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Moving Back Home is Not So Bad

After two years of living in New York City, I recently moved back home with my parents. Two years, two different apartments, and over $30,000 in rent payments later and I’m back to square one. The last time I lived in my room at home was the summer after graduation when I was interviewing for jobs in the city. My goal was to find a job so I can move into an apartment and that’s exactly what I did. So, why am I here now? Two words: student loans.

If you were fortunate enough to have your education paid for, you will never understand the struggle of paying two rents every month. Luckily, I could afford to live in the city and still make my loan payments, but a savings account was a foreign concept to me. With the amount of money I’ve spent on rent I could have paid off one of my student loans. And since I would never actually own my apartment, I might as well have been lighting my money on fire every month. That’s when I realized I needed to move back home.

I honestly thought I would be more depressed moving home at 25. Normally that’s when people start moving out. I felt like my life was going in reverse. But when the first of the month hit and I didn’t have to write away my entire paycheck on rent, I was grinning from ear to ear. The hour and a half commute on Metro North doesn’t feel so bad when you have money in the bank. Free food and my mom’s cooking is also not something to complain about. My days of Seamless have come to an end and probably for the better for both my body and bank account.

One of the biggest transitions for me has been, well, living with my parents. It’s no longer my apartment, my rules. I have a daily reminder to make my bed and clean my room. It’s like clockwork every morning when my mom drives me to the train station and every evening when she picks me up. Living under my parents roof also means picking up more responsibilities around the house like doing chores, taking care of my dog- although my dog is also one of the biggest pros of living at home.

I’m definitely going to miss the perks of having my own apartment which include waking up a half hour before work and stumbling home drunk at 4am. I still have a place to crash thanks to my friends. (Well, at least until they get sick of me.) I’ll probably be going out a lot less though which is again another simultaneous pro/con.

At the end of the day, moving back home is not so bad. It’s not an option for everyone, but neither is living in the city. This is one of the most expensive cities in the world, so rent alone is enough to break someone’s back, never mind student loans. Just because you’ve chosen to move back home doesn’t mean you’re a failure either. I’ve learned at this point in my life that I need to do what makes the most sense for me at the moment. The stress of living paycheck to paycheck was not worth my bedroom 60 miles closer to my job. Besides, this is just a temporary solution until I can save up some real money. Although with how good I have it at home, I might just milk this for as long as I can. Sorry, mom and dad!

Steps to becoming independent in your 20′s

Your twenties is a constant struggle between being considered an adult and still feeling (and acting) like a kid. While you might not have it all figured out(and don’t have to) - here are some steps to weaning yourself off your parents and becoming independent.

1. Get a Job

This pretty much goes without saying, but a job is the first step in becoming completely independent. Even if you’re still in college, that doesn’t mean you you should put off working. In fact, the more work experience you have while you’re in college, the easier it will be to get a job once you graduate.

2. Pay your own cell phone bill

If you can afford to pay rent, you should be paying your own cell phone bill. While it’s nice to have your parents take care of it, it’s a step toward being independent. Also, if you’re family is anything like mine, you can save yourself the arguments about upgrades and data usage.

3. Make your own appointments

By now, your parents should not be making your doctors appointments. Have your doctor’s phone number in your contacts and start keeping track of when you’re due for your next checkup. If you can book a dinner reservation, you can book your dentist appointment. This goes for any appointment.

4. File your Taxes

Here’s something they don’t teach you in college. That’s okay, because you don’t have to actually file them yourself. You can go to any H&R Block and they will help you out. But please don’t leave this up to your parents. Filing your taxes is something you will have to do for the rest of your life so pay attention.

5. Make your own decisions

It’s your life, so live it the way you want. Important decisions like your career path and not so important decisions like what you order on seamless are all in your hands. You no longer have to ask permission or consult your parents on every decision you make - although you may want to ask for their advice.

