#TomHolland: Actor Wants To Play Spider-Man For The Next 20 Years

It seems like we might be seeing Tom Holland as Spider-Man aka Peter Parker for a long, long time.

The British actor recently told Empire magazine that he wants to play the web-slinging superhero for the next 20 years. “Peter Parker is a character we see (in the comic books) as a 15-year-old boy and then as a 35-year-old man,” he said.

Apparently, he has already pitched the plan to the film’s executives. He explained, “So I have an idea of what I’d like to do, and I’ve pitched it and it’s already been taken into the boardroom. It would be really cool if it pans out, because it means I would be Spider-Man for a very long time.”

Holland first appeared as Spider-Man in last year’s “Captain America: Civil War” and his portrayal of the Marvel hero was very well-received. So if the box office for “Spider-Man: Homecoming” does well, we don’t see why Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures wouldn’t want him to continue the franchise.

Assuming that all goes well with the studios, the 20-year-old would be following the footsteps of Robert Downey Jr. and Clark Gregg. As Comic Book points out, the 2 actors have been playing their respective Marvel roles of Tony Stark aka Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson for a decade now.

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” follows high school student Peter Parker after the events of “Captain America: Civil War”. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, he returns home to live with his Aunt May (played by Marisa Tomei). Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man.

He also tries to return to his normal daily routine but is distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighbourhood superhero. Parker must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture (played by Michael Keaton) emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.

Directed by Jon Watts, the highly-anticipated film is expected to swing into theatres on 7th July 2017.


5 Facts About Reynhard Sinaga, The Man Guilty Of 160 Sexual Assaults & 136 Rape Cases

36-year-old student Reynhard Sinaga has been making international headlines for all the wrong reasons.

As reported by BBC, the Indonesian native was found guilty for over 160 sex offences, including 136 rape cases involving a number of young men in the UK. The crime was allegedly committed from January 2015 to June 2017.

Dubbed as the “most prolific rapist in legal history” by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), we’ve come out with a compilation of 5 things to know about this culprit as well as the details of the disgusting crimes he made:

Sinaga was born to wealthy Indonesian parents who are currently residing in Depok, West Java, Indonesia. He pursued his studies in Sociologies at the University of Manchester where he obtained a student visa and migrated to England in 2007. In 2012, he began his PhD at the University of Leeds.

The culprit was caught in June 2017 when one victim fought him off and called the cops after he had regained consciousness during his assault. The police found out that Sinaga had filmed hundreds of hours of footages of his assaults.

It didn’t stop there, though. He was also reported to have taken some nude pictures of the victims. Scary, huh?

According to judge Suzanna Goddard, she was sure that the poor men who fell prey were under the influence of a date rape drug such as GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate). In this case, the victims had zero memory of what had happened after they became conscious.

Sinaga would wait for his preys outside of local nightclubs before luring them to his flat in Montana House, Princess Street. He would often offer them to go somewhere to have a drink or call a taxi.

It was also revealed during the mentioning of the case that Sinaga also took some of his victims’ personal belongings after he had fulfilled his sexual pleasure. The items include clothes and even handphones that were kept as a form of ‘souvenirs’ left by the victims to be kept as memories.

During the hearing of the case, judge Goddard described him as an “an evil serial sexual predator who has preyed upon young men who wanted nothing more than a good night out with their friends”. The police also noted his skilful tactics in manipulating the victims. According to the officials, he was able to find his prey in just 60 seconds!

The UK news outlet further reported that the judge has ruled his life sentence with at least 30 years in prison.

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#StrongOnes: Armin van Buuren Releases New Single Ahead Of Time To Meet Demands

On Friday (16th October), Armin van Buuren released his new single “Strong Ones” on record label Armada Music.

The single features the distinctive tones of Dutch singer-songwriter Cimo Fränkel and is one of the many striking collaborations featured on Armin’s 6th studio album called “Embrace“, to be released on 29th October.

“Embrace” includes genre-shattering collaborations. The full tracklist is as follows:

The release of “Strong Ones” had originally been scheduled for 23rd October, but the single quickly became in high demand due to simultaneous nation-wide radio premieres in the US (Sirius XM, Evolution/iHeartRadio) and The Netherlands (Radio 538) on October 15th.

Fueling the widespread enthusiasm amongst Armin’s fans even further, the teaser of the forthcoming official music video of “Strong Ones’” was launched later that day, merely a few hours after the radio premieres.

On the same day, Armin van Buuren was handed the first physical copy of his “Embrace” album by fly board pilot Bo Krook, after a stunning performance on the Amsterdam canals.

As it happened, it was the kick-start of a day filled with radio appearances and single premieres for the renowned electronic music artist, all leading to the ahead-of-schedule release of “Strong Ones”.

Like it? Pre-order Armin van Buuren’s “Embrace” here.

For more information, visit Armin van Buuren’s website or Facebook page. Don’t forget – he’s also on Twitter and Instagram ;)


Hype’s Exclusive: MAX Schneider On #HellsKitchenAngel, Songwriting, & #ChristinaGrimmie

Max Schneider aka MAX is not your average YouTube cover singer.

He has been performing since he was 3 years old and the 24-year-old singer has done it all: understudied for 4 roles in the Broadway musical “13”; modeled with pop icon Madonna for an international Dolce & Gabbana ad; wrote a song for Disney; starred in Nickelodeon’s “How To Rock” as Zander; covered songs on YouTube; released several original albums; and toured the US with popular singers such as Fall Out Boy, Wiz Khalifa, and Hoodie Allen.

Last year, MAX signed with DCD2 Records, home to Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy, and on 8th April, he dropped his bold new album, “Hell’s Kitchen Angel”, which focuses on his life growing up in a Manhattan neighbourhood.

Thanks to our friends from Livescape Group, we got to speak with the “Gibberish” singer real quick before his “Livescape Sessions” show in July and here’s what went down:

We know that it’s going to be your first time performing in Malaysia. So how have you been preparing for your trip?

It’s going to be my first time in anywhere, which is amazing. I’m so excited to go there and perform. We’ve been in rehearsals and I will be performing songs from my new album, “Hell’s Kitchen Angel”, for the first time. I’m just so excited to put on the best performance possible for them (fans).

“Hell’s Kitchen Angel” is your first album released under Pete Wentz (DCD2 Records). In your words, can you tell us what is “Hell’s Kitchen Angel” all about?

I’m from Hell’s Kitchen, New York City and a lot of people think that it’s a cooking show called “Hell’s Kitchen” by Gordon Ramsey, but it’s actually a real place in New York City where I was born and raised. There’s a song (on the album) called “Hell’s Kitchen Angel” about me meeting someone in the neighbourhood where I grew up in. (So) I decided to name it (the album) that. The album is really about all the most honest experiences from my own life that I could portray in songs. There’s a song called “Basement Party” and it’s about having your own parties, which is what I did when I was growing up. I used to have a lot of basement parties in my house so it (the album) really documented my life thus far and capsulated who I am as a person and a singer and how people can connect with that. I try to keep it as transparent as possible with my own experiences in life.

You have been collaborating with so many different artistes on so many different occasions. What’s been your most memorable collaboration so far?

That’s a good question. I’ve been really, really lucky to collaborate with so many wonderful people. I would say that one of my favourite collaborations thus far was with Patrick Stump and he is a singer from the Fall Out Boy. Patrick was a really big hero of mine when I was making new songs. I wrote a song with him on the album called “10 Victoria Secret Models” and it’s kind of a trick title because the key line is “even when 10 Victoria Secret models walk into this room right now, I’d never take my eyes off you”. It’s about this girl I was very in love with and I only had eyes for her, so the song is not just personal to me but also I get to collaborate with him (Patrick) because he’s such a genius artiste and I have been a Fall Out Boy fan like forever so I appreciate that I got to work with him.

Speaking of collaborations, you have worked a lot with fellow YouTuber Kurt Schneider. Just out of curiosity, have fans asked you if you guys are related?

No, actually, everyday! No matter how many times Kurt and I say we’re not actually brothers by blood, everybody still thinks that we’re brothers. We might as well be brothers, we’re so close! We sort of accepted that some people will think that we are related with the same half name, which is sort of funny.

What’s your songwriting/creative process like?

For me, the songs mostly come from the stories that I have experienced in my life. I always like to start out with an experience. For example the song “Home” is about a pregnancy scare I had with a girl and I basically documented the experience throughout that night of everything I thought. I thought, “Am I ready to be a father at 23 years old?”, “Where are we gonna live?, “Am I still gonna go on tour and do music?”…Just everything! Starting from a place like that for a song, you kinda just write (about) yourself and your experiences. In my mind, I always hoped that it will relate to someone (who is) in my place and how I figured it out hopefully helps them get through that thing. So for me, it (songwriting) always comes from an authentic place, story, or feeling, and then I work on it after that.

A few days ago, you released “Christina’s Song” as a tribute to Christina Grimmie. If it’s okay with you, do you mind telling us how you guys first met?

Christina and I have a lot happening in the YouTube Community and many singers work together a lot. So Christina was someone that I knew but hadn’t met for almost 5 years. We always talk (online) and then one day I was walking down the street and I ran into her. It was a hilarious experience, we felt like we knew each other for 5 years and that’s the line in the song, “we thought we’ve known each other forever”. It was nothing like “Hey nice to meet you”, but it was more like “Oh my gosh, it’s great to finally see you!”. So we kinda connected pretty instantly and from there we’ve been friends. When I found out about the news, my heart sank, I didn’t believe it. A few days later, I wrote the song to honour (her) just because it’s the only way I know how to help deal with anything like that (death). To write about it, it’s sort of a therapeutic process to honour someone with the thing (music) we all love the most.

How has Christina’s death affected the YouTube music community?

You want to be vulnerable to the people that listens to your music and connects with you. Christina was like that. She was so kind, loving, and vulnerable and she passed away with her arms open. She had her arms open to this terrible person who did such a savage thing and (he) betrayed her trust and her fans. I think that it’ll only increase our strength in the (YouTube) community to connect with our fans. I think that it may also have affected some of them in a way because they don’t feel safe. I think that venues and places that people play shows at need to raise the bar for security. A concert is a place where everybody should feel so safe and able to be free, vulnerable, and fuse themselves with the music. They shouldn’t have to fear for their life. So I think the whole community is demanding for more security and more support in that way so that we can be the most open and free with our fans and the people that matter most to us.

