into that stage where you’re trying to weigh, Is this something that I can actually do? Can I actually break something to start again? So there’s a lot of tension in it, for sure, especially in the beginning.
And then with the final track, ‘Your Mess’, you’re kind of returning to that idea, but instead of making a mess, it’s more in the sense of being someone else’s mess.
Yeah. I’m just obsessed with mess. So, I wrote ‘Greedy’ after, because ‘Your Mess’ is quite old, and I was like, “Why am I always talking about this?” [laughs] I was at a point where I felt like, “Why am I always the one that has something wrong with me? Why am I always this problem that you have to solve?” And it’s not at all a slight on them. I think some people might think that I’m like “your mess,” you know, like you’ve made a mess, but it was like, “I’m a mess.” That’s kind of what it was about.
When it comes to the field recordings that you use throughout the EP, how conscious were you of wanting to include a certain recording when writing a song, or are you the kind of person who just records a lot in general, without necessarily knowing how it may be useful in the future?
Kind of both. I normally know with a song, if it’s been in a certain place, I’ll know what kind of sounds I want. But I do record a lot – I’ve made like the millionth recording of wind on the black mountains where I live, and where my parents live in Wales. I’m always collecting sounds, and that’s very useful because you can build up a bit of a library, but normally it’s because the song is in a place, and I really like thinking about like, when did I do this, what did it mean at the time, where was I? And I think that that feels really emotionally important to the song. I don’t know if that comes through to anyone else – obviously to someone else it’s like, “Oh, there’s a wave,” [laughs] but for me, it’s pretty important.
Do you mind sharing what some of your most recent recordings are that you might use in the future?
Yeah, well, this is a bit tricky, but my dad’s recently passed away from cancer. And I’ve been recording him – just like recording him talking or recording him playing. So, I think I’m going to use that in a body of work in the future, because he’s, you know, was such an amazing musician. We’ve done lots of little low-key recordings together, but that was very difficult, recording him trying to play again, and like practicing again, when he was losing the ability to do that. So yeah, very, very painful, but that’s my most recent recording.
I’m really sorry to hear that.
Thank you.
Have you found yourself revisiting memories from that relationship and the music that you shared together in your current work?
I think I will, but maybe a bit later down the line. Because the music for us was like a big bond. I think I need a bit more time before I can go back there again. But I will, and I’m going to hopefully use a lot of those little samples in future work, because it’s going to be – I feel I probably need to write an album about this. [laughs] I guess it’s a way of still playing with him, but not being able to. So yeah, we’ll come to that.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Baby Keem has announced that his new album The Melodic Blue will be released this Friday, September 10 via pgLang in partnership with Columbia. Keem previewed the record with the Kendrick Lamar collaboration ‘Family Ties’ last month, and has now shared another piece of music to accompany the announcement. Check it out below.
The Melodic Blue will follow Baby Keem’s 2019 project Die for My Bitch. In addition to ‘Family Ties’, the album will include the Travis Scott collaboration ‘Durag Activity’, which came out back in April.
Throughout the week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with the new releases that caught our attention the most, be it a single leading up to the release of an album or a newly unveiled deep cut. And each Monday, we round up the best new songs released over the past week (the eligibility period begins on Monday and ends Sunday night) in this segment.
On this week’s list, we have the brand new single from Charli XCX, ‘Good Ones’, an infectious pop banger that sees her deviating from the experimental sonics of how i’m feeling now to embrace a more mainstream pop-leaning sound; Little Simz’ groovy, Afropop-inflected ‘Point and Kill’, the fifth and final single from her outstanding new LP, featuring Nigeria-born, London-based singer Obongjayar; Montreal band SUUNS’ patiently unfolding and expansive ‘The Trilogy’, from their new album The Witness; Silverbacks’ dynamic and propulsive new single ‘Wear My Medal’, their first for new label home Full Time Hobby; Thyla’s glossy and euphoric ‘Gum’, which leads their forthcoming self-titled debut; and a new song from Melina Duterte and Ellen Kempner’s Bachelor, the hushed and subtly unnerving ‘I See It Now’.
