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Connor Hayes

OPINION 11/15/11 6:00pm

Baker 13 incident unfair for Baker student

By Connor Hayes

On Oct. 31, 2008 I ran Baker 13 for the first time. That night I trotted around in all my glory, proud to be participating in such a storied tradition. After all, Baker 13 on Halloween is one of the few chances in your life where you can run naked with over 250 of your closest friends. Otherwise, you have to wait until your 60s when you join that nudist colony outside of Boca Raton that your awkward uncle always fantasizes about. In any event, I was proud to participate in the former instead of anticipating the latter.

NEWS 5/18/11 7:00pm

Online Only: Technology killing the radio star

By Connor Hayes

On days when I forget to bring my iPod into the car I am forced to listen to the radio. On one such occasion last week, I tuned into Houston's KRBE 104.1, a pop radio station that's a far cry from my usual playlists of Carole King, Dave Brubeck, Justin Bieber and the Wu Tang Clan. Maybe they had the Bieber, but still.  

OPINION 4/14/11 7:00pm

Annual Outdoor Show represents KTRU's relevance

By Connor Hayes

Last weekend's annual Outdoor Show was a complete success, and members of the Rice community have only KTRU to thank for a full day of engaging festivities and excellent music that went off without a hitch. Having been in attendance for previous on-campus concert flops, KTRU was able to provide a completely new and different experience by organizing an event that centered on enjoying great music and discovering new local bands – two of the station's principle missions.

NEWS 4/7/11 7:00pm

Rice students receive free tickets to Final Four

By Connor Hayes

While the Owl's basketball season ended at the hands of the University of Tulsa during this year's Conference USA tournament, 300 lucky Rice students were able to experience March Madness first hand at Monday night's NCAA championship game held at Reliant Stadium.

OPINION 3/17/11 7:00pm

LPAPs unncessary and potentially dangