Gettin’ The Dirt From Mike Rowe

He has left no rock unturned in the United States; now everyone’s favourite filthy man, Mike Rowe, is heading to Australia in search of some of the world’s dirtiest jobs in the all new “Dirty Jobs Down Under”. Taking an unflinching look at the most vile but vital vocations the country has to offer, Mike gets flat out like a lizard drinking and rolls up his sleeves to discover what it takes to get these outrageous tasks done well.

From the very first episode of season one, all the way until the last episode you’ve ever filmed, what changes do you see in yourself? How was your personal journey throughout all eight seasons?

“Well, there’ve been a lot of changes for me.  I’ve learned a great deal about how the country works, really. You know, the people on Dirty Jobs represent a part of our workforce. And that part of our workforce in the States, is – has become disconnected from the general population. And it’s really caused a big problem not just in unemployment, but in what we call the skill gap. So in the United States right now, we have lots of jobs that are available, but the companies are having a very difficult time finding people who are trained and willing to do the work. So the biggest thing I’ve learned from working on DIRTY JOBS, for the last eight years, and doing 300 of these things, is that many of the people who do this type of work understand that their contribution to society is misunderstood by a big part of the population. And it’s been a – it’s been a privilege to shine a light on the people that do this kind of work. Now I’ve known that from the first season, but I’ve just come to know it a lot better with every passing season. And so that’s really – that’s the big lesson from the show, that, and the fact that it’s possible to work hard and get dirty, and have a really good time in the process.”

What is the most challenging task you’ve ever encountered while hosting “Dirty Jobs”?

“Well, to be honest, they’re all challenging, but in a different way.  It’s hard to compare for instance working on a bridge 600 feet up in the air with working in an opal mine far below the surface of the earth. You know, they’re both challenging, but they’re just very, very different.  It’s also difficult to compare tanning hides with say, replacing a broken lift pump in a waste water treatment plant. They’re all different, they’re all challenging, they all require a long hot shower at the end of the day, but I guess if I had to pick one, I might say that any time you work in a waste water treatment plant, you’re going to have a tough day. But as far as real challenge goes, just the manual labour involved in working on a railroad. We spent 12 hours one day in the American desert repairing the railroad which just means you spend 12 hours swinging a sledge hammer, and hammering nails, and pulling out wooden supports in 114 degree heat. Those are the jobs, for me because I’m older than I’ve ever been right now, that make me wake up the next morning, and wonder what the heck I’ve done.”

Of all the episodes that you’ve had for “Dirty Jobs”, which one do you think is the most memorable that you’ll still remember 20 years from now or so?

“That’s a good question. And the truth is, I mean, I can only guess how I’m going to feel in 20 years, but even now when I look back at all 300, it’s not – it’s not the work that I remember most. It’s not the – it’s not the actual dirt or the job, it’s the people. And the most memorable people that I’ve met on the show, boy, I mean there are – there are so many, but there is a – there is a pig farmer in Las Vegas that – that I’ll never forget. His name is Bob Combs. And Bob has about 300 pigs he keeps in North Las Vegas, not too far from the casinos. And he feeds them – he feeds them the leftover buffet food that they serve in the casinos. And he – he gathers it up himself and he brings it brings it back to his farm – tonnes of the stuff – and he cooks it down in this giant contraption he keeps in his backyard. And he feeds his pigs recycled people food.  So what Bob does basically is recycle food in Las Vegas; he feeds it to his pigs; his pigs grow faster than they normally would; he sells them to market and he maintains the farm in one of the most unlikely places in the country. And he’s just a great guy with a great story who has a really smelly pig farm right in the middle of Las Vegas. I just love it and I doubt that I’ll ever forget him.”

One of your favourite quotes is, “Be careful what you wish for” – we’re very curious about what’s the story behind that..

“I guess the real honest answer to that is the fact that I didn’t try in the beginning to get a TV show on the air. All I was really trying to do was get the Discovery Channel to give me three hours to do a very simple programme about these kinds of jobs. Dirty Jobs wasn’t supposed to be a series, or a hit show, or a franchise, or anything like that.  It was supposed to be one month of work for me and three hours of television. These were originally designed as a tribute to my grandfather who had done a lot of these kinds of jobs before. And it really wasn’t supposed to be anything more than that. What happened was the Discovery Channel put the show on the air and it resonated with a lot of people. And we got thousands of letters from people around the country who wanted me to come and look at the kinds of jobs they were doing. And so for me back in 2003,I had a pretty sedate stationery kind of life. I wasn’t travelling much. I was working in San Francisco and minding my own business. Then I did this little series and the Discovery Channel ordered 39 more episodes. And then they ordered another 39 after that. And then year after year after year, they kept ordering the show until we ultimately did 300 different jobs. So when I say, ‘Be careful what you wish for’, on the one hand, I’m very grateful for the chance to have had a job that’s given me a chance to talk to you people. On the other hand, if you’re not really sure what the future holds and you throw something out there, you can never really be certain of what’s going to come back. So my life today is very different than I thought it would be ten years ago and I’m not complaining, but it just wasn’t part of the plan.”

You said that you’ve done the show since 2003 and obviously you’ve done some dangerous jobs. At any point in time, did any of your loved ones back home object to you doing any of the jobs?

“Yes, as a matter of fact. There have been a lot of objections from friends and family over the years.  Normally what would happen is my – my father would watch the show and that would be on a Tuesday night back in the States, and Wednesday morning when I woke up, I would have a message from him critiquing all the things I had done wrong, you know. If I didn’t have a safety vest on when I was on a boat for instance, I got yelled at for that. If my mother saw me not wearing a hard hat on a construction site, I got yelled at for that. But my mother in particular really didn’t enjoy the ostriches kicking me or the sharks biting me or any number of things that have happened over the years. But look, the truth is it always looks a little worse than it is on television. So they were, you know, I get it. But the only real thing that scared me honestly in terms of a reaction, I have a girlfriend in San Francisco and one trip early on I brought my laundry home. I had been working in a bat cave in Texas. And I had sunk into a pit of guano which is of course, bat dropping – all of that bat poop got into my clothes! And for some reason it was my favourite pair of pants and I wanted to bring them home. So I put them in suitcase. And I guess maybe when I was flying home the air pressure in the plane did something to the stink and it just infused all of my clothes with this horrible bat funk. And when I opened the suitcase in my apartment, it just filled with the smell of that bat cave and it was so bad that my girlfriend threatened to leave me unless I promised to never bring my dirty shorts home again. And so, that was the only complaint that I ever got that really made an impression. So now I just leave all my clothes behind, usually in a bath tub at whatever hotel I was staying with $20 an apology to the maid.”

Have you ever felt afraid of a job and said, “Oh my god, that’s so crazy; I don’t want to do that”?

“Honestly, I do feel that way when I shoot the show at least once a week because I’m not like a lot of other guys on TV, I’m not particularly brave. I’m not a stunt junky. I’m not looking to do things merely for the effect. I’m there to try and do a job. But unfortunately, for me, I don’t know the first thing about it. So I’m a fish out of water and I’m an apprentice. And because the environment of many of these jobs is extreme, yeah, I find myself often wondering if I’ve made a really bad decision, you know. Sometimes it’s on the deck of a crab boat up in the Bering Sea. Sometimes it might be, you know, high up in the air working on a water tower or a bridge. My job, really, is to try and keep up and put myself at the mercy of person who’s really in charge, who is truly the star of the show, those are the workers, the people that we work with. So, that’s a long way of saying yeah. I have second thoughts a lot, but, look my job again is not really to succeed. My job is to try. And as long as I do that, I’ll be okay.”

“My life obsession, let’s see..well, over the last couple of years I’ve been obsessed with having three or four days off in a row.  And when I fantasize, I fantasize about being home sitting in a big leather chair that faces out of a large picture window right towards the San Francisco Bay where I can watch the fog roll in over the Golden Gate Bridge. And I obsess about sitting in that chair drinking a really cold bottle of beer or maybe a nice cabernet from the Napa Valley, not too far from where I live, reading some of my favourite pulp fiction while I just sit there quietly in my chair, drinking my drink, reading my books, minding my own business. That’s what I obsess about because I used to do that all the time. And I haven’t had a chance to do that in about ten years. So with a little bit of luck that’s how I’m going to spend the next three or four days.”

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“Dirty Jobs Down Under” airs every Tuesday at 10pm on Discovery Channel (Astro Channel 551). Last episode of “Dirty Jobs Down Under” will be aired on 30th April 2013 (Tuesday).

For more information, visit their website.

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#RobbieWilliams: “Let Me Entertain You Tour” 2015 Live in Malaysia

One of the best-selling pop artistes of all time, British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams will hit the stage in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this September!

The UK Music Hall of Fame inductee’s brand new “Let Me Entertain You Tour” 2015 opened in Madrid on 25th March, followed by an extensive European tour throughout the summer. The “Let Me Entertain You Tour” will bring Robbie to several cities he has never played before and will be a journey through his extensive catalogue of hits – featuring all the classic favourites.

Since embarking on his solo career, Robbie Williams has sold over 70 million albums worldwide and has won a total of 17 BRIT Awards – more than any other artiste in history.

6 of Robbie’s albums appear in the all-time top 100 biggest selling albums in the UK. 2013’s album Swings Both Ways went straight to Number One in the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 109,000 copies, making it his eleventh album to top the chart – matching Elvis Presley’s record.

The album is also the UK’s 1,000th number one album.

Robbie’s latest album “Under the Radar Volume 1”, released in December 2014, is his 11th studio album comprising demos, B-sides and other previously unreleased songs.

Robbie Williams holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest, and largest, number of concert tickets ever sold in one day — 1.6 million when the European leg of his 2006 World Tour went on sale. With such impressive record, fans in Malaysia will know better to make sure they grab their tickets fast.

Date: Sunday, 27th September 2015
 Time: 8:30pm
 Venue: Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur
 Ticketing:

Tickets are available from 18th and19th April 2015 exclusive public launch at Fahrenheit 88 KL (Concourse Area, Ground Floor) from 11:30am onwards.

From 20th April onwards, tickets will be available at all Galaxy ticketing counters at Mid Valley or Sg.Wang and via Buytickets.

Robbie William’ “Let Me Entertain You Tour” 2015 Live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is organised by Galaxy Group and Midas Promotions, supported by Malaysia Major Events, a division of the Malaysia Exhibition & Convention Bureau (MyCEB), an agency under the Tourism and Culture Ministry.

For more information call the ticketing hotline at 03-2282 2020 or visit Galaxy’s website.


12 Dope Things To Do In The Klang Valley This Week (3rd-9th April)

For this week’s list of curated events, we’ve got not one, not two, but TWELVE fantastic happenings you’ll likely enjoy. After all, it’s April – and the beginnings of months are always kinda special.

From an orchestral concert to a petting zoo – you won’t be short of things to do in the Klang Valley this week!

EventbriteHow often do you explore the streets of KL? If you seldom do, then this is your chance!

Take a leisurely two-hour stroll around Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, a historic district with a colourful history. Play tourist in your own city with seasoned tour guides who will share intriguing anecdotes about Chinatown’s history, the residents who still call it home today, and many of the people who are preserving traditional trades and crafts.

Look into post-war shophouses, conventional fare, fusion cuisine, and contemporary cafés, pubs, and restaurants. The Chinatown stroll is based on tips. The standard tip for the guides has been between RM40 and RM60 per passenger. Click here for more info.

Location: Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur (start point)

Excellent wine, delicious Italian platters, and music mood? What better way to unwind than this?

At the Italian restaurant and deli LurettaDOP, every Thursday is Ladies’ Night! Get a complimentary bottle of their very own Luretta Italian wines for every four ladies. This offer is only available when you order their genuine Italian sharing cold cuts and cheese platter. So call up your girlies and have a fun night out! Click here to book your slots.

Location: Luretta D.O.P. Italian Deli @ 1Utama

Superheroes: Redefined is a tribute to all superheroes, including lion hearts and fighters. This series honours the artist’s fortitude and triumph over her suffering as a bullied victim as a child. Despite enduring hardship in life, she has transformed the bitter experience into pure strength by painting it on canvas. Her paintings’ precise details and intense, unspoken intensity are manifestations of how easily her emotions transfer onto canvas.

Friday Tribe is an electrifying night dedicated to pulsating beats and soulful melodies. This coming Friday, make W Kuala Lumpur the ultimate destination for you to dance the night away to the hottest Afro beats and electronic tracks. Join the tribe and experience a night of non-stop energy and excitement. Click here to know more and book your slots.

Date: 7th April 2023 (7pm till late night)

Absolutely no painting experience needed!

Following a long, arduous week at work, the evening is all about unwinding, conversing, drawing, and holding a glass of wine. It all comes down to taking a break from your hectic schedule to produce something lovely and soothing. Don’t worry if you’re not artistically talented; painting ability is not necessary. Your every step will be guided by the professionals there. Click here to book your slots.

Location: Art & Bonding, Desa Sri Hartamas

This concert will pay homage to the renowned singer through her classic hits. Teng recorded 1,700 songs and sold over 48 million albums. Her music has transcended borders, cultural and language barriers, and was recorded in various Chinese dialects, Japanese, Indonesian, Italian, and English, allowing her music to reach a global audience. In 1986, she was named ‘one of the greatest female singers in the world’ by Time magazine.

Among the songs that will be presented by the MPO and Jia are Goodbye My Love, So Sweet, The Story of a Small Town, Star, Thousands of Words, May All Be Well and The Moon Represents My Heart, notably Teng’s most celebrated song that has become iconic in Chinese culture.

Location: Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra

Need a moment to unwind and relieve stress? We’ve got the right thing for you. Discover the secrets of traditional Malay massage acupoints with Bam & Co and how they can relieve stress, tension, and pain while indulging in the relaxing scents of aromatherapy.

Raya season is coming soon and that means time to decorate your homes. At HOMElove expo, they’ve got Ramadan discounts of up to 80%! With a wide range of choices on furniture and electrical appliances, and loads of gifts as well as prizes, you could save more than just your wallet.

Location: Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, Level CP3

Still single? It’s about time you go out and meet some new people.

A not to be missed event on 8th April 2023 for busy working professionals and business executives to meet gorgeous, like-minded people. No more vague online dating, meet more singles in a night than one could possibly meet in a year! Seats are really limited, so do register ASAP to avoid disappointment. Enjoy a time of food, game, and laughter as you get to know someone new and someone who could potentially be THE ONE! Click here to know more.<>

Location: *TBC- Within Subang Jaya, Selangor Area

Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are many ways different people celebrate Easter and one way to do it is by re-watching the Passion of Christ movie. For this year, instead of watching it on screen, why not watch a live performance instead? Passion, the Greatest Story Ever Sung. Go back in time and get to know what this holiday is all about. Click here for more details.

On the 8th and 9th of April, visit the Nada Embun petting zoo for an exciting day with furry friends. From playful parrots to slithery reptiles, furry rabbits, and other adorable animals, there’s something for everyone here. You’ll have the chance to interact with the animals, feed them and even pet them. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about different animals and their unique personalities. Plus, spending time with animals has been shown to be a great stress reliever, so come on down and let our furry friends brighten up your day. Entrance is FREE and you’ll get FREE light refreshments and FREE pet feeding too. Click here to register.

Wear your bunny costume and head to Atria Shopping Gallery to go hunting for some colorful eggs and sweet treats! For only RM45 per group (1 adult and 1 child), you’ll get:

The hunt is limited to the first 25 groups only. So, hurry now and book your slots today. Click here for more details.

Location: Atria Shopping Mall, Level 2 (opposite Yamaha music)

What’s Raya without bazaars and all their delicious delicacies? This Raya season, head to Centrepoint Bandar Utama for a special event featuring a wide variety of delectable savoury and sweet foods. This amazing event offers mouthwatering Ramadan food and artisanal baked goods, including cakes, bread, cookies, pastries, and local delicacies.

Coca-Cola Malaysia and Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) have renewed their three-decade partnership with the signing of a new beverage concession agreement. Besides enjoying drinks under the Coca-Cola brand and its customised products, movie buffs can get up close and personal with their favourite bikes at the Vespa Bike Display at selected GSC locations over the next few weeks.

GSC is also featuring an exquisite wayang kulit exhibition, brought to life by local contemporary visual artist and co-founder of Fusion Wayang Kulit, Tintoy Chuo. From now till 8th May, you can visit Aurum Theatre in The Gardens Mall to check out the unique exhibition, which spotlights the partnership between Coca-Cola and GSC, BUT with a modern twist that filmgoers will surely appreciate.

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The Batman: Colin Farrell & Andy Serkis In Talks To Play Penguin & Alfred

Things are certainly taking form for the new “The Batman” remake. But there are still some roles that have yet to be casted for the Matt Reeves flick. This lead to Warner Bros. negotiating with actor Colin Farrell, 43, and Andy Serkis, 55.

The roles in question are the villain The Penguin and Batman’s trusty butler Alfred Pennyworth, with Farrell in negotiation for the former. If the Irish-born actor does accept the role, this will make him the third villain appearing in the movie alongside, Paul Dano as the Riddler and Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman.

The role will also mark the actor’s return to comic book film, with his last venture being the villain Bullseye in Marvel 2003’s “Daredevil”. Unfortunately, the film was heavily slammed by fans and critics alike for it’s cringe dialogues and questionable casting. Hopefully, this new role might redeem the “In Bruges” star among comic books readers – if he accepts.

Despite being one of Batman’s oldest villains, the Penguin has not appeared much in the big screen. The most notable of his portrayal was in 1992 Tim Burton’s “Batman Return”, where he was played by Danny DeVito.

On the other hand, Serkis, who is negotiating for the role of Alfred Pennyworth, also has experience in the genre, with the English actor previously played Klaw in Marvel’s “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”. This also presents an opportunity for the “Lord Of The Ring” actor to reunite with director Reeves, who he worked together in the “Planet Of The Apes” films.

If the deal pulls through, this would allow the “Star Wars” star to follow along the footsteps of Michael Gough, Michael Caine and Jeremy Irons, who all played the character in other DC comic films.

Do y’all think these are the right candidates?


Hello Instagram For Android!

Shortly after they officially announced the “coming soon”, while keeping the exact release date under wraps, Instagram recorded about over 400,000 users on their waiting list. And just this morning, an e-mail notification blast was sent out to anxious Instagram fans or rather, more affectionately known as “IGers”.

Finally, we’re meeting the friendly Android app!

We must say that the experience varies slightly from using Instagram for iOS. Albeit the sharing of your beautiful Instagram photos is nearly the same, Instagram for Android have yet to allow e-mail, Flickr, and Posterous sharing. You will, however, still be able to share via Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, and Tumblr.

The reason behind this “cut out” is because, and we quote Kevin Systrom, founder of Instagram, “Really, it came down to prioritizing and making sure we got something to users as soon as possible. We cut features that are used by a small minority of folks – like preview, for instance, is used on one percent of all photos posted.”

“Our matra was get something great out, and get it out quickly.”

So quickly that those other sharing options are easily dismissed? Hmm. But we take it that future updates will strengthen the app more and close the gap for the obvious differences between Instagram for Android and Instragram for iOS. After all, users aren’t complaining!

As we speak. the Instagram for Android is already receiving glowing testimonial and thousands of 5-star ratings in Google Play. Well then, it’s time to play, people!

Instagram for Android is compatible with smartphones running Android 2.2 and up. Tablets aren’t supported at this time – yet. We will not be held responsible for any unproductivity today.

For more information, visit Instagram for Android’s official website or hit up the Google Play page to download it!

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#MTVMovieAwards2016: Full Winner’s List + Highlights From The Awards

It’s the awards event we’ve been waiting for. Somewhat like the Academy Awards, but catered for youngsters.

The MTV Movie Awards celebrates some of the most widely-beloved blockbusters releases of the year. The fun award program takes a more casual approach in celebrating cinema by turning the spotlight on categories such as “Best Fight”, “Best Villain”, and the highly coveted “Best Kiss” award. It’s in-your-face, youthful and rather silly, but usually a reliable good time.

Hosted by Kevin Hart and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the MTV Movie Awards celebrated it’s 25th anniversary at the Warner Brothers Studio backlot in Burbank, California. And as expected, it brought a slew of A-list superstars.

The Force was strong at this year’s MTV Movie Awards, as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” blasted past all the other films to emerge as the big winner, taking home the Golden Popcorn for “Movie of the Year” and earning individual citations for Adam Driver (“Best Villain” as the evil Kylo Ren) and Daisy Ridley (“Breakthrough Performance” for playing the steely Rey).

