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Northern Star

Northern Illinois University’s student media since 1899

 

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Spotify logo on a computer with a blurry background.

Lifestyle’s weekly Spotify playlist #38

By Lifestyle staff | February 6, 2022

Weekly Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3bMvz05t9MJVmEZjUXM393?si=YkYRwvGXTti0L3VBC9Gbew  Madelaine’s picks Yeah Yeah Yeahs - “Maps” Rebounder - “Japanese Posters” Lorde - “A World Alone” Formed in...

Some of the best hip-hop/rap albums of the past decade, including albums from Kanye West and Drake.

Top 5 hip-hop/rap albums of the past decade

By Zulfiqar Ahmed | February 3, 2022

Hip-hop/rap has evolved dramatically over the past decade. Multiple subgenres have spawned from development of platforms like Soundcloud, that have allowed people from every corner of the world to share their music and build communities. Mumble rap, jazz...

Spotify logo on a computer with a blurry background.

Lifestyle’s weekly Spotify playlist #37

By Lifestyle staff | January 30, 2022

Weekly Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2v9fWHABVMEKx0QJKxZXCM?si=yiKjEO4RQnmcJwM9AZxccA  Madelaine’s picks Swimming Tapes - “Tides” The Black Keys - “Fever” alt-J - “Breezeblocks” Pop band Swimming...

Spotify logo on a computer with a blurry background.

Lifestyle’s weekly Spotify playlist #36

By Lifestyle staff | January 23, 2022

Weekly Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4LGqiEhqTbWXxwbOm2spl1?si=b03594c64eb24ef0  Madelaine’s picks Pinback - “Loro” Billy Joel - “Vienna” The Beatles - “Don’t Let Me Down” Pinback is an alternative...

Vince Staples’ ‘FM!’ solidifies artistic voice

By Peter Zemeske | November 7, 2018

Rapper Vince Staples took the internet by storm when he released his third studio album, “FM!” Friday. The album runs brief at 22 minutes but packs a wallop in its short runtime.The theme of the album revolves around music on the radio, hence the...

XXXTENTACION and the politics of abuse in music

By Tyler Neal | November 3, 2018

Pitchfork’s release of hidden audio detailing XXXTENTACION admitting to the abuse of his pregnant girlfriend, among a laundry list of other crimes on Oct. 23 has reignited a long standing argument in the music community: Is it immoral to listen to music...

Graduates’ rap pays tribute to football

By James Green | December 3, 2013

Graduates Nolan and Trevor O’Malley have whipped up a song commemorating NIU’s journey to the Mid-American Conference Championship game.Titled “Return to the MAC,” the song was written by the O’Malley brothers to celebrate NIU making it to the...

Karmin wins Women Who Rock

Karmin wins Women Who Rock

By Kevin Bartelt | October 3, 2012

When you see a short white girl from Nebraska who enjoys rapping, and her hairstyle is called a “suicide roll” (which I’m sure you see on a regular basis), is the first thing you think, “That girl rocks?” Me too. Karmin is on the cover of Rolling...

NIU alumni Patrick Brice, a.k.a. Point.Blank, will release his first album, Close Range, in iTunes today.

Local rapper Point.Blank hits iTunes

By Sarah Contreras | July 16, 2012

When NIU alumni Patrick Brice was 11 years old, he began listening to Eminem — and suddenly, he had a new dream career. Brice cites the artist’s “confidence and overall ‘I don’t care what anybody thinks’ attitude” as his main inspiration...

 

What happened to the music industry?

By Colin Remes | March 20, 2012

The music industry has certainly changed over the past 15 years, and in my opinion, not at all for the better. The advancements of technology have allowed digital distribution to expand exponentially, in particular illegal downloading, and it has caused...

Lizzie G take ova

By Jessica Cabe | September 16, 2011

Breaking into the world of hip hop is no easy task, but senior composition major Elizabeth Elie, better known as Lizzie G, is up for the challenge. "I want to work extra hard to please everyone," emphasizing that her main goal is to get her music out...

Music connects women’s basketball teammates Sneed, Brown

By Jimmy Johnson | February 8, 2011

A freshman athlete will sometimes look up to an upperclassman as an example they'd like to emulate. When the NIU women's basketball team met the incoming freshman this season, the coaches wanted to pair the underclassmen with players they could connect...