Last one for the road – What can your fans expect from your upcoming show?

We’ll be performing some songs from the album and we’ve also got a couple of covers too. There will be a lot of energy and I can’t wait to give all my energy to get the crowd involved. Hopefully I can bring the best show possible to them. And of course my favourite thing is meeting fans, going to new places, and thanking fans for giving me their time in my music and supporting me.

Livescape Group’s “Livescape Sessions” featuring Megan Nicole, Andie Case, Max Schneider, and Mike Tompkins will be held on 14th July at Stadium Chin Woo, Jalan Hang Jebat.

Concert tickets are available here. You can also check out The Livescape Group’s Facebook page for more information.

For more information on MAX, you can stalk him via his official website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook page.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#MH17: Malaysia To Hold National Day Of Mourning On 22nd August

Mark your calendars, Malaysians! It has been announced that 22nd August will be the national day of mourning for the lives that were lost in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 crash.

According to News Straits Times, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has declared that the national day of mourning will be held once the remains of the Malaysian victims arrived in Malaysia.

It was reported that so far only 24 remains of Malaysian victims have been identified but only 15 bodies will be transported back to Malaysia. The identities of the 15 victims will be made known on the day of mourning itself. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that the efforts to identity the remains of other victims will continue but for now, the identified remains are scheduled to arrive at 10am on 22nd August.

It was also reported that there was a request to bring back the remains of a Dutch citizen to be laid rest in Malaysia while the other 2 remains of Malaysian victims have been requested to be cremated.

Meanwhile, the deputy director-general of Special Affairs Department (Jasa) Datuk Abu Talik Harun will be holding the #PrayForMalaysia programme at Dataran Merdeka this Friday (15th August). The event will be held to show gratitude and to remember the tragedies that has affected the country recently.

For more news about #MH17,  click here for the aftermath of the tragic plane crash.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were on board the #MH17 flight.


Contest: Win Tickets To A “Perfect” #TeamSPTour Night With Simple Plan

In case you didn’t hear, French-Canadian pop punk band Simple Plan will be heading to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as part of their “Taking One for the Team Tour”.

This would mark their second time playing in Kuala Lumpur as they last played here in 2012.

This tour comes on the back of their newly released studio album “Taking One for the Team” – the French-Canadian pop punk band’s 5th since their formation in 1999. Made up of Pierre Bouvier (vocals), Chuck Comeau (drums), David Desrosiers (bass, backing vocals), Sébastien Lefebvre (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), and Jeff Stinco (lead guitar), Simple Plan has cranked up the volume and returned with something new up their sleeves.

Thanks to our friends from IMC Live Group, we’ve got 3 pairs of tickets to give way to our lucky readers! You want ’em? Fill up the form below:

For more information, hit up IMC Live Group’s Facebook page.


Food Review: Bukit Bintang’s Burger On 16 Is A Perfect 10!

A juicy patty between two toasted buns, topped with your favourite vegetables; melted cheese oozing out; and a side of freshly-cut fries and a milkshake – that’s probably what you’ll imagine when we say “burgers”.

When you’re having one of those crazy days, burgers are the simplest, most delicious meals to down – and a comfort food that’ll help you regain your buzz. But aside from the classic ole’ Ramly Burger, it’s almost hard to find a good burger joint that actually serves good burgers. Sure, there are lots of places that sell burgers, but they don’t taste great and at times, their prices are ridiculous. So if you’re seeking a welcoming KL burger joint that serves flavourful, fresh burgers, we’ve got just the place for you – Burger on 16! Their burgers are simple, with a few creative touches, and the quality is always high, making sure that you always get a perfectly-cooked burger. And we guarantee you that.

Burger on 16’s menu is heavy on beef-based burgers. However, there are also a good number of chicken burgers available, and there are not one, not two, but three vegan options. With that much choice available, it’s undoubtedly difficult for diners to make their decision! For us – we felt that the beef burgers are a must-try, so we got two types of beef burgers.

Burger on 16’s founder adores meat, and that is evident in both the quantity and caliber of the beef burgers on the menu. Every patty is prepared from scratch with Australian beef, and a chargrill helps bring out the flavours of the meat. The first burger we tried was the Cheese Loaders (RM22.90). This burger has the crisp flavour of superb chargrilled meat, and is served with tomato sharp cheese cheddar, lettuce, and traditional burger sauce in a fantastic bun. Like every decent burger, this one must include cheese, and there’s a unique treat: mozzarella inside the patty! For cheese lovers, this is the burger for you! It’s super cheesy, but not in a way that makes you gag. The amount of cheese and flavouring is so balanced that you might consider a second serving.

The next burger we tried was the Chk New York Swag (RM22.90). Also a beef burger, this meal comes with double smashed patty, topped with crunchy mozzarella, caramelized onions, onion rings, sharp cheddar cheese and special honey BBQ sauce. Our favourite – besides the amazing beef patty – is the crunchy mozzarella. When you bite into this burger, you get the juice from the patties – and in comes the crunchy cheese flavours. Simply amazing! Also, we love how they use caramelized onions instead of tossing in fresh onions. They add more flavour to the burger, and even those who hate onion won’t mind them.

Both the burgers tasted amazing and wholesome. The buns were super soft and warm, making it easy to eat. The burgers had a good portion of filling and sauce, and everything fits into your mouth in one bite. Also, the chances of you making a mess is extremely low. If you make it a set, the burger comes with fries and choice of soft drinks.

Eating the burgers made us feel like we were living the American dream. So, to make it complete, we just had to order one of their milkshakes. We hesitated at first, thinking it’ll be overwhelming after those cheesy burgers. But here’s the thing – having a milkshake right after burgers was the best decision we made!

Burger on 16 has six types of milkshake, and we thought the best option would be something chocolaty. So we ordered the Nutella Chocolate Milkshake (RM12.90). This is probably one of the best milkshakes we’ve had by far. And if we’re really honest, it tastes exactly like Nestle’s Neapolitan ice cream. It’s sweet, chocolaty and gives a cool after-effect. A simple milkshake, with the perfect amount of sweetness, which made the entire meal worthwhile. Besides milkshake, they also serve other drinks like tea, coffee and mojitos. If you’ve got more space for the sweeter side, you can try their desserts, too!

Burger on 16 is located right behind Berjaya Times Square. It might seem like a roadside stall, but this place offers customers a friendly and comfortable ambience, without a doubt. When you walk into the eatery, you’ll notice comforting posters all around, warm lighting and spaciousness. We absolutely love the colour scheme, wall drawings, simple decor (especially the wood elements), and the café concept, instead of a restaurant or stall.

You can even sit outside if you’re feeling chilly. Most importantly, this burger spot is clean and bad odour-free, making it convenient to dine-in at any time. It’s in an ideal location and is easy to spot – but parking is a bit of a hassle, especially by the roadside. If you’re unable to find a spot, you can always park at Berjaya Times Square or a nearby open parking lot and walk to the café. Pricing-wise, some burgers are slightly expensive – but for the taste, it’s definitely worth it.

So, be sure to visit this down-to-earth restaurant, serving classic meat and vegetarian burgers, plus shakes and desserts!

For more updates and info, check out their website and Instagram page.

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#StarWarsCelebration: Make Your Own #StarWars Titles Meme-Maker

Now that the “Star Wars Celebration” event in Anaheim is about to kick into full swing, it looks like we’ll soon be swept up by all the geeky buzz. The celebration will feature panel discussions from the cast and crew of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens“, and also a new trailer for the film.

“Star Wars” fans would know this by now, that the upcoming “Star Wars: Episode VII” has a full name, which was announced way back in November 2014 – “Star Wars: The Force Awakens“. At that time, it appeared that many fans weren’t exactly pleased with the official title. As such, The Verge has prepared a funny meme-maker for those of you who’d like to give it another name, much to J.J. Abrams’ dismay :D

Check ’em out and tell us which one you like best:

Psst. You may also start geeking out and spamming Twitter with some super cool #StarWarsEmoji, if you’d like. Yup, we share good things ;)

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is slated to be released on 18th Dec 2015.


Chris Hemsworth Reveals 2 Major Hollywood Roles He Almost Got; Plans To Take The Year Off

Chris Hemsworth is best known for his Marvel superhero role as Thor.

But before he wielded the powerful hammer, the 35-year-old actor almost scored 2 major Hollywood roles. One of them was G.I. Joe and also another Marvel character – Gambit. Surprising, isn’t it?

“I got very close to ‘GI Joe’. I got very close to Gambit in the ‘Wolverine’/’X-Men’ movies,” he told Variety. “At the time I was upset (by the rejection). I was running out of money. But if I played either of those characters, I wouldn’t have been able to play Thor.”

In the end, Bruce Willis took on the role of Joe Colton in “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”. Taylor Kitsch ended up being cast as Gambit in the “X-Men” spin-offs. Channing Tatum was then chosen take over as Gambit in 2014 but the movie has been pushed back numerous times.

The past 2 years have been crazy busy for Hemsworth. Now that “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” is over and done with, the Australian hunk plans to take the year off once the press tour for “Men in Black: International” is completed.

In speaking with Australia’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, the A-lister revealed that he plans to spend the remaining months reconnecting with his wife Elsa Pataky and their 3 children, India, 7, and 5-year-old twins Sasha and Tristan.

“This year I probably won’t shoot anything. I just want to be at home now with my kids,” he said. “They are at a very important age. They are still young and they are aware when I leave more than before. I have this year where I’m probably not going to shoot anything. I have a press tour, a few endorsements and bits and pieces, but mostly just be home.

With Hemsworth on a hiatus, will we still see him in “Guardians of the Galaxy 3”? Rest assured that the 3rd instalment won’t go into production until 2021, after James Gunn has made the “Suicide Squad” sequel.

“I’d play that character (Thor) again. I love it so much – especially if there’s something unique to do again with it. I felt like the last 3 films were very, very different each time. It really felt like a totally different character. And I don’t even know when or if they’re shooting (Guardians of the Galaxy 3),” Hemsworth shared. “I’ll work with any of those guys. Asgardians Of The Galaxy. That’s actually great. You might’ve just got me my next job. Thank you, man.”

As you may recall, the God of Thunder was last seen leaving Earth with the Guardians of the Galaxy.


5 New Music Releases From Paris Hilton, Normani, Eminem & Ed Sheeran

Ready for some fresh tunes, music lovers?

