Pittsburgh’s 27-Part Drivable Art Exhibition

Sean Rothermel’s April in Paris of Appalachia art exhibition, which ends 31 July, spans 27 outdoor billboards around Pittsburgh and its surrounding metropolitan area. A billboard across the street from Rothermel’s apartment was both an eyesore and a source of inspiration through quarantine. “I struggled a bit early on in the pandemic and found that creative exploration was a helpful mechanism to cope with the stress,” Rothermel …

Nya Bloom: Better Man

Latinx recording artist Nya Bloom (aka ICON Collective marketing director Aaron Perez) made his solo debut in March. He follows up that initial release with “Better Man,” a massive tune that fuses electronic and alternative influences. On the track, a steady bass line, Perez’s raspy vocals and moments of sonic ascension culminate in a hazy string arrangement and a layered, airy rendition of the chorus: …

The Roots: 100% Dundee

An immensely talented rapper, singer and songwriter, and founding member of the legendary hip-hop group The Roots, Malik “Malik B” Basit has passed away at just 47 years old. Basit began performing with Black Thought and Questlove in Philadelphia in 1987 and appeared on The Roots’ first four albums—widely considered their best—Organix (1993), Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995), Illadelph Halflife (1996) and Things Fall Apart …