Hype’s Exclusive: They Will Kill Us All At Urbanscapes 2013

Malaysian band They Will Kill Us All consists of five members who are obsessed with creating good music that will last forever. Made up of guitarist and keyboardist David Leong, guitarist and lead vocalist Edwin Raj, bassist Amir Shazlan, drummer Ihsan Ariffin and keyboardist Herwandi Saat, They Will Kill Us All originated in 2003 as a weekend project between Edwin and David. Old friends from different bands that ended prematurely, the duo got together to make plans for a band catered to build their vision of music. Now with five members in the band, They Will Kill Us All released their debut album Secret Episodes in 2008 and released their second album Vulture not too long after.

A change in their style, Vulture features tracks that are stripped down and with minimal sound that holds on strong to their emotional intensity. The key focus of every song on the track boiled down to melodies making the album a more diverse one. The difference between hit debut single Sirens to an inspiring anthem Songs of the Fearless reflects on the bands growth in confidence and maturity.

They Will Kill Us All will be taking the stage at Urbanscapes this November and Hype.My chats with Edwin Raj and Amir Shazlan of the band in an exclusive interview.

You guys have a very interesting name: They Will Kill Us All. Tell us, how did the name come about?

E: The name epitomises the paranoid state of mind when we were in the post-millennium age. The term was coined as an antithesis of those play-safe marketable band names. The irony of hearing local radio DJs introduce our band is much anticipated.

With the scrutiny in the country, were you the least bit worried about the name They Will Kill Us All?

A: We are not worried about the implications of the name. Even if we named the band “Wonder Bread”, we would be scrutinised, thinking it was a code for a drug or something, so long as there is a public court of opinion. But most importantly, we let the music speak for itself.

A:  We are in love with great memorable melodies coupled with hard music, hence the “noise pop” term we came up with, just so if anyone asks what kind of music we play. Like a Cave In meets Cure sorta thing.

E: It’s a b*tch to sustain a band, especially one that is plagued like ours, but we love a good challenge and don’t want to end up being a waste of precious sperm. Good things come to those who prevail.

A: We’ve been at it for almost ten years now. I mean, the band was formed in 2003 but the first shows were in 2004, I think.

E: I personally feel we were incarnated post-2008 and feel a totally different energy than the earlier years. We might not have optimised our talents just yet, but I can see us getting somewhere if we keep working at it.

What do you guys think of the current music industry in Malaysia?

A: We don’t really feel like we belong to an “industry” in Malaysia. We’ve always felt that we’ve done things on our own, embracing the DIY ethos. So whatever happens with it, we still keep moving forward. With that in mind, from my observation, new, young talents are taking power into their own hands. Using social media, they make themselves heard and make things work in their favour. Those who complain that the music industry is dying are actually the ones who are not able to adapt to the new age and are still trapped in the industry mentality. They need to get with the program.

E: I have huge respect for local peeps who sacrifice time working on something they believe in. There are some world-class folks in Malaysia and I predict a great future for the industry.

Who usually writes the songs in the band?

A: It usually starts off with Edwin and David bringing something to the table. Then the rest of the band works on it until everyone is in agreement that the song is killer.

Are the songs normally based on personal experiences?

A: Mostly social observation sprinkled with little experiences of a personal nature.

E: The subject matter varies, but I’d say mainly keeping things together and making it through this tumultuous life.

How important would TWKUA say lyrics are?

A: We like to have a theme for a song, one that captures the mood we are trying to convey. So it will have some cohesion in lyrics, but we keep the meaning open-ended so that everyone can choose to interpret the lyrics on their own.

A: Everyone in the band can agree on Mew, The National, Interpol, Tame Impala and Arcade Fire. Current playlists include DIIV and Melody’s Echo Chamber.

E: I fancy rappers like Nas, Kendrick and Danny Brown for visualising content through spoken word.

A: I guess the bands mentioned beforehand are quite significant in the way we shape our songs. If you ask me personally, I like Elton John and Sting.

A: We have a saying used frequently: “The lighthouse guides the way, but we steer the ship on our own.” I mean, we listen to a lot of music but in the end, the sounds and songs we produce have to be distinctly TWKUA.

If you guys could collaborate with a local artist, who would it be and why?

A: With a collaboration, we have to give and take to work with a new person, so right now I cannot imagine how we will fare doing so. But I have no doubt it will just be a question of when. As for artists, personally Yuna comes to mind along with Duan of Seven Collar T-Shirt.

E: We have done remixes with Irman Hilmi of Spacebar, Bo Amir aka Mr. Fluff and Dizkopolis. I would also like to highlight our collaboration with artist/painter Kojek aka Ilham Fadlhi for the artwork on Vultures and Kilas of I am David Sparkle for designing our latest T-shirt, out now via order on woolcrafter.com.

A: We don’t have any artists we’d like to work with, but rather producers. People like Flood, Alan Moulder, Steve Albini…those who have worked behind the scenes alongside the greatest bands producing the greatest albums and music. It would be a dream come true to have this opportunity to learn from the best!

What does TWKUA love most about performing?

A: Making the connection with the friends and fans who supports us. Enjoying the good sounds and electric moments onstage. Feeding off the good vibes when the rhythm gets you.

E: The constructive criticism we receive post-show to better ourselves the next time around.

How excited are you to be performing at Urbanscapes?

A: Very excited. We take our shows seriously and are rehearsing to give our best during our set.

What can fans and our readers expect from you at Urbanscapes?

A: Always a good time. Always pumping music. Always a smile.

Who are you looking forward to seeing perform at Urbanscapes?

A: I’d like to get a feel of the Franz Ferdinand live experience…see and learn how they control the stage and get people grooving to their songs.

Apart from Urbanscapes, what’s next for the band?

A: We haven’t done enough legwork for our second album, so we will still be doing promotions for that. But currently back on the drawing board crafting new songs that excite us. Gonna take some time for that to settle.

Where can our readers listen to you/watch you perform?

A: You guys can head over to website and then jump off from there. We are on Facebook, Reverbnation, YouTube and many more sites. We also have our live ‘Vulture Sessions’ now playing on TapauTV.

In order to prep you for Urbanscapes, here’s Sirens by They Will Kill Us All.

Hype’s Exclusive: Kyoto Protocol Set To Rock It At Urbanscapes 2013

Hype’s Exclusive: Bihzhu Talks About Performing At Urbanscapes 2013

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#Belvedere: Cocktail Making Masterclass Sesh With The World’s First Luxury Vodka

It’s Friday which means that the weekend’s here and we’ve got just what you need. On 4th August (Tuesday), we had the pleasure of being part of Belvedere‘s Cocktail Masterclass. The cocktail masterclass session, which took place at SkyBar, Traders Hotel was hosted by mixologist Elvis Sun, who thought us how to prepare 2 different but equally as delicious cocktails.

Before we go on to talk about the cocktails, let us tell you a little bit about Elvis, who loves what he is doing and has come a long way from when he first joined as trainee.

Elvis’ potential was quickly noticed which led to him being selected for cross-exposure at Shangri-La Academy in Beijing. There, he impressed his lecturers and peers with his mixing skills and was voted “Mixologist of The Month”. His signature cocktail La’ Miartinique’, made with gin, beer, angostura bitters, pineapple, passion fruit, and elder flower syrup never fails to leave a lasting impression and is highly recommended at SkyBar.

Now back to the Cocktail Masterclass. The event started at about 4:30pm and was attended by about 12 members of the media. It kicked off with Elvis introducing himself before proceeding to tell us about the Lychee Rose cocktail. After showing us how to make one, we had a go at it and we must say, we did a pretty decent job ;)

Our writer @brynaaaaa tried her hand at making the “Lychee Rose” cocktail and here’s the end result. #BelvedereMY

A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 4, 2015 at 1:39am PDT

Next up on the list was the Caprioska. Consisting of lime, brown sugar, and pure Belvedere Vodka, the Caprioska cocktail was highly refreshing but a little too sour for our liking. Elvis then proceed to making a Cosmopolitan, yums! Taking us through a step-by-step process on achieving the perfect Cosmopolitan cocktail, this was definitely high on our list of favourite cocktails.

As the evening continued, it was time for us to learn to make 1 last cocktail – the Mata D’or. Definitely one of the easiest cocktails to drink, the Mata D’or was also one of the most dangerous ones. Made up off Red Bull, passion fruit puree, pomegranate syrup, and Belvedere vodka, this delicious drink will having you chugging one after another and before you know it, it’s lights out.

The Matador cocktail is the second & final one we made today! Yums! #BelvedereMY A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 4, 2015 at 2:02am PDT

Although, we only had the chance to make 2 cocktails – Lychee Rose and Mata D’or, mixologist Elvis and Belvedere vodka were generous enough to share the recipes for all 4 cocktails prepared by Elvis at the Cocktail Masterclass. So, if you’re looking for something different to do this weekend, how about you try your hand at whipping up these cocktails?

Directions: Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes and stir for 5 seconds. Pour into a Martini glass and garnish with a lychee fruit.

Directions: Pour the passion fruit puree first, followed by pomegranate syrup. Top with Red Bull and garnish with a twist of lemon skin.

Directions: Muddle 5 lime wedges with brown sugar into rock glass and vodka, and stir thoroughly with ice cubes. Add some crushed ice on top and garnish with a lime wedge.

Directions: Muddle 3 lime wedges and pour all the ingredients into mixing glass, and stir for 5 seconds with ice cubes. Pour into a Martini glass and garnish orange zest (flame).

Go ahead, try out these cocktails and let us know which one is your favourite by sounding off in the comments box. Have a good weekend everyone!

More pictures from the Belvedere Cocktail Masterclass here.

For more information on Belvedere Vodka, visit its website.

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Story Of Yanxi Palace Cast To Make Appearance In Singapore In December

The “Story of Yanxi Palace” (延禧攻略) drama series may have ended, but fans will get to obsess over their favourite stars all over again later this year.

Titled “StarHub Night of Stars” (星和璀璨星光夜), the event will filled with glitz and glamour as some of the biggest stars in Asian entertainment are set to appear in Singapore this December. Are y’all ready for it?

So far, 2 stars from “Story of Yanxi Palace” have been confirmed. They are Qin Lan (秦岚), who played the elegant Empress Fucha, and Malaysia-born Singapore actor Lawrence Wong (王冠逸), who the imperial guard Hai Lan Cha.