Just as we get ready to welcome the festive season, we have new releases from a couple of the biggest names in pop music. Before you update your Spotify playlist, take a look at these new music videos below:

In honour of Valentine’s Day, heiress Paris Hilton blessed us with a super bubbly visual for “I Need You”. Turns out, this “new” single is a demo that has been floating around online since 2010. So what inspired the Queen of Perfumes to roll it out now? She’s all loved-up (thanks to her engagement to actor Chris Zylka) and wants to share with the world. It’s nowhere as good as “Stars Are Blind”, but we’ll take it.

On the other hand, we have an unhappy Valentine’s Day with the arrival of Eminem’s painful “River” video. Focusing on a traumatic relationship, the documentary-style visual starts with Eminem and Ed Sheeran giving their views on love. “My personal life is not exactly a highlight reel,” the 45-year-old MC says. “If you don’t have the trust element, you’re f**ked,” the “Perfect” singer-songwriter adds.

The duo’s collaboration is slowly shaping up to be a breakout hit.

At this point, every other member from Fifth Harmony has released solo materials except Normani Kordei. Thankfully, the “Dancing With the Stars” queen is finally kicking off her solo career with “Love Lies”. It’s dreamy mid-tempo duet with Khalid, lifted from the upcoming “Love, Simon” soundtrack. Both of their soulful voices blend beautifully over the finger snapping, moody tune.

Are y’all ready for a rebooted “Joyride” era? After dropping a handful of pop anthems, Tinashe is continuing the trend with some help again from Future for “Faded Love”. The Stargate-produced nighttime gem is both seductive and hypnotic as the 25-year-old star sings, “Let’s just feel this feelin’/ High up as the ceilin’/ Let’s just, let’s just feel this feelin’/ Let’s just feel this moment/ We can make it last…”

Adam Levine caught in a breakup mess? It’s nothing new. But unlike the cutesy Snapchat-themed visual, the new version for “Wait” leaves a better impression. Directed by David Meyers and starring actress Alexandra Daddario as the angry ex, Levine finds himself in dreamlike alternate universes trying to win back his former flame. The visuals here are quite impressive with different metaphors interwoven into the storyline.

Of course, that’s not all. Feel free to check out more newly-released music below:

6. Marshmello and Anne-Marie – “Friends”

Do you have a favourite single? Let us know in the comments section below.

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#EXO: Tao Plans To Nullify Contract With SM Entertainment?

Rumours began circling on Tuesday that another member of EXO is planning to nullify his contract with SM Entertainment.

The member is revealed to be EXO-M’s Tao.

Following Luhan’s lawsuit against SM Entertainment, China media outlet Sina is reporting that Tao could be the next member to leave EXO as the rumours about his departure from the group were spread through Chinese social media site Weibo. However, Tao isn’t the only one who is rumoured to be leaving the group as an insider earlier hinted EXO-M’s Lay is planning to leave the group as well.

While it’s not verified, the insider revealed that former EXO member Luhan was already planning to sign with a Chinese entertainment agency with Lay. The insider further revealed that Tao will sign with the strongest Chinese entertainment agency if he terminates his contract with SM Entertainment. However, there’s no mention of forming a new group with the rest of the Chinese members.

According to Sina, various well-known entertainment industry critics on Weibo have “confirmed” the rumour by simply posting that Tao will be leaving EXO.

Huang Zitao wants to nullify his contract and return to China.

Ever since Kris and Luhan terminated their contracts, the remaining Chinese members of EXO have constantly been invited to return to China and sign on with a new entertainment agency. Now, the Huang Zitao is also planning to return to China, this group is considered to be in a bottleneck period and is facing a regrouping issue. SM Entertainment is currently training a new group and won’t be putting too much effort in EXO. EXO’s peak is a past now.

SM Entertainment has yet to respond to the rumours but netizens are speculating that these rumours could be an effort to stir up commotion among EXO-L.

EXO’s Tao seems to be unfazed about the rumours and had recently shared a selfie to his fans on Instagram:

가자 엑소L 데이트하러 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ 손잡을래? 走吧EXO L约会去，要牵手吗？

What do you think of the rumours? Since EXO is going to make a comeback soon, do you think it is just an effort to stir up a commotion?


#BadBlood: Director Joseph Kahn Slam 2NE1 “Come Back Home” Plagiarism Accusations

Nevermind the TayTay (Taylor Swift) and Nicki Minaj Twitter spat. Because in another piece of “Bad Blood“-related news, sh*t just got real.

It all started with this tweet by one Blackjack (aka 2NE1 fan) who was convinced that “Bad Blood” ripped off K-Pop idol girl group 2NE1’s music video for “Come Back Home”:

When you compare the screenshots side by side like that, sure, anyone in the right mind would think that it has been plagiarised lock, stock, and barrel. This is because both music videos were filmed with a “futuristic” concept, with similar costumes and props. But if you’re anything like us, in the sense that you’re both a TayTay as well as a 2NE1 fan, then you’d know that the “stories” for both music videos are different.

Here are the music videos, for your easy reference:

2NE1’s “Come Back Home”, released on 4th March 2014:

Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood”, released on 17th May 2015:

Unfortunately, several people have since added their opinions on the issue, and the story was picked up by Jezebel.

Jezebel’s article pointed a finger at “Bad Blood” music video director Joseph Kahn and made it imperative to include the fact that he’s “South Korean-born” and there for “unlikely” that he would’ve missed a high-profile video from arguable one of K-Pop’s most celebrated idol girl groups. The writer also dug up a Korea Times article and quoted (or should we say, misquoted?) Joseph as saying that he was attempting to get back to his “Korean roots” and that he “pays full attention to what’s going on” in his field because it’s his job.

What the writer failed to mention was that, also taken from the same Korea Times article, because Joseph immigrated to the US when he was only 3 years old, he doesn’t actually understand Korean. At all. In fact, he said:

My grandma doesn’t speak a word of English and when she communicates with me, she thinks I speak Korean, but I really don’t. She’ll have full on conversations with me and I won’t understand a single word.

Much less pay any attention to K-Pop. As for the “Korean roots” reference, Joseph actually meant his family.

Long story short, Joseph picked up on what Jezebel wrote about him and slammed the writer for tainted his name by suggesting that he plagiarised 2NE1’s “Come Back Home” music video. He took to Twitter to declare his stand on the issue and even included snarky comments while he was as it.

In case you missed his slew of tweets, here:

On top of that, he has also written a complaint. Presumably to Jezebel directly.

I need to lodge a complaint against an article you posted about me where the writer accused me of plagiarizing a Korean music video on Bad Blood. 1. I never saw that video and 2. all of the comparisons are common sci fi tropes – city, cars, helmets, body scans, flares – all recropped without context. Furthermore recording screen grabs and accusing others of copying their groups is apparently a very common hobby of Kpop fans. If you view both videos, aside from the uncontextual limited screen grabs, you will quickly see they are completely different videos.

But an even more questionable tactic of your writer is where she accused me of likely copying because of I am Korean born:

I never said I was going back to my “Korean roots.” The article she is mentioning is here:

The Korea Times author wrote “Roots” in the title in context of questions he was asking about my family. There is never any mention of Kpop in the article. The quote about “my attention” is in context to the business structure of my field:

The implication your writer is making is explicit: I am a foreigner born overseas and I am trying to reconnect with my birth country and have obvious motive to copy it.

I do not listen to Kpop. I am American. And this is an unethical, slandering article.

Our take? To be honest, we don’t blame the guy.

What’s your take on the issue, though? Feel free to discuss it in the comments box below.

Sources: Jezebel, Joseph Kahn’s Twitter, Korea Times.

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#MalaysianCabinet: Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Named New Deputy PM In Reshuffle

Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

This means that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has been effectively dropped as Deputy Prime Minister in the latest cabinet reshuffle unveiled by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak this afternoon.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would also retain the home ministry portfolio.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahidi has been appointed new Deputy Prime Minister, keeps Home Ministry portfolio #breaking pic.twitter.com/vGendvokBE

In announcing the Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday (28th July), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that the decision to drop Muhyiddin was a tough one but necessary so that the Cabinet was united.

Najib added that the Cabinet reshuffle was done after taking into account political considerations and the needs of his administration to ensure that it remained focused on implementing Malaysia’s development.

Below is the full list of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s new cabinet line up:

Sources: The Star Online, Malaysiakini, TMI.


Netflix’s Tudum: 9 New Films & 17 New TV Series To Look Out For

The Tudum: A Netflix Global Fan Event 2022 took place over the weekend and revealed tons of exclusive news, never-before-seen footage, trailers, and first looks, as well as interviews with Netflix’s biggest stars and creators.

The free virtual event is a celebration of Netflix fandom and is dedicated to sharing the scoop on over 120 fan-favourite shows, films, specials and games from across the globe. Fret not if you missed it, cause we’ve compiled all the biggest shows expected to debut in the next few months. Enjoy:

— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) September 24, 2022

A post shared by See-Saw Films (@see_saw_films)


Google & Facebook Allow Employees Working From Home Until 2021

Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic began to hit the world, quite a number of employees have been advised to work from home.

The same case was established for companies like Google and Facebook. As reported by Variety, the companies are allowing their staffs to work from home before returning to office as early as 2021.

Starting in June, only 10 to 15% of Google staffers will be employed in the office while remaining workers will be required to stay at home. Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a statement released, on 8th May, saying that there will be “moments or occasions where you are able to come into the office.”

Additionally, Google has fixed 22nd May as an official day-off for its workers to rest and relax. “Take the time to do whatever you need to do to prioritise your well-being,” Pichai wrote in the memo.

As for Facebook’s case, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that 95% of the social media company’s full-time workers are now allowed to work from their respective homes. He added that the safety of his employees are important during this crucial time. This is also to minimise the risk of the Covid-19 spread by not having every worker under the same roof.

In an effort to ease the burden of workers following the Covid-19 outbreak, Facebook is also offering $1,000 (RM4,334) worth of bonus to their employees. Not only that, the social networking giant is also expected to add over 10,000 employees by the end of this year. In case you didn’t know, Facebook now has 48,000 permanent staffs.

In the wake of the Covid-19 nightmare happening across the globe, do you think other companies will follow suit?

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Hype’s Now Playing: Madeon featuring Kyan – You’re On

Brace yourselves for Madeon has unleashed his glorious new track “You’re On”!