Congrats to birthday girl Daisy Ridley for winning Best Breakthrough Performance at the #MovieAwards! pic.twitter.com/0C8dpwHzWr

Meanwhile “Deadpool” took home 2 wins. Ryan Reynolds, who won the “Best Comedic Performance” statue, joked about his sex life with wife Blake Lively during his acceptance speech saying, “I want to thank my wife, Blake. Everything I do is to make her laugh, especially the sex!”

The 39-year-old actor accepted yet another award for “Best Fight” for his cinematic battle against Ajax (Ed Skrein) in “Deadpool”. “We had a blast working on this movie. But it wasn’t all unicorns and cocaine! They had me fighting another man in a burning building nude as though it were ripped from the pages of my childhood,” Reynolds told the audience.

Congratulations to my queen @melissamccarthy for being the first woman to win the Comedic Genius Award! #MovieAwards pic.twitter.com/eaQ6tigs1b

Another highlight was when Will Smith and Melissa McCarthy both received special awards – Smith received the Generation Award, and McCarthy became the first ever female to earn the Comedic Genius Award.

Rebel Wilson & Adam DeVine recreated their sloppy kiss at the #MovieAwards https://t.co/SYduw7JE6Y pic.twitter.com/SDSkfT5mG5

YES! @smrtgrls @MTV #MovieAwards https://t.co/ndHwUirBQj pic.twitter.com/FY8UBkfiRj

The “2016 MTV Movie Awards” will air on MTV today at 7pm (TH/WIB), 8pm (MY/PH/SG), and on MTV LIVE HD on Tuesday, 12th April at 7pm (TH/WIB) and 8pm (HK/MY/PH/SG).


T.I. Is Not So Troubled After All

In 2010, Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. aka T.I. was slammed with a drug charge before being sent to serve an 11-month prison sentence. That’s one of two stints in county jail, twice for probation violations and a federal prison bid for a US federal weapons charge. However, it didn’t make him less talented or successful than he already is. You see, T.I. is not only a rapper/singer-songwriter; he has also had a successful acting career and an author. And while he was serving his 11 months in prison, he released “No Mercy”. Imagine that!

So we waited with bated breaths when we heard that he’s finally out and ready to impress with “Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head”. Much more so when we had a sneak peek at the album cover, which features a bit of that Southern vibe.

The first track off “Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head” to prick our ears is “Sorry”. If you love equally talented rapper André 3000 (best known for being part of hip-hop duo “OutKast”) then here’s your jam:

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“Sorry” is slow-ish, dotted with the sounds of a piano in the background. As with most of André 3000’s (coupled with T.I.’s) work, it’s usually the words that you want to catch and not so much the melody. A catchy melody is a plus. So they kept it simple but spruced it up with somewhat strong lyrics that go:

I grew up in the gutter, life a motherfucker,

I get that why I don’t trust a motherfucker.

Seen a nigga snitch on they mom, shoot at they brother,

Go to prison in love with a bitch and a nigga fuck her.

I seen real G’s destroyed by real suckers,

Innocent ladies raped and defenseless babies abducted.

Such a horrible truth, but you see it over and over,

It’s nothing, you numb to it and your heart grow colder.

Then, we take it up a notch (read: more sing-a-long friendly) with the A$AP Rocky-featured “Wildside“. Be prepared to spend the 40 seconds listening to some dialogue between the two before “Wildside” breaks into a melody. We can’t deny that “Wildside” has got “sad” written all over it, from tempo to melody and right down to every word.

It’s almost as if T.I. is narrating his childhood and upbringing. Albeit in a more dignified manner, of course:

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Last but not least (and we’re calling this a genius move), we absolutely loved “Guns and Roses”. We love T.I. for making it sounds the way it does and we love how he injected P!nk‘s powerful vocals in this one. In fact, we can’t say enough how good of a collaboration this is.

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One can only dream of someday hearing this live. T.I.’s “Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head” is now available at a music store near you. Alternatively, you could also purchase the album off iTunes here.

For more information, visit his official website.

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#GE13: Key Points Of The 13th Malaysian General Election

Malaysians today will either celebrate or choose to continue fighting for what they believe in. For those of you who are unsure of the overall stats from the 13th Malaysian general election aka #GE13, here are a few observations that you might want to consider. To help put things into perspective:

1) 80% of registered voters (out of the 28 million people in Malaysia) turned up to vote on 5th May 2013. That’s a higher voter turnout than vibrant democracies like the US (58%), Japan (60%) and France (72%). Also a record breaking total for Malaysia in the history of all Malaysian general elections.

2) DAP is the biggest winner (it gained 10 seats overall), while both PKR and PAS lost one and two seats respectively compared to the 2008 results.

3) The three states that Pakatan Rakyat has retained – Selangor, Penang and Kelantan – were all won by two-thirds majority:

4) The seven additional seats gained by Pakatan are from Sabah (two seats) and Sarawak (five seats).

5) The final tally is BN – 133, Pakatan Rakyat – 89. Pakatan scores a net gain of seven seats.  BN forms the next Malaysian government, but still denied two-thirds of Parliament seats.


GOT7’s Jackson Wang Is The First K-pop Idol To Be In A Marvel OST?

GOT7 (갓세븐)’s Jackson Wang (王嘉爾) is reportedly featured on an original soundtrack for Marvel’s upcoming “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”.

The two-minute trailer for Marvel’s first Asian-lead superhero movie comes with a song that attracted the attention of many netizens due to a familiar voice.

It’s not confirmed as to who actually sang the soundtrack, but many fans stated the voice sounds exactly like Jackson just from hearing a few vocal lines from the trailer. It wouldn’t be surprising if it was really him, as the idol is one of China’s most famous celebrities around the world alongside the movie being filled with Chinese actors.

Furthermore, media company 88rising reposted the trailer on their social media accounts with the GOT7 star tagged on one of their posts. The company is famously known for collaborating with Jackson quite frequently as well.

While Marvel Studios and the 27-year-old K-pop artist have yet to make a confirmation on the movie’s soundtrack, many fans are eager to see Jackson’s involvement with the film’s OST. If this is indeed the case, then the GOT7 member might be the very first K-pop idol to be featured in a Marvel soundtrack.

In light of recent news, netizens have been visibly excited over Jackson’s possible involvement with the “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” soundtrack, with some fans even calling it ‘world domination’.

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is set to release in September 2021. Watch the trailer of the movie down here.

Hopefully, we’ll get a Jackson Wang x “Shang-Chi” music video as well ;)


The First 2 Minutes Of Marvel’s “The New Mutants” Have Been Released

For those curious, yes, “The New Mutants” is reportedly still on track to debut in theatres in late August – despite Disney making some major release date changes.

In conjunction with the Comic-Con@Home panel, director Josh Boone has blessed fans with the opening scene from the X-Men spinoff film. 2 brand new posters were also unveiled.

In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, many were anticipating “The New Mutants” to receive a digital release instead. Thankfully, the filmmaker and the cast members – Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt, and Henry Zaga – confirmed that it proceeded as planned. We’ll take it with a grain of salt for now.

During the opening scene, Dani Moonstar’s voiceover can be heard about the legend of two bears. She is suddenly awaken by her dad as they are forced to flee their home. Shortly after her father leaves to seek help, we see his cold, lifeless body being tossed to the ground. When Dani wakes up again, the young mutant is chained to a bed in a mental institution.

Feel free to also check out the full Comic-Con panel from “The New Mutants”.

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


Malaysian YouTubers Unite For OMG!

What’s better than a virtual hangout? A real-life YouTube party!

Support by WAMM (We Are Malaysian Made), OMG Live is the first official YouTuber-made event by our very own Malaysian YouTube community.

[youtube id=”jTl5fZP9dVU” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Expect to meet and greet your favourite Malaysian YouTubers such as:

The best part is, the party is FREE. Everyone’s invited, but it’s limited to the first 300 people. Honestly? We’re going to hit up the venue early just so that we can be first in line for the fun and games, and an awesome show. You should too!

Venue: The Actors Studio,  Roof Top, Level 8, Lot 10 Shopping Centre

For more information, visit their Facebook page. Don’t forget to RSVP via their Facebook event page too!


FMFA 2013 Tickets On Sale Today!

Early-bird tickets to the Future Music Festival Asia 2013 (FMFA 2013) which will be held at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from 15th to 16th March 2013 (Friday and Saturday) will be available for walk-in purchase (cash only) at Rock Corner Midvalley today.

Rock Corner will also be holding a special one-day-only promotion in conjunction with the launch of the FMFA 2013 ticket sales. The first 1,000 fans to purchase an early-bird weekend pass (priced at RM178) will obtain a free PSY “Gangnam Style” CD single. This promotion is valid only at Rock Corner Midvalley and commences at 6pm. Full ticketing deets are as follows:

Online ticket sales will commence on 17th November 2012 (Saturday) onwards. Fans can purchase these tickets by logging on to FMFA’s website or their Facebook page. Walk-in purchase available at all Rock Corner, Victoria Music, and TicketPro outlets.

The early-bird tickets which sell for RM138 for a single-day pass and RM178 for a weekend pass are limited and fans are urged to purchase early. Organizers Future Entertainment Australia and Livescape Asia Sdn. Bhd. are expecting a sold-out event this year.


Interview: Zee Avi On Her Hearing Loss, Being “OK” & Why She Named Her New Album “Ellipses”

When Zee Avi first came on to the scene with “Bitter Heart” and “Kantoi”, everybody instantly fell in love with her. Taking Malaysia by storm, the Sarawakian born singer-songwriter has even made a name for herself overseas. It’s actually been quite a while since we’ve had new music from the singer but Zee Avi is back with a new single!

“OK” was released on 20th April along with the music video on YouTube. According to Zee Avi, her new song was inspired by the quote by Fernando Sabino/John Lennon: “Everything will be okay in the end, if it’s not okay it’s not the end.” Other than the new single, Zee Avi is planning to release her upcoming album “Ellipses” sometime this year.

We recently had the opportunity to chat with the “Bitter Heart” hitmaker about her new single “OK”, the concept for “Ellipses”, her personal struggles with hearing loss and what she thinks about the Malaysian music industry in general. Scroll down to read our conversation.