In addition, Taiwanese heart-throbs Jasper Liu (劉以豪) and Derek Chang (張軒睿) will also be gracing the event. They will be joined by veteran Taiwanese actress Chen Mei-fen (陳美鳳), whom many regard as Taiwan’s “most beautiful auntie”.

The organiser has also teased more Korean and Hong Kong stars will be announced soon.

Entry tickets are not for sale but they will be made available through contests and other activities. Details to “StarHub Night of Stars” are as follows:

Stay tuned to this page for more updates.


#KimJongNam: Video Of Kim Jong Nam’s Son, Kim Han Sol, Surfaces

Weeks have passed and yet no family member has turned up to provide DNA samples to help verify the identity of the murdered “Kim Chol”, otherwise believed to be Kim Jong Nam, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s half brother.

While diplomatic tensions continue to soar between Malaysia and North Korea, a new video is quickly garnering attention on the interwebs.

The video, titled “KHS Video”, was released by one Cheollima Civil Defense YouTube channel and it features a young man who claims to be Kim Jong Nam’s eldest son, Kim Han Sol (김한솔).

There have been various rumours regarding Kim Han Sol’s arrival in Malaysia to identify his father’s body, but it was never confirmed. Although he was born in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, Kim Han Sol moved to Macau at a young age. However, his whereabouts is currently unknown.

In the video, Kim Han Sol can be heard saying, “My name is Kim Han Sol from North Korea, part of the Kim family. Here’s my passport (censored). My father has been killed a few days ago. I’m currently with my mother and my sister. We are very grateful to (censored).”

“We hope this gets better soon,” he adds.

A statement on Cheollima Civil Defense’s website confirmed that the group was protecting Kim Jong Nam’s family.

“Cheollima Civil Defense responded last month to an emergency request by survivors of the family of Kim Jong Nam for extraction and protection. The three family members were met quickly and relocated to safety. We have in the past addressed other urgent needs for protection. This will be the first and last statement on this particular matter, and the present whereabouts of this family will not be addressed,” the statement said.

The group also made it a point to note that they have had assistance from the governments of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China, the United States of America, and an unnamed 4th government.

Little is known about the Cheollima Civil Defense, but according to CNA, Do Hee Youn, an activist with the Citizens Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Refugees, has confirmed that the man in the video is indeed Kim Han Sol.

Meanwhile, 11 Malaysians in North Korea have been banned from leaving the republic “until the incident that happened in Malaysia is properly solved.”

In a latest update by The Star Online, Mohd Nor Azrin Md Zain, counsellor at the Malaysian embassy in Pyongyang, said that they’re in touch with Wisma Putra and with their families back home. “We have already contacted them individually and are updating them from time to time, so they know of our status here. Right now, there is nothing to be worried about,” he was quoted as saying.

Kim Jong Nam is believed to have died in Malaysia on 13th February 2017 after attackers approached him at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (klia) and rubbed his face with a highly toxic VX nerve agent.

Sources: Cheollima Civil Defense, CNA, SumishaCNA, Kim Han Sol Wiki, The Star Online / Featured image: YouTube screenshot.

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#KangGary: First Full-Length Solo Album Track List + Video Teaser Released

As you all may know, Leessang’s Kang Gary (otherwise known as just Gary) is about to make his comeback with his first full-length album in a matter of days. The album will be made available to fans in both Korea and China, and Gary even has plans to go all out promoting his self-titled album in China!

TV Report previously quoted Leessang Company as saying:

It’s correct that we are currently planning an Asia showcase tour which will also include China. The details haven’t been set yet.

Gary’s so immensely popular for not only being the rapper and lyricist of the respected hip hop duo Leessang, he’s also a “permanent resident” of the popular South Korean variety TV show “Running Man”.

As such, his name can rival that of any K-Pop idol groups. Needless to say, Gary’s album is something that his fans in the Asian region have been looking forward to with great interest!

The full track list for his album was released a couple of days ago and from the looks of it, it features an array of well-known artistes such as Koonta, Jay Park, Leessang Company’s latest debuted solo artist MIWOO, Don Mills, Double K, Park Myeong Ho, John Park, Jung In, Brown Eyed Soul’s Youngjoon, DJ Pumkin, and Deepflow.

The first teaser video for one of the title tracks off Gary’s solo album has also been released. Featuring Leessang Company’s first female soloist MIWOO, the “Get Some Air” teaser takes a monochromatic concept as it follows a man driving a convertible down a highway and into an area under what looks like a bridge.

It doesn’t tell us much about the song but at least we kinda know what to expect.

Watch the teaser for “Get Some Air” below:

Gary’s solo album drops 21st September. Start the countdown!


#CNY2016: Those Born In The Year Of The Goat Luckiest In The Year Of The Monkey

Those born in the year of the Goat in the Chinese zodiac will be the luckiest people this year, which is the year of the Fire Monkey.

According to a local feng shui expert, the coming Chinese New Year which begins on 8th February, bodes well for people born in the year of the Goat, one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac.

Feng shui consultant and founder of the Xuan Jixuan Feng Shui Consultation Centre Jane Hor said the year of the Monkey is the best time for these people to demonstrate their talents and advantages in terms of their careers, finance, or education.

“In the order of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, the goat comes before the monkey and is seen as the closest to the monkey. They should not waste this opportunity, whether in their career or investments as there is a good chance of getting a salary increment or promotion, or profits in their businesses,” she added.

The Year of the Fire Monkey would also be good to people born in the year of the Rat, Ox and Pig, who should do well in business or investments, she said.

“This year they will find it easy to get help from their friends in their business. However, they should be careful in their speech as their frankness may upset other people and they would be ignored by their colleagues,” she said.

In the case of people born in the year of the Tiger, Dragon, Monkey, and Dog, this year would not be an exceptional one.

“Those who are employed will have to work harder this year as luck does not side with them. They should do more charity work and help the needy as this will have an effect on their lives in the year of the Fire Monkey,” she said.

People born in the year of the Rooster and the Rabbit will find it easy to get help from their friends or even strangers.

“For those born in the year of the Rooster, they may face some challenges in their careers, especially if they are in real estate and insurance, but this will only be temporary,” Hor said, adding that the situation for these people will improve in the second half of the year.

She added that people born in the year of the Snake would get to know more people, and if single, there was a chance they would meet their loved ones or marry this year.

“Like people born in the year of the Rat, Ox and Pig, those born in the year of the Snake are advised to be careful in their speech,” she said.

Source: Bernama via The Star Online / Featured image from Pinterest.

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Captain America: Set Photos Reveal First Look At Black Panther’s Costume

Marvel‘s “Ant-Man“, which is currently showing in the cinemas worldwide, marks the end of Phase Two of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). The next Marvel movie that will kick off Phase 3 of the MCU is “Captain America: Civil War“.

Principal photography on the film has already begun, but the plot details remain a mystery. What we do know is that it will feature a few other existing Avengers, including:

As “Captain America: Civil War” is set during a time of discord generated from the aftermath of Ultron’s attack against the Earth, Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man, Chadwick Boseman‘s Black Panther, and Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man will have some major parts in the film as well.

We’ve seen how Rudd would look like as Ant-Man, but now all thanks to ComingSoon.net, we finally have our first look at the Black Panther costume. The stuntmen for Boseman’s Black Panther and Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier can be seen standing on the edge of the building while another set of photos show a stuntman donning the Captain America costume.

Check them out in the gallery below (Photo by Chad Buchanan/GC Images):

It is unclear how this scene will fit into the movie, but all shall be unveiled when it comes out next year.

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, “Captain America: Civil War” is based on a screenplay written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. Chris Evans will return to reprise his role as Steve Rogers/Captain America and star alongside Scarlett Johansson‘s Black Widow, Anthony Mackie‘s Falcon, and Sebastian Stan‘s Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier.

Emily VanCamp is joining the cast as Sharon Carter/Agent 13 while Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo will play Baron Helmut Zemo and Brock Rumlow/Crossbones respectively. “Sherlock” star Martin Freeman will play a mysterious role in the film as well.

“Captain America: Civil War” is currently scheduled for release on 6th May 2016 while “Black Panther” will be released on 6th July 2018.


Is Beyonce Pregnant Again?

Looks like Blue Ivy Carter could be a big sister soon! Days after the New York Post reported that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are expecting their second child, E! News followed suit, citing several sources.

Pregnancy rumors reached an all-time high last week when the 31-year-old “Love On Top” singer canceled a concert in Belgium because of dehydration and exhaustion. The next day, she posted a handwritten apology on Facebook which said:

Despite her busy schedule, having more children has always been important to Beyoncé, who told ABC News earlier this month, “I think my daughter needs some company. I definitely love being a big sister”.

Of course, reps for the singer and her rapper husband have neither commented nor confirmed the rumours. But here’s one thing to consider; Beyonce wore a slew of form-fitting outfits during her “Mrs. Carter” tour stop in Milan. Do these outfits look like something a pregnant woman would wear?:


Wolverine Is Back! Ryan Reynolds & Hugh Jackman To Reunite For “Deadpool 3”

Marvel fans, gather around! Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is constantly keeping its fans on their toes waiting for new Marvel movies to come out. From “Avengers” to “X-Men“, Marvel has never once disappointed the multiverse. But since 2018, Deadpool fans have been shut out with no news whatsoever of the next “Deadpool” movie…until now.

In case you haven’t heard, yes, it is official, “Deadpool 3” is coming to theatres in 2024! This time with Hugh Jackman reprising his iconic role as Wolverine! Marvel even released a new logo for this wonderful occasion: The classic “Deadpool” logo is now scratched by Wolverine’s Adamantium claws! How exciting!

This upcoming movie is the third instalment of the “Deadpool” franchise, and this time it is expected to be even better with this exciting cross-over. Although, if we can recall correctly, Deadpool initially appeared in “The X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, with a totally different look and style. It is also known that Logan, or Wolverine, is technically already dead referring to the last Wolverine instalment, “Logan“. With many confusing and missing details, we are curious to see how Marvel is going to play this one out.

The movie announcement was surprisingly released by none other, Mr. Ryan Reynolds himself. The actor stunned the Marvel multiverse by releasing a video announcement of “Deadpool 3” simply titling “Deadpool Update”. The video was released in a typical Ryan Reynolds way, filled with sarcasm and dark humour, ending it with Hugh Jackman appearing casually walking up the stairs.

“Deadpool 3” is set to be released on 6th September 2024. Unfortunately, that is still an incredibly long way to go. But of course, Marvel will be releasing a ton of other movies and shows along the way, so fans go ahead and prepare yourselves by watching or even re-watching both the “X-Men” and “Deadpool” franchise. For more fun, watch all the other Marvel movies as well.