Last week, the 20-year-old French DJ/producer Hugo Pierre Leclercq, better known as Madeon, announced the upcoming release of his new track “You’re On”, accompanied by a short preview of it on Instagram. After much anticipation, the track debuted at on BBC Radio 1 on December 8th (Monday) and became available for purchase on iTunes.

“You’re On” reveals a different side of the young superstar DJ/producer as the track strays away from his harder electro sound. Going along the lines of synth-pop, “You’re On” is a sugar-coated disco house output that still captures Madeon’s signature style with its fun uplifting melodies, tied together with the chopped vocals of Kyan.

“You’re On” is the second track taken from Madeon’s debut album, “Adventure”, which is slated for release in 2015. Listen to “You’re On” below.


The Best/Worst Misheard Lyrics From 2014’s Most Popular Songs

There are mashups of 2014’s most popular pop songs (DJ Earworm), and then there are mashups of 2014’s most popular pop songs (Daniel Kim). But one YouTuber has taken it to the next level by putting together a video of 2014’s funniest misheard lyrics. And you can’t even pretend that you’re not guilty of getting the same lyrics wrong for some of those songs!

YouTuber Pleated Jeans (real name Jeff Wysaski) created a mashup of this year’s best/worst misheard lyrics, giving us a whole new perspective to our favourite pop songs of 2014. For example, who would’ve thought that Taylor Swift was actually singing about Starbucks lovers in “Blank Space”? And we would’ve never imagined that Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, and Jessie J were actually singing about a gang bang in their collab!

Full song list (that were included in the mashup) as follows:

Which one was more entertaining for you? The misheard versions or the original ones? Which misheard version was your favourite? Let us know, let us know :)


23-Year-Old Woman Commits Suicide At Genting Premium Outlets

Oh no, another death has occurred in Genting Highlands :(

Earlier on Monday afternoon (30th October), a 23-year-old woman had allegedly committed suicide at Genting Premium Outlets. Sinar Harian reported that she had apparently jumped down from the 6th floor of the parking lot to her death.

According to the publication, the young individual was discovered by passerby who came across her motionless body. The police confirmed that the lady was pronounced dead on the spot when they arrived at the scene. As a result from the jump, the deceased had suffered intense impact to her head and body.

Bentong’s Acting Police Chief, Deputy Superintendent Zainudin Abdul Hamid, told reporters that the woman was seen walking by herself before making a jump from a height of 25 metres at approximately 2:20pm. The entire incident was caught on CCTV footage.

Having said that, the police has yet to discover the cause of her suicide. “We are still investigating the motive of the young lady’s suicide and are currently taking down statements from her friends and family to assist with the investigation,” Zainudin was quoted as saying.

The lady’s case has been classified as sudden death. Meanwhile, her body was taken to Bentong Hospital for autopsy.

Source: Sinar Harian / Featured image: Cari Gold/ Vincent’s Instagram.


#TheGreatWall: Matt Damon Defends Role In Chinese Monster Film; Denies Whitewashing

Since the trailer for “The Great Wall” was released a couple of months ago, the film has garnered the interest of many movie goers, both good and bad.

While some are excited to see Matt Damon, who plays an English mercenary in the movie, fight monsters, others accused him of whitewashing, saying that his role should’ve gone to a Chinese actor. But during a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday (6th December), Damon defended his role, saying that the starring character “was always intended to be European”.

“That whole idea of whitewashing, I take that very seriously,” Damon said, using the example of the Irish-American actor Chuck Connors, who played the lead character in “Geronimo” (1962).

“Once people see that it’s a monster movie and it’s a historical fantasy and I didn’t take a role away from a Chinese actor…it wasn’t altered because of me in any way,” he added.

Helmed by legendary Chinese director Zhang Yimou (張藝謀) “The Great Wall” is a monster action film that boasts an all-star cast including both Western and Chinese stars such as Willem Dafoe, Pedro Pascal, Andy Lau (劉德華), former EXO member Luhan (鹿晗), Eddie Peng (彭于晏), and many more.

For those of you who are not in the know, whitewashing is a form of casting practice in the Hollywood film industry in which white actors are cast in historically non-white character roles, using make up or special effects to make them look like another race.

So in the case of Damon, it’s not really whitewashing if the role was originally intended to be Caucasian. Since the film is a Chinese-Hollywood co-production, a mixture of both Caucasian and Asian actors was bound to happen.

What do you think of the film’s whitewashing controversy? Do you think that Damon’s role should’ve gone to a Chinese actor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

“The Great Wall” is slated for release on 17th February 2017 in the US, with an unspecified date in December 2016 for a China release.

For more information, visit the movie’s website or Facebook page.

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Fox News.

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Cartoon Network Waterpark: World’s First in Thailand

If you grew up watching Cartoon Network, then it’s time to book your flight to Thailand now. Why, you ask? Because you’ll find all your favourite iconic Cartoon Network heroes at the Cartoon Network Amazone in Thailand!

Set to open its gates on July 31st this year, Cartoon Network Amazone is the world’s first Cartoon Network themed waterpark in Thailand. It is also Thailand’s first internationally branded waterpark, in conjunction with the specialist in theme park development, Amazon Falls. Located at Bang Saray, the waterpark is just a 15-minute ride away from Pattaya City and it is expected to attract more than 800,000 visitors in its first year of operation.

From a gigantic family wave pool to a winding adventure river, the waterpark features 9 entertainment zones with 6 different main attractions including The Omniverse, Adventure Zone, Cartoonival, Riptide Rapids, Mega Wave and Surf Arena.

Cartoonival is claimed to be Asia’s largest aqua playground as it features over 150 interactive elements specially designed for children, such as curly slides, fountains, tubes, and two 1,000 litre giant tipping-buckets.

Thrillseekers will find that their favourite zone in the waterpark is The Omvierse as that comes complete with some of the fastest water rollercoasters in the world. The Omniverse also features one of  the tallest and steepest rides in Asia as you hurtle down to a splash from a massive 23.4-metre-high tower with a 17-metre vertical free fall.

Just like any other theme park, the waterpark also offers a wide range of unique Cartoon Network characters merchandise with the world’s first Cartoon Network-themed retail store. The Cartoon Network characters will also be seen hanging around the park to offer photo opportunities for the visitors.

Excited to meet your favourite Cartoon Network characters already? It’s not too late now as you can buy the annual passes at their official website and be one of the first to enjoy the waterpark facilities! Let’s not forget to also add this as one of the theme parks you must visit in 2014.


#MRT: 10 Popular Shopping Malls Easily Accessible By MRT

Now that Phase 2 of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) Line is up and running, it’s way easier to travel around the Klang Valley.

The 19 new stations connect the city centre to various parts of Cheras and Kajang (in addition to Petaling Jaya). The conveniency of MRT’s transportation mode has not only made daily commute to work easier but it has also improve accessibility to a number of popular shopping malls.

Did you hear? In conjunction with MRT’s Phase 2 launch, commuters will get to enjoy 50% off MRT, LRT, Monorel, and BRT rides. The promo will last until Merdeka Day (31st August).


#xXx3: Nina Dobrev & Ruby Rose In Talks To Join Cast

Other than the fact that they’re both popular TV stars, Nina Dobrev and Ruby Rose share almost nothing in common.

Of course, that’s about to change soon. In a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Dobrev and Rose are said to be in various stages of negotiations to join the cast of the 3rd “xXx” movie, “xXx: The Return of Xander Cage“.

The original “xXx” (pronounced “Triple X”) movie, which was released in 2002, was helmed by Rob Cohen. It stars Vin Diesel as Xander “XXX” Cage, a former extreme sports athlete and a stuntman who turned into a reluctant spy for the National Security Agency. He is sent on a dangerous mission to infiltrate a group of potential Russian terrorists in Central Europe.

The action film was a box office success, grossing USD142 million in the US. A sequel was also released in 2005, but Diesel did not star in it as he was filming “The Pacific” at the time. The sequel was a box office failure and received negative responses from critics.

The threequel will see Diesel returning to reprise his role as Cage. Samuel L. Jackson (of “The Avengers” and “Pulp Fiction” fame), who played NSA Agent Gibbons in the first film, will also return to reprise his role while UFC star Conor McGregor is joining the cast for an unspecified role.

Martial arts superstars Jet Li and Tony Jaa have been eyed to star in it as well, but details about their roles are kept under wraps. The plot will once again focus on Cage and “a core team of sexy badasses and comic relief players”.

Dobrev’s character is described as “a witty and sarcastic techie” while Rose will play a sniper. Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone is set to play a huntress who happens to be Cage’s former lover.

Best known for her role in “The Vampire Diaries“, Dobrev recently appeared in 2014’s horror comedy “The Final Girls“. She is set to star in “Crash Pad” alongside “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” star Domhnall Gleeson and Christina Applegate. She will also be seen opposite Asa Butterfield and Maisie Williams in an upcoming indie comedy, “Arrivals”.

As for Rose, she will be seen next in the sequel to Keanu Reeves‘ action movie “John Wick” and the upcoming “Resident Evil 6“.

Rose herself has confirmed the casting on her Instagram account:

I am so excited to be joining the XXX family. Start shooting ( excuse the pun ) next feb in Toronto.

A photo posted by Ruby Rose (@rubyrose) on Jan 7, 2016 at 6:23pm PST

The project, which has been in the works for years, is spearheaded by Diesel and Joe Roth.

D.J. Caruso is attached to direct it based on a script written by F. Scott Frazier. The “Fast and Furious” series mastermind Neal H. Moritz will produce it alongside Diesel and his producing partner, Samantha Vincent, as well as Roth and his new partner Jeff Kirschenbaum. The project is still searching for a distributor, but several sources told THR that Paramount will be the home of the franchise.

The project is heading toward a production start later this month and will shoot in Toronto and the Philippines.

Source: THR / Image sources: Drishti Magazine, Business Insider, The TV Addict.

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#2022WinterOlympics: David Tao & Luhan Team Up For Theme Song

It has been reported that Luhan and famous Chinese singer-songwriter David Tao have teamed up for China’s theme song, “Come Ski at the Great Wall”, for its 2022 Winter Olympics application.

It’s no secret that David Tao has been Luhan’s idol for as long as Luhan can remember, so this opportunity helped fulfill Luhan’s dreams of working with the award-winning singer-songwriter.