6. Travel

You won’t really know who you are until you experience traveling. It forces you to get out of your comfort zone and figure things out on your own. There’s nothing like navigating a foreign city. When you come back you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that you’ve never felt before.

7. Take care of your body

While your twenties is a time to live it up, it’s also a time to realize your body can only party so hard before it catches up with you. Most of us have good friends who will hold your hair back while you puke and great parents who will bring you chicken noodle soup when you’re sick. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your vitamins and keep yourself in check.

What it’s like going to EZOO at 25 vs 21

I’ve been going to Electric Zoo every year for the past 5 years. Well, technically last year didn’t count because I had a Sunday only ticket and I was there for an hour before the weather shut it down. I’m still bitter about that especially after Sunday was cancelled the year before. This year I honestly didn’t have high expectations. I felt like Electric Zoo had already peaked and I should just let it go and find something else to do on Labor Day weekend. Of course, I still managed to end up at the Zoo. Part of me was curious to see how they were planning on “transforming” the festival.

Walking through the entrance I didn’t feel any butterflies or excitement like I did the first time. Instead I was checking my phone for battery life and calculating how many hours it would last me. I was also dead sober. Everyone else around me had definitely been pre-gaming since 10am. I remember those days of waking up the morning of EZOO and shotgunning beers. Now, I was chugging water.

I waited in line to get my 21+ wristband and went to get my first beer. The conversion rate of dollars to EZOO bucks was killer, but I still left a tip. They were handing out free neon green EZOO coozies which was pretty cool.

I met up with some friends and headed to Riverside, the smaller outdoor stage. It was early afternoon and everyone around us was in full rage mode. I remember thinking it’s way too early and I’m way too sober for this. It wasn’t crowded which was nice. The thought of people on top of me terrified me. I used to love being in the front of the crowd up close to the stage. Now I was totally content hanging in the back.

The Hilltop tent was a big NOPE. Everywhere you stood was packed. Inside the tent felt 20 degrees warmer and there was no ventilation because the side panels completely sealed the tent. I remember when I used to sweat my ass off in the tents and have the time of my life. Now, two minutes in there was unbearable.

Main stage was definitely upgraded considerably since last year. It felt like they added 2x more speakers and the sound quality was legit. I thought the visual was weird though. They used an owl like structure which is Insomniac’s thing and a little played out at this point. The owl was also scary looking.

By the time the sun set I was already exhausted. I wasn’t even dancing that much but after standing all day my legs were tired and I definitely needed ear plugs. I was buzzed, but not drunk and my stomach was grumbling. I went to check out the food. I had no idea what to expect because I had never eaten here before. I was always too busy running from stage to stage and the last thing on my mind was food. Now, I was hangry and not even the music could distract me.

I sat down in the grass to enjoy a burger and fries, but there was nowhere to really sit without being trampled. Everyone was standing or moving to get to the next stage. The couple next to me was making out while I was stuffing my face.

I thought to myself - what a difference 5 years has made. Am I really that old? It’s kind of depressing to think about how I couldn’t even make it through the day without needing to sit and chill. WHO AM I? Why am I not the rave energizer bunny I used to be?

I still enjoyed the music - Audien, Above and Beyond, and Ferry Corsten all killed it. I just wasn’t 21 anymore. I was looking at everything differently and had bigger concerns like how I would avoid the mass exodus of people leaving the island. Netflix was calling my name.

People Watching: EZOO Edition

Music festivals in general draw a pretty eclectic crowd, which makes for excellent people watching. Needless to say, people watching at Electric Zoo this last weekend was prime. Below are some things seen and heard on Randall’s Island:

1. Animal costumes

The most common theme was animal costumes because obviously. There were fleece animal onesies galore. Some just chose to wear masks, others opted for body paint. There were monkeys, unicorns, zebras - you name it. Watching all of the different animal costumes dancing and running around was hilarious.