1. “OK” was written back in 2014 and you just released it a few days ago. What was the writing process for the single? What were the changes in terms of melody, lyrics and production?

Oh, great question. The process of writing the single itself was that I really took my time with it because I’m the type of person and songwriter that sits with my emotions and my lessons, so that I can process them and deliver them in ways that’s relatable to myself in a timeless way, and hopefully, can alchemize that into some sort of medicine for others to listen to as well.

Because music is the most ancient form of healing and I’m very grateful that this song chose me to deliver it. In terms of whether or not things have changed, of course, there’s been many more hurdles and obstacles along the way that I can only hope that I can continue to be a songwriter, so I can eventually share my stories about those as well. In terms of changes to lyrics and production, I kept it as is, I kept it classic.

2. The single is about accepting things as they are and have a theme of healing. What has been the most difficult thing for you to heal from past traumas/difficulties?

Well let’s talk about the latest ones. A lot of people called me an old soul but I’m like, “that’s on trauma”. I think a lot of traumatic experiences and difficulties that we survived as a person – if you take the essence from those lessons – it can make you a wiser person making decisions along the way.

Moving forward, I would say a lot of my past traumas as an adult, in this phase of my life, it has a lot to do with my relationships with people. I think people grow at different paces and sometimes friction happens when there’s miscommunications within the times when you’re having differences in your cases, and growing and evolving. So for me, I think the traumas that I’ve been feeling a lot recently is the ending of friendships.

And somehow trusts and connections have been broken. From that somehow it’s just like, “Oh, are we ever going to get back to a place where we can move on from it, we can heal from it”. But you just gotta be hopeful and you just got to give it some time and hopefully things will turn out “OK”.

3. The music video for “OK” is your first animated video. What was the inspiration & meaning behind it?

So the only thing that I directed the artists to do was to make something that she’ll be proud of when she sees it many years down the line. She’s an incredible artist from Colombia and a dear friend of mine, her name is Fiorella Bassil and I met her when she was still in art school back in 2016, in London. We just sort of hit it off instantaneously. I adore her and respect her as a young woman, as an artist and as a person. I told her, “Okay, I’m doing a bunch of interviews, and they’re gonna want to know what was your concept behind it?”

Because the wonderful thing about art it can be interpreted in your own way. So for me, I felt that we were all connected to everything around us. But for her, it was a much more complex story about really sort of understanding the positivity and the negativities that life. The ocean sort of symbolises really delving into the unknown and the woman is a representation of the human’s capacity of always being able to adapt change, and that no matter how hard life gets, we just keep on going.

4. You’ve been working on “Ellipses” for quite some time now. Can you share with us the concept of the album and why did you name it “Ellipses”?

Yeah, this is also an amazing question. Ellipses, as you know is “dot dot dot” (…), right? This is my favourite punctuation. Because it means continuation. There’s nine songs because I originally had an idea of releasing it in three part EPs. I wrote all of these songs when I was 30 so for me, the whole philosophy behind ellipses is that we’re going to be ever learning ever growing, ever continuing or evolving? And that’s my concept behind “Ellipses”.

5. What do you hope for fans to take away from “OK” and “Ellipses”?

First of all, I want to thank my appreciators for their continuous support. They just understand my flow and I want to thank them for their understanding. I just hope that it provides them a safe space with music as music doesn’t judge you. Music is there to make you feel things, music is there to make you feel like you’re not alone. I just really hope that this song can find that in their hearts and make them feel better when things get tough.

6. Could you share with us your experience with hearing loss, not just as a musician but as well as a person. Did you feel like you had to find yourself again?

Yeah, that was really hard. It felt really isolating. I cannot not use any other words besides that. So it was very challenging, not just musically, but socially. It’s hard for me to start connecting and feel a connection especially with new people that I meet. It just feels strange to tell someone, “can you speak louder, I have hearing issues”. So to save everybody time and trouble, especially for my soft spoken friends, I just had to take the initiative to want to seek help.

I found audiologists over at global Hearing Care Center, they really have been so supportive, and they’ve helped me out throughout the whole process of making sure that I find the right hearing aids for me. There’s a lot of emotional support as well, which, thankfully, I found from my family and friends, and my husband as well, because they knew how much it affected me socially.

When we were hanging out with other people or in a business meeting, I would get frustrated with myself. So again, it was a strain on myself, and on people that I care about very dearly. So I decided to just accept it, and go get the help that I needed. I’m glad I did because it’s been life changing. I can hear all the frequencies again, I don’t have to put my Bluetooth speaker next to my ear when I watch movies.

But I just have to say that we just forget sometimes that the hearing is impermanent if you don’t take care of it well. So if anyone out there feels like they’re dealing with hearing issues, don’t wait, don’t be in denial like me when I told myself, “Oh, maybe I can start working out again. Maybe it’s a blood circulation thing.” Go get your hearing checked everyone, there’s a lot of services out there and they’re ready to help you. Especially to fellow musicians as well, being around in the studio and playing shows and stuff like that where the volume can be overwhelming, right? So you guys got to take care of your hearing.

7. You’ve watched the “Sound of Metal” film about a musician who suffered permanent hearing loss. Since that movie, have you looked up other artists who had gone through or is going through a similar experience?

Actually I have not, that’s a great idea, I’m going to do that after this. It will be inspiring for me as well to know that there are other musicians who are like me. Also, everyone must watch the “Sound of Metal”. It’s a fantastic movie, great real and raw depiction of what it’s like to sit down with an audiologist and them telling you, “that once you got permanent hearing loss, like once it goes it doesn’t come back”. But trigger warning for everyone who’s gone through it.

For me, after I’ve shared my story, I found out that a couple of my friends also have come forward and talked about how they’re currently wearing hearing aids as well, and I had no idea because it’s such a hard thing. It’s a thing you can be insecure about. Especially at our age as well to have hearing loss and it’s not something that’s fathomable. If there are any other artists that also have hearing loss, I hope that they do share their story.

8. You’ve mentioned that making music in the US is no different than how it is in Malaysia. But we’d like to know how different is the music business side of things?

I don’t know if I am the right person to answer it because I was away for too long. I have friends who have been, throughout the whole entire thing, just hustling and grinding for their careers. I just feel there are other people who are more suitable to answer this question because I haven’t been here and experienced all the challenges they have. But I do know that we need support from the right parties, and from the right people who are able to call the shots to change someone’s life. There’s just an abundance of talents here in Malaysia, we don’t need to look far at all. We can even make music from our bedrooms now.

All of these skills and knowledge are accessible through platforms like YouTube and websites that are offering courses. I myself have just been through a music production course run by CAA that’s funded by the government. During the CAA course, there were like 50 young artists making music, producing on their own and it’s like global class. I think we need a fair ecosystem, to understand how the industry works in general, and for the young artists to really read up about their rights. I pray that all of you up-and-coming artists find the right people to be with you throughout your journey, no matter what goals you have, and that’s really important as well.

So ecosystem, support, and the right people to help you achieve your dreams; like this is the secret sauce. In terms of making it in the industry, I have no idea what making it means, for me, if someone love my songs, I’m happy and if somebody from across the world says that they can relate to my words, I’m happy. So it’s pretty subjective. But I think we do need to have an ecosystem that is fair.

9. From our understanding, being attached to a label is very different from being an independent artist. What are your thoughts on being an independent artist vs being signed to a record label?

As an independent artist, you do have full creative control and you get to decide a lot of decisions and factors of your own visions, but you need to have strong concepts and strategies of how you want to execute your music. With the help of the internet, it’s not that hard to do these days. But again, you just have to have the resources in order for you to bring it forth.

In terms of a record label, they can be great. It’s important to understand what freedom you have as a creative and the restrictions in place. A record label has all the necessary means and capacity to help you market, help you strategise, and you just have to trust them. For independent artists, you write your own destiny.

10. What are your thoughts on the Malaysian music industry where singers and musicians are releasing only singles now instead of a full body album? Is this the current trend we’re in right now?

I think that with releasing singles, you can definitely focus more of your finances and your time as well. With just one song, you focus all the energy to making it great. Whereas with an album, it’s a lot to take into account because each and every song has to make the cut.

Since we live in an age of algorithms, you always have to keep your name on the surface so with releasing singles, you’re actually keeping momentum of your name, your songs, your music and yourself. So I enjoy it, although I do enjoy a good album as well. I think personally, for me with “Ellipses”, I’m just gonna drop the album and start writing my next one.

Stay tuned for full the interview video with Zee Avi on our YouTube Channel.

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


Hype’s Pick: 5 Of Our Favourite Star-Studded Music Videos

Last month, Taylor Swift showed off her squad by assembling a team of superheroes for her “Bad Blood” music video. Last week, Madonna dropped her “B*tch I’m Madonna” video which featured cameos by Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Diplo, Kanye West and more, proving that people love music videos that are filled with their favourite A-listers.

However, this star-studded video treatment is nothing new. Michael Jackson did it a quarter-century ago and artistes including Katy Perry, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and Jay Z have all produced some of the most amazing visuals featuring some of the most famous people.

That being said, here’s a list of our favourite celebrities-filled music videos:

Taken from the late King Of Pop’s seventh studio album Bad, “Liberian Girl” was the ninth single to be released by Michael Jackson. The video accompanying the track featured a number of his celebrity friends amongst whom were Beverly Johnson, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Sherman Hemsley, Brigitte Nielsen, Paula Abdul, Carl Weathers, Whoopi Goldberg, Quincy Jones, Jackie Collins, Amy Irving, Jasmine Guy, Rosanna Arquette, Billy Dee Williams and Lou Diamond Phillips.

“Liberian Girl” was not the only music video featuring his famous friends. A couple of years later, he had Iman, Eddie Murphy and Magic Johnson in his music video for “Remember The Time“.

Two years back, the Beatles’ Sir James Paul McCartney, better known as Paul McCartney, released the music video for his single “Queenie Eye”. The video directed by Simon Aboud was filmed at the Abbey Road Studios. It featured cameos by Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Gary Barlow, Lily Cole, James Corden, Alice Eve, Jeremy Irons, Jude Law, Kate Moss, Sean Penn, Chris Pine and Tracey Ullman.