When asked about working with Luhan, David Tao shared:

I have paid a lot of attention to Little Lu. Besides his great looks and talents, his rhythm and sound are fantastic. Even though he has natural talents, he also worked hard and put in a lot of effort.

While recording the song, Luhan seized the opportunity to ask David Tao to go skiing with him. David Tao accepted the offer but joked, “Before coming to record the song, did you really think that I would be really rude? Were you afraid that I would throw the lyric papers on the ground if you didn’t sing well?”

To which Luhan responded, “There is really a lot of pressure to sing in front of David Tao. I’m really nervous – scared that I won’t perform well.”

As expected, the recording went smoothly. In fact, it was said that Luhan took only 2 hours to complete recording the solo and chorus parts!

As such, David Tao praised Luhan, saying:

This song is quite difficult to sing. It is not an easy task for Luhan to be able to complete the recording in such a short amount of time. He is also well-mannered and very modest. I think a lot of youngsters from the new generation should learn from him.

Luhan has finished recording his part of the song as well as the music video. David Tao will finish off the recording in Taipei. We honestly can’t wait to hear it ;)

See more pictures from the talented duo’s time spent together in the gallery below:

Sources: Koreaboo, ET Today, Luhan’s Weibo.


Imagine Dragons To Storm Kuala Lumpur As Part Of “The Evolve World Tour” In January 2018

Grammy award-winning and multi-platinum selling band, Imagine Dragons, will be bringing their massive global headline tour – “The Evolve World Tour” to Kuala Lumpur! :D

Since making their full-length debut with 2012’s multi-platinum “Night Visions”, Imagine Dragons have drawn worldwide adoration for their anthemic yet moody alt-rock. On their third album, “Evolve”, the Grammy award-winning band shift perspective and take on a brighter but more layered emotional outlook. On lead single “Believer”, Imagine Dragons wholly embody the emotional dynamic at the heart of Evolve. With its bold percussive vocals and hip-hop-inspired rhythms, the track offers a testament to gaining strength through adversity.

Despite the minimalistic approach of “Evolve”, Imagine Dragons achieve a rich complexity partly informed by their taking time out to recharge. After much soul-searching during a year-long break from touring, the band arrived at a new mindset and ultimately brought a greater sense of openness to their music.

The concert will take place on 6th January 2018 at the Malawati Indoor Stadium, Shah Alam. Tickets for the Evolve World Tour Live in Kuala Lumpur start at RM188 and is scheduled to go on sale Thursday, 5th October at 10am through www.prworldwidelive.com or www.myticket.asia.

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#PrayForPantaiTimur: Negeri Sembilan Hit By Floods, Evacuees At 160,000

The East Coast (Pantai Timur) floods in Malaysia have shown no signs of letting up as of yet and the number of flood evacuees are on a rise. The Star reported today (28th Dec) that the number evacuees is up by more than 40,000 to over 160,000 as the floods worsened due to bad weather. As such, rescue and relief efforts intensified as Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, Johor, Perlis and Selangor recorded a rise in the number of evacuees yesterday.

As at time of writing, the floods have killed 8 people, including an 18-month-old child, two cousins and a husband and wife. Kelantan was the worst-hit state, with the number of victims displaced nearly doubling to 81,925 from 45,467 on Friday (26th Dec). They are part of 160,921 victims nationwide seeking shelter as at 3pm yesterday, up from 120,341 on Friday (26th Dec).

To make matters worse, Negri Sembilan became the eighth state to be affected by the floods that have ravaged the country over the last 10 days. The Star reports that more than 300 people in the state were hit by the floods Saturday (27th Dec) morning, raising the total number evacuees nationwide.

The situation in flood-hit Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor and Perak has reportedly worsened while the situation has improved slightly in Perlis and Kedah. In Kelantan, the floods have sent 55,960 people to relief centres, up from the 45,467 last night. The rain eased off in Kota Baru in the morning but the sky remained overcast.

Just to give you an idea of how devastating the floods are:

On top of that, there is no sign yet that the situation will improve, with the Meteorological Department issuing an alert to warn of the possibility of monsoon rains occurring from tomorrow to Wednesday (31st Dec).

Food items and relief supplies have begun arriving by air to Kelantan at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, including donations by ordinary Malaysians and non-governmental organisations.

If you too would like to extend whatever help you can (be it via donations or offering to volunteer), here are 11 ways to do so. The flood victims will be needing the most basic of daily supplies such as:

More so now than ever, it’s time for us to put our differences aside and come together as Malaysians to help them out. Remember, all efforts, however big or small, counts.

Sources: The Star (1), The Star (2), Malaysian Meteorological Department’s Facebook page.


Ferry Corsten All Set To Tear Up Play @ The Roof With Asahi Super Dry

Revellers, it’s time to party with Ferry Corsten!

Brought to you by Asahi Super Dry, legendary Dutch DJ producer, Ferry Corsten will be making his way to Malaysia! This Wednesday, April 30th, Asahi Super Dry brings partygoers and music enthusiasts one of the most talented DJ’s in the industry to take over Play @ The Roof.

“We are very excited about the coming event as it is our way of thanking our loyal Asahi fans. Bringing them an explosive night of electronic dance music by one of the finest DJ’s in the world is something that Asahi has indulged in since its inception. Also featuring our very own local talents Partners.In.Crime from the Asahi Super Dry AllStars, the showcase is geared to offer fans a mish-mash of music genres and an unforgettable experience” said Kenny Lim, Carlsberg Marketing Manager, Premium Brands.

Making it even more exciting for fans, Asahi Super Dry will be treating revellers to ice-cold Asahi Super Dry beer for only RM10.00 all night long.


Interview: keshi Reveals His Favourite Track On “GABRIEL” & Shows Appreciation For Kpop Fans

25th March is an important date for keshi fans worldwide. The multihyphenate artist is about to reveal to the world what he’s all about with his debut album “GABRIEL”. Music lovers have already gotten a tease of what to expect thanks to the release of “GET IT”. On the track, he flexes the lifestyle he’s worked hard for (“Got my bag right/On my own time”) and invites his fans to come join him (“On me and we spendin’ all night, come and/Get it, get it, get it”).

During our recent chat with keshi (real name Casey Luong), the triple threat musician recalled what (or rather who) took him out of his writer’s block and whether “GABRIEL” references the bible. If his singles are anything to go by, music listeners are definitely in for a new energy that’s fresh and exciting. Since genre-bending comes naturally to keshi, one can’t really pin him down to just a single genre. Read more about his latest project here:

1. You just announced your upcoming album “GABRIEL” will be releasing at the end of the month on 25th of March. So how are you feeling and gearing up for the impending album release?

A little bit nervous, but mostly very, very excited, very, very happy that, you know, the record that I worked on like for the past years finally coming out. We worked on it from January to about July like end of July. And that’s when it finally like really finished like shape wise and from that always just like finishing touches, whether it was production or mixing, mastering and it’s just been it was like half a year of going back and forth between Houston and LA for two weeks at a time like the back and forth back and forth. And very long, arduous adventurous and can’t wait for everyone to hear it.

2. Do you have plans to tour here in Asia or specifically Southeast Asia?

Absolutely. Like, we’re still getting everything worked out. But I would love like I want nothing more than to go to Southeast Asia. I’ve been wanting to go to Southeast Asia ever since I started like “keshi” because like I feel like some of my first like ride or die fans like were from Southeast Asia.

And like I it was just the most validating thing in the world to know that there were people like across the world that were listening to my music that I was making in my bedroom like when I started so beyond stoked to go and play shows and I feel like they’re gonna be crazy.

3. “GET IT” is the intro track for your new album. What was the inspiration for the art cover for “GET IT”?

Yeah. So “GET IT” was really great. Um, it was when we were shooting the music video, actually. So we had found a shot that we like…Basically, we were shooting the whole video and there’s a scene where I kind of, you know, get the living hell kicked out of me. And, like, I’m on the floor and I’m spitting out blood and stuff. And like, in that moment, Kenji, my photographer and videographer came in and he wasn’t shooting that video. So he was shooting kind of the process of the video. He was like, Oh, wait, Casey, like let me get a couple of shots of you. Like while you’re on the floor.

And we were going through options for album art and there wasn’t anything that really clicked for us. And then we’re like, Oh, why don’t we go through the video? Why don’t we see like what there is for the BTS and the first options were actually of all the boys like that were in the shot all the shirtless like sexy, sweaty men.

And we wanted to capture that like chaos, you know? But then we finally saw the shot of me smiling with the blood dripping out of my mouth. It kind of sums up the song quite nicely. It’s very, there’s a lot of bravado, there’s a lot of confidence but it’s also about drowning in those things at the same time. So I think it captures it perfectly.

4. Why did you decide to call the album “GABRIEL”?

So I’m not a religious person. I’ve always loved the name “GABRIEL” and can’t really like, can’t really explain why. But when it came time to name the record, I didn’t like I wanted to name it something memorable, but not something overly convoluted. And like it would turn out cheesy. And I didn’t want anything with like a, like a, I don’t know.

Like a weird backstory, like, it doesn’t have to be too deep, you know. And when it came time to give the album a name, I didn’t have one. I think I was like, maybe four or five tracks deep. And the only songs I had were like “SOMEBODY”, “TOUCH”, “GET IT” and “HELL/HEAVEN”. And none of them really captured how I felt about the record. And for a little bit of time, I was like, talking to my manager, and I got sick of calling it the album. So I was just like, why don’t we just call this project “GABRIEL”, for now, just as a placeholder.

And I started to think that maybe naming an album isn’t so different from naming your child and why does it have to be like any different from that? It just kind of stuck. So I was like, why don’t we just call it “GABRIEL”. And I feel like everyone’s so intrigued about it. And it’s kind of it’s kind of great, and it’s working, you know, like people like they’ll remember it, you know.

5. “GABRIEL” seems to have a biblical concept. Would you mind explaining it further?

I’m actually like, not a religious person. So like, it was really fun for me to kind of like write tangentially, like off of it. Like I might have mentioned before, to basically talk about, like, you know, what is hell and heaven mean, in the context of my life, what does Limbo mean, in the context of my life? And like, what does Angel mean in the context of my life? Like who like, like, what does that person, you know, look like?