Puteri Teja contributed to this article.

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#XMenApocalypse: Deleted Scenes + Unused Concepts Feature Jubilee & More

Remember last week when we revealed that Wolverine was originally supposed to lead the next generation of X-Men into battle against Apocalypse?

Aside from the Wolverine changes in the script, a large chunk of other material were also left on the cutting room floor. What were the mutants doing at the mall? Why was Jubilee barely in the movie? A new video was recently released by Mr Sunday Movies to recap several scenes that got deleted from “X-Men: Apocalypse”, plus a bunch of rejected concepts.

Jubilee’s presence was most noticeably missing on the big screen. Played by Lana Condor, fans were disappointed that they didn’t get to see the Asian-American teen show off her sparkly fireworks-like power in the movie.

Although director Bryan Singer said that he wanted “more Jubilee”, the cut had to be made for the overall good of the film. “It’s strange for the audience sometimes because they say, ‘It’s a good scene, why did you remove it?’ But if you sat in a theatre and watched it with all those scenes back in, it may seem good, but slow. And I don’t want the audience to feel that,” explained Singer.

Singer previously revealed that the earlier drafts didn’t even include Jubilee in the script, so it does makes sense that maybe her scenes didn’t fit the flow as well others did. However, the director did assure fans that they’ll get to see Jubilee use her powers on the DVD release.

Besides the mall sequence (which included “a group of break dancers in the mall, and Nightcrawler breakdancing with the break dancers”) that harkened back to Singer’s childhood, there was also another moment scene where Cyclops and Jean Grey were in a record store looking at a Dazzler LP, that unfortunately had to go.

“There’s one really fun beat where, well, she pointed it out, Sophie Turner – who is gorgeous – her strange resemblance to Boy George on the cover of this one album. So we literally have a scene, which you’ll see on the DVD, where Cyclops says, ‘Anyone ever tell you, you look like this?’ (pretends to hold up a record). And she’s like, ‘Scott!’ It’s great,” Singer shared.

The YouTube clip also revealed that Professor X (James McAvoy) was initially set to be the 4th horsemen before they added in Olivia Munn’s Psylocke to the storyline. There were also alternate designs planned for both Psylocke and Apocalypse, but thankfully the final product in the movie turned out much better.

To find out more on the deleted scenes, extended roles for certain characters, and rejected concepts, check out the video below for the breakdown:

Perhaps we’ll get to see Jubilee amp up her electrical power for future X-men films, like say, X-Men’s spin-off, “The New Mutants”?

Sources: Movie Web, Screen Rant, Screen Crush, Collider.


#ITSTHESHIP2016: 8 Things We Loved About This Year’s EDM Cruise Festival

Ahoy mateys! All aboard the party of a lifetime – “It’s The Ship 2016”.

The 3rd instalment of the world’s 2nd largest EDM cruise festival took place aboard the very luxurious Mariners of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean International from 4th to 7th November and the annual event saw some 3,200 partygoers from 36 nations, including Australia, Thailand, Korea, China, Italy, France, and the United States.

With over 60 amazing acts, 4 stages (Main stage, Hot Tub Time Machine, St. Tropez, and Viking Crown), as well as several pop-up parties and side activities, it’s easy to see how “It’s The Ship 2016” became a sold-out event.

Thanks to our friends from The Livescape Group, we were able to attend the highly-anticipated event that is filled with some of the world’s biggest DJs such as Knife Party, Dada Life, Far East Movement, Sander Van Doorn, Marlo, Andrew Rayel, Joel Fletcher, and David Gravell.

Truth be told, we miss waking up to the soothing sounds of the ocean waves, dancing till the sunrise, and the scrumptious 24-hour buffet at Windjammer’s Cafe. So for those of you who missed it this year, don’t worry ’cause we’ve got you covered ;)

Here are some things we loved about this year’s “It’s The Ship”:

When Dada Life and Knife Party ruled the first night

The first night saw Swedish DJ duo Dada Life, which consists of Olle Cornéer and Stefan Engblom, galvanising partygoers with many of their crazy, hardcore beats and some fans were lucky enough to get their T-shirts and flags signed. Staying true to their motto, Dada Life’s 1-hour-30-minute “Dada Land” set was totally bananas! But in a good way, of course. Just when we thought the music couldn’t get any better, Gareth McGrillen of Knife Party blew our minds away with a slew of the group’s spooky-themed dance tracks. He even managed to mix in theme songs from “Baywatch” when David Hasselhoff stepped up on stage in his iconic red life guard ensemble, making the already high-spirited crowd go berserk. The only downside was that the “Largest Pillow Fight At Sea” had to be cancelled due to strong winds. Bummer :(

Of T-Rex, Playboy bunnies, man-kinis, and other shenanigans

Keep your conservative thoughts at home because “It’s The Ship” is no place for anyone’s judgement. Be it a T-Rex raving in the middle of the crowd, men running around the main deck in obscene man-kinis, or a half naked chef grilling hamburger patties, what happens on the ship stays on the ship. The other great thing about this year’s instalment is that bunnies from Playboy Thailand were onboard! How often do you get to see a real life Playboy bunny right before your eyes? Exactly.

Penang Street Carnival – Party at Upper Penang Road

“I came, I saw, I partied” – that’s the life, right?

Instead of organising a huge beach party like the previous 2 instalments, The Livescape Group decided that transforming Upper Penang Road, one of the island’s most happening nightlife areas, was a good idea. And they were right! Besides the cheap drinks, upbeat music, and multiple club/bar options, revellers were also able to try out some local delicacies such as char kuey teow, satay, and laksa at the mini hawker food village that was specially set up for hungry “It’s The Ship” patrons. Trishaws were also made available for attendees to ride for free!

The 2nd night was invaded by heavy rain (no thanks to the monsoon season), but that did not dampen the spirits of happy revellers. Instead of going back to their warm rooms, many embraced the rain by jumping into the pool! Now that’s what we call a pool party ;) Unfortunately, the fun didn’t last long as the main pool deck’s sound system were affected by the accumulated rain water. So all of the night’s following outdoor acts (Thaitanium, Far East Movement, Bangkok Invaders, and more) were relocated to indoor venues.

We don’t know about other “It’s The Ship” attendees but Far East Movement’s 1-hour set was hands down, the best one. Though the trio only got onto the ship a couple of hours before their performance, their energy levels were through the roof! The group busted out their super infectious hits like “Like a G6”, “Turn Up The Love”, and “The Illest”. They even played some new songs off “Identity” and the crowd surprised the trio by singing along to the lyrics of “Freal Love”.

“To be honest, we needed to do some soul-searching. We’ve spent some time in Asia because our name is the Far East Movement! So through that journey we’ve met some amazing friends, so we decided, after 4 years, let’s make one more album!” said Kev Nish while standing on a table.

For some reason, we couldn’t get away from Sexy Sax Man, real name Sergio Flores. Not only did he wow shipmates with his amazing saxophone skills, the man also performed at every nook and cranny of the cruise. From the promenade (duty-free shopping area) to the hot tub filled with happy revellers, he swept everyone off their feet with his rendition of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”. He even played that song while standing on Playboy Thailand’s table during the Gala Dinner and all the estrogen-charged ladies went wild.

P/S: Sexy Sax Man is best known for playing the saxophone hook on Redfoo’s hit “New Thang”.

If there’s one guy who stole everyone’s show, it would be David Hasselhoff aka The Hoff! The former “Baywatch” star, who is also the captain of “It’s The Ship”, played an afternoon set on Day 3 and it was classic. Featuring songs like “Jump In My Car”, “Hooked On A Feeling”, and “I’m Gonna Be”, DJ Hoff ended his session with “Sweet Caroline”. During the Gala Dinner, The Hoff performed once again and this time, it was all about Broadway. From “Feeling Good” to “This Is The Moment” from Jekyll & Hyde, he serenaded us with all his heart and we honestly loved every minute of it. Also, The Hoff played witness to a couple’s proposal during the dinner! That goes to show that anything can happen at “It’s The Ship”.

The St. Tropez stage was meant for partygoers to party till they see the sunrise. With DJs spinning from 1am till 7am each morning, the rooftop deck is the best place to see the sun rising over the calm ocean. We can’t describe how satisfied we felt when we saw the sun’s orange hues slowly peeking out of the clouds, shining over the cruise-liner. Ah, how we wish to be there again :)

What was your favourite part of “It’s The Ship 2016”? Who would you like to see at next year’s festival? Let us know in the comments below!

For more information and official photos, hit up “It’s The Ship” via their Facebook page or The Livescape Group’s Facebook page.

Featured image: Colossal Photos x All Is Amazing

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Hype’s Exclusive: Checkin’ In Real Quick With French DJ/Producer Cedric Gervais

Grammy award-winning French DJ/producer Cedric Gervais sure has a lot going for him, and he’s just getting started.

Known to be the DJ/producer with music running through his veins, he actually started DJing at his father’s club in the south of France at the young age of 15. By the time he turned 19, he left for Miami to pursue his dreams. Cedric arrived in the US not speaking a word of English but he soon gained residencies at Crobar (now Cameo) and Nikki Beach, before taking over as DJ at the Club Space Terrace.

He then taught himself the ropes of production and before you know it, he signed his first single, “Burning”, to Ultra Records.

20 years later, not only has he made a name in the dance music industry, his CV garners much envy. We’re talking about the likes of multi platinum selling singles, to a string of successful club releases and successful remixes, a weekly global radio show and even an acting debut in Michael Bay’s “Pain & Gain” alongside Mark Wahlberg! It’s safe to say that Cedric has had a long and successful career but he’s not quite done yet ;)

We e-mailed Cedric recently for a flash interview to find out what he has been doing. Here’s what went down:

Hi Cedric! Where are you right now and what are you currently up to?

I’m back in Miami working in the studio, trying to finish a lot of projects.

You recently played here in Malaysia. What do you remember most about that gig?

The energy and the crowd, it was unbelievable! I had a great time.

You released your first album in 2006, and then “Miamication” in 2011, it’s 2015 now so considering the years in between, is there a new album in the works?

Yes there is! That’s what I’m working on at the moment. I have no idea when it will be ready but working on it.

You released “Love Again” featuring Ali Tamposi. Great stuff and we love her vocals! Did you both get some studio time together?

Yes we did it…was a great process. She is an amazing artiste and I love working with her. We have more stuff coming in the future.