2. Bernie Sanders signs

I saw a few Bernie ‘16 signs held up at main stage. I’m not sure why people were repping Bernie at the Zoo, but if I had to pick one candidate that the EZOO crowd would support it would definitely be Bernie. I’m not sure if people were actually working for the Bernie campaign, but I saw a ton of Bernie ‘16 signs held up at main stage. I feel like Bernie would totally be down with EZOO.

3. First timers

If you’ve been to EZOO before, or any music festival for that matter, you know the drill when it comes to security, stage setups, water refills etc. There were a ton of first timers here and they stood out like a sore thumb. They were wandering aimlessly, eyes wide open like kids in a candy store. The crowd definitely felt young but I’m not sure if that meant more 18 year olds actually went or if I’m just getting older. *tear*

4. EZOO Veterans

These guys are the real MVPs. They know whats up and don’t dilly dally in line. They know all the “best spots” at each stage and know exactly the right paths to take to get there. I spotted some wearing vintage Electric Zoo 2010 tanks.

5. Shuffling

No electronic music festival would be complete without shuffling. Experience ranged from expert level shuffler in the middle of a huge circle to entry level shuffler making it up as they go. Both are just as entertaining to watch.

6. Fan girls/guys

Running to the front of the crowd were the ultimate fan girls/guys. They were decked out in their favorite DJ’s logo and held up signs. I would have to say Above and Beyond had the biggest fan girls/guys of the festival. All of them were dying to push the button.

7. PDA

The grass is where people go to sit and chill out. It’s also a lover’s corner. Couples were cuddling, making out and rolling around in the grass like it was nobody’s business.

Lessons in dealing with Trauma through Neesha Arter’s Memoir ‘Controlled’

Photo by Tom Newton

I met Neesha right after I graduated college. I spent the whole summer applying for jobs in my parent’s living room with no luck so I settled for an unpaid internship. I sat next to Neesha in our office space in Meatpacking and we quickly became friends. We were pretty much in the same boat, except I was commuting from Connecticut and she had moved across the country to pursue her dream of becoming a writer in NYC. One day during lunch, she told me she was writing a book and it was almost finished. I asked her what the book was about and she told me it was about being raped at 14. I was shocked to say the least. I had only known her a few short months, but Neesha was funny, outgoing and witty. I couldn’t imagine her going through something like that. I didn’t want to pry, so I didn’t ask any questions. I just told her I can’t wait to read it.

Fast forward to 3 years later and that day has finally come. As soon as it was available, I ordered it on Amazon. I sped through the book in just two days. I needed to know what happened in the end. Did she ever get justice? What happened to her abusers? What happened to Neesha? The truth is, although ‘Controlled’ has an ending, the story never ends for Neesha. This is something she has to live with for the rest of her life --and now publicly. ‘Controlled’ takes you back to that horrible night, but more importantly it shows us just how horrible the aftermath can be. This is not a story about courage. This is a story about incredible pain and suffering. Her courage lies in telling this story for the world to hear. Her voice is so honest and vulnerable that it’s empowering, especially to other victims. Although her story is about sexual abuse, Neesha sends important messages to anyone who is living through a traumatic experience.

1. Don’t blame yourself

Neesha was blatantly a victim of sexual abuse yet she continued to struggle with blaming herself. A million “what if’s” ran through her mind about that night. What if she did this or that differently. It’s only when she stopped blaming herself that she could truly move on.

2. Own your feelings

It’s okay to feel pain. In fact, it’s only natural. Trying to avoid the pain can end up being more destructive than the pain itself. Processing your roller coaster of emotions can be overwhelming, especially when you aren’t even old enough to drive. Just know that every feeling you have makes you human.

3. Reach out for help

You should never be ashamed to ask for help. Although you may feel alone in your situation, there is always an outlet for you available. Understandably Neesha was hesitant to talk to anyone, even her own parents. She was so ashamed of what had happened. Talking to someone can be extremely difficult, but having a support system will make all the difference.

