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Inside Luna Luna: The Amusement Park That Drake Revived With A Massive Investment

March 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

In the heart of Los Angeles, a groundbreaking fusion of art and amusement has emerged with the arrival of Luna Luna. This innovative museum-amusement park transports visitors back to the iconic era of 1987, showcasing the visionary creations of 30 renowned artists. Each artist has lent their unique touch to customize classic theme park rides, turning Luna Luna into a mesmerizing experiential art show and outdoor museum. HotNewHipHop had the opportunity to attend and experience the park firsthand. Moreover, the allure of the park persisted, captivating the attention of none other than Drake himself. Furthermore, visionary artists including Basquiat, Salvador Dali, and Lichtenstein were among the influential figures behind the design of the amusement park. In 1987, Luna Luna made its debut in Hamburg, Germany, only to close down shortly after due to financial struggles.

However, André Heller, its founder, doubted the possibility of Luna Luna ever reopening its doors. But thanks to the involvement of Drake and his DreamCrew team who invested upwards of $100M, the park underwent a resurrection and opened its doors to the public in December 2023. For Drake and his team, the thought of so many interactive works of art sitting in obscurity sparked his imagination and fueled his desire to bring Luna Luna back to life. An earlier endeavor to resurrect the park in the 1990s in San Diego fell short. However, the team salvaged the park’s dormant rides from a warehouse in Texas. Their objective wasn’t to restore it as a functioning theme park. But rather to reimagine it as a captivating art exhibition. While the rides themselves are not operational, the park is transformed into an immersive and creative art gallery.

Luna Luna Is Filled With Incredible Works Of Art

Each segment of the exhibition serves as a canvas for creative expression, breathing life into art in a vibrant and accessible manner. Stepping into the space was like entering a portal to a realm where imagination runs wild. While walking through the doors of this spectacular exhibition in Los Angeles, there was a clear rush of excitement. Here, amidst the 60,000-square-feet of creative wonder, I embarked on a journey through the forgotten fantasy of the world’s first art amusement park. The experience began with a mesmerizing introduction to Luna Luna through a fast-moving video. The visual guided readers on the history of the fairground.

As I passed through a midnight blue corridor, I found myself immersed in a world where the fantastical meets the tangible. The exhibition is divided into two rooms. Each room is filled with unique rides and interactive installations by world-renowned artists. In the first space, I took pictures next to Kenny Scharf’s painted chair swing ride, complete with abstract sculptures surrounding it. Next up, David Hockney’s Enchanted Tree and Keith Haring’s vibrant carousel added to the enchantment, while Manfred Deix’s Palace of the Winds stood as a testament to the enchanting nature of the park.

The Jean-Michel Basquiat Ferris Wheel Was A Highlight

Furthermore, crossing through artist’s Sonia Delaunay’s monumental entrance archway, I entered the second space. I was greeted by the marvelous sight of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s painted Ferris wheel. This was one of my favorite areas of the exhibition. As I explored further, I encountered Rebecca Horn’s thought-provoking Love Thermometer, and André Heller’s imaginative Wedding Chapel. It was clear how each installation told a story, further captivating my attention into the world of Luna Luna. The day I went, there were several other visitors enjoying the space and also capturing Instagram-worthy moments.

But the magic didn’t stop there. It’s clear that Luna Luna has so much potential to be a space where the community can come together. In fact, on a separate day (March 19), I even had the opportunity to witness André 3000’s live performance, which took place at Luna Luna, as part of his New Blue Sun Tour. This experience added to the fantasy of the space and Andre 3000 did a great job at setting the atmosphere for what the audience witnessed. In fact, he even gave a short speech about why he decided to pursue his career playing the flute, instead of rapping on this album this time around. “It really all comes from the same place,” he told the crowd.

Andre 3000 Performs At Luna Luna

Moreover, set against the backdrop of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Ferris wheel, his performance was nothing short of mesmerizing. Musicians Carlos Niño, Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina, and Deantoni Parks joined him on stage. André 3000 truly transported the audience to another dimension with his music. The audience felt the same way as the sounds of the wind instruments filled the room. It was a perfect fit for the tour stop to take place at this location. The playful atmosphere combined with the nature of André 3000’s performance served as an excellent background.