Being well travelled but based in the US, what’s your take on the current electronic dance music scene there? How different is it from the UK/Europe?

The electronic music scene in the United States is great and it’s getting bigger and bigger. In Europe, it has always been great and always will be.

You’ve done quite a few remixes in the past. Do you have a wishist/checklist of artistes that you’d like to collab with soon?

There are so many…. I don’t know where to start.

What’s your stand on the perception that dance music and drugs go handin-hand?

It doesn’t. It’s just some people’s opinions.

What else is in the pipeline for you this year? Any upcoming projects that you can talk about?

I’m just in the studio working on many projects right now.

We’ll leave you now with Cedric Gervais’ “Love Again” featuring Ali Tamposi.

For more information, visit his Facebook page.

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Hype OnSite: Tiger Translate Malaysia

The first ever Tiger Translate event in Malaysia took place on June 14th, 2014 (Saturday) at Kenanga City and it was pretty much indie heaven. Tiger Translate — known as a global platform design to celebrate the blend of global creativity of music and arts through various exposures certainly achieved that with its inaugural here in Malaysia.

The event which took place at Kenanga City saw music and arts enthusiasts come together for a wonderful time. Treated to performances by Manic Sheep (Taiwan), Chochukmo (Hong Kong), OJ Law & Indiego and Editors (UK), fans were seen rocking out to their favourite acts. Apart from that, Graffiti Artist – Kenji Chai, Tattooist – Lynda Chean and Graphic Designers – Kickatomic’s Tsu Ann and Jaemy roared at the art front of the event — displaying their skills and showing the crowd what they are made off.

For us, the highlight of Tiger Translate has to be the performance by English alternative rock band — Editors. Probably one of the best live gigs we have ever seen, Editors had such electric and amazing energy on stage that they probably turned everyone into an instant fan! Frontman, Tom Smith, beautifully haunting voice definitely charmed everyone in the crowd as he flowed so well with the arrangement of the band.

Watch the below video and check out the photo gallery for more:

For more information, visit Tiger Translate’s website or Facebook page.


#TWP: Play Club Activates The White Party Featuring Steve Aoki

No stranger in the world of dance music, Steven Hiroyuki best known as Steve Aoki, is making his way back to Kuala Lumpur. The American electro house DJ/producer who has been to Malaysia a couple of times is best known for his energetic live shows which of course features him throwing cakes at his fans.

Apart from his highly energetic sets and infamous cake throwing, the founder of Dim Mak Records has also collaborated with producers and vocalists such as Will.I.Am, LMFAO, Afrojack, Diplo, Deorro, Iggy Azalea, Lil Jon and Laidback Luke to name a few. The Los Angeles based DJ’s debut album, “Wonderland” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album in 2013 and he is currently working on releasing his two-part album series “Neon Future” − the first part was released on September 30th (2014).

Definitely no stranger to Kuala Lumpur, Steve Aoki is making his way back to our shores this December. Set to play for Kuala Lumpur’s Premier White Party − Play @ The Roof presents The White Party featuring Steve Aoki. Happening at KL Live, the event is slated to take place on December 10th (Wednesday).

Dress code: WHITE. Those not in white will be denied entry.

Tickets are priced at: RM98 (Early bird), RM 128 (Pre-sale), Door (RM148)

For reservations and ticket purchase, please: 013 2703111.

Today, we leave you with one of our favourites from Steve Aoki, “Freak” featuring Diplo, Deorro and Steve Bays.


Kim Hater On IMDb?

What’s Kim Kardashian without some drama onscreen as well as off-screen?

It appears that either the writers at IMDb are just a bit too honest or there’s a “Kim hater” at works. Just a few hours ago, Kim’s bio page read:

“Kim Kardashian is emblematic of the shallowness of American culture in the first two decades of the new millennium. While some cultural critics call her the prime avatar of the famous for being famous faux celebrity crowd, she along with Paris Hilton is a new breed of cat whose celebrity comes from the release of a sex tape and the canny exploitation of the resulting publicity.

Like her good friend Miss Hilton (their relationship predates Kim’s “celebrity”), Kardashian is possessed of photogenic good looks but is short of any other discernible talents outside of the bedroom. Both expanded their celebrity by becoming reality TV stars.”

“That the women’s fame rests on the February 2007 leaking of a four-year-old home sex tape (for which she ultimately received $5 million from Vivid Entertainment) is an apt metaphor for socio-economic-cultural malaise in Washington and the country beyond, where everything seems to be run by amoral prostitutes in bed with each other and merely out for a buck.”

Oh dear. Obviously, somebody’s got something in a twist.

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Now Open, LEGOLAND® Malaysia

Last weekend, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar (The Sultan of Johor) declared LEGOLAND® Malaysia officially open in a grand ceremony at the Park. He was joined by The Prime Minister of Malaysia, The Honourable Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad  Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak and hundreds of invited guests who witnessed spectacular fireworks.

His Royal Highness The Sultan of Johor then presented entrance tickets to the Park worth up to  RM500,000 to 17 underprivileged schools and orphanages in Johor. Aww!

His Royal Highness the Sultan of Johor was also presented a portrait created entirely out of LEGO bricks. Created from 12,600 LEGO bricks, it was built by Master Model Builders at LEGOLAND Malaysia. Similar LEGO portraits were also presented to the Prime Minister and Chief Minister respectively.

At the launch event, Mr. Nick Varney (CEO of Merlin Entertainments Group) said, “Today is an important occasion for LEGOLAND Malaysia, as we are officially  opened by His Royal Highness The Sultan of Johor. It’s amazing to think we broke ground for this  magnificent family theme park just three years ago LEGOLAND Malaysia is a key step in Merlin’s continued development as an international, highgrowth, family entertainment business with strong brands. This is the largest family theme park  destination in Southeast Asia and its strategic location in the Iskandar region makes it accessible to local and Singapore residents, as well as international visitors. I truly believe that together with our  partners we can bring new investment, prosperity and growth to this region making it the Orlando of  Southeast Asia.”

LEGOLAND Malaysia is owned by Themed Attractions and Resorts Sdn. Bhd. (TAR), Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) and Merlin Entertainments Group.

“We are committed to elevating Nusajaya’s regional appeal and convincing international tourists that Nusajaya is the best place to bring their families for wholesome fun and playtime. Our partnership with IIB and Merlin Entertainments Group stands us in good stead to transform Nusajaya and Iskandar Malaysia into a global attraction that appeals to an international community”, said Tunku Dato  Ahmad Burhanuddin (Managing Director and CEO of Themed Attractions and Resorts Sdn. Bhd).

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TAR is also preparing to launch Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park, which will feature the first Sanrio Hello Kitty Town, The Little Big Club, and Lat’s Place. TAR is confident that together LEGOLAND® Malaysia and Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park will provide internationally recognised entertainment for the whole family.

TAR is also looking to develop two new attractions, Ocean Quest, and Ocean Splash Water Park, located at Desaru Coast. Slated to open in 2015, both theme parks will provide a new dimension in TAR’s offerings, complementing its existing attractions.

For more information, visit LEGOLAND Malaysia’s official website. For more timely updates, hit up their Facebook page.


Contest: “My Kitchen Rules” Box of Goodies Up For Grabs!

The brand new season of “My Kitchen Rules” brings a colourful mixed bag of cheese-making country folk, catty high society girls, chilled-out surfer dads and a flirty geriatric known as “Naughty Nan” who is powerless to judge Manu Feildel’s Euro-charms. Each teams of two compete by transforming their ordinary homes into elaborate restaurants. With only three hours to prepare a three-course meal of haute cuisine for the judges and other contestants, the pressure is on, complete with tears, tantrums and nervous laughter..

And here comes the good news! Thanks to our friends from DIVA Universal, we have 30 limited edition “boxes” for “My Kitchen Rules” S5 (MKR S5) to be given away. The boxes contains all the tip cards from the contestants of MKR S5:

All you have to do is go like our Facebook page be one of the first 30 people to like this post! Yes, it’s that simple. After which, we’ll notify you via Facebook. Now go on and get clicking. Tell your families, tell your friends, you know you want to.

Don’t forget to catch MKR S5 every Monday – Wednesday at 6,05pm on DIVA Universal (Astro Channel 702).


Hype’s Must Watch: Transformers: Age Of Extinction

The highly anticipated trailer for Michael Bay’s Transformers: Age of Extinction made its debut on the internet yesterday and sure has gotten everyone talking!

The trailer sees a newer and much darker tone with a more action-packed fill to it. Set to premier on June 27th, Mark Wahlberg plays a single father and struggling mechanic, trying to support his daughter and to protect her from race car driver boyfriend.

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(UPDATE) #MH370: “Plane Wreckage” Found In Thailand Fuels Talk Of Missing Malaysian Jet

A piece of suspected plane wreckage has been found off the coast of southern Thailand, a local official said on Saturday (23rd January), prompting speculation it might belong to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which vanished nearly 2 years ago.

A large piece of curved metal washed ashore in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, where villagers reported it to the authorities to help identify it, Tanyapat Patthikongpan, head of Pak Phanang district, told Reuters.

“Villagers found the wreckage, measuring about 2m wide and 3m long,” he said.

The find has fuelled speculation in the Thai media that the debris could belong to MH370, which disappeared with 239 people on board during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014.

There has been no official confirmation that the wreckage belongs to a plane. And Patthikongpan added that “fishermen said it could have been under the sea for no more than a year, judging from barnacles on it.”

Police Sub Lt It Paijit Pongkaew said the suspected wreckage would be brought to the district police station for the experts from the aviation sector and the country’s air force to inspect it.

“We are in the process of contacting the relevant authorities, especially from the aviation sector and also the air force, to enable them to better inspect the suspected wreckage of the plane,” he told Bernama via telephone from Pak Phanang, Sunday (24th January).

The found wreckage, he said, had been placed at the sub-district chief’s house in Pak Phanang for security reason before the authority moved it to the police station.

According to a separate report by Reuters, experts said that while powerful currents sweeping the Indian Ocean could deposit debris thousands of kilometres away, wreckage was extremely unlikely to have drifted across the equator into the northern hemisphere.

The location of the debris in Thailand “would appear to be inconsistent with the drift models that appeared when MH370’s flaperon was discovered in Reunion last July,” said Greg Waldron, Asia Managing Editor at Flightglobal, an industry publication.

“The markings, engineering, and tooling apparent in this debris strongly suggest that it is aerospace related. It will need to be carefully examined, however, to determine it’s exact origin,” he added.

