N.W.A. - Express Yourself

Music Appreciation

“Express Yourself” appeared on Straight Outta Compton and was released as a single in May 1989. Unlike much of the album’s confrontational tone, this track stood apart for its clean lyrics and funk-driven groove. 

Produced by Dr. Dre, the song samples Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band’s 1970 track of the same name. Notably, Ice Cube does not appear on the song; instead, Dr. Dre takes center stage on the mic. The single broadened N.W.A.’s reach, earning radio play and MTV exposure at a time when much of their catalog faced censorship. 

Lyrically, the song is a manifesto about authenticity and creative freedom. Dr. Dre criticizes radio censorship, industry control, and imitation within hip-hop, urging artists to stay original and speak their truth. Lines rejecting conformity underscore the group’s larger stance against authority, though here the message is framed as empowerment rather than aggression. 

Musically, the production leans heavily into West Coast funk, built around a prominent sample groove, crisp drum programming, and layered backing vocals. 

The music video, directed by Rupert Wainwright, uses surreal, dystopian imagery to critique censorship and state control. It depicts a futuristic society where individuality is suppressed, with Dre symbolically challenging uniformity.

 

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.allmusic.com/album/straight-outta-compton-mw0000651981

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nwa-mn0000316120

https://www.discogs.com/master/11374-NWA-Express-Yourself

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/straight-outta-compton-205885/

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0906738/

https://genius.com/Nwa-express-yourself-lyrics

https://www.whosampled.com/N.W.A/Express-Yourself/

Violante Placido

Acting Appreciation

Italian actress and singer Violante Placido, born May 1, 1976, in Rome, grew up surrounded by cinema and performance. She is the daughter of acclaimed actor-director Michele Placido and actress Simonetta Stefanelli, an artistic environment that shaped her early ambitions. 

Violante entered the entertainment world at a young age, making her film debut in Quattro bravi ragazzi (1993) alongside her father. Raised in Italy’s cultural capital, she developed interests in acting, literature, and music, building a foundation that allowed her to move comfortably between artistic disciplines. 

Known for her brown hair and blue eyes, she has maintained a recognizable screen presence throughout a career spanning more than three decades.

Violante’s acting career expanded steadily through Italian cinema during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Her breakthrough arrived with Sergio Rubini’s L’anima gemella, followed by roles in films such as Che ne sarà di noi, Ora o mai più, and Ovunque sei. 

She gained international visibility portraying Moana Pozzi in the 2009 television miniseries Moana, a performance praised for its emotional nuance. Hollywood audiences later recognized her from The American (2010), opposite George Clooney, and as Nadya in Marvel’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011). On television, she joined Transporter: The Series, portraying intelligence officer Caterina Boldieu, further strengthening her presence in international productions.

Parallel to acting, Violante cultivated a music career under the name Viola. Her 2006 debut album Don’t Be Shy… featured largely English-language songs she wrote herself, influenced by singer-songwriter traditions associated with artists such as Suzanne Vega. The single “How to Save Your Life” highlighted her introspective style, blending folk and alternative pop elements. 

She later collaborated with Italian musician Bugo and released her second album, Sheepwolf (2013), confirming her commitment to music as more than a side project. 

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.instagram.com/violante.placido

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0686376/

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Violante_Placido

https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Violante_Placido

https://www.cdastudiodinardo.com/artista_3168_1_1_Violante_Placido.htm

https://www.freeones.com/violante-placido

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/violante-placido-mn0002004387

https://cineuropa.org/en/artist/5387/

MODELING: Justine Nikolaiev

Model: Justine Nikolaiev

Photographer: Arthur-Hubert Legrand

via Normal Magazine

Luigi Russolo

Art Appreciation

Born on April 30, 1885 in Portogruaro, Italy, Luigi Russolo was raised in a musical family. Since his father was an organist, he was initially trained in music rather than formal visual arts. The early exposure shaped his later fascination with sound and noise. 

In the early 1900s, he moved to Milan, where he became involved with avant-garde circles. Although largely self-taught as a painter, Russolo absorbed influences from Symbolism before aligning himself with the emerging Futurist movement, which emphasized modernity, speed, and industrial life. 

Russolo became a key figure in Futurism, working alongside artists like Umberto Boccioni and Giacomo Balla. His paintings often explored dynamism, movement, and the energy of urban environments. However, his most lasting influence came through his 1913 manifesto, The Art of Noises, where he argued that industrial sounds should be considered music. 