4. It will get better

It’s so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. For a while the tunnel seemed never ending for Neesha. The worst night of her life became the worst week, the worst month and the worst year. There isn’t a magic switch that you can flip to make it all go away, but there is always hope. In telling her story, Neesha wants to spread that hope of overcoming adversity.

I met up with Neesha to congratulate her and catch up. We swapped stories and laughed- the same Neesha I remember from my internship. It’s crazy to think about how far she has come in the past few years. Her dream of becoming an author is now a reality. The same incident that once shattered her into a million pieces is now a piece of her success story --and she did that.

Neesha’s work has appeared in The New York Times: Women In The World, The Daily Beast, the New York Observer, New York Magazine, Interview, Teen Vogue and many more. She is a women’s right activist...

Who Said it- Donald Trump or Kanye?

Kanye West announced Sunday night at the VMAs that he will be running for President in 2020. Whether he was being serious or not, the media had a field day with the announcement. Reactions ranged from “I’m moving out of the country” to “KANYE/KIM 2020″. Well, my question is if Donald Trump can run for President, why can’t Kanye? Let’s take a look at these quotes and see if you can guess who said it - Kanye or Trump?

“You know, it really doesn’t matter what the media write as long as you’ve got a young and beautiful piece of ass.”

-Donald Trump

“Part of the beauty of me is that I am very rich.”

-Donald Trump

“I feel like I’m too busy writing history to read it.”

-Kanye West

“I am God's vessel.”

-Kanye West

“I love beautiful women, and beautiful women love me.”

-Donald Trump

“My twitter has become so powerful that I can actually make my enemies tell the truth.”

-Donald Trump

“I'm like a machine. I'm a robot. You cannot offend a robot”

-Kanye West

“Show me someone without an ego, and I'll show you a loser.”

-Donald Trump

“People ask me a lot about my drive. I think it comes from, like, having a sexual addiction at a really young age.”

-Kanye West

“Everything in life is luck.”

-Donald Trump

“A well-educated black has a tremendous advantage over a well-educated white in terms of the job market.”

-Donald Trump

“I’ve never had any trouble in bed”

-Donald Trump

“I don't even listen to rap. My apartment is too nice to listen to rap in.”

-Kanye West

“I have really given a lot of women great opportunity. Unfortunately, after they are a star, the fun is over for me.”

-Donald Trump

Women: “You have to treat ’em like shit.”

-Donald Trump

'I am so credible and so influential and so relevant that I will change things.' -Kanye West “Fur pillows are hard to actually sleep on.”

-Kanye West

Thoughts on the Fat Jew Situation

Instagram celebrity, The Fat Jewish, whose real name is Josh Ostrovsky (who knew), was dragged on social media this week by comedians and writers for stealing their material. With 5.7 million followers, including celebrities like the Kardashians, the Fat Jewish has become known for his ridiculous pictures, memes and quotes. His most recent deal with CAA, The Creative Artists Agency that represents actors like George Clooney, made news headlines and also struck a nerve with his critics.

I Went to Paint Nite and Did More Drinking than Painting

Paint Nite is pretty much a thing now. Girls are constantly popping up in my newsfeed posing next to their cute flower paintings holding a glass of wine. I hate to be a basic bitch, but I like art and I definitely like to drink so I was immediately down when my sister asked me to go. We bought a Groupon for Paint Nite in Union Square on a Thursday.

We get downstairs to an open room with a full bar at the very back. Long tables are lined up with paint brushes and an easel at each chair. It’s first come first serve seating so naturally I bee line to the two chairs closest to the bar. There are only two bar tenders and a long line for drinks. First thing we do before getting our paint is get in line for the bar. Priorities.

My sister and I started off with two pinots each. People were definitely staring at us double fisting our drinks before the class even started, but we were not about waiting in that line again.