Other possible sources of aerospace debris included the launching of space rockets by India eastwards over the Bay of Bengal, he said.

Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off MH370’s transponder before diverting it thousands of miles off course. Most of the passengers were Chinese. Beijing said it was following developments closely.

A piece of the plane washed up on the French island of Reunion in July 2015 but no further trace has been found.

Lingering uncertainty surrounding its fate has tormented the families of those on board. Some have said even the discovery of debris would still not solve the mystery.

According to a report from The Star Online, the wreckage found off the coast of southern Thailand is not from MH370.

The daily quoted Malaysian Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai as saying that the Malaysian team comprising of Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Ministry, and Malaysian Airlines (MAS) officials found that the part assembly number, wire bundle number and bolts part number did not match those of a Boeing 777.

He added that the part numbers found on the recovered debris are not listed in the MAS B777 Illustrated Parts Catalogue manual.

“Based on these identifying details, the team has confirmed that the debris does not belong to a B777 9M-MRO aircraft (MH370),” Liow said in a statement.

Sources: Reuters via The Star Online, Reuters, Bernama via The Star Online, The Star Online / Featured image from EPA.

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#Christmas: 10 Quirky Holiday Gift Ideas For Your Loved Ones (Or Yourself)

Out of Christmas gift ideas? It’s always a tricky thing buying presents for your friends and family during Christmas. Taking the effort to choose presents that are unique and quirky can be time consuming.

The countdown to Christmas has officially begun. Not to scare you or anything but we’re less than a month away! Don’t worry though, we’re here to help you out with your seasonal shopping. We won’t judge if you add a few to your cart for yourself ;)

Ranging from artistic goods that are locally made to ornamental objects for home decoration, here are some Christmas suggestions that will hopefully ease your burden.

People always need soap, even more so when it is ultra moisturising to the skin and packs a powerful cleansing punch. Here’s why this pretty soap bar will make a suitable compact gift: it’s made with 72% Olive Oil formula, it’s all natural (no preservatives), it’s handmade, plus it’s also affordable (RM15).

Noteworthie makes memorable gifts, especially for those who are obsessed with beautiful stationary (we all know at least one). Their earth-friendly and handcrafted items include journals, craft paper notebooks, floral-patterned notebooks, and scrapbooks. They’ve also introduced some pretty cool 2017 pocket planners as well as calendars.

Previously known as The Corner Shop, Stickerrific is a haven for stationary and art supplies. They have everything from stickers, postcards, rubber stamps, calligraphy supplies, washi tapes (said to be one of the most updated and largest collections in KL), travel-size watercolours, to even Christmas elves stationery. The majority of their stocks are imported from Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and the United States as owners Szetoo and George make it a point to keep their stocks up to date.

4. Miniature Figurines @ TinyPinc Miniatures

In the world of desserts, life is always sweeter. That is why Ling Hooi Yin has been designing cutesy handmade miniature figurines like cupcakes, macarons, ice cream, pineapple tarts, and many other kawaii food items courtesy of her homegrown venture, TinyPinc Miniatures. To all Pokemon fans, there’s even a Pokeball Glass Globe Pendant for sale!

Crystals aren’t just alluring as an accessory, many believe that it carries positive energy and has the ability to dispel negativity. Gemstone collector Alex Kam doesn’t just produce handmade pendants but also has a collection of crystal rings and charm bracelets. Every gem stone is unique in its own way. If you have friends tying the knot in the coming months, Alex Kam also makes bridesmaid and bridal jewellery.

There are many reasons for getting one of these beautiful dreamcatchers. Folk lore has it that when you hang a dreamcatcher above the bed, it’ll protect the person from negative dreams. The bad dreams will get caught up in the web and disappear once the sunlight hits them. Besides gifting your friends with a dreamcatcher to hang over their bed, Dream Chaser also creates dreamcatcher necklaces and key chains as alternatives.

Paws up book lovers, something big and bad will be howling into the city soon. Yep, the annual Big Bad Wolf sale is back in town and will be taking place in MIECC, The Mines, between 9th December till 19th December. From novels, children’s books, self-help titles, recipe books, comics, and autobiographies, there are plenty of book options to get for your friends and family.

8. Board games @ Meeples / Major bookstores

If there’s one thing that never goes out of style, it’s the activity of board games. It’s always different every time you take each game out. You’re not only socialising and interacting with your group of friends, as board games also require you to think, experiment, and exercise the mind. It’s no wonder that board games cafés have gained such a good fan base in Malaysia.

For those interested, there’s the Malaysian Board Games Convention taking place in Publika later this month. You’ll get to purchase your favourite games and meet game designers. Alternatively, you can check out Meeples for more options.

You don’t need an excuse to have chocolate. Whether it’s birthdays, anniversaries (depending on the person of course), or festivals, you can always make another chocoholic happy by satisfying their sweet tooth. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of your favourite smooth and rich chocolate melting in your mouth. From decadent truffles and pralines to mouthwatering macarons and cakes, visit Chocolate World for their quality ingredients.

Lately, many new food eateries in Malaysia have been stirring up a buzz on social media. Dining obsessives want to know what’s new and what’s hot in town. Here’s a list new restaurants that you might want to visit this month:

If you have any other Christmas gift ideas in mind, do share them with us in the comments below. Happy shopping guys ;)

Sources: Discover KL, Time Out, Tally Press, MMO.

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This Shopee Seller Has Sold Over 800 McD’s Sauce Sachets Online

Roaming around Shopee for too long could prompt you to find questionable items on the site that you wouldn’t expect anyone to buy.

That’s not the case with one seller who used the e-commerce platform to sell McDonald’s sauce sachets (Chili, tomato, etc), and people are actually buying it!

To our surprise, over 800 sachets have been sold through the Shopee platform, namely “Office_STE.my”, which has a rating of 4.9 stars. Who would’ve known that a lot of people would find McD’s sauces to be their go-to condiments?

The price range for these condiments are between RM0.20 to RM0.45, with the chili sauce being the most expensive option. The other options include McD’s tomato sauce sachets which are being sold at RM0.20 to RM0.25 each (depending on the expiry date), while McD’s ground black pepper sachet is sold at RM0.20 each.

The shop mentioned in its description that they won’t be selling in bulk, and customers would have to contact them before making a purchase. Moreover, the product page currently shows a 5-star rating from 12 buyers, proving that it’s probably legit.

According to the reviews, it seems that most customers are satisfied with the sachets they purchased. Out of the 12 customers, only 4 of them left their opinion in the comments sections. Nevertheless, they only had good things to say.

While browsing through the shop’s catalogue, we found that they are also selling other McD products such as McD’s dipping sauces (BBQ, Sweet & Sour), McD’s VIP Drive-Thru sticker and Happy Meal toys. Hmm, we can’t help but wonder if the seller had hoarded all these items at one point.

Are there any questionable items you found on Shopee? Share your findings with us!


TGV Introduces Marvel Super Pass E-Card With More Offers

A few days ago, TGV Cinemas dropped a little tease, telling followers that something exciting was dropping on 20th April. True to their word, the cinema chain has finally unveiled their latest collaboration.

Seeing as how a string of Marvel blockbusters are set to hit the big screen this year, TGV has partnered with Maybank and Disney to launch an exclusive Marvel movie pass where fans can have access to the top 3 Marvel movies of the year at great value!

A post shared by TGV Cinemas (@tgvcinemas)

The Marvel Super Pass is essentially a virtual E-card with five movie tickets that can be redeemed for any or all three Marvel Studios movies, namely “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness”, “Thor: Love & Thunder” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”. That’s not all, Maybank Cardmembers will also receive two additional complimentary movie tickets for every Marvel Super Pass purchased!

“TGV is extremely excited to be launching this exclusive offer for Marvel fans, especially in the lead up to the highly anticipated Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which is building up to be one of the biggest movies of the year. We would like to thank our long-standing partners at Maybank & Disney for their collaboration on this project,” said Mohit Bhargava, Chief Marketing Officer at TGV Cinemas.

Movie-goers can start purchasing the Marvel Super Pass starting today via https://www.tgv.com.my/eshop.


Yummy Times With Armando Reed

Austin native Armando Reed certainly knows his way around the kitchen. He’s been cooking up a storm since he baked cookies at the tender age of seven, and attributes his love of food and cooking to his parents – his dad’s a foodie and mom is a great cook. The 32-year-old is out to satisfy his taste buds and will travel the world for a taste of local cuisine – be it on a backpacking trip to Borneo or a flavorsome trip to Hong Kong.

With his very own cooking show, “Armando’s Asian Twist”, and now Hot Guys Who Cook, Armando’s quest is to use his culinary skills to bring about joy and happiness to the people around him:

Hi Armando! What are you currently up to?

“Currently I’m giving myself some well-deserved time off. I’ve been doing so much writing, cooking, helping with editing and everything like that..all of that was extremely time consuming. And then I had to go shoot an awesome episode Hot Guys Who Cook Season 2 in Singapore!”

So, we hear that the competition on “Hot Guys Who Cook Season 2” is pretty tough. How do you think you stand out among the rest?

“(laughs) Well, the guys on my episode were a couple of great guys but I think that audience would get a good feel of how..we’re a group of guys who are friends that just really competitive and we all just want to win. Although, in this season in particular, it’s not only about cooking so..perhaps there are other elements that weren’t my forte.”

Have you always loved cooking this much or is this something that you had to quickly pick up on prior to the show?

“I have enjoyed cooking since I was really young but it has always been from the aspect of what I like to eat. And that’s..everything. I’ll basically try everything! I’ve been doing this for..wow, I guess if seriously probably since middle school. To me, it’s cool to be able to make something from all these different ingredients and then turning that into something that’s completely different. Also, you learn to appreciate it when people enjoy something that you’ve cooked.”

Pray tell, have you ever cooked an entire meal for a loved one? Say, a date? If so, tell us a little bit more about it.

“Absolutely. Absolutely! The thing about cooking for someone is, the meal has to be tailored for that said person. So once, I did a roasted and creamed cauliflower and I sous vide a lamb chop. It makes cooking a meal super easy because it will never overcook or dry out. I really recommend it because it makes it perfect. And for dessert, I made a molten chocolate cake with a side of ice cream.”

What can Malaysia expect from what you’re just about to cook up on the show?

“You guys can expect something super quick, easy, and something everyone can do at home! Oh, and you can also expect a lot of humour and expect to see me competitive side. My very competitive side.”