As I sat amongst iconic artworks, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe at the convergence of art and music in this surreal setting. It was a moment that transcended time, bringing together the past and present in a symphony of creativity. In the midst of my experience, I found myself captivated by the rich tapestry of artistic expression. From the vibrant colors of Keith Haring to the surreal landscapes of Salvador Dalí, each artist left a memorable mark on this immersive experience. Overall, Luna Luna is filled with surprises and has a certain whimsical magic to the whole experience. The exhibition is worth the visit!

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Kanye West Announces “Vultures” Listening Party In Paris

February 18, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign will be repping their new collab album Vultures for the rest of the year, it seems. Moreover, the former just announced another listening party -– sorry, “listening experience” -– for the project or its supposed sequels, this time in Paris’ Accor Arena next Sunday (February 25). Earlier this week, the duo announced two other listening events in Italy for Vultures, scheduled for February 22 in Milan and February 24 in Bologna. As such, it looks like they really want to ramp things up ahead of Vultures 2. Whether that even ends up dropping is anyone’s guess, but fans are holding onto hope.

Furthermore, European fans may want to hop onto these parties if they’re big Ye and Ty fans, because they don’t know for sure when they’ll get to listen to Vultures in its intended form. Of course, the release of this album came marred with sample clearance issues, distribution disputes, disappearances from streaming services, and a whole lot of drama. As is typical for a Kanye West rollout, it was the hottest topic for a moment, and then everything just kind of fell back into place. Unfortunately, we can’t really pinpoint what there is to learn from all this.

Kanye West Announces Paris Listening Party

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For folks on the other side of the Atlantic, though, they might have another chance to see Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign perform. Rolling Loud California announced that they will perform at the festival on March 14, which is days after Vultures 2 is supposed to come out. Will this sequel project actually come out, and will the duo actually show up to perform at this rap festival? Again, it’s a tough call to make, and betting on the Chicago artist’s word is mostly a fool’s errand.

Meanwhile, the first installment’s commercial performance has been unsurprisingly impressive, although Billboard doesn’t seem to count it for its charts. Maybe they don’t want to give Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign any more press for the antisemitic bigotry associated with the rollout. Or, some fans think, their distribution model could’ve played a part, but either way, fans are still bumping it. We’ll see how these listening events keep the story going. For more news and the latest updates on Vultures, stick around on HNHH.

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Maino On Tupac: “Nobody Spoke To The Black Male Experience Like He Did”

June 7, 2023 by newhiphopnews

In a recent interview, Maino spoke on Tupac’s impact and how he was able to speak to the black male experience like no other. He told Shirley Ju, “He was able to put the feelings and the emotions of being a young n***a trapped, you know, in and out of jail, being in the streets.” “Dealing with confrontations and conflicts with other black males,” he continued, “you know hustling and getting money, dealing with death of your homies and prison.” Maino says, “He spoke to [the black male experience] like no other, still even to this day I don’t think nobody speaks to that experience like him.”

Tupac received additional praise today, when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Various other Tupac supporters have shared how they feel as though he should have received a star sooner. “It took them 25 years + to give Tupac a star on Hollywood Blvd?” YG asked. “Y’all got him f****ed all the way up.” Boosie Badazz added, “Don’t worry he saying F**K YALL from the Grave.” Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, said “This iconic artist has continued to be part of the zeitgeist for decades after his passing and will continue to be an important cultural figure for many years to come,” ahead of the ceremony.

Maino Says Nobody Does It Like Tupac

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Maino also recently shared his thoughts on Ja Morant’s behavior. Morant was suspended from the Memphis Grizzlies in May, following an incident where he flashed a gun on Instagram Live. Maino says the behavior has nothing to do with rap, claiming that Morant just needs to learn from his mistakes. He told TMZ, “All of us — as men, as adults — we have responsibilities and decisions to make. That’s like when keeping it real goes all the way wrong. How real do you need to keep it?”

Maino went on to say, “We know you like the music, you come from a culture. But homie, truth be told, you got way more opportunity than the average person. Don’t throw the opportunity away trying to keep up with what’s going on.” “It’s sad but sometimes we gotta learn the hard way,” he added, “What else can you say? You already was in this situation. I’m the last person to try to condemn somebody for making mistakes because I’ve made many, but c’mon, it’s not even about being a role model…you have the opportunity to change lives.”

[Via]

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