The class starts and the instructor holds up the painting that we are supposed to copy. It’s a tree with flowers and a blue sky background. She’s wearing a mic and starts giving step by step directions. First step - the blue background. One guy is going around the room to make sure everyone gets a close up of the painting.

I’m almost finished with my second glass of pinot and I wanted to be different so I started painting an orange background. Looking around at all the blue canvases I started giggling. The couple sitting next to me definitely thinks I’m colorblind. Meanwhile the instructor comes to our table and sees my bright orange canvas and goes “that’s different”. My sister is snapchatting this entire thing and laughing hysterically.

The class continues following all the steps one at a time. While they moved onto drawing the tree, I moved onto a vodka soda. Despite my colors being completely off, my painting actually looks cool. My tree is coming along nicely and I feel the creative juices flowing. My hand is actually getting a cramp from painting. I decide that I need just one more drink.

I get up to grab one more vodka soda and sit back down to put the finishing touches on my painting. I look over at my sister who is pretty much done. She’s playing catch up with my drinking, while I’m playing catch up with my painting.

I quickly realized I should have left my painting alone after my 3rd drink. At this point I am just mixing every color on my plate and globbing it onto the canvas. I’m also using the same brush the entire time without washing it or anything. YOLO.

Paint Nite is over and I don’t even know what happened to my painting. It definitely doesn’t look like a tree. I am pretty tipsay and I get to carry my wet blob home.

Below is the final product. My sister’s is on the left and mine is on the right if you couldn’t tell.

Darude is Back and it’s Really Good

10 Struggles of Going to a Music Festival

1. Schedule conflicts

This is inevitable. You should start preparing yourself for disappointment before the set times are released. Also, make sure you are in a safe environment when you first look at the schedule. I once found out that Kaskade and Eric Prydz conflicted while I was at work and my reaction was very NSFW.

Tips: Accept the fact that you won’t be able to see everyone you want to see. While splitting up sets in half and running from stage to stage seems doable, it’s not worth it. You’ll make up for your loss another time.

2. Losing your friends

If you’re anything like me, you tend to not pay attention and wander off. Once you’ve lost the group, you might as well just rage by yourself and make friends since cell service is non existent.

Tips: Don’t panic. Always pick a meet up time and spot and just wait for them there. Make your really tall friend hold something up while you navigate the crowds.

3. No cell service

Besides losing your friends, not having cell service sucks for an even bigger reason. You can’t post anything to Instagram. I’m a self proclaimed Instagram addict, so I know the struggle is REAL. Pictures or it didn’t happen right?

Tips: Stop being on your phone and enjoy the moment. You can Instagram after the festival is over.

4. Too many friends

Going with a big group is fun in theory, until you have to coordinate going to the bathroom, fight over who wants to see who, and move through crowds.

Tips: Don’t waste your time trying to keep everyone together. Pick a meet up spot at the end of the night or for the one set that you all agree on.

5. Planning your outfit

It’s either too hot, too cold, raining or dust storming. Whatever the case, you want to be prepared but look super cute and trendy - obvs.

Tips: Don’t try too hard. You’re going to wish you were wearing a flannel instead of those pasties when the sun goes down. Your outfit should probably revolve around a backpack for all the extra shit you’re going to need anyway.

6. Waiting in line

The worst part of any festival is waiting to get inside. The suspense is literally killing you. Once you’re inside you feel like running and screaming “Free at last!” Not so fast, the waiting isn’t over. You still have to wait in line to get a 21+ wristband, to then wait in another line to get a drink. By the time you finish your drink you have to use the bathroom and yes, wait in line.

Tips: Get there early and mentally prepare. Just think happy thoughts while you’re in line and hopefully you won’t stab someone.

7. Annoying people

There is always a mix of the best and worst people at music festivals. Most people are genuinely nice and cool. I’ve met some good friends at festivals. On the other hand, you have your obnoxious festival bros who come in herds and wear bright neon shirts that read “Have you seen molly?” Then you have the chatty kathy’s that won’t leave you alone and think you can actually understand a word they are saying. Of course there are all sorts of fucked up people that will knock into you or grind on you with their sweaty bodies.