Kanye West‘s new album Donda has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It marks the biggest first-week sales total of 2021 with 309,000 equivalent album units, surpassing Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour, which started with 295,000 units in June.
With Donda, Kanye has tied Eminem for most consecutive No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200. West has also become one of only seven artists in chart history to have 10 chart-topping albums, joining the Beatles (19), Jay-Z (14), Bruce Springsteen (11), Barbra Streisand (11), Eminem (10), and Elvis Presley (10). (Drake, whose newly released Certified Lover Boy will be eligible for next week’s chart, has had 9 No. 1 albums.) Halsey’s new LP If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power debuted behind Donda at No. 2 with 98,000 equivalent album units.
After multiple delays and three listenings events, Donda arrived on Sunday, August 29. West has since shared a video for album track ‘Come to Life’, which features footage from the third Donda listening event at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
Drake‘s new album Certified Lover Boy, which arrived on Friday (September 3), features guest contributions from JAY-Z, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, Travis Scott, and many more. The credits for the album also list R. Kelly as a co-lyricist on a song called ‘TSU’. Now, longtime Drake producer Noah “40” Shebib has offered an explanation regarding the R. Kelly credit in an Instagram comment.
“At the beginning is a sample of OG Ron C talking,” Shebib wrote earlier today, responding to a photo of an Independent headline that reads: “Certified Lover Boy: Drake album credits R. Kelly as co-lyricist.” “Behind that faintly which you can’t even hear is an r Kelly song playing in the background. It has no significance no lyrics are present, r kelly’s voice isn’t even present but if we wanted to use Ron c talking we were forced to license it. Doesn’t sit well with me let me say that. And I’m not here to defend drakes lyrics, but I thought I would clear up that there is no actual r Kelly present and it’s a bit misleading to call him a co-lyricist.”
“It’s kinda wild because I was just reading ‘Baby Girl’ by Kathy Iandoli and the recounts of some of that stuff is horrific and disgusting,” Shebib continued, referring to the recently published Aaliyah biography. “Then I saw this post and just had to say something because to think we would stand beside that guy or write with him is just incredibly disgusting.”
Shebib added in some replies: “I dont think we even knew about it until the final hours when through clearance we discovered it. At that point it’s about the integrity of the art for the artist and that’s not my place to mess with it. I’m an engineer ultimately my job is to help an artist deliver their vision. There’s lots I don’t agree with and I voice my opinion but I definitely don’t subscribe to all the lyrics. I’m worried about sound and sonics melodies and progressions that’s my place.”
Sarah Harding, from the UK pop group Girls Aloud, has died at the age of 39. The singer revealed in August 2020 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Harding’s mother Marie announced Sarah’s death in an Instagram post earlier today (September 5).
“It’s with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away,” she wrote in her post. “Many of you will know of Sarah’s battle with cancer and that she fought so strongly from her diagnosis until her last day. She slipped away peacefully this morning. I’d like to thank everyone for their kind support over the past year.”
Born in 1981 in Berkshire and raised in Stockport, Harding rose to promise through the British reality show Popstars: The Rivals, which led to the formation of Girls Aloud. The girl group’s first single ‘Sound of the Underground’ became the first of four UK chart-toppers. Girls Aloud were together for six years in total and released five full-length albums. Their last record, Out of Control, came out in 2008.
After Girls Aloud went on hiatus, Harding went on to focus on her acting and solo music career. She became a Celebrity Big Brother winner in 2017 and released some solo material, including her 2015 debut Threads EP. Girls Aloud would reunite in 2012 for their 10th anniversary before officially disbanding the following year.
“It meant the world to Sarah and it gave her great strength and comfort to know she was loved,” Harding’s mother wrote in her message. “I know she won’t want to be remembered for her fight against this terrible disease—she was a bright shining star and I hope that’s how she can be remembered instead.”
that’s my place.”
