On Oct. 12, 2019, hip hop fans from all over the Inland Empire drove to Ontario for the highly anticipated The Happiness of Pursuit (THOP) festival. The soldout show's lineup featured hip-hop legends Havoc, Crookedeye, and MURS in a spacious back lot of the FIREBALL bar in Ontario, CA. With a told of 400 attendees, THOP Fest founder 60 East admitted that he was quite surprised by the turnout. “This is only the 4th THOP fest so I am completely aware that we are still growing but WOW! The number of people that came out exceeded my expectations”. With only six months of planning, 60 East and his team sold out the fest with the unexpected lineup. Many were in disbelief that the … [Read more...] about Ontario’s very own hip-hop festival
music
Alfedo Cruz: “We’re looking to get more bands interacting with us”
Alfredo Cruz, one of two Co-managers of Coyote Radio and Advertising, explains the importance of local bands and the Coyote Radio. Cruz has been in management for 10 years with audio production and on-air hosting. Due to studying broadcasting at the University of Texas in Austin he was able to gain some insight into the radio and audio industry. He believes that all of this experience has prepared him for Coyote Radio since radio production has been something he has grown to do and love. Cruz has had experience with radio stations. He serves as the general manager of NPR and PBS an affiliate of KVCR on channel 24 and 91.9 FM. Additionally, he was president and CEO at a jazz station in … [Read more...] about Alfedo Cruz: “We’re looking to get more bands interacting with us”
Twenty 2 Salute Hits Down N’ Dirty
Twenty 2 Salute is a Hard Rock band from the Inland Empire who started off as "The League" but later changed it to be more unique. The lead singer and guitarist Michael Schoon, bass player Mark Schoon, and drummer Raul Padilla known as J, performed at the Down N' Dirty Festival on the weekend of January 18th at the Adelanto Stadium in California. The two brothers have been surrounded by music their whole lives so it was given that one day this would be something they do together. "Our father was in a band growing up, he was in a rock band and he was a singer so it became our normal life to be in a band and we love music," said Mike Schoon. There were about 1,000 music … [Read more...] about Twenty 2 Salute Hits Down N’ Dirty
Slideshow: Passion for Arts
Students at CSUSB pursuing an artistic career tell us their passion drives their work. To many, art is more than just a hobby; it is a career and it involves dedication. College is a time to gain the experience you need to prepare for the real world. For students pursuing an artistic career, their hard work is often undermined because their workload doesn’t seem as rigorous as those in STEM majors. Emily Brown, a CSUSB student pursuing a career in the art industry gives an insight into her creative accomplishments as well as the struggles she faces. She is an example that being a student in the arts takes hard work and commitment. “My inspiration comes from my life experiences … [Read more...] about Slideshow: Passion for Arts
The Appeal of Vinyl in the Age of Digital Music
In the age of digital music, vinyl is making a comeback. Now more than ever, music is readily available through apps like Spotify, Tidal, Apple and Amazon music, yet vinyl is seeing a wave of demand from generations born in the digital age. 46.4 Million Americans have bought music subscriptions from streaming apps in the first half of this year alone. Though it is a high number, vinyl sales skyrocketed to $416 million just 3 years ago; equal to 12 million records sold. According to the RIAA (Record Industry Association of America), the last time sales were that high was back in 1988. While 70% of the music industry is brought in by digital music, vinyl sales are high from all … [Read more...] about The Appeal of Vinyl in the Age of Digital Music
When life kicks you down, music lifts you up
Fabio De La Luz, CEO and professional music producer of Scenic Road Industries, had it tough to make his dream a reality. At age 17, Fabio De La Luz found himself homeless and what he knew as a family was torn from the only stability he’s known. The only thing that keeps his head up, is music. De La Luz, a young entrepreneur, against all odds, went from rags to riches as he followed the beat of his heart to finding his calling of the rhythm of his soul into music production. Expectations were slum for De La Luz as he revisits painful memories that drove his passion and sparked his living dream career. “I come to find out that my mother had a second family, my father was heart … [Read more...] about When life kicks you down, music lifts you up
Return of Taylor Swift
On May 18 and 19, Taylor Swift performed two sold out shows at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, signifying her return back into the limelight. For the past decade, Swift has been one of the most influential artists in the music industry. With over 10 Grammy awards won, 30 million albums sold, and millions of fans worldwide, her impact on popular music is evident. After multiple misguided headlines and personal attacks of character from the media in the last few years, Swift made the conscious decision to step away from the spotlight. During this time away, Swift spent her time writing and recording her sixth studio album, "Reputation", shining light on her personal experiences … [Read more...] about Return of Taylor Swift
Tyler the Creator conquering the industry
From music to television shows to a clothing line, Tyler the Creator does not take his “creator” moniker lightly. In the early years of his career, Tyler was known to be controversial and “out there” compared to the rest of his hip-hop colleagues. He was known for posting viral tweets without any concern for consequence and had no problem trolling whomever he came into contact with. But for the last couple of years, unless he is blessing his fans with new releases, Tyler has been quiet on social media. He did just that in July when his new album "Flower Boy" was released. Following the release of "Flower Boy," Tyler premiered his new show on Viceland, titled "Nuts + Bolts," … [Read more...] about Tyler the Creator conquering the industry
Fall Out Boy Concert
Punk band "Fall Out Boy" came to rock The Forum arena in Inglewood on Friday, Nov. 17. Opening acts Jaden Smith and Blackbear stirred up the crowd before the headlining band’s entrance. The arena opened its doors early enough for people to head over to their seats before the 7 p.m. showtime. Many attendees strolled in with enthusiastic vibes while showing off the band’s logo plastered on their shirts. There was an atmosphere of positivity because everyone was looking forward to an entertaining night. Fall Out Boy consists of lead vocalist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley. The group was formed in Illinois, Chicago in 2001 … [Read more...] about Fall Out Boy Concert
Homecoming Celebrations
Coordinated by the Office of Student Engagement, CSUSB had its annual Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 21, as a way to bring students, alumni, staff and community members together to celebrate what it is like to be a Coyote. “The purpose of Homecoming is celebration,” said Alumni Engagement Coordinator, Crystal Wymer-Lucero. Wymer-Lucero says the event is significant because it brings together everybody and it is also a tradition.“We’re here to celebrate what it means to be a coyote and honor everything we’ve done over the last years,” said Wymer-Lucero.This year's homecoming celebration had over 1,000 members of the Coyote Family.The day was commenced with the Homecoming Bash, which took … [Read more...] about Homecoming Celebrations