Tips: Don’t be those annoying people and avoid them at all costs.

8. Losing your dignity

Being at festival makes you extremely carefree. You forget about any responsibilities in the outside world. More often than not, you get a little too carried away and end up making some questionable decisions. Hopefully there aren’t too many pictures floating around documenting your debauchery.

Tips: Remember how happy you were in the moment and realize you probably didn’t have much dignity to begin with. No regrets, right?

While there are many struggles about going to a music festival, there’s a reason why people keep going back for more. Some of the best times of my life have been at a festival. If you haven’t been to one, then you probably haven’t lived yet. Just remember - it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

“Compton: The Soundtrack” - Hip-Hop Then vs. Now

I finally got around to listening to Dr. Dre’s album “Compton”, the soundtrack to the biopic “Straight Outta Compton” that premiered this week. 16 years after his last record and at the age of 50, Dr. Dre has managed to bring back the essence of hip-hop/rap that we’ve been desperately missing.

I’ve always said I miss old school hip-hop/rap because it was straight up. We are now in the age of trap where songs are created around dance moves and full of gimmicks. Songs have way less words or actual “rapping” and tend to repeat the same words over and over. Sometimes I have trouble even understanding the words. (Yes, I’m looking at you Future.) Ironically, the less the song makes sense, the more popular it becomes.

I admit these songs are catchy. Who doesn’t bounce up and down to “I’m in Love with the Coco” or “Trap Queen”? They are meant to be silly not serious. There was a time though when rap was intense and passionate. Dre has brought back this feeling with “Compton”.

The album is just as powerful as the story of N.W.A. These guys weren’t messing around in the studio, churning out silly records just to become famous. They were hustling to make a living doing what they loved and in the process they formed a cultural revolution. Their records were a reflection of their life experiences without a filter. They faced opposition from music label execs to the government, but they never backed down. Their authenticity and courage to speak the truth paved the way for artists across all genres of music.

Throughout the Compton soundtrack, Dre reminisces of his humble beginnings with his four group members, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella. He makes comparisons of the rap game then and now. On the track “All in a Day’s Work” Dre raps, “My whole life all I ever thought about is grindin’/ Even though my surroundings only showed me crime and violence / That was back when a rapper needed guns way more than a stylist / And that was back when I felt like rappers was true mothafuckin’ riders.”

Dre also brings an impressive, yet carefully selected roster of rappers to the album. Among them is Kendrick Lamar who also hails from Compton and is featured across multiple songs. Veterans Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg add to the theme of nostalgia and bring the album full circle.

Dre also showcases his skills as a producer on the album. The sound has that old school hip-hop feel. He mixes in a little bit of rock and a little bit of R&B and it all comes together perfectly.

Overall, this album is exactly what it was meant to be - a reflection on the career of Dr. Dre, his Compton roots and the impact of N.W.A. on hip-hop/rap today. I can’t wait to see the movie.

R.I.P Eazy-E

Real Talk About Instagram Censorship

On Tuesday, the hashtag EDM was banned from Instagram. In a statement, a spokesperson from Instagram said, “In this case, #EDM was being used to share content that violates our guidelines around nudity.”

This comes in the wake of #curvy being banned and later restored. #EDM is now restored as well, but both instances make me question how Instagram uses censorship. When I search for #drake (to find memes of Drake trolling Meek Mill obvi) I am scrolling through what seems like endless amounts of naked girls and pornographic images.

Yesterday, Instagram deactivated the Slut Whisperer’s account. He retweeted this tweet from user @JaySilvs: “The hashtag #ISIS is still active on @Instagram, yet @KirillWasHere pouring champagne on tits is deemed more offensive & gets taken down..” I checked and #isis is in fact an active hashtag. Many people have gathered behind him using the hashtag #freeslutwhisperer.

