Alexis Krauss, frontwoman for of-the-moment rockers Sleigh Bells, compiled some of her top musical picks for our April/May issue. Below are the tunes that make her tick.     “Genesis” by Grimes “She’s already released two records, and I loved ‘Oblivion,’ the first single she put out, but I’m really into ‘Genesis.’ I’ve been listening to it pretty obsessively.” You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view ... Read More

Femcees have a hard time in the hip-hop game. The industry seems to think that it can only acknowledge the work of one female rapper at a time--and each new one gets compared to Nicki Minaj, no matter how little the two have in common. Though female rappers are often treated shittily, talented new acts are popping onto the scene every day. One of my current favorites is Nitty Scott, a Brooklyn-based rapper who spits ridiculous, clever, and ... Read More

Like many people, I am beside myself over The Hunger Games movie. When I first saw the trailer I felt the sort of excitement that Harry Potter fans have known for years. Do you think they’ll build a Panem Park in Orlando right next to the The Wizarding World? I hope they make it super realistic, with a dome where you have to fight for weapons and dodge swarms of hybrid killer bees. I should start teaching myself to wield a trident ... Read More

Like many people who work in an office, I find chair-dancing to be an integral part of getting through my day. If we learned anything in 2011, it's that sitting down is definitely killing all of us right now, and until I get that treadmill desk, I plan to fidget my way to a marginally longer life.  This week's regimen has been soundtracked by this excellent Soundcloud mix of Nicki Minaj's mixtape hits, made by NYC ... Read More

It's Friday! Gotta get down…OK, well we all know what comes before Friday, and guess what? If that day didn't excite you before, it will now. Or at least this new mixtape from the Weeknd will. It's called "Thursday" and it's just as smooth and sexy as it's predecessor "House of Balloons", if not more so. Download it today. It's ... Read More