And how have we interacted before, you know, like, who is a literal angel in my life? And how do you treat them so like, in that song, particular song “ANGEL”, like, I basically hold someone in such high regard that like, you’re constantly like, drowning, like in their, in their presence, you know? And that was sort of the fun part of like, writing for me like trying to tie that in as like. It’s not so much like a metaphor as much as it is just like, something to write about.

6. You talk about this album being more emotional. Was there a different approach in terms of the writing process? How is it different from your previous records?

I’m not sure emotional is the word that I would use for I think definitely more personal than anything. I mean, definitely. There’s still like honest emotions in it. But it’s not like overly sad by any means. It’s just very candid. The writing process was largely the same in terms of like me being by myself, and like writing the music, like, in my studio back in Houston. But it was more, I feel like I’ve learned a lot more in terms of where to go as like a songwriter in terms of like melody, or like cadence or rhythm. And it was very intentionally done. So that like, I don’t know, I feel like I’ve just gotten better as a songwriter like in terms of like, how I word things, and like, where I go melody wise. So yeah, definitely have grown.

7. Speaking of your creative process, how do you make the decision on knowing what to put out? Or scrap off? Do you require any sort of validation throughout this?

Oh, it’s definitely more…I don’t really look for anyone else’s validation in terms of like, what I should and what I shouldn’t put out. There’s actually a lot of demos that my manager and my team have heard that they’ve urged me time and time again to put out but I refuse because like I just feel like it’s, it’s not in line with what my vision is for myself as an artist.

8. What song from GABRIEL are you most particularly excited for people to hear? And why?

I mean, I love them all. Like they’re my children honestly, like equally to death. But there is a track. It’s Track 7, “HELL/HEAVEN” that I’m very excited for people to hear. And I’ve talked about it a lot before too. I feel like it kind of like the production is so varied. Like I just love how much ear candy there is into it. And I feel like it’d be a really special moment when I put it on tour.

9. What message do you want to convey through the song, “GET IT”?

Oh, I mean, it’s definitely it’s definitely a very braggadocious song. There’s a lot of bravado and a lot of confidence in it. But it’s kind of like a double edged sword. Like it talks about, you know, drowning, that sort of confidence as well. I basically just want to make a really, really energetic hype song that like I’ve that would catch the fans off guard. And that would be really, really fun to listen to while you’re on tour. And it’s like a great opening banger track. So, really stoked to share it with people live.

10. Do you have a writer’s block moment? How do you keep yourself motivated to keep writing while facing hard times?

Yeah, so writer’s block was happening to me, like, I think right after I finished “Always”, and the trilogy EP because it started to feel really stagnant and like the same like I wasn’t making music that was like pushing boundaries. And it just like, everything sounded the same to me. And I was getting like really fed up with myself. And it wasn’t until I met Elie, my executive producer for “GABRIEL” over in LA.

And it wasn’t until I started making music with him that I started to feel like I was having fun making music again. And like I feel like he really brought out the best in me like as an artist and like I brought out you know, the best of him as a producer. And I think collaboration is a really great way to help with with writers block for sure.

Yeah, it wasn’t, it wasn’t like I sat there and I said, Oh, I’m stuck. And then he helped me write it was more like being with another person in the room making music was inspiring. Like, just just having a whole other person to make music with was so much fun. And, yeah, when I wrote “GABRIEL”, like the whole record, there was never a time that I felt like I had writer’s block. So yeah.

11. You gained a Kpop fan base after being noticed by BTS. Out of curiosity, have you noticed a difference between your Kpop fans and your regular fans?

Ah, yeah, actually, it’s really interesting. I mean, the Kpop fans are definitely very global. It is pretty funny because I’ll like if I post on Twitter, and it gets some attraction, I’ll trend under Kpop and which I think is really interesting, because I’m not Korean. And I don’t speak Korean and I don’t sing in Korean.

Yeah, I think it’s just like the it’s just the way that the metadata works for Twitter. You know, this fan accounts like engage with certain media, so I’ll trend under it, I guess. But yeah, I feel the love so strongly from Kpop fans, I feel like they’re incredibly vocal and super supportive with everything that I do. So yeah, definitely I feel the love.

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Ezbuy: Do You Want To Be In The Running To Win An Apple Watch & RM100 Cash Vouchers?

Global e-shopping site ezbuy is determined to make shopping much, much easier for you. And while you shop, you stand to win some really cool prizes too!

The global shopping platform is now widening its range of products by introducing two new retailers; one of China’s biggest e-commerce site, JD.com and popular social fashion app Mogujie.com.

Mogujie is China’s fastest growing social fashion app, which also officially launched in the US and Europe. Their products range from womens’ fashion, mens’ fashion, and plenty of beauty tools and accessories for you daily vanity routine – all at an affordable price.

On the other hand, JD offers everything you need from fashion, home and living, travel, sports, and mobile accessories.

So whether you need to rebuild your wardrobe, stock up on travel bags, office supplies, sports apparel, or kitchen appliances, ezbuy’s new sellers have everything you need under one roof.

In addition to that, don’t forget that ezbuy also features prominent Taobao sellers on their site. So go ahead and splurge on clothes, accessories, gadgets, electronics, home decor, and more at crazy cheap prices this Chinese New Year.

Wait, that’s not all! How do you like winning some free stuff from ezbuy?

Sign up for a free account with ezbuy via this link  today and be in the running to win a brand new Apple Watch Series 3, along with other attractive prizes like Mi Bands and RM100 Cash Vouchers.

*All winners will be notified privately via email registered to ezbuy


Hype’s Now Playing: Eric Prydz – Generate

There’s a reason why or how Eric Prydz is where he is today, and it’s a damn good solid one.

Known to be the titan of everything under the progressive umbrella, the DJ/producer has just released a music video for his latest single, “Generate”.

Directed by San Francisco-based GMUNK, a self-described “longtime Eric Prydz fan,” who has done hologram and UI work for the blockbusters like “Tron” and “Oblivion”, the “Generate” video is a more colorful interpretation of the melodic and uplifting track as cameras weak through a lit up metallic structure with various effects, rendering a kaleidoscope of various crystalline images.

And in not so many words, it’s hella trippy.

It also pretty much displays how Eric hasn’t strayed from his trademark style of music production. That is, by using only a few condensed elements throughout the track but yet making it sound impactful.

Check out the track and the behind-the-scenes videos below:

“Generate”, which adds to Eric’s long list of groundbreaking tunes, is the second single from him this year, but expect to hear a lot from him as he gears up for his biggest year yet with 3 EPs and an album, “PR(10)DA” over the next few months.

Want it? Head on over to iTunes to pre-order “Generate” today, which will be fully available on 8th June.

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[Watch] Solo: A Star Wars Story Trailer FINALLY Drops

We’ve been clamouring for it for weeks and months and Disney has FINALLY released its first official look at “Solo: A Star Wars Story” during the Super Bowl.

Mind you, this isn’t even a full-length trailer, but merely a 45 seconds teaser. Which is CRAZY, considering the movie is set to hit cinemas in four months time.

That said, what we did get is pretty enticing. The teaser offers a glimpse at the Millennium Falcon, Woody Harrelson, who’s set to play a mentor figure to Han Solo, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca as well as a very brief shot of Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo.

For weeks now, fans have been biting their nails, wondering when the first trailer will drop. The previous three Star Wars movies all had their trailers drop six months to a year before the release of the movie. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” is a peculiar case, especially considering the numerous behind the scenes problems the film went through and the firing of directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. They were then replaced by “Cinderella Man” director, Ron Howard, who reportedly reshot a majority of the film.

Perhaps we’ll get a clearer picture tomorrow when the full-length trailer drops on ABC’s “Good Morning America”.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” hits theaters May 25th.


5 Local Artists Who Opposed Bringing BTS For Visit Malaysia 2020

Since Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq announced that he will definitely bring famous K-pop band BTS to Malaysia next year for Visit Malaysia 2020, Malaysian ARMYs have been jumping with joy over the news!

However, not everyone is as equally excited as Malaysian ARMYs and K-pop fans. Non-fans ridiculed the idea and even condemned the young minister for prioritising international acts instead of focusing on local acts or culture which should be the main highlights for Visit Malaysia 2020.

“Kenapa nak sibuk bawa BTS, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Artis luar datang ke Malaysia”

Ini jawapan saya. pic.twitter.com/o2wHPM7kRe

— Syed Saddiq (@SyedSaddiq) April 26, 2019

The news most certainly does not sit well with several local celebrities who think that the minister should give the opportunity to the many music talents in Malaysia that can represent the country better than the Korean group.

Here are some of the criticisms and complaints left by local celebrities:-

Soon after Syed Saddiq announced his plan to bring BTS to Malaysia, Malaysian film director and comedian Shamaine Othman took to her Twitter to voice out her objection. The comedian questioned the rationale of bringing the boy band to Malaysia during the Visit Malaysia 2020, and suggest that the money should be channelled to local performing arts institutions and companies instead. While many agree with her, some explain that the popularity of BTS can bring in a lot of overseas fans to Malaysia, and thus, bringing profit to the country.

Actor Sharnaaz Ahmad took to Instagram to complain about the 26-year-old minister’s decision to bring the 7-member boy band to Malaysia. The 33-year-old award-winning actor said that if he was the minister, he would bring in more manly bands like Metallica, Blink 182, Avenged Sevenfold, and Disturbed. “What is this, Kpop? Your mother!” he exclaimed. His comment however has been condemned by fans for being rude and some also said that his tastes are old and lame.

Rock veteran Awie voiced out his anger in a long statement on Facebook. The lead singer of rock band Wings claimed that Syed Saddiq is trying to ruin the career of local artists by inviting international talents instead of relying on local acts who have been supporting and contributing to the country. “You said that the country’s economy is deteriorating, then why would you invite trash into the country? For what?”. The singer-actor continued to ask his fans and the public to boycott the minister whom he claims has been throwing money away to outsiders.

Former actor and president of SENIMAN (Artiste Association of Malaysia) Zed Zaidi has released an official statement SENIMAN’s official Facebook page to call out the issue regarding BTS. Some of the points highlighted include:

Graphic designer and documentary filmmaker Fahmi Reza who is known for depicting Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, as a clown, has uploaded a sarcastic poster of BTS where he gave them a metal look, presumably portraying the members as evil and devil-looking. Though the artist did not say that he opposes the band’s performance in Malaysia, his poster certainly says it all as it is decorated with devil’s horns, satanic symbols and skulls.