Alright, we’ll take your word for it. And thank you for taking time off your, uh, time off to speak to us! Hot Guys Who Cook Season 2 premieres 3rd December (Monday) and will air every Monday after at 7pm only on DIVA Universal.

For more information, visit their official website.

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Fired Up Fridays presents Mat Zo At Zouk KL

“This whole genres business is like the Berlin wall, and I’m there with a forklift and a wrecking ball” – Mat Zo.

Well now, the last time we saw Mat Zo was a long, long time ago. It’s safe to say that we’re excited that he’s coming back to Kuala Lumpur!

At 22 years of age, Mat Zo is part of a new breed of precocious, unrestricted DJ/producers that are making big noises without the one-dimensional genre blinkers of old. In the last 12 months alone, the London based producer has seen his boundary-blurring productions like “Bipolar” and his latest missive – the big room melodic funk anthem “Easy” with partner in crime Porter Robinson – dominate the Beatport charts.

But if you asked us, this is our all-time favourite Mat Zo production:

DJs as varied as Skrillex, the Swedish House Mafia, Tiesto and Above & Beyond hammer them at the biggest events on the planets, while Zo himself spends his time zig-zagging across the planet – rocking the crowds at events like Electric Zoo in New York, Audiotistic in LA, Creamfields Australia and London’s SW4.

As anyone who follows his colourful twitter feed will know, Zo is a ranter as well as a raver. Laid back but full of creative fire, he’s still the music obsessed joker that his mates have always known – but somehow seems like an elder statesman at the same time. As a prodigious teenager, he took both the drum & bass (he records for Hospital as MRSA) and trance scenes by storm.

Now armed with a discography of hits that would put some of the longest standing producers to shame, he has gone on to remix pop princess Kylie and become a leading light in both the drum & bass and trance scenes – occasionally topping the Beatport charts in both genres at the same time.

Ticket Entry: RM45 before 11pm (Men/Ladies) (inc 1 drink) / RM60 after 11pm (Men/Ladies) (inc 1 drink)

Reservations: Please call 03-2171 1997 (12pm – 6pm) or 0163323191 (after 6pm) or email rsvn@zoukclub.com.my

*applicable to 21 yrs old and above only

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


#FridayThe13th: Producer Confirms Sequel Is Not A Found Footage Movie

When rumours started circulating online that the “Friday the 13th” sequel will be using the found footage technique, collective sighs from fans all over the world could be heard.

However, all hope is not lost, as producer Brad Fuller has recently revealed that “fans outrage” helped him make decision to abandon the overly-used found footage approach.

In an interview with Shock Till You Drop, Fuller confirmed:

Listen, there was an outpouring of negative sentiment when it was revealed that Friday the 13th might have been a found footage movie. That was very clear to us that there was not a groundswell of support for that. That had tremendous amount of impact on us and only substantiated our concern about doing it as a found footage movie. Ultimately, the fact that the movie’s been delayed for a long time might be a good thing, because now the movie’s not going to be found footage.

That was not before he admitted that the producing team, which includes Michael Bay and Andrew Form, did indeed try to incorporate the found footage element into the movie:

I think you guys reported that the movie was going to be a found footage movie and that was a road that we went down and tried to figure out. Ultimately, I think Michael, Drew, and I felt that we couldn’t figure that out, so we kind of jettisoned that whole notion and we had to start over. We’re in the latter phases of that starting over and hopefully we’re getting a script in the next month or 2, and we’ll go back to Crystal Lake.

The producer also credited the main character when he was speaking about the success of the franchise. He said:

At the end of the day, those movies are so fantastic because Jason Voorhees is such a dynamic presence and people love to see him do what he does well. We hope to put Jason in a situation where he’s able to do that again, and it doesn’t feel like you’re seeing the same thing over and over.

The “Friday the 13th” franchise, which started in 1980, was so successful that it spawned 12 slasher films, a television show, novels, comic books, and video games. The 1st movie, released in 1980, focused on Pamela Voorhees, a stalker and murderer who is hellbent on avenging her son who died at Camp Crystal Lake due to negligence of staff. As the series progressed, the focus was moved to Jason Voorhees, the teenager who died in the lake. The younger Voorhees has appeared in all of the movies, or at least appeared as the motivation for the murders.

The upcoming production, which is a collaboration between Paramount Pictures and Platinum Dunes, will be helmed by David Bruckner and based on a script by Nick Antosca.

The “Friday the 13th” sequel is currently untitled, but will reach cinemas on 13th May 2016.

Sources: Shock Till You Drop, Comingsoon

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Hype’s Exclusive: Sheila Majid & Dangerdisko Prepares For FMFA 2014!

With less than a month to go to the biggest party in Malaysia, Future Music Festival Asia 2014, the Hype Malaysia team are nothing but stoked and ready to party! Revealing the biggest lineups to date, this year FMFA presents #ASOT650, Deadmau5, Deniz Koyu, Will Sparks, Pharrell Williams, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Rudimental, Knife Party and many more! Among some of the local heroes set to get the crowd going crazy during FMFA 2014 are Dangerdisko featuring Sheila Majid, BATE, Goldfish & Blink, DJ Bunga, RTB and more!

Okay, so we know we are psyched for FMFA 2014 and we wondered how the celebrities were feeling so we spoke to none other than Dato’ Sheila Majid and Robotron 5000 of Dangerdisko on their upcoming collaboration and preparation for FMFA 2014.

Dangerdisko performed for FMFA 2013, what was that like?

Oh yes, yes! We played at the main stage and we opened for Kyoto Protocol and Temper Trap. It was exhilarating to say the least. It was a crazy upgrade from playing for a crowd of maybe a thousand to two thousand people to twenty, maybe forty thousand people! It was amazing!

That’s wonderful! I understand you have a new album, Hedonism, coming up, what inspired the album?

Well Hedonism is inspired by heartbreak, as all best albums usually are. Haha! We, Malaysians love a good heartbreak song, don’t we? So what we did was, we tried to merge a very sad subject which is heartbreak with disco, which is upbeat and fun. It’s something very experimental but it translates really well and the album is a storyline driven album so it’s like a movie from start to finish. Each song, is a chapter of it’s own.

And the album is set for release this year?

What about the collaborations – what inspired them?

Well for Dangerdisko, it was actually during Urbanscapes 2012 where we were playing and where Dato’ Sheila was headlining. And we have always been inspired by Dato’ Sheila and we wanted to do something special so we created a bootleg version of Sinaran at clubs and it gained notoriety which led to Dato’ Sheila’s stylist and friend uniting us together to work together on a reworked version of Sinaran which will be released at Future Music Festival Asia 2014.

Dato Sheila: I think it’s been quite fun and easy! They’ve probably has had some sleepless nights. Haha! For me I like doing this because I feel like I’ve reached a ceiling here in Malaysia, like there’s only so much I can do and somehow or another everything just clicked by chance and here we are, working on a brand new  thing.

Robotron 5000: It was a surreal moment for me. I’ve been doing this since 2001 but every time I talk to my mom about performing at festivals and clubs, she okay with it but the moment I told her I was working on a collaboration with Sheila Majid she got so excited and she started taking photos and showing it to our relatives. It’s nice, it’s really nice!

What about you Dato Sheila, any future plans – upcoming album?

Yes, actually. I enjoy performing and making music so yes, there’s a new album in the makes. I’ve just recorded my first single which hopefully will be released by mid 2014. It’s so difficult to come up with songs for a full album so I’m going to drop singles first.

What can fans expect from Dangerdisko featuring Sheila Majid at FMFA 2014?

Dato Sheila: We can’t tell you because then it won’t be a surprise! Haha. But let’s put it this way, Dangerdisko is the only Malaysian act set to perform on the main stage at prime time this year so fans can be sure that we are not going to let them down.

Apart from FMFA, what else are you looking forward to this 2014?

Dato Sheila: To launch this! The bootleg has been number one for two weeks so I’m excited to launch this!

Robotron 5000: Yeah, to launch this and we are planning to do the music video and hopefully to attract a wider market after releasing it. I’m really excited for the rework, hopefully it’s more appealing to the masses — younger and older market. Dangerdisko is also looking forward to work with more local artist.

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today and I look forward for the rework of Sinaran at FMFA 2014!

For more information on Future Music Festival Asia 2014, visit them on Facebook or on their website.

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#Silence: First Look At Andrew Garfield In Martin Scorsese’s New Movie

No longer the web slinger, Andrew Garfield is now a 17th-century Portuguese Jesuit in Martin Scorsese‘s upcoming movie, “Silence”.

The production of Scorsese’s upcoming feature film recently wrapped, with the director and cast attending a wrap party and a press conference before departing from Taiwan.

Based on Shûsaku Endô‘s 1966 novel of the same name, “Silence” tells the story of Father Rodrigues, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who is persecuted along with other Christians in 17th-century Japan.

During the press conference, Scorsese told reporters that he first read the novel in 1988. It’s one of his passion projects as he felt that its themes resonated with him deeply:

The subject matter presented by Shusaku Endo was in my life since I was very, very young. I was very much involved in religion, I was raised in a strong Catholic family. … Further reflection is how (we) want to lead our life in the Christian faith … so ultimately this book drew my attention when it was given to me in 1988.

The critically-acclaimed director has been working on the film adaptation for over half a century but was unable to start production due to the lack of funding. All thanks to Emmet/Furla Films, the movie finally secured funding in April 2013 and began filming in January 2015.

Garfield takes the role of Rodrigues, as seen in an exclusive image with Shinya Tsukamoto, who plays a villager named Mokichi. During the press conference, the actor said the adaptation deals “with such deep and difficult material, timeless, and huge in scope, huge in emotion”.

It’s a lifetime that the character of father Rodrigues goes through that we witness. It’s such an agonising lifetime that he has to live through and yet he wrestles with the greatest and most important and difficult questions that we all wrestle with, which is how to live and how does one live a life of meaning, a life of faith, and does that require you to live in doubt as well? That’s just scratching the surface of why I felt drawn to this story and this character.

You can find out more about this movie in a playlist of videos from the press conference below:

Slated for release in 2016, “Silence” also stars Adam Driver (who will be seen next in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”), Liam Neeson, Issei Ogata, and Tadanobu Asano.


#Deadpool: Ryan Reynolds’ Shocking Confession To The Test Footage Leaker

To the person who leaked the test footage of “Deadpool” last year, Ryan Reynolds just made a shocking confession about you when he spoke with Entertainment Weekly.