The common theme in the Instagram bans is nudity, but when Justin Bieber posted his bare ass for the world to see on the social media platform, Instagram didn’t take action. Bieber instead chose to take it down on his own accord, ONE WEEK later. Meanwhile, Chrissy Teigan’s photo from her W Magazine shoot, in which she bares her nipple, was taken down almost immediately after she posted it. I should also add that it wasn’t even a full on nipple, it was a side nipple (singular).

I took a look at Instagram’s Community Guidelines to see how they define nudity. In it they say nudity includes a close up of a fully-nude buttocks and the female nipple.

Instagram’s stance on nudity is clear in it’s Community guidelines, but misleading in it’s actions. If they are going to censor a female nipple, then censor a male butt.

It seems a little ridiculous that hashtags like #terrorist, #murder, and #fuckyou are OK by Instagram’s standards, but #sex, #bra, and

A Review of Tiesto’s DJ Web Series “Your Shot” - So Far

7UP partnered with Tiesto to search for the next DJ superstar. The VEVO web series follows 30 contestants as they compete for the winning prize - to open for Tiesto at Hakkasan Las Vegas AND play at the 7UP stage at Ultra 2016.

Two episodes have aired so far and after watching them, it’s extremely hard to take this competition seriously.

The web series is trying to replicate shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent, yet in the “Auditions”, the contestants are not performing. Instead, they are interviewed and asked questions like “Why do you think we should pick you?” Not once do they get behind equipment and play a set. During the selection process the “hosts” are flipping through their head shots. The whole time I’m thinking, “Why aren’t they listening to their Soundcloud accounts?”

At one point, Ben Shprits from AM Only Bookings says, “He has no DJ skills - this might be the one competition where that works in your favor.”

So, talent is not a requirement for a competition to become the next big DJ. Interesting. That should definitely help quiet critics who say DJing is not a real skill. Or even make serious DJs feel better about their reputation as button pushers.

There was a lot of backlash from the DJ community after the trailer for “We Are Your Friends” was released. Zac Effron plays a college promoter/DJ who says, “If you’re a DJ all you need is a laptop, some talent, and one track.”

Well, it seems like this competition doesn’t even require SOME talent. Their grand plan is to train the contestants how to DJ with the help of Tiesto and DJ Jono Fernandez.

They also want them to look and act the part. That’s where Tiesto’s manager Andrew Goldstone and AM Booking’s Ben Shprits come in.

Although I am curious to see who ends up winning this competition and how their sets at Hakkasan and Ultra turn out, I think 7UP and Tiesto should stick to commercials.

Proof That There is Hope for Everyone

Dan Bilzerian basically owns VIP at EZOO this year

A snapchat has surfaced of Dan Bilzerian’s Electric Zoo VIP Reservation and boy does it have Dan Bilzerian written all over it. A separate snapchat includes a copy of his license as further proof - as if we needed it. Dan Bilzerian does not simply attend an event without spending a small fortune. The $650K reservation includes his own private VIP deck for 200 of his guests, enough alcohol to feed the entire festival, and of course his own personal pyrotechnics controller.

I’m not shocked at all by his reservation. What I am shocked about is that EZOO could even accommodate his level of partying. Sure, Dan does this in Vegas all the time no problem. But we’re talking about EZOO - a festival that could barely get their shit together for the rest of us regular ticket holders.

All I want to know is, what do I have to do to get on his guest list?

Is That a World Tour, or Your Girl’s Tour?

Answer: It’s your girl’s tour.

For those of you who aren’t up to speed on the Drake - Meek Mill beef, here’s the breakdown: It all started with Meek’s Twitter rant last week claiming Drake doesn’t write his own raps. Drake didn’t respond on social media, but soon put out a diss track “Charged Up” which Meek called “Baby Soft”, again on Twitter. It’s been four days and everyone anticipated a rebuttle from Meek in the form of a diss track (ya know, that’s usually how these things work in the rap world), but it was radio silence. Then, early this morning Drake surprised us all with yet another diss track called “Back to Back”. Drake left no room for baby soft comments here.