3. Johnny Cash – “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”

Three years after Johnny Cash passed away, his cover of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” was given a loving visual tribute. Directed by Tony Kaye, the 2006 video featured a string of celebrities dressed in black, looking somber. The celebrities who made an appearance in the video were Iggy Pop, Kanye West, Chris Martin, Kris Kristofferson, Patti Smith, Terrence Howard, Flea, Q-Tip, Adam Levine, Chris Rock, Justin Timberlake, Kate Moss, Sir Peter Blake, Sheryl Crow, Dennis Hopper, Woody Harrelson, Amy Lee, Tommy Lee, the Dixie Chicks, Mick Jones, Sharon Stone, Bono, Shelby Lynne, Anthony Kiedis, Travis Barker, Lisa Marie Presley, Kid Rock, Jay-Z, Keith Richards, Billy Gibbons, Corinne Bailey Rae, Johnny Depp, Graham Nash and Brian Wilson.

4. Jay Z – “Roc Boys (And The Winner Is…)”

Taken from Jay Z’s 2007 album American Gangster, the video for “Roc Boys (And The Winner Is…) was directed by Chris Robinson and featured Jay partying and living it up with some of his closes confidantes. Shot in New York City, the video featured cameos by Nas, Rick Ross, Memphis Bleek, P Diddy, Freeway, Terrence J, Tru Life, Young Gunz, Jadakiss, Yaya DaCosta, Swizz Beatz, Drew Sidora, Kristia Krueger, Chain 4, Chantel, Beanie Sigel, Cassie, DJ Clue, Larry Johnson, Tristan Wilds, Just Blaze, Zab Judah, The-Dream, Irv Gotti and Mariah Carey.

American-Canadian DJ duo Armand Van Helden and A-Trak better known together as Duck Sauce got a slew of celebrities to say the words Barbra Streisand on camera in 2010 with the release of the track “Barbra Streisand”. Though no official list has been released, the catchy and addictive Grammy nominated track featured cameos by Diplo, Questlove, Santogold, Smif N Wessun, Just Blaze, Chromeo, Yelawolf, Buckshot, DJ Premier, Ezra Koenig, Kanye, Ryan Leslie, Pharell, Yelawolf, Santogold, Pharrell, Kanye, Premier, Questlove, Armand, P-Thug, Dave One and Medhi.

Last year, Pharrell broke the internet with the release of his “Despicable Me 2” soundtrack single “Happy“. Not only did he get people from around the world recording their own parody videos, he also launched a “24-hour music video” that included a bunch of celebrities making appearances throughout the day to sing along to the looped tack.

Those celebrities were Jamie Foxx, Steve Carell, Magic Johnson, Jimmy Kimmel, Miranda Cosgrove, Buddy, Tyler the Creator, Cyrcle, Gavin DeGraw, Urijah Faber, Michaella Tastad, Luisa Fernanda Espinosa, Francesco, Ryan Heffington, Whit Hertford, Sarunas J. Jackson, Jojo, Leah Labelle, Alonson Mateo, Sean McBride, Sergio Mendes, Ana Ortiz, Kelly Osbourne, Isa Rae, Fatima Robinson, Golden Sisters, Bevy Smith, Thebe Kgositsile, Rob Zabrecky and more.

Of course, Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” and Madonna’s “B*tch I’m Madonna” are our favourites too, but you already knew that didn’t you? ;)


Tamil Filmmaker To Sue “Parasite” Director & Team Over Plagiarism

Uh-oh, it looks like the “Parasite” production team was slapped with plagiarism accusations recently. It was reported that the Oscar-award winning movie had copied a version of Tamil film called “Minsara Kanna”, which was released way back in 1999!

Film producer PL Thenappan claimed that the Bong Joon-ho directed flick is a “rip-off version” of the aforementioned movie. He further revealed his plans to take legal actions against the Korean filming house.

“I will file the case with the help from an international lawyer. They (‘Parasite’ production team) have stolen their plot from my film,” said Theappan. He added that he will demand for compensation from the filming crew for taking ideas from the classic movie.

For those who are curious, “Minsara Kanna” tells the story of Kaasi (played by famed Kollywood actor Vijay) who works as a driver for a wealthy family. He then brings in his family members one by one to work in the house with a hidden agenda.

Soon after the news about the film’s big win at Oscars broke out last week, a number of Tamil movie fans took to Twitter to “celebrate” the fact that “Parasite” features similar plot with the film. They even argued that “Minsara Kanna” is way better than the Korean-language movie.

Watched #Parasite, sure it's a good movie. But screenplay (some sequences) has direct connection with #Tamil movie #MinsaraKanna starring #Thalapathy #Vijay.

I can't believe Minsara Kanna won the Best picture academy award 😍

— Jawa Kumar (@jawa_kumar) February 10, 2020

Local keyboard warriors soon took to Twitter to defend the South Korean movie, in response to the massive slams. Most of them clapped back at the offended Indian producer, saying that he belatedly claimed his idea right after their big win at Oscars.

Check out some of their reactions below:

Dah menang oscar baru nak claim plagiarism. Where were you masa movie dorg memula famous dulu? Dr tahun lepas kot takkan tak perasan lgsg?

Do you see any similarities between both films?

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


Miss Universe Malaysia Adorns “Nasi Lemak” Evening Dress

Malaysian designer Brian Khoo just took the “nasi lemak” craze to a whole new level!

When tasked to create a National Costume for Miss Universe Malaysia, Samantha Katie James, the Dior-trained designer Brian Khoo decided to incorporate Malaysia’s ultimate favourite dish – nasi lemak – into an evening dress.

The dress will be worn by Samantha Katie James at the Miss Universe 2017 beauty pageant in Las Vegas on 26th November.

The stunning dress is mostly white, with hand-embroidered pearlescent beads representing the rice, while the sambal is creatively represented with fiery ruby tones of crystals. The ensemble is also studded with ikan billis, cucumbers, and a sunny-side-up egg using glass beads – and is completed with a Victoria Secret-esque banana leaf wings in the back.

While most netizens are astounded by this masterpiece by Brian Khoo, some are also having mixed feelings about it. What do you guys think of this “nasi lemak
-inspired evening dress? Let us know in the comments!


This Week’s BEAUTY Drops Are Sent From The Gods!

Chinese New Year festivities are still going strong, which means we all have to continue looking snatched AF!

To help you do just that, we’ve compiled a list of six of this week’s dopest beauty drops for you to slay all day, every day:

Vitamin C is an all-purpose skincare component that not only brightens the skin but promotes collagen synthesis, eliminates free radicals and reduces hyperpigmentation. If you’re seeking the greatest Vitamin C product available, look no further, because Dr Dennis Gross’s newest creation – Vitamin C Lactic Collection – is a potent duo combo ingredient that elevates Vitamin C’s potency to a whole new level of ground-breaking outcomes.

When Vitamin C and Lactic Acid are combined, they enhance each other’s effects. The new Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin C Lactic Oil-Free Radiant Moisturizer is a weightless, oil-free hydration therapy that combines the powerful benefits of a serum with the long-lasting hydration of a moisturiser. Now, incorporate the Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin C Lactic serum into your skincare routine, and your skin will glow like never before.

Dr Dennis Gross’ Vitamin C Lactic Oil-Free Radiant Moisturizer is available exclusively at Sephora’s website and in-stores nationwide!

OLE HENRIKSEN is introducing two new members to its skincare family, which target skin and lips!

The new barrier-boosting powerhouse, HydraBarrier Nourishing Face Oil, is a breakthrough oil that traps in moisture to achieve smoother and more bouncy skin. The hydrating basis is a Nordic oil blend of nourishing cloudberry, lingonberry, and elderberry oils that minimises fine lines and wrinkles while dramatically smoothing skin for a fresher, more youthful appearance.

Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment by OLE HENRIKSEN is rich in antioxidants with Kokum and Wild Mango Butter, to nourish lips and enhance the look of fine lines and wrinkles. This transformational and smoothing lip treatment is OLE HENRIKSEN’s first lip care product, specifically developed to preserve your pout quickly and over time.

OLE HENRIKSEN’s HydraBarrier Nourishing Face Oil and Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment are available at Sephora’s website and in-stores nationwide!

Drunk Elephant wants to remind us that as much as we prioritise our skincare regimen, we should TOTES never neglect our hair and body care!

Take a break from your busy day and soften your hair with Silkamino™ Mega-Moisturizing Shampoo, a mild shampoo that fosters smoother, softer, and more manageable hair. The shampoo, which contains a rich blend of silk amino acids, proteins, and virgin marula oil, nourishes and strengthens hair from root to tip.

The Drunk Elephant Silkamino™ Mega-Moisturizing Masker is a deep conditioning treatment with marula butter, sunflower fatty acids, and panthenol that permeates hair strands to restore and seal in moisture. The ultra-nourishing cream composition stimulates strands with a blend of silk amino acids and proteins to repair bonds and strengthen hair for maximum body, bounce, and shine.

Silkamino™ Conditioning Leave-In Milk is a multifunctional leave-in conditioner, styling milk, and heat protectant that strengthens, smoothens, and deeply nourishes hair while providing soft, flexible hold for bouncy supermodel hair. Silk amino acids, proteins, and plant oils are used to restore hair links, strengthen, and smooth frayed and damaged hair. As an added bonus, the leave-in milk contains vanilla fruit extract, which has antioxidant and scalp-calming properties.

Scrubbi Bamboes™ Body Cleanser from Drunk Elephant leaves you feeling clean without stripping your skin! The skin-friendly pH 5.5 gentle exfoliating jelly-to-foam cleanser completely washes the filth away with mild surfactants, while ultrafine, biodegradable bamboo beads softly buff the skin to expose new skin. The mixture also contains fatty acid-rich chia seed, flax seed, and marula oil, which keep skin supple and nourished.

What better way to pamper your skin after a long day than with a creamy body lotion? Sili™ Whipped Body Lotion calms and replenishes your skin barrier with the miracles of squalane, fatty-acid-rich plant oils, barrier-supportive sodium PCA, and a 3-ceramide combination. If that’s not enough, centella asiatica extract and ashwagandha root work together to diminish redness, while antioxidants including astaxanthin, green tea lead, and goji berry protect against environmental stresses.

Drunk Elephant ’s hair and body collection is available at Sephora’s website and in-stores nationwide!