With all the hate and objections against BTS, some ARMYs have confessed that perhaps it would be better if the band skip Malaysia. At least then the band wouldn’t have to endure the negative criticisms towards them.

We certainly wouldn’t want to leave a bad impression on them.

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#Toll: PLUS To Offer 50% Toll Rebates During CNY Holidays

Chinese New Year is almost upon us and soon, most of us will be travelling back to our respective hometown.

To ensure smooth traffic on major highways during the festive season, PLUS Malaysia will be offering motorists travelling along the North-South Expressway and ELITE Highway a seasonal “treat”.

“We anticipate 1.6 million vehicles will be plying the NSE on every peak day during the festive season. The figure translates to a 15% increase as compared to the number of traffic on a normal working day,” PLUS managing director, Datuk Azman Ismail was quoted as saying.

As such, Class 1 vehicle owners using the NSE and ELITE highway will be entitled to a 50% toll discount. Also note that the rebate is only offered to those paying toll via electronic toll payment system (PLUSMiles cards, Touch ‘n Go cards, and SmartTAGs) on these following dates and time:

However, the rebate won’t be given on the spot. Users are only allowed to redeem the 50% toll rebate (in the form of reload) at any PLUS customer service centres between 15th February and 14th May.

Sources: Bernama, Paul Tan/ Featured image: Coffee Ticks.


(UPDATED) Malaysian-Based IKEAHackers Ceases to Operate?

Swedish furniture brand IKEA get its online attention few days ago as the corporation attempts to shut down an IKEA fansite IKEAhackers. The corporate’s actions received some backlash from the IKEA fans and now the corporation is looking for a new way to resolve the issue with the founder of IKEAHackers Jules Yap. Jules updated the site and mentioned that IKEA has released a statement (published by Jennifer on Yahoo! Homes) about the issue to express their deepest regret for their hurtful action:

“We want to clarify that we deeply regret the situation at hand with IKEAhackers. It has of course never been our ambition to stop their webpage. On the contrary, we very much appreciate the interest in our products and the fact that there are people around the world that love our products as much as we do. We are now evaluating the situation, with the intention to try to find a solution that is good for all involved.”

After having a conversation with Anders of Inter IKEA Systems BV, Jules stated she can make no changes to the site (including the ads) until they settle on a new agreement. However, the moving of the site may still happen as it depends on the solution or whether the terms are acceptable.

But no one is more devastated than the founder of IKEAHackers Jules Yap (pseudonym) who had to shut down her site as IKEA has filed a trademark claim on the site.

On June 14, the founder took the legal matter to her site and announced that IKEAHackers.net will no longer be in operation. Jules explained in a post that she received a Cease and Desist (C&D) letter from IKEA, demanding the site to transfer the domain name to them as the site has infringed upon intellectual property right. After much negotiation, she was allowed to keep the domain name as long as it’s a non-commercial website. However, Jules will not run the site any longer as she will not be able to make the profit from the featured advertising on the site.

For the past eight years, IKEAHackers was served as a creative community for IKEA lovers all around the world to share their ideas of repurposing their IKEA purchases. The site has inspired a DIY-frenzy among us and helped put a positive light on IKEA items. But this will not be the end of IKEA Hack as Jules announced that she will move the site to a new domain soon. She encourages the fans to sign up for the mailing list so that they can continue to post up the ideas or be inspired once the new site is ready!

Our take? We think it’s a huge wasted opportunity for IKEA because Jules does more than just finding ways to hack IKEA products; she also encourages others to buy IKEA products to hack. Which, in return, will see an increase of sales on top of the already extremely high sales. Sigh!


#PokémonGO: Police Fine Man RM300 For Catching Pokémon While Driving In Pahang

Admit it, who’s guilty of being addicted to Pokémon GO?

Over the weekend, a man from Pahang was flagged down for playing the extremely popular game while driving along Jalan Stadium in Kuantan, Pahang. The police gave him a RM300 summons for the offence.

The Malay Mail reported that the said driver and his friends decided to drive around town to effectively catch Pokémons. But at around 11am on Saturday (6th August), he was asked to stop by a traffic policeman on a motorcycle as he tried to catch a Pokémon.

“When the traffic police officer saw our phones displaying the image of Pokémon Go and knew we were playing the game of catching the monsters, the officer couldn’t resist laughing. But the police officer later continued to warn us that we cannot use mobile phones while driving and issued us this summons,” he said.

Yesterday (7th August), Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai took to Twitter to remind Malaysian drivers to “don’t Pokémon GO and drive”.

It's good fun, but remember, don't #PokemonGo & drive. @JKJRMalaysia @JPJ_Malaysia

— Uncle Liow (@liowtionglai) August 7, 2016

In several countries such as UK, US, and Australia, the police have warned motorists not to play Pokémon Go and drive as there have been many road accidents happening due to the game.

Pokémon GO was made available in Malaysia on Saturday (6th August) and the augmented reality game has been so successful that Apple said that it was “the most downloaded app in a first week ever”.

Though we know that the game is extremely addictive and fun, we’d like to remind our readers that Pokémon Go is meant to be played while walking around not while driving on the road.

Sources: The Malay Mail,  Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai’s Twitter.

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Moon Knight: Everything You Need To Know About The MCU’s Version Of Batman

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: There once was an eccentric millionaire who used his fortune, detective-skills and martial-arts prowess to strike fear into the hearts of the criminal underworld. He wears a costume, only comes out at night and claims to be vengeance. No, DC’s Batman didn’t suddenly up and travel over to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) via Doctor Strange. We’re talking about Marvel’s very own crusader of the night and bane of crime, the Moon Knight.

Fans of the MCU have long heard, especially from DC fans, the criticism that their heroes are too bright and clean. Sure Iron Man, Thor and Captain America have their differences but they’re essentially shining beacons of virtue. Boy-Scouts next to the likes of Batman and the Sucidie Squad. Hell, even the Guardians of the Galaxy can’t help but become one big quais-familial hugfest. Where’s the edge and rage?

Well ponder no longer folks because the Moon Knight will be making his debut into the MCU with a whole Disney+ series dedicated to this enigmatic crime-fighter. In honour of the lunar knight, we’re giving a breakdown of everything you need to know about the character and the series! Let’s get into it.

While bearing a few similarities to Bruce Wayne’s Batman, the story of Marc Spector’s journey to becoming the Moon Knight is a lot more…weirder. Unlike Wayne, Marc wasn’t born into the lap of luxury. Rather, he grew up in a poor neighbourhood in Chicago with his Rabbi father. His family had barely escaped the Holocaust when Hitler invaded their homeland of Czechoslovakia. His tragic upbringing and frequent persecution for his Jewish heritage caused him to develop disocciative identity disorder (DID). This means he had multiple personalities residing within his mind.

When his father died, he left home to pursue work as a mercenary. During a mission to an Egyptian pharoah’s tomb, Spector was fatally wounded and left for dead. It was there and then, Spector encountered an ancient Egyptian deity of the night, Khonshu. In exchange for resurrecting him from death, he pledged to become Khonshu’s avenging angel. He would be tasked with defending the innocent in the light of Khonshu’s moon.

Now, here’s where things get a little creepy. Turns out, Khonshu has been waiting for Spector to become his champion ever since he was little boy. In fact, Spector’s vulnerable mental state was precisely the reason he was chosen. So yes while Khonshu is technically the reason why Spector became a superhero, he’s also driving the man insane!

Over the years, Marc has had multiple personalities in his head. One of them is a millionaire named Steve Grant and a cab-driver named Jake Lockley. In a sense, it’s Spector’s multiple personalities within his mind that creates the Moon Knight. Grant is the one who funds the gadgets and costumes, Lockley keeps Spector informed on the dealings of the criminal underworld and Khonshu is the voice that drives him to bring criminals to justice. That being said, Khonshu is far from being a benevolent, loving god. He’s got big plans for the world and is more than happy to use poor Marc to achieve his ends.

We’re interested in seeing how the MCU portrays Khonshu and Spector’s mental state throughout the “Moon Knight” series. Will they lean into the more supernatural elements of the characters? Or will it take a more grounded approach in dealing with Spector’s psychology? In any case, we can’t wait to find out!

In spite of being a complete nutjob possessed by an ancient moon god, Moon Knight is actually quite a gifted polymath. For one, he’s an expert detective who is capable of finding leads and tracking down targets using his cab-driver persona. He’s managed to make a fortune for himself as Steve Grant in Wall Street. His days as a mercenary has made him a skilled and brutal fighter, skilled in various martial arts. Moon Knight carries weapons ranging from batons to moon-shaped boomerangs called Crescent Darts and grappling hooks.

What makes Moon Knight a truly terrifying character is just how brutal and violent the guy is. Unlike Batman, he’s got zero qualms about killing folks as long as it gets the job done. He isn’t bound by any real moral code beyond not killing innocent bystanders. There have been a few moments in the past in which Moon Knight has exhibited supernatural strength or abilties whenever Khonshu wills it.  For the most part though, he’s just a mortal man pushed to the edge of insanity.

During last year’s Disney+ Day, one of the many series announced to be released this year was “Moon Knight”. With the recent trailer for “Moon Knight”, we now know the series will making its way in March. Oscar Isaac who played Poe Dameron in Disney’s “Star Wars” trilogy and Apocalypse in Fox’s “X-Men: Apocalypse”, will be making his first official appearance in the MCU as Marc Spector/Moon Knight. The first season consisting of six episodes will see Isaac’s Moon Knight travel the globe as he becomes embroiled in a war between gods with the series being set against ancient and modern Egypt. Fun fact: In Marvel comics, one of the rival gods who frequently clashes with Khonshu is Bast, the Panther God of Wakanda. So be sure to look out for any Black Panther Easter-eggs lurking around the corner in the series.

Joining Isaac are cast members May Calamawy and Ethan Hawke. While Calamawy’s role in the series has remained unclear, we do know that Hawke will indeed be playing the main antagonist to Isaac’s Moon Knight. His character is said to model after the infamous cult leader, David Koresh. Now there is one particular villain in Moon Knight’s rogues gallery that fits Hawke’s character in the series, the Sun King. Much like Marc Spector, he too suffers from a mental disorder and draws power from an ancient Egyptian deity, Amon Ra. In the comics, he amasses an army of followers and has the ability to control fire.