Meanwhile, Meek has had no problem ranting to the crowd on Nicki Minaj’s Pinkprint tour. I was there to witness it firsthand on Sunday at Barclays. Sidenote - Meek is not only an opener for Nicki MInaj on the tour, but he’s also her boo. People have been speculating about the status of their relationship ever since Meek tried the 6 God. No one fucks with Young Money, right Nicki? Hmm what’s that? Oh, there she goes making out with Meek on stage. She made it clear that Meek is still her man, but at the same time she played two of Drake’s verses during her show and brought out Lil Wayne separately. I wonder what Wayne has to say about this. For a crew that reps Young Money so hard, you would think that Nicki and Wayne would come to Drake’s defense. It’s a weird time for Young Money records though. Wayne has his own beef with Birdman to deal with.

There’s one thing I know for sure. I’m on team Drizzy.

Let Them Live

Fans have been relentless towards artists experimenting with their sound. The age of the Internet means people are voicing their opinions nonstop. I feel like online bashing has reached a whole new level recently. What I don’t understand is why we are so quick to judge an artist for taking risks or changing it up? Since when did they become handcuffed to one specific genre or to the sound they put out a decade ago?

Let’s look at Kaskade - my favorite artist - as an example. He’s been around for quite some time - before the term “EDM” was even coined. He released his first album, “It’s You, It’s Me” in 2003. If you compare this to his 2011 album “Fire & Ice”, it sounds like night and day.

In his early days he was strictly house music. He incorporated a lot of what sounded like guitars and other instruments to his music that made it unique. Now, he dabbles in a harder electro sound. He’ll use big synths and even womps that borderline dubstep. Of course he still plays house music. But, what amazes me is when people hate on him for doing either or. It’s funny because some people who never knew the “old” Kaskade will complain when he plays house. And then people who have followed him since the beginning will complain when he plays the harder stuff. He can’t win.

People need to accept the fact that artists will evolve, as they should. It doesn’t mean they are abandoning themselves, it means they are growing.

I understand the frustrations of old school listeners during this EDM whirlwind that has picked up over the past few years. “Mainstream” is a word that gets tossed out a lot. Let’s stop and take a second to analyze the definition of Mainstream.

“the ideas, attitudes, or activities that are regarded as normal or conventional; the dominant trend in opinion, fashion, or the arts.”

In relation to music, specifically to Electronic Music, it means when a song crosses over into the top hits radio world. It’s used for a sound that is associated with pop culture. When Skrillex gets played at a Rangers Hockey Game - that’s an example of Mainstream.

It’s also used to describe this newer electronic sound - specifically progressive, electro, and dubstep. That’s because

Why though is becoming Mainstream only a negative idea in the Electronic Music world?

When a pop song is played on the radio, during commercials, and even at gas stations - it’s pretty normal. In fact, it’s a measure of success. It means the artist has made it. When this happens in Electronic Music, most people cringe.

Of course there is always the idea of something being played out. If I hear a song a thousand times in one week - no matter what genre - I am going to eventually get sick of it. But why do people bash the idea of Electronic Music being Mainstream?

I think those people who share those opinions are (for the most part) a little older, and have been listening to Electronic Music before the term “EDM” was even a thing.

Electronic Music was born from the underground scene. Some people find a sacredness in the music being underground. I get that. There is something special about experiencing a DJ in an intimate setting, without the commercial nonsense. There was no such thing as DJs headlining Madison Square Garden in the 70′s, 80′s or even 90′s. In fact, Swedish House Mafia was the first Electronic Music Act to play MSG only 4 years ago in 2011.

But now, you can pretty much go to an EDM show anywhere in the world.

Does this make it less special?

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