Among Russolo's notable works are Dynamism of an Automobile, which captured the force and motion of modern machines, and Solidity of Fog, reflecting the collective energy central to Futurist ideology. 

His paintings Music reveals the transition from Symbolist themes to Futurist abstraction. While his visual output was relatively limited compared to peers, Russolo's interdisciplinary approach -- bridging painting and sound -- cemented his reputation as one of Futurism's more experimental voices.

Self-portrait with Skulls, 1909

Dynamism of a Car, 1913

Solidity of Fog, 1912

Landscape with trees, c. 1940

Sources: 

Wikipedia

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search#!?q=Russolo

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/luigi-russolo-1894

https://www.moma.org/artists/5122

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Luigi-Russolo

Maya Deren

Film Appreciation

Maya Deren was born Eleonora Derenkowska on April 29, 1917, in Kyiv, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. Her family fled to the United States in 1922 to escape anti-Semitic persecution, settling in Syracuse, New York. Deren’s father, a psychiatrist, changed the family’s surname to Deren, and she later adopted the name Maya, a reference to the Hindu concept of illusion.

Deren's early education was marked by academic excellence; she attended the League of Nations International School in Geneva from 1930 to 1933, where she became fluent in French. She later enrolled at Syracuse University at sixteen, studying journalism and political science, and became actively involved in socialist movements. She completed her bachelor's degree in literature at New York University in 1936 and earned a master's degree in English literature from Smith College in 1939.

After completing her studies, Deren returned to New York's Greenwich Village, where she immersed herself in the bohemian art scene. She supported herself through freelance writing and worked as an assistant to various writers and editors. In 1941, she became the personal assistant to African American dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham, touring with her dance company and deepening her appreciation for dance and Haitian culture. This experience influenced Deren's later work, particularly her interest in ethnography and dance.

Deren’s entry into filmmaking came in 1943 when she collaborated with her then-husband, cinematographer Alexander Hammid, on Meshes of the Afternoon (1943), which received the Grand Prix International at the Cannes Film Festival in 1947. The film, considered one of the earliest and most influential works of American avant-garde cinema, explored surreal imagery and a fragmented sense of reality. It established Deren as a pioneer of independent filmmaking, setting the stage for a career that challenged Hollywood’s storytelling conventions. She continued to experiment with visual narratives, using editing techniques, slow motion, and symbolic imagery to evoke dreamlike states.

Other notable works include "Ritual in Transfigured Time" (1946), "Meditation on Violence" (1948), and "The Very Eye of Night" (1958). Her films are characterized by their exploration of psychological themes, innovative editing techniques, and integration of dance and ritual. Deren's contributions have left an indelible mark on experimental cinema, influencing generations of filmmakers.

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.moma.org/artists/1497

https://www.criterion.com/films/27947-meshes-of-the-afternoon

Charleen Weiss

Modeling Appreciation

Born on April 29, 1995, in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany, Charleen Weiss (aka Charleen Weiß) grew up in the very apartment she would later return to after years in Berlin. In interviews, she has described Leipzig as grounding—a quieter environment near lakes and forests that contrasts sharply with big-city life. 

Standing 5'8" (172 cm) with brown hair and blue eyes, Weiss began working early, holding a job at 14 before being discovered as a teenager. She has credited her parents for encouraging independence while insisting she complete her education.

Weiss began modeling at 16 after being scouted on the street in Leipzig. She later moved to Berlin at 19 to pursue castings and agency work more seriously. Her first major breakthrough came with a global Axe campaign, which brought international visibility. 

With classic proportions (34-23-34) and a poised runway presence, she built a steady career in fashion and commercial modeling, eventually amassing a substantial social media following—nearly one million Instagram followers as of April 2025. Despite the glamour often associated with her work, Weiss has spoken openly about the demanding travel schedule and the importance of maintaining personal balance.

In recent years, Weiss expanded into acting, returning to a passion she first explored in her early twenties. After briefly attending acting school in London and stepping away due to self-doubt, she revisited the craft during the pandemic, beginning with short films that led to representation and larger roles. She has since starred in independent film projects, describing the experience as creatively fulfilling and team-driven.

Sources:

https://www.instagram.com/charleenweiss

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Charleen_Weiss

https://yca3.com/babe/charleenweiss

https://youtu.be/94NN_K8y6pU

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Maira Kalman's "Amid It All" for The New Yorker

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cover-story/cover-story-2026-03-23