Could the war of gods the series sypnosis is describing be one between Khonshu’s champion, Moon Knight, and Amon Ra’s Sun King. The moon and sun are opposing natural forces so this match-up would make perfect thematic sense. Hopefully we’ll get more details once Marvel Studios finally decides to drop an official trailer for the series.

Be sure to stay tuned to us for more updates on “Moon Knight” coming out this March on Disney+Hotstar streaming services!


Hype’s Exclusive: D=Out In Conjunction With Sundown Festival Singapore 2013

Sundown Festival is an event that takes place every year to celebrate Asian music and culture. Aimed to not only showcase the best and most happening scene of Asian entertainment, Sundown is also set to unite and bring together the cultural diversity of Asia.

Each year, a new Asian country is added to the list of performers as it creates a snowball effect to the festival which will help generate hype, anticipation and also captivate audiences and fans.

Apart from music, Sundown Festival also features some of the most popular and up-and-coming musicians and their cultural exports such as food and drinks through fringe activities and stalls at the event grounds on the day of the Festival.

Japanese visual kei rock band D=Out which was formed in 2006 is one of the acts set to take the stage at the Sundown Festival in Singapore this year. The five man band, recently released their seventh studio album Kabuki Disco and are managed by PS company and Tokuma Japan.

Hype.My speaks with the band in an exclusive interview.

How long have you guys been performing together?

We’ve been performing together for six years now. Six busy and crazy years!

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you at an event?

One day, our drummer Minase was playing with his Yukata (kimono) and the next thing you know, his belt came undone and his Yukata had fallen off when he stood up. Needless to say, his whole lower body was exposed!

What is the first thing that comes to mind, when you think about music?

‘Cry of the soul’. When we are writing lyrics or songs, we fully put our feelings of the time on it.

What is the first event D=OUT played at together?

It was on the Shinzuku Holiday on March 4th, 2007. We call it the D=Out birthday!

If you had a million dollars, how would you spend it?

Filial tour! After that, travel around the world and learn a lot of things!

For those interested, the Sundown Festival 2013 details are as follows:

Venue: F1 Pit Area, Marina Promenade (next to Singapore Flyer)

Tickets (all free-standing) are available at SISTIC. Log on to www.sistic.com.sg to book or call ticketing hotline: +(65) 6348 5555. For more information on Sundown Festival, check out www.sundownfestival.sg

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#BeautyAndTheBeast: New Cast Members & Release Date Revealed

Walt Disney Pictures is (almost) ready to begin filming its live-action adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” as the studio has announced the release date and the confirmed cast members.

As previously reported, Emma Watson is set to play Belle, the central character of the live-action adaptation of the Disney classic. The former “Harry Potter” actress also took to Twitter to welcome Dan Stevens and Luke Evans, who were in negotiations to play the Beast/Prince and Gaston respectively.

Of course, that’s not everything we know about the film. The live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast” finally found its Mrs. Potts and Maurice too!

Based on a French fairy tale, “Beauty and the Beast” is about Belle, a young woman who takes her father’s place as a prisoner in a monstrous being’s castle, only to fall in love with the creature, who turns out to be a prince. After confirming that Stevens and Evans are indeed joining the cast, Disney announced that multiple award-winning star Kevin Kline is set to play Belle’s father, Maurice. His character is an inventor and a loving father who supports Belle’s dreams. However, he is made a prisoner when he accidentally stumbled upon the Beast’s castle.

It was also announced another multiple award-winning star Emma Thompson is joining the cast as Mrs. Pott, a supporting character from the fairy-tale. Her character is the head housekeeper of the Beast/Prince’s castle, who was transformed into a teapot under the spell of the enchantress. “Frozen” star Josh Gad was reportedly going to play Lefou, but he was not included in the studio’s announcement.

Director Bill Condon (of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” fame) is set to direct the film while Stephen Chbosky will pen the script based on the draft written by Evan Spiliotopoulos. David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman will produce the film under their Mandeville Films production company. However, the movie will not hit cinemas until the release of the new “Cinderella” movie in March 2015 and Jon Favreau‘s “The Jungle Book” in 2016.

The studio announced that “Beauty and the Beast” is slated for release in 3D on 17th March 2017.

8-time Oscar-winner Alan Menken, who won 2 Academy Awards for the 1991 animated classic, is set to score the film.

It will also feature new recordings of the original songs in addition to several new songs written by Menken and Sir Tim Rice.

No further details were announced yet, but what do you think of the casting news so far? Are you excited to watch the film? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.


#Oscars2017: “La La Land” Mistakenly Announced, “Moonlight” Wins Best Picture

Deja vu: It was Miss Universe 2015 all over again.

For 2 glorious minutes, everyone at the Dolby Theatre was applauding “La La Land” for winning the most prestigious award, only to be corrected that “Moonlight” was the Best Picture for this year’s Academy Awards.

Apparently co-presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway had received the wrong envelope. “I want to tell you what happened.I opened the envelope, and it said ‘Emma Stone, La La Land.’ That’s why I took such a long look at Fey (Dunaway), and at you (the audience). I wasn’t trying to be funny. … This is ‘Moonlight’, the Best Picture,” Beatty later explained.

As the “La La Land” crew were celebrating their win and giving their thank yous on stage, producer Jordan Horowitz interrupted the celebration and proclaimed that there has been a mistake in the announcement. He even showed the accurate card which indicated that “Moonlight” had indeed won.

“I will say that the folks from ‘La La Land’ were so gracious. I can’t imagine being in their position and having to do that. I wasn’t speechless because we won. I was speechless because it was so gracious of them to do that. The card said: ‘Best Picture: Moonlight’,” said “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins.

However, Jenkins refused to allow this confusion overshadow their win, telling Los Angeles Times, “It’s unfortunate that things happened the way they did, but hot damn, we won best picture.”

Having said that, this major disaster has inspired social media users to come up with some of the funniest memes. Just in case you haven’t watch the Oscars, here’s a clip of the aforementioned incident and our favourite memes on Twitter:

— Michael Lyle, Jr. 🎧🎙 (@LyleMultimedia) February 27, 2017

Steve Harvey somewhere right now… #Oscars pic.twitter.com/bQK1q0sP42

— Marielle (@TheNolaChick) February 27, 2017

Have your people call our people – we know what to do. #Oscars #MissUniverse

— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) February 27, 2017

Of course, we also wanted to get in on the fun ;)

Why, thank you, thank you very much, @TheAcademy! First & foremost, we'd like to thank God.. #Oscars #Oscars2017 pic.twitter.com/6MHVSHCx5C

— Hype Malaysia (@HypeMY) February 27, 2017

To find out who won what at the 89th Academy Awards, go here.

Sources: LA Times (1)(2), NY Times/ Featured image: The Daily Beast.

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Jho Low’s New Passport Discovered Along With Mega Hide-Away Home

Low Taek Jho, was recently found to obtain a Cypriot passport and a €5 million (approx. RM23 million) home on the island.

According to Politis, a Greek newspaper in Cyprus, the passport was obtained back in 2015 just before the 1MDB scandal rose to prominent. Low also held another foreign passport before from Saint Kitts and Nevis, which was terminated amid a global investigation on the Malaysian fugitive.

The report was carried out by Sarawak Report, who translated the greek report. According to the publication, the way the fugitive was able to obtain the passport was through the nation’s Cyprus Investment Program (KEP). It is a ‘citizenship for investment’ programme that started in 2013.

Under the program, the passport holder is required to deposit a minimum of €5 million in a local Cypriot bank for 3 years. Additionally, the holder is also required to purchase a home of at least €500 thousand on the island. This would explain the reported purchase of the €5 million villa made by Jho Low.

It was also reported that Jho Low arrived in Cyprus on 18th September 2015 and received his passport within 2 days through an express procedure. The villa on the other hand was purchased on 23rd September 2015 and was due to be completed within two months.

A background check was conducted on the Malaysian, prior to getting the passport, which raises several red flags. The red flags show that he was a politically exposed person, and involved in money laundering, as well as accused of fraud and regulation breaches, in addition to other risk factors. But despite all that the passport was granted anyway.

Unfortunately, the report does not include information on whether the fugitive returned to Cyprus or whether there were plans on seizing the property. However, Politis has stated they will continue with their investigation and hopes that this criminal will be finally brought to justice.


Third Time’s A Charm For Angelina?

Not too long ago, Brangelina insisted that they wouldn’t get married until the legalization of same-sex marriage in America. But Brad recently admitted he didn’t feel they’d be able to wait that long because of the mounting pressure from, yup, their children.

Oh come on, Brad! Six little ones later and you think you can still stay in your cohabitation comfort zone? Even your children would often ask why the both of you aren’t married like “Shrek and Fiona” (according to Angelina).

Okay hold up. That made us laugh a little. If we could say one thing to Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox, it would be, “Sweethearts, daddy and mummy aren’t green!”.

Seven years and six children (three biological, three adopted) later, Hollywood star couple megastars royalties 48-year-old Brad Pitt and 36-year-old Angelina Jolie are finally engaged.

The word first came from Robert Procop, the Beverly Hills jeweller who work closely with Brad Pitt on the “engagement ring project” which went on for more than 12 months. Robert Procop has been Angeline Jolie’s private jeweller for more 10 years and even collaborated with her for “Style of Jolie“. It was only apt for him to be the one to design the engagement ring for the actress.

“Brad was always heavily involved, overseeing every aspect of the creative design evolution. The side diamonds are specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality. Brad wanted every aspect of it to be perfect and shaped to suit Angelina’s hand”, he said of the “engagement ring project”.

Then, the rumour mill went crazy with suspicion when she was spotted wearing the ring bearing a diamond of the finest quality amid a “galaxy of smaller stones” on her wedding finger at the Chinese Art collection at the LA Country Museum earlier this month.

Brad’s spokeswoman, Cynthia Pett-Dante later confirmed the news by saying, “It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There’s no date set at this time.”

But first, a closer look at the USD250,000 “Brangelina engagement ring”:

We have to admit, though, that we are super happy for the power couple. Seriously. Gorgeous Angeline Jolie, multiple-times-voted “Sexiest Man Alive” Brad Pitt, booming careers, adorable children, what’s there not to be happy about?

Nevermind that Angelina has been married and divorced twice previously (first to British actor Jonny Lee Miller and then actor Billy Bob Thornton). Maybe third time’s a charm, huh?

Er, and second time’s a charm. For Brad.

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