KVD Beauty’s Good Apple Foundation is a viral TikTok sensation that’s not good, but GREAT! The Good Apple Foundation not only provides coverage, but it is also exceedingly light. If you adore KVD Beauty, get ready to fall in love with it all over again as it’s releasing another groundbreaking innovative foundation that combines the same iconic, lightweight full-coverage with a natural finish and serum-like feel. Good Apple Serum Foundation is packed with antioxidant-rich apple extract to hydrate your skin and quince leaf extract to decrease shine and keep the skin looking fresh all day, every day.

KVD Beauty’s Good Apple Serum Foundation is available at Sephora’s website and in-stores nationwide!

Lancôme is back to redefine the skincare game with the release of Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Serum, a high-performance anti-aging skincare. With a groundbreaking formula that combines three active components, Hyaluronic Acid, C+Niacinamide, and Ferulic Acid, into a triple dose, it helps restore the skin’s full regenerative capacity, layer by layer. The three derm-active substances work together with gluco-peptides to fortify the skin barrier, support skin hydration, and improve dermal structure.

Lancôme’s Rénergie H.C.F. Triple is available at all physical Lancôme boutiques & counters, Lancôme official website, Lancôme’s Facebook Shop and Lazada; and will be available in-store at Sephora from March onwards.

As we go about our daily lives, we tend to overlook the health of our skin. SOTHYS, a world-leading innovator in beauty and skincare, is releasing a product that is more practical for all. SOTHYS’ Noctuelle™ Renovative Micro Capsules are made with pure plant-based goodness and contain an infusion of properly balanced vitamins per capsule for beautiful, glowing skin night after night. The capsules were designed to renew, refresh, and regenerate skin by including a healthy blend of all the vitamins that the skin requires to maintain freshness and suppleness. The primary ingredient is 20% pure Vitamin C, which helps to restore vibrancy and suppleness to the skin while also eliminating dark spots!

SOTHYS is now giving an unbelievable deal on all first-time purchases! Their Noctuelle™ Renovative Micro Capsules can be purchased at SOTHYS’ website for only RM399 (NP: RM799), so that more Malaysians can begin their road to perfect skin.

SOTHYS Noctuelle™ Renovative Micro Capsules are available at SOTHYS’ website!

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#YGEntertainment: iKON & WINNER To Comeback Early Next Year

Inner Circles and iKONICs, get hyped because it seems like we’ll be seeing more of WINNER and iKON soon!

A representative from YG Entertainment has confirmed that the 2 idol groups will be making their comebacks early next year, although no set date has been determined.

“WINNER and iKON are preparing new albums with goals for release early next year. It’ll be after Akdong Musician’s comeback on 3rd January, but the exact release date, order, album format, and broadcast/event schedules are not yet confirmed.“

On 15th December (Thursday), WINNER also talked a little about their upcoming comeback on their V App broadcast. They reciprocated the sentiments of the YG rep, as leader Kang Seung Yoon said, “We are preparing for an album early next year. We’ve promised to remain active in other ways until then and so we came together, the 4 of us, to see you all today. We hope its a good gift for you all.”

We’re as elated as you, but we’re taking it with a grain of salt, as YG is well known for delaying the comebacks of their artistes.

However, the entertainment powerhouse has been making good on their promise, as SechKies and BIGBANG released their respective albums, “2016 Re-Album” and “MADE The Full Album”, just this month. Akdong Musician is also slated to make public their full album “Winter (사춘기 하)” on 3rd January.

This will be WINNER’s first comeback after the departure of Nam Taehyun, and it remains to be seen if the group will continue their [EXIT] series or to release another all-new album.

For more info, visit YG Entertainment’s website and Facebook page.


#Facebook: Social Networking Giant Apologises For “Year in Review”

Everyone has prolly seen a couple of “Year in Review” posts by now while scrolling through their Facebook news feed. What it is, is a photo slide of highlight from your Facebook timeline over the past year. It gathers your most-engaged-with posts from 2014 and compiles them into a chronological photo album complete with cheesy clip art. Initially, The Washington Post reported that the feature’s default tagline was, “It’s been a great year! Thanks for being a part of it.”

Unfortunately, Facebook’s algorithm for choosing the images wasn’t very thoughtful, dishing out good memories along with the bad. Because the algorithm chooses the default photos and moments that had the most interaction, it also includes sad memories. However, users are given the option to customise their “Year in Review” prior to sharing.

So far, Facebook has directly apologised to at least one person for whom the “Year in Review” post brought back painful memories from 2014.

Web design consultant and writer Eric Meyer’s “Year in Review” highlighted the death of his 6-year-old daughter – she passed away of brain cancer in 2014. He then wrote a post to say that his year hadn’t been “great” as the uniform Facebook post declared, and wrote about the negative experience in a post on his website titled “Inadvertent Algorithmic Cruelty”:

Eric also went on to suggest a handful of “obvious” design fixes, like not pre-filling the app with photos unless a user actually wants to see pictures from their year and asking before showing a user a preview of the app.

Quickly, Facebook’s product manager for “Year in Review”, Jonathan Gheller, reached out to Eric and personally apologised. He said, “[The app] was awesome for a lot of people, but clearly in this case we brought him grief rather than joy. We can do better – I’m very grateful he took the time in his grief to write the blog post.”

And that’s not all, of course. Users (perhaps you too) have also been criticising the”Year in Review” for its overwhelming presence on Facebook. Many are annoyed at how pushy the feature is, constantly reminding users of its existence. But what if we don’t want to post up our “Year in Review”, right? Exactly.

Sources: Mashable, The Washington Post, TIME.

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Thai K-Pop Cover Group Issues Apology For Issue with EXO

It all started with the pure intention of doing dance covers of their favourite K-Pop group EXO, but Thai cover group Millenium Boy was (wrongly?) accused of copying the group’s logo design to sell albums and merchandise illegally.

As cover dance culture is a popular trend among K-Pop fans, Millenium Boy started out by doing cover dances for their own entertainment and taking part in cover dance competitions in Thailand. Just like every other cover dance group, the group imitated the original artistes’ styles and uploaded their choreography to their Youtube channel. Their videos have garnered million of views and they have over 120K fans on their Facebook page largely due to their similarities to the original EXO’s styles and personalities.

Despite not having released any albums or songs, they have performed at solo concerts, held numerous fan meetings and even made TV appearances in their own country!

However, the group started to receive fans’ complaints for copying EXO to gain fame and profit by using EXO’s name. A Thai member received major backlash after posting an edited picture of original EXO member Kai on his own Instagram. The picture shows a blackfaced Kai with only his eyes and mouth visible in this picture and that causes discomfort among the fans.

Due to the massive complaints, the group issued an apology onto their Youtube channel on 12th June.

In the video above, the group promised not to use EXO logo anymore and emphasized that all the fanmeetings they have done or the merchandise they sold were never intended for business purposes. The Thai member also explained that he never intended to insult Kai in the edited picture and apologised for being insensitive. But most importantly, the group explained that they do not have any ill intentions towards EXO and expressed their support for EXO as well.

Earlier, EXO’s label SM Entertainment mentioned that they would take legal action against the group. The company later decided to drop the issue after the explanation but will continue to keep a close eye on their future activities.

With cover dance being the popular trend among K-Pop fans, what do you think about this issue? Sound off in the comments!


Hype’s Now Playing: Kyoto Protocol – Still Alive

As we’ve previously mentioned, local band Kyoto Protocol is set to hit the road this February with their debut nationwide tour in conjunction with the release of their new album, “Catch These Men.”

Featuring four shows, the “Catch These Men” tour kicked off on February 6th (Friday) at Johor Bahru. Apart from giving the first 100 fans to RSVP at each venue a complimentary copy of Kyoto Protocol’s second album “Catch These Men,” the band has recently released the video for their latest single “Still Alive”.

Shot by Point Form Digital, the video opens with the band appearing to be lost/at the wrong place before encountering an army of mask figures that chases after them. The video leads to each member of the band then finds themselves separated from each other whilst still being chased by these figures before eventually finding themselves together on a raised up platform, delivering a kicka** performance.

Hilarious, uplifting and proving that they are still alive (pun intended), the video is the perfect visual interpretation of the massive energy that the track”Still Alive” exudes. Check the video out below:

For more on Kyoto Protocol, stalk them via these platforms: Website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, more information on Kyoto Protocol’s debut nationwide tour here.


Contest: Win Exclusive Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel Merchandise

Higher. Further. Faster. Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel is inbound and ready to go full throttle when she makes her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut soon.

Although stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson and Gemma Chan aren’t stopping by Malaysia (Singapore is the film’s only Asian stop for the publicity tour), we’ve got the next big thing for y’all. Movie goodies!

Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the story plot for Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” reads:

Marvel’s first female-led superhero film will revolve around the most powerful character in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe: Captain Marvel aka Carol Danvers. The script was written by a team of 5 women.

The film will be a prequel to MCU, taking place in the 90s, where Carol Danvers is an Air Force fighter pilot reborn as a member of an alien race. It’s an origin story of Carol Danvers becoming Captain Marvel and being caught in the Skrull vs Kree war.

*Do note that the merchandise will be given out randomly and are subject to availability.

Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” will debut on 7th March 2019.

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Pregnant Doctor Recalls Covid Fears While Serving On The Frontlines

Being pregnant during this Covid-19 pandemic can be scary and difficult. Even more so when you serve on the frontlines.

Dr. Yap Chong Fong learned in April last year, six months after getting married, that she would be a mother. However, she was apprehensive as she was serving in a government health clinic in Bukit Mertajam, Penang where she works.

Her job required her to take samples from people under investigation to test for Covid-19. The 30-year-old medical officer was not the only one concerned. Yap’s family and friends advised her to request for a transfer to another unit. However, she refused, citing that the clinic was already understaffed.

“I was aware that as a frontliner, I shouldn’t be selfish. I then set aside my fears and continued to serve. I strived to fight the Covid-19 pandemic (with my colleagues),” she said in an interview with Bernama.

She gave birth to a healthy baby on 29th October last year. However, three days later, she received news that the anesthetist who had given her an epidural (for pain relief during childbirth) had tested positive for Covid-19.

Yap had to undergo a two-week quarantine, during which she took care of the baby by herself. “My husband and family members were very supportive and would give me moral support through video calls,” she said.

Thankfully, Yap tested negative after undergoing a 2-week quarantine period. Recalling her work on the frontlines, Yap was clear that serving the community was a duty belonging to her and her colleagues.

