BlackBook

For those unfamiliar with the term, "hashtag rap" refers to a delivery device in rap where the MC, instead of using "like" or "as a" in setting up a simile, just cuts straight to the word for emphasis. It's a common tactic especially in the world of battle rap, where lines like these (usually "I'll put [x] in a box") have become endlessly parodied clichés in and of themselves. In "Semicolon," their latest video for YouTube Comedy Week, the Digital Short veterans of The Lonely Island riff on the concept, with most welcome help from Maya Rudolph and Solange, who makes cheesy lines like "We run the game/Umpire/we chase the night/Young Squire" sound ever so smooth. 

Memorial Day Weekend is just days away. Do you have plans yet? You could do the typically debauched thing, eating, drinking, dancing, and carousing, all for your own pleasure. But if you head out to Ruschmeyer's in Montauk, you could do all of those same things, but for a good cause. Two good causes, actually. On Sunday, May 26, the grown-up summer camp-themed resort is hosting an event called the Rockaway Plate Lunch Truck Yard Party, and it kicks off Ruschmeyer's summer-long series of Reggae Sundays parties. A percentage of the proceeds will go to support two charities, the Rockaway Plate Lunch Truck, which works to "fill plates and build spirits" with a food truck staffed by top New York restaurants, and Waves for Water, which provides clean water for those without access to it. They're both noble causes, and it won't hurt a bit to support them, as this party's hosted by Mike D (of the legendary Beastie Boys) and designer Robert McKinley, while the tunes will be provided by DJ's Mike D, Stretch Armstrong, and Tito Cruz. You like reggae? Good, because you'll get your fill with a irie set by the Easy Skanking Band. And you thought skanking was hard. 

On May 22, 1959, Steven Patrick Morrissey first graced the planet with his dispair. Also known as "The Pope of Mope," Morrissey's angsty lyrics have been moving his millions of diehard fans since the 1980s, when he fronted equally ridiculously popular Brit act, The Smiths. Whether you love to hate or hate to love him, the dude's got talent. He's also showcased some interesting swag over the years, which is why there's no better time than now to present six of his best looks from the last two decades. You'll see that he's definitely not as eccentric as his BlackBook birthday slideshow predecessor, David Bowie, but there are enough pompadours and chest hairs here to get the job done. Enjoy!

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been acting for most of his young life. And in that time, he's gotten quite a film ducation, having worked with everyone from his pal, the wonderful Rian Johnson to Gregg Araki, Christopher Nolan, and Steven Spielberg, taking on a varied array of roles, swiftly moving from young actor on the rise to one of the most sought after men in Hollywood. But only naturally, after being in the industry so long, JGL caught the filmmaking bug himself and this October, we'll see his first stab at writing and directing his own full-length feature, Don Jon. 

The past few years have seen plenty of bands record songs and albums indebted to the infamous Flying Nun label and kiwi-pop’s 1980s heyday as the root of much of what we today consider “indie” and “alternative” rock. And though seminal bands of that scene like The Clean and The Bats continue to kill in live shows and pen great tunes, the heirs apparent are New Zealand’s Surf City. The first taste of their sophomore album, below, should tell you why.

Since single edition 12''s were unearthed on Record Store Day, Scottish experimental ambient electro dudes Boards of Canada have been teasing us, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that leads to Tomorrow Harvest, the band's first album in seven years. And having remained quiet—save one-off cryptic releases—since Trans Canada Highway, we're pretty thrilled that in come June 10th, we'll all be able indulge in our favorite chilled-out and hauntingly spacey tunes.

For the fortuitous drinker who also retains a shred of loyalty in their choice of watering hole, the relationship with certain bartenders can really blossom. No, not like that—she has a boyfriend, dude. I’m talking about a simple friendship not totally tied to the service economy at play. Stick around long enough with a friendly attitude, and you might just get a drink or two comped. Lucky you!

Hot on the heels of that hideous punk-themed Met Gala (as if Madonna needed any prodding to wear a fishnet body stocking) comes the announcement that CBGB, the legendary dive of a Lower East Side music venue that closed in 2006, is having a birthday of sorts this fall. Across 175 venues, from October 9 to 13, the massive festival includes 525 bands, 100 film screenings and 40 workshops/seminars. The prices, however, are not 1970s-stabilized.