According to Reynolds, the project was only able to meet forward because the leaked test footage received overwhelmingly great responses from fans. It was a footage created by Blur Studio back in 2011 when Tim Miller was still developing the project. The video was quickly removed by Fox, but it was still heavily circulated on the Internet, prompting the studio to fast-track the project instead.

Surprisingly, Reynolds was glad that the footage was leaked because he previously had plans to collaborate with David S.Goyer to produce a “Deadpool” film at New Line Cinema in 2003. Unfortunately, the project fell apart. He was then cast in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” as Wade Wilson, but the spin-off film was a mess as it showed us a completely different version of Deadpool (played by Scott Adkins).

Through the leaked test footage, Reynolds was once again given the chance to play the loud, sarcastic antihero in the upcoming “Deadpool” solo movie. The actor is obviously beyond excited as he told EW that he wants to kiss the test footage leaker.

And not just a little kiss. But full on the mouth, sloppy, with tongue, for 2 straight minutes on live television, without commercial interruption. And then I’ll buy you dinner at Red Lobster, at least, and dessert.

Mm hmm. Blake Lively, you might need to look out for your husband before he does something outlandish.

Meanwhile, EW has debuted a new official still from “Deadpool”, which is also a spin-off film for the “X-Men” film series.

The movie, directed by first-time director Tim Miller, will be ignoring the events that took place in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”. It will be based on a script written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Miller, who also designed the arresting open credits sequence for “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, cited David Fincher‘s movie as a touchstone.

I felt “Fight Club” and Tyler Durden were good corollaries. We are in strip clubs and dive bars and crappy apartments and far away from the shiny X-Men world.

Producer Simon Kinberg (of “X-Men: Days of Future Past” fame) also reassured that the project that will feature a massive amount of graphic contents. “Deadpool is a hard R,” he said. “It’s graphic. Nothing is taboo. You either commit to a truly outrageous boundary-pushing kind of movie or you don’t“.

Based upon Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, “Deadpool” tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

Slated for release on 12th Feb 2016, “Deadpool” stars “Gotham” star Morena Baccarin as Vanessa a.k.a Copycat, “Fast & Furious 6” star Gina Carano as Angel Dust, TJ Miller as Deadpool’s sidekick Weasel, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, “Game of Thrones” star Ed Skrein as Ajax.

For more information, visit its official Facebook page and Twitter.

Don’t forget to follow Ryan Reynolds on Twitter and Instagram for more timely updates!

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15 Of Our Favourite Guilty Pleasure Songs

Sometimes, we can’t help but love certain songs.

The idea of a “guilty pleasure song” is applicable to only those who feel ashamed or guilty of listening to, like you know, the playlist on Spotify that you enjoy in private mode? We’re sure you know what we’re talking about because everyone’s got at least one shame-inducing hit that they secretly enjoy without the knowledge of their friends for fear of being laughed at by hipper friends (lame, we know).

Personally, we think that if you like something, own it. However, we understand that in the real world, there are social pressures, as well as signals that communicate preconceived notions of what music we can and cannot like. Today, we’ve decided to go against the norm by sharing with you our 15 favourite guilty pleasure songs.

3. Robin Thicke Featuring Pharrell and T.I. – Blurred Lines

7. Taylor Swift – Shake It Off (we secretly enjoy most of, if not, all of her songs)

14. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Thrift Shop

15. Jason Derulo featuring Snoop Dogg – Wiggle

Did you like our favourite guilty pleasure songs? ;)

Share yours with us by sounding off in the comments box below!


Hardwell Apologies For Cancelling Tomorrow’s Zouk KL Show

Bad news EDM fans. In case you haven’t heard, Hardwell won’t be making an appearance as scheduled at Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur tomorrow (Friday, 10th November).

The world-renowned and record producer took to his Facebook page yesterday (Wednesday, 8th November) to apologies to Malaysian party-goers on his last minute cancellation.

“Hi Malaysia ?? I’m so sorry but I can’t play Zouk in Kuala Lumpur this Friday because of doctor’s orders. I have pneumonia and I’m not allowed to travel while recovering. I hope to make it up to you guys!” the 29-year-old Dutch DJ wrote. His show has been postponed until further notice.

Zouk Club KL also took to their Facebook page to notify those who have previously purchase prepaid tickets (and made table reservations) on how they can claim a full refund:

Goldfish & Blink were also scheduled to play but Zouk has clarified that tomorrow’s itinerary will be back to the regular program.

Get well soon Hardwell, we hope to see you in the near future ;)

Sources: Zouk Club KL’s Facebook, Hardwell’s Facebook.

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#YouTube: 10 Most Watched Music Videos By Malaysians In 2016

Ah, December. The year is coming to an end and frankly speaking, we’re not sure if we’re ready to welcome 2017 just yet because we spent too much time watching videos on YouTube to be doing anything productive.

Love it or hate it, the music industry saw some pretty interesting music videos this year. From Japanese comedian Pikotaro’s “PPAP” (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen) to Mike Posner’s “I Took A Pill In Ibiza” (Seeb Remix), 2016 has been one heck of a musical ride. So before we bid the year adieu, here are YouTube Malaysia’s top 10 trending music videos of 2016:

Born in Kuala Kubu Bahru, 18-year-old Aiman Tino (real name Mohammad Aiman bin Yusri) made his debut this year with his debut single, “Ku Rela Dibenci”. Written and composed by his parents, the emotional track expresses the pain of a man who was cheated on by his lover. The music video went viral on social video and at time of writing, it has received more than 25 million views.

If you loved rock jiwang, Projector Band’s “Sudah Ku Tahu” is the song for you. Formed in 2013, the band consists of 5 members – Iskandar Zulkarnain Shafin (vocalist), Razif Zainuddin (guitarist), Ahmad Khusairi Saferi (bassist), Safiq Zainuddin (drummer), and Isnaidi Eidham Razali (guitarist). Inspired by Razif’s previous relationship, “Sudah Ku Tahu” is a song about a man leaving his girlfriend who cheated on him. Sounds familiar?

3. The Chainsmokers – “Closer” ft. Halsey (Lyric video)

This song needs no introduction. Produced by The Chainsmokers, “Closer” is the American DJ duo and Halsey’s first #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is also featured in the group’s latest EP (extended play), titled “Collage”, alongside other hit singles such as “All We Know”, “Don’t Let Me Down”, and “Setting Fires”.

Gamma1 is an Indonesian band that consists of members Ana (drummer), Alung (guitarist), Pandi (bassist), Nilam (vocalist), Heri (vocalist), and Panji (keyboardist). Their song, “Jomblo Happy”, literally means a happy single (person) and it is a light-hearted song about well, being single.

Starring DNCE’s frontman Joe Jonas and Ashley Graham, the steamy music video for “Toothbrush” shows a couple having pillow fights, going on night outs, and tangled up in the sheets. The highly addictive song is about that stage of the relationship where you start leaving your toothbrush in the other person’s house. Aww <3

6. JESSICA (제시카) – “FLY” (Feat. Fabolous)

It’s easy to see why Malaysians love former Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung’s debut track, “Fly”. Featuring American rapper Fabolous, “Fly” is a fun song about encouragement and never giving up. The music video is also full of colours and it features some of Los Angeles’ beautiful sights.

The boys of BTS have been receiving a lot of love this year so it’s no wonder their music video for “Save Me” made it to the Top 10. The song is the 3rd music video released for their special album “Young Forever” and it shows BTS dancing to the song in an empty piece of land, making it different from their past videos which usually has melancholic themes.

Galantis’ “No Money” is one of this year’s most popular EDM track and it is the Swedish duo’s first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video starts off with a young girl stitching a picture of the the group’s Seafox in a jacket while humming to the song. She paints her face like an animal and competes with another girl in dancing.

Jennifer Loper is “Ain’t Your Mama”. Written by Meghan Trainor, Theron Thomas, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Gamal “Lunchmoney” Lewis, Henry “Cirkut” Walter and Dr. Luke, the pop song is influenced by Latin tunes and reggae beats. It is an anthem for female empowerment and it includes lyrics like “I ain’t gonna be cooking all day, I ain’t your mama”. The video ends with a flashmob-like dance sequence, with J.Lo taking the lead.

Featuring rapper Kendrick Lamar, Maroon 5’s “Don’t Wanna Know” puts a light-hearted spin on drinking in order to dull the pain of losing a former flame’s love and having to deal with the jealousy that follows. The music video shows the members of the band dressed in cute costumes, much to the delight of fans.

Which is your favourite music video? Let us know in the comments box below :)

Featured image: iTunes/ The Chainsmokers/ Coridel Entertainment

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Aunt & Nephew Accused Of Incestuous Relationship; Forced To Bathe Publicly

An aunt and her nephew were forced to strip naked and bathe in public to make amends for their alleged affair.

Around 400 locals attended and watched as the pair were being humiliated in the village of  Sola, in Sikar, Rajasthan. They were sentenced by an assembly of elder villagers, known as Khap Panchayat.

A video on YouTube posted by JP Today News shows the Khap Panchayat making the judgment. The inhuman punishment inflicted was reported to “purify” the pair. Fines were also imposed to both sides of the family.

The Khap ordered the nephew’s family to pay a fine of Rs.31,000 (RM1753), while the auntie’s relatives were told to hand over Rs.22,000 (RM1244), the New Indian Express reports. The incident took place on 21st August after the victims’ families reportedly agreed to the punishment in order to avoid becoming outcasts to the village.

Rakesh Kumar, General Secretary of the All Rajasthan Sansi Development Council, said “If the families of the couple had not agreed to bathe them publicly, they would have been made social outcasts. Their families would not have been called to any social functions and if somebody had dared to invite them, that family too would have been made outcasts.”

The local police are currently gathering statements, including videos and photos of the incident, as part of an ongoing investigation. They have arrested 9 suspects related to the barbaric punishment as of now.


#Malaysia: Australia Issues Security Alert For Kuala Lumpur

The Australian government warned on Sunday (21st February) that terrorists may be planning attacks in and around the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia has been on high alert since a bomb and gun attack in Indonesia’s capital in January, which was claimed by the Islamic State militant group. Malaysia had also arrested a suspected militant who confessed to be planning an attack in the country.

“Terrorists may be planning attacks in and around Kuala Lumpur. Attacks could be indiscriminate and may target Western interests or locations frequented by Westerners,” read a travel advisory post on the Australian government website.

It also recommended that Australians avoid travel to the coastal region of eastern Sabah, where the beaches and islands are popular with foreign tourists and diving enthusiasts.

Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said it noted the travel advisories and would keep foreign missions informed on security developments.

“We also acknowledge the fact that foreign missions are at liberty to provide their own assessment of the security situation in their host countries albeit the fact that it may not be accurate or gives a true reflection of the situation,” a ministry spokesperson said.

In a separate report by The Star Online, City police chief Comm Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa assured the public that the city is secure despite a terror alert issued by the Australian government.

“We have not received any intelligence to indicate a terror threat. We are on constant vigilance and security has been increased over the past few months. The city is safe from any terror threat so far,” he was quoted as saying.

Sources: Reuters via The Sydney Morning Herald, The Star Online.


#GDA Artiste Profile: SHINee

The year this South Korean idol group formed, they swept several notable “newcomers” awards e.g. Cyworld Digital Music Awards’ “Rookie of the Month” in 2008, MNet 20’s Choice Awards’ “Hot New Star” in 2008, and 5th Asia Song Festival’s award for “Best New Artist”. By the end of 2008, they snagged the 10th Mnet Asian Music Awards’ “Best New Male Group” and the 23rd Golden Disk Awards’ “YEPP Newcomer Album” titles.

By the time the initial introduction and debut of SHINee was done, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t know that they existed. So it was safe to say that the SHINee boys made lasting impressions from the very beginning of their careers.

Consisting of members Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho, and Taemin, they first made their debut on 25th May 2008 when they performed their single, “Replay” on SBS’ Inkigayo. Their mini-album of the same name sold 17,957 copies in the first half of 2008. In August 2008, SHINee released their first full-length album, “The Shinee World” and that went on to sell 30,000 copies. All in all, they’ve released three  full-length albums, four mini albums, one live album, and various singles, on top of holding a concert tour and starring in their own reality TV shows.

In early 2012, it was revealed that SHINee was going to release their fourth mini album, “Sherlock”. The title song, “Sherlock (Clue + Note)” was choreographed by Tony Testa, the world famous choreographer who worked with Kylie Minogue and Janet Jackson. Needless to say, the title song peaked at #1 on various music charts, including global ones e.g. in the US, Canada, UK and France:

[youtube id=”8kyG5tTZ1iE” width=”600″ height=”350″]

On 30th November 2012, SHINee bagged yet another award for “Best Dance Performance – Male Group” for “Sherlock (Cute + Note)” at the 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards in Hong Kong. And it seems like there’s no stopping the boys because they are currently in the running to bag the “Disk Album Of the Year” award for “Sherlock” at “Samsung GALAXY The 27th Golden Disk Awards in Kuala Lumpur”!

Here’s another fact: SHINee is slated to make an appearance at “Samsung GALAXY The 27th Golden Disk Awards in Kuala Lumpur” (GDA).

To purchase tickets, hit up TicketPro or any of their participating outlets right now! Tickets are priced at RM999 (Samsung GALAXY Zone) and RM688 (Rockpit). We hear that tickets are going to go fast so hurry!

For more information, visit their official website.

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Like Twitter, Facebook Launches “Verified” Feature

Facebook pages belonging to well-known public figures and pages with large followings (celebrities, journalists, government officials, popular brands and businesses) will now get an added feature to verify their authenticity.

Much like Twitter’s verified accounts, a small, blue check mark next will appear next to their names, indicating that it is a verified page. Facebook appears to be a taking a leaf straight out of Twitter’s book, as it seeks to curtail fake accounts. Users who hover their mouse over the blue badge on a verified account will see the words “Verified Page”. This feature will appear on timelines, in search results, and elsewhere on Facebook.

But Facebook’s verified status won’t be offered to everyone. Verified accounts will be specifically available to public figures with large audiences, namely, celebrities, government officials, popular brands, and some journalists.

In the latest update to their help centre, Facebook noted that “not all authentic profiles and pages are verified and that users can’t request to have your profile or Page verified”. The team at Facebook added that while they are currently proactively verifying authentic pages and profiles, users can continue to report on impersonations.


Robbie Williams To Stop Michael Bublé’s Christmas Domination

Michael Bublé and Christmas songs – can you even named a more iconic duo? Robbie Williams is coming for the Mr Christmas title though as he’s set to release his very own Christmas album this coming November.

While it been something of a Christmas tradition, with Bublé’s songs blasting inside our favourite malls and in our homes, Williams aims change all that.

The Brit is aiming to be the new face of our festive cheers with his very first Christmas album titled “The Christmas Present”. The announcement was first made in a Swedish bar in London last week, with him later taking the announcement to YouTube.

Not only that, according to NME, during a recent Q&A session with Scott Mills, the former Take That singer gave his thoughts in regard to the new project. “You’re always looking for a reason to go into the studio,” he told Mills. “And I thought: ‘Why don’t I own birthdays like Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder? Or New Year’s Day like… U2?”  he continued.

When asked about Bublé, who seems to always dominate the festive cheers, William responded, saying, “This album was gonna be called ‘Achtung Buble’, I f**king love Michael, but it must stop. It must end now.”

In any case, the “Angels” singer is certainly giving it his all, with the album boasting 28 tracks and a host of collaborations with top named artist which includes the likes of Sir Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams and Jamie Cullum. The album is set to release on 22nd November.


#Perak: Welfare Home Accused Of Locking Disabled Children In Cages; Chairman Denies Child Abuse

Several pictures of disabled children in a centre being locked up like animals recently went viral on social media; alarming many netizens.

The images were first shared by a Facebook user named Vivian, who recounted her experience when she and her family paid her aunt – who is a resident there – a visit. The welfare centre in question is Rumah Kebajikan Kanak-Kanak Cacat (Disabled Children’s Welfare Home) located in Batu Gajah, Perak.

In her Facebook posting, Vivian claimed that she discovered several inmates were given inhumane treatment, while some children were even confined in enclosures with metal swing doors, without water or bed. Several “cages”, she said, even had 2 kids inside. She further added that she only saw 1 shower and a toilet.

According to a report by MMO via Harian Metro, the Disabled Children’s Welfare Home’s chairman, Sivalingam Ramasamy, has come forward to explain that the enclosures were meant for their own well-being, adding that some were “severely mentally-challenged and could turn aggressive” towards others.

“We had to separate these children to keep the others safe and since our funding is so small, our only resort was to put them in those pens,” Sivalingam said before adding, “Of course we provide the inmates with mattresses, blankets and pillows but some of them throw the mattresses out of the pens“.

FMT reported that the welfare home has approximately 47 disabled inmates ranging between the ages of 15 and 60. Only 6 full-time workers together with some partially disabled volunteers are there to monitor the inmates.

Sivalingam has denied the accusation of child abuse, suggesting that perhaps the woman who calls herself Vivian had a misunderstanding about the centre. “This isn’t abuse, but a safety measure. The person who had distributed the images may not have obtained the full picture of the situation,” he was quoted as saying.

Do you still think it’s alright to confine someone in an enclosure though?

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Life-Size 2 Is Happening! Tyra Bank Reveals Her Co-Star

After many delays, supermodel-turned-actress Tyra Banks finally announced that filming of the much-anticipated “Life-Size 2” is finally underway, and actress Francia Raisa will be co-starring the sequel.

Banks is set to reprise her role as Eve (something like Barbie), a doll who becomes a “life-size” living woman after her owner, Casey (played by a young Lindsay Lohan) accidentally conjures her to life.

A post shared by Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks)

However, it has been reported that Lohan will not be returning for the sequel. Instead, Raisa will be starring opposite Banks as the new lead.

Raisa will play Grace Manning, she is described as “the confident and funny CEO of Marathon Toys, a huge toy company started by her mother that is most famous for manufacturing the iconic Eve doll.”

“Grace is also a hot mess in the middle of her quarter-life crisis and realising that she is in over her head as CEO. To make matters worse, her wild-child ways are causing the company’s stock to plummet.”

Thus, that is when Eve magically comes to life again to help Grace sort out her life problems, and along the way, Eve herself will also experience the ups and downs of real life.

Raisa who is famously known for donating her kidney to her best friend Selena Gomez, has an impressive acting resume that includes roles on “Bring It On: All or Nothing”, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and “Grown-ish”.

Also joining the cast would be Gavin Stenhouse as Grace’s love interest, Calum; Shanica Knowles and Hank Chen as Grace’s friends Tahlia and  Brendan;  and Alison Fernandez as Lex, Grace’s young neighbour.

“Life-Size 2” will debut in December 2018 on American network Freeform during its “25 Days of Christmas” programming month.


#PowerRangers: Release Date Pushed To January 2017

The upcoming reboot of 90’s superhero movie “Power Rangers” movie has a new release date from its initial date.

Originally slated for release on July 22, 2016, Lionsgate has announced that the release of the movie will now be pushed to January 13, 2017.

“X-Men: First Class” writers Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz have come on board to pen the script while the studio tapped Dean Israelite to be the director of the film. “Power Rangers” creator Haim Saban will produce the film together with Brian Casentini, head of development and production for Saban Brands, and Allison Shearmur, who oversaw production of the “The Hunger Games” movies at Lionsgate.

Saban unveiled “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” in 1993 as a live-action TV series. They have since grown insanely popular, with the series being renamed each year- the most recent iteration being “Power Rangers Super Megaforce”.

The movie, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” will focus on a group of high school kids, who band together to fight evildoers set on destroying the world.

Meanwhile, enjoy the video to reminisce the good ol’ days.

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She Ain’t Gonna Be Hermione Forever

In a recent photo that Emma Watson uploaded via her Twitter, she seems to have taken the liking to channeling Jennifer Lopez. Pink velour tracksuit. Those UGGs. And, um, donning a lot of body art:

That long brown hair? Three tattoos? What’s going on?

Don’t worry, all is well. She’s just doing this for her role as “Nicki” for an upcoming movie (which also stars Kirsten Dunst and Leslie Mann), “The Bling Ring”.

The movie is based on true accounts of a group of mostly teenagers based around Calabasas, California who broke in to and burglarized the homes of several stars including Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Megan Fox, Rachel Bilson, Ashley Tisdale, and Lindsay Lohan.

Emma as Nicki, is daughter to an ex-Playboy model mother (played by Leslie Mann) who schools her two daughter on the importance of finding fame. Right. If fame included robbery of the rich and famous celebrities, that is.

On a lighter note, we’ve noticed how Emma Watson is really getting into character with this one. Especially when she tweeted:

Really getting into character huh, Emma? Okay nevermind that. Check out how super hot she looks!:

Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring” movie, which is currently being filmed, is expected to be released in 2013.