It also helped that they had positive attitudes and good teamwork to alleviate stress and anxiety.

Dedicated frontliners like Yap have displayed such rare bravery throughout the past year and deserve every recognition.


Fun Facts: Honey, We Shrunk Marvel With These #AntMan Facts

Ant-Man may be a miniature-sized superhero, but its movie is big on fun. After all, American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “A great man is always willing to be little.”

Paul Rudd, who was recently honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, will be making his first appearance as the titular role of Marvel‘s latest superhero film, “Ant-Man”. Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige, the movie will conclude Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Though Rudd is playing the lead role, he was not the original Ant-Man. In the comic books, the first Ant-Man is Dr. Hank Pym, a role portrayed by Michael Douglas in the movie. Hank invented the “Ant-Man” suit and made use of its superhero powers in the Cold War era of World War II. Rudd is instead playing Scott Lang, an ex-con who broke into Hank’s home to steal the suit. He became the 2nd generation of Ant-Man after Hank offered to let him keep the suit, provided that he only use them to uphold the law.

The official synopsis of Marvel’s “Ant-Man” is as follows:

The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Both “Ant-Man” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” were once considered as Marvel’s riskiest projects, but the latter proved the detractors wrong by turning it into one of the most successful Marvel films.

“Ant-Man” too, will also prove to nay-sayers that it will be one of the best Marvel films. In conjunction with its release, here are some of the things you might not know about the movie:

1. Edgar Wright pitched an “Ant-Man” movie 12 years ago

The film has been in development for more than 2 decades as “Ant-Man” creator Stan Lee first pitched the idea to New Line Entertainment in the late 1980s. At that time, the studio found the premise too similar to 1989’s “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”.

The project finally got traction when director Edgar Wright (of “Hot Fuzz” and “Scott Pilgrim vs the World” fame), a big fan of “Ant-Man”, came on board. He proposed the film to Marvel in 2003 and wrote a treatment with his writing partner Joe Cornish. In 2006, he was officially hired by the newly-formed Marvel Studios to bring Ant-Man to the big screen. He had been developing the film since then. He shot a test reel, hired the cast, and was close to begin filming it.

However, the project fell into development hell for years. Wright and Cornish then left the project in 2014 over creative differences.

2. Director Peyton Reed was once considered to helm 2005’s “The Fantastic Four” and 2014’s” Guardians of the Galaxy”

After Wright left the project, Peyton Reed came onboard to replace him as the director. Before that, Reed was briefly attached to direct Fox’s first “Fantastic Four” film in 2005. However, Tim Story went on to helm that film instead.

He was later under consideration to helm Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”, but James Gunn was chosen instead.

3. “Ant-Man” was filmed in San Francisco under the fake movie name, “Bigfoot”

Like many other big budget movies, the filming of Marvel’s “Ant-Man” attracts a lot of unwanted attention. Some set photos and videos were also being shared on the Internet.

To keep things a secret, they shot “Ant-Man” in San Francisco under the clever fake movie name, “Bigfoot”.

When Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” was released in the cinemas, many were disappointed that director Joss Whedon did not feature any post-credits scenes in it.

Fortunately, Marvel has decided to include not one, but two post-credits scenes in “Ant-Man”. People who’ve already seen the movie (including us) have disclosed that the movie will have a mid-credits scene, as well as an end credits tag. To avoid spoilers, none of them revealed the content for the scenes, but they were both described as “good” and “must-see”.

5. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was once rumoured to be under consideration for the role of Scott Lang.

At one point, it was rumoured that Marvel Studios was interested in having Joseph Gordon-Levitt to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In January 2013, he was said to be under consideration for the role of Peter Quill/Star-Lord in “Guardians of the Galaxy”. The “Inception” actor was later reported to be looking for the lead role in “Doctor Strange”. A few months later, a rumour surfaced online, claiming that he could be up for the titular role of “Ant-Man”.

However, he has denied all the rumours, stating that any stories regarding him passing any kind of screen test are untrue.

I talk a lot about my future projects, so if you haven’t heard me talk about it, it means it’s nothing but a rumour. People like to write about (rumours).

Before Paul Rudd was eventually cast for the role of Scott Lang, Adrien Brody expressed interest in playing Ant-Man.

6. Patrick Wilson was originally cast to play Paxton

Patrick Wilson was originally cast to play Paxton, Scott Lang’s best friend and the new husband of Lang’s ex-wife, Maggie (played by Judy Greer).

However, Wilson dropped out of the film alongside Matt Gerald and Kevin Weisman. It was reported that their characters were apparently written out of the screenplay after Wright left the project. However, Paul Rudd and Adam Mckay decided to give Paxton a much larger role in their rewrite. “Boardwalk Empire” actor Bobby Cannavale was then cast to replace Wilson.

It was revealed that Cannavale was allowed to improvise some of his lines with Rudd and Greer in the movie. He also added, “The actual work in the scenes were really fun. It felt like we were on an indie film.”

7. Bryce Dallas Howard was considered for the role of Hope van Dyne

Bryce Dallas Howard rose to international fame through for her role as Gwen Stacy in 2007’s “Spider-Man 3″. Her most recent film credits include 2011’s “The Help” and 2015’s “Jurassic World“. Before she was cast for the role of Claire in the “Jurassic Park” film series, she was rumoured to be in the contention with Rashida Jones to play the female lead in “Ant-Man”. Jessica Chastain was also offered to play the role, but she turned it down.

Prior to the casting rumours, Mary Elizabeth Winstead has expressed interest in playing The Wasp aka Janet van Dyne, the wife of Dr. Hank Pym. However, the character has been written out of the screenplay and “Hobbit” star Evangeline Lily was eventually cast to play Janet’s daughter, Hope van Dyne.

9. Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, and Gary Oldman were considered for the role of Hank Pym

Before Michael Douglas was cast as Dr. Hank Pym, a number of veteran actors were all considered for the role.

Sean Bean, who is best known for his role in “Game of Thrones”, was among the early choices to play Hank. “James Bond” actor Pierce Brosnan and Gary Oldman were also almost cast for the role. However, the studio decided to cast Michael Douglas instead. In an official statement, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said:

With Hank Pym’s rich history in the Marvel Universe, we knew we needed an actor capable of bringing the weight and stature to the role that the character deserves. We felt incredibly relieved when Michael Douglas agreed to step into the part with the charm and fortitude he brings to every character he inhabits, and couldn’t be more excited to see what he will do to bring Hank Pym to life.

10. A number of Marvel characters will make cameo appearances, including Howard Stark and Peggy Carter

Captain America aka Steve Rogers’ old flame Peggy Carter, who is portrayed by Hayley Atwell, will appear in the film alongside John Slattery’s Howard Stark.

They are confirmed to appear in flashbacks, which is one way Ant-Man will tie in with the larger MCU. Various other Marvel characters will also appear in the film, but you got to watch it to find out who we’re referring to.

Paul Rudd stated in an interview with New York Times columnist Tom Riddle that he purchased a massive ant farm and watched how the ants worked together. He was so inspired by them that he decided to keep the farm after the filming was completed.

Slated for release on 16th July 2015, Ant-Man also stars Corey Stoll, Michael Pena, Abby Ryder Fortson, Judy Greer, David Dastmalchian, Wood Harris, Gregg Turkington, T.I. and Martin Donovan.

Sources: Variety, sheknows.com, Vulture, Cinema Blend, Marvel, IGN

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#Spectrum: SM Ent’s Dance Music Festival Ft. DVLM, SHINee, Galantis, Marshmello & More

In case you missed it, for the first time ever, SM Entertainment is trying their hand at organising a dance music festival. Yes, you read right.

Named, “Spectrum Dance Music Festival”, the 2-day event is set to take place in Seoul this October.

Under the banner, “The Next Music Paradise”, the outdoor festival will feature a whopping total of 60 artistes from multiple genres including EDM, hip hop, and of course, K-Pop.

Amongst the artistes that have been announced to date are such as current world #1 DJs/producers Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike (DVLM), Dutch DJ/producer Don Diablo, electro house kid Dyro, Swedish songwriting duo Galantis, mysterious masked performer Marshmello, SM Entertainment’s 5-member K-Pop idol boy group SHINee (샤이니), festival regular R3HAB, and more.

Fans can expect more artistes in the 2nd lineup announcement on 13th July.

“Spectrum Dance Music Festival” also promises to be “a magical space” that is designed for only its audiences, and will include interactive as well as never-seen-before shows. So patrons can expect to take part in side activities on top of enjoying the music.

And that’s not all. After its kickoff in Seoul, the festival will travel around Asia. Although its tour stops have yet to be revealed, we really excited to see what else is in store for the inaugural “Spectrum Dance Music Festival”!

Keep checking back with us for more details :)

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.


It’s Over For Hallo

When Hallo app was first released from Developer Hallo, Inc., we were elated! Who wouldn’t be excited over a new way of texting anyway, right? See, texting is limited and more often than not, emotions get lost in translation but Hallo allowed us text and more aka voice messaging.

The best part was that it also enabled its users to either send message privately to individuals and groups or publicly to followers. Needless to say, it opened doors for celebrities and they certainly did get busy making sure that they were “heard” by their huge followings of fans.

Fans even had the option of leaving messages for their favourite celebrity/comedian/athlete and if they’re lucky, they would get a reply or two.

It was better than getting a Twitter reply, really.

But just today, the Hallo team sends out an e-mail to say that they’re shutting down the service. Reason being not having enough resources to keep the ad-free, free app Hallo going:

A bit of a short notice, we know, but Hallo will be shutting down on 31st March 2013 and all data stored in their database will be permanently deleted. As stated in the e-mail above, the developers are also wiping the physical app out of both the iTunes store and Play Store, as well as taking the website down altogether. So if you want to save that special voice post, do it now.


Hype’s Must Watch: The Foreigner

Oh my. We have so many reasons to be excited about “The Foreigner”!

First of all, it’s an action thriller and we always love us a good dosage of adrenaline rush. Secondly, it’s a British-Chinese co-production, a rare breed. And last but not least, it stars the living legend Jackie Chan.

Directed by Martin Campbell (of “GoldenEye” and “Casino Royale” fame), “The Foreigner” is based on Stephen Leather’s 1992 novel, “The Chinaman”. Jackie Chan plays Ngoc Minh Quan, a restaurant owner who has been through hell and back after the IRA took his family. He goes on a mission of revenge after a horrific act of terrorism kills his daughter. He turns to a British government official, Liam Hennessey (played by Pierce Brosnan) for help, only to have him look the other way.

Fun fact: The filming in London of a scene involving the explosion of a bus on Lambeth Bridge caused widespread alarm, as people were not aware that it was a stunt. The movie will mark the first time in which Pierce Brosnan will star in a film directed by Martin Campbell since 1995’s “GoldenEye”.

“The Foreigner” also stars Liu Tao, Katie Leung, Ray Fearon, Rory Fleck Byrne, Stephen Hogan and Michael McElhatton.

“The Foreigner” is slated for release on 13th October 2017.

For more information, hit up the movie’s Facebook page.

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HP Mentorship Project Exclusive NFTs Unveiled At Closing Event

The HP Mentorship Project oversaw the collaboration of eleven Malaysian creative youths and three industry professionals such as singer-songwriter Zee Avi, music producer and composer Daniel Veerapen, and creative director Edwin Raj. Together, they created three audio-visual experiences in the form of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) that brought awareness to the beautiful creatures living in Malaysia’s seas.

The three NFTs featuring Noodie the Noodibranch, powered by cutting-edge HP laptops, were unveiled at the mentorship project’s closing event. Furthermore, the mentors and mentees created 100 unique collectible NFTs, which will be available for viewing and purchase on NFT Pangolin, Malaysia’s newest CryptoArt marketplace.

Mentees of the HP Mentorship Project swiftly developed these art pieces using HP’s thoughtfully designed laptops by attending virtual classes with their mentors and collaborating online using HP QuickDrop and other tools.

Distance didn’t matter because the mentees and mentors were frequently separated – one of the mentees was even in Sabah. The HP ENVY, HP Spectre x360, and HP ZBook Firefly laptops provided to each mentee and mentor allowed them to produce the best work possible.

Managing Director of HP Alex Tan said, “At HP, we believe that one thoughtful idea has the power to change the world. Through this project, we brought technology and creativity together, enabling youth from around Malaysia to create and innovate powered by HP’s latest devices. We will continue nurturing young Malaysian talent and inspiring the next generation through mentoring projects just like this one.”

Additionally, half of all sales proceeds will be distributed to Kakiseni, an organisation that promotes creative expression in all Malaysians. The remaining half of the proceeds will be divided equally among the mentees to further their creative journey.

Anis Sharina contributed to this article.


We Need These Touch N Go Sticks In Our Lives!

Touch N Go sticks, where have you been all this while?

Drivers with short hands often faced this problem. You’re reaching your hand out to scan your Touch N Go card at a toll plaza but you can’t reach it. As a result, you’re forced to unbuckle your seatbelt and open your car door. Pretty inconvenient, isn’t it?

You don’t need to be well-versed in economics or business to know that when there is a demand, there will be a need for supply. Someone was clever enough to come up with a Touch N Go stick. It is designed to hold a card inside. Therefore, you no longer have to go through the necessary hassle when passing through a toll plaza.

A Facebook user named Samantha Leong is currently selling these products in 5 various colours (green, white, blue, orange, and pink). Each Touch N Go stick is sold at RM20 (postage included). For those wanting to purchase a Touch N Go stick from a more reliable source, it is also available at Shopee Malaysia for RM40.

What do y’all think? Is it a necessary stick to have in your vehicle?


CONTEST: 5 Pairs Of Hot Chelle Rae Showcase Passes, Anyone?

Following our announcement more than a week ago, our friends from Sony Music Malaysia just dropped us another huge surprise bomb!  Yes. We know we’ve received a lot of feedback from all you Hot Chelle Rae fans over the past week. Here’s your chance to catch them live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the first time ever!

Oh, and before we forget, we have up to FIVE PAIRS of exclusive showcases passes to giveaway. Yay!


Jay Chou & Hannah Quinlivan Are Currently In Malaysia!

This is not a drill, people! The King of Mandapop Jay Chou and his wife Hannah Quinlivan are currently in Malaysia. The couple were spotted hanging out together at a mall in Johor Bahru yesterday.

A fan broke out the news on Facebook after seeing the couple up close at Komtar JBCC. “OMG, I cannot contained my feelings. I feel so lucky and excited to be able to see Jay Chou and Hannah Quinlivan up close. I don’t even get to see him this close in concerts!”

According to several sources, it is reported that Hannah is currently filming her latest movie in Malaysia and she got injured at the film set 2 days ago. She posted photos of her injured face and hand on her social media.

On the same day, Jay posted a photo of him drinking Taiwanese bubble tea, and in the comment section, Hannah told him to buy a cup for her. Immediately after that, Hannah later shared a photo of Jay delivering the drink to her on her IG story.

A post shared by Jen Hannah (@hannah_quinlivan)

A post shared by Jay Chou 周杰倫 (@jaychou)

It is speculated that the bubble tea Jay bought was from Royaltea Eco Botanic at Gelang Patah, Johor.

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Samsung Announces The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics officially unveiled a slimmed down version of its flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone as the company looks to tap the mid-range market. The Galaxy S4 Mini has a scaled down 4.3-inch display and weighs in at 107 grams, making it easy to carry and operate with just one hand, the company said in a statement.

The S4 Mini’s release follows a pattern for the company of releasing variations of its top phones at different price points in order to target budget-conscious customers, though Samsung has not yet announced its price or launch date. Equipped with a 1.7GHz dual core processor, the Mini also boasts an 8.0-megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.9-megapixel HD front-facing camera.

The full-sized S4, with its high-definition, five-inch screen, has become Samsung’s fastest selling smartphone to date, shifting more than 10 million units globally within a month of its 27th April 2013 launch.

The world’s top handset maker hopes the S4 will expand its presence in high-end markets in the United States and elsewhere, crowding out arch rival Apple and its iconic iPhone.


Veuve Clicquot Introduces Brand New Exclusive Mail Collection

This year, Veuve Clicquot brings excitement to all with a Champagne Correspondence! Paying homage to its distinguished correspondence practices of Maison Veuve Clicquot with its new exclusive limited edition offerings, Madame Clicquot signs, seals and delivers two of her newest offerings of the French champagne house.

Throughout the years, letters have played a vital role in the growth and extension of Maison Veuve Clicquot as Widow Veuve Clicquot is aware of the importance of doing business with a personal touch. Honouring that value and correspondence method, Veuve Clicquot’s arrival of two quirky and fanciful limited edition VAP’s in the Malaysian market — The Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Mailbox and Clicquot Envelope take inspiration from the world’s earliest form of communication — the letter.

Inspired by the iconic American mailbox, the Clicquot Mailbox is the latest light weight metal offered by the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin house. The Mailbox offers an envelope inside once opened for a short personal message to compliment the 75cl Yellow contents — a definite treat to the receiver.

Resembling an envelope, The Clicquot is packed in a cheery yellow foldable wrapper gift box that is decorated with iconic postal stamps and symbols of VCP. The package of The Clicquot Envelope honours the Maison’s long tradition of correspondence through letters, bearing the VCP anchor of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. Once the package has been opened, consumers will be treated to a 75cl bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut.

The Veuve Clicquot Mailbox is now available at Ben’s Independent Grocer and the Clicquot Envelope is available at Jason’s Food Hall and Mercato.


Kris Wu Opens Up About The Struggles He Had As EXO Member

Kris Wu (吴亦凡) has been enjoying his solo career in China ever since leaving his former group EXO back in 2014.

The 29-year-old rapper recently had an interview with Vlad TV’s DJ Vlad. During the session, he spilled the deets on his early life, his past dream of becoming a pro-basketball player as well as his days as a member of the popular K-pop group.

When asked about his childhood days, the Guangzhou-born star open up by saying that his parents were separated since he was a baby. He also added that he never heard from his father ever since their divorce. Both Kris and her mom then migrated to Vancouver, Canada about 10 years later.

“I feel like, I’m just used to it…I’m quite independent. And being with my mom made me more mature and I was able to take things on my own. So, I think it’s actually not a bad thing for me,” said Kris, recalling his younger days. He then continued by saying, “I think it’s definitely one of the reasons why I could be here today, where I’m at because I’ve been very independent through my childhood.”

Kris also shared that he got into hip-hop music thanks to his love to basketball. “After I moved out, I started playing basketball. And Allen Iverson obviously was huge at that time,” the “November Rain” shared, before adding, “A lot of times when I’m watching NBA, hip-hop music will come on. So, I just started doing a lot of research and started searching online – trying to get something to download on my mp3 music player.”

Additionally, Kris talked about how he almost reached his dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. “I got pretty close at one point, because I was playing for the provincial team in British Columbia. I felt like I had a shot at it. But I don’t know why, my mom wasn’t being supportive at all when it comes to basketball,” he added during the chat.

Kris then recalled back to the time when he was 18, when he decided to attend the SM Global Audition held in Vancouver back in 2008. “China has a big market and they had a vision, they wanted their band to be performing and be active in China and all over China. So they wanted me to be in the group,” he shared.

The pop star further shared that he was open to a lot of experience during his short stint in the award-winning boy band. “I feel like it’s more of an experience. I definitely appreciate all the stuff, I feel like there’s good times and there’s the hard times. But I treasure every moment,” Kris said, before adding, “I feel that without that (debuting in EXO), I would never be able to be who I am today. So, it’s just part of my life that I take with me and move forward.”

Besides all the treasured moments he had with all his former members, he dished on some of the setbacks he came across as a K-pop idol. “One of the biggest problems I had was, first of all, all the schedules were super intense and I had no freedom whatsoever. And second, I guess, the thing that bothered me the most is that I had no freedom creatively. I couldn’t do the type of music that I wanted to do,” he revealed.

It is safe to say that luck was on Kris’ side after leaving EXO and also SM Entertainment. He finally got the chance to explore different ventures back in his mainland China. Aside from starring in movie roles such as “Mr. Six” (2015)  and also “Journey To The West: The Demon Strikes Back” (2017), he was able to pursue his own style of music afterwards.

“During the time when I got back, the film industry was blowing up…a lot of opportunities came in…so that’s how I got on board with the acting career and did a lot of movies at that time… I did put out singles now and then to let my fans know I’m still doing music,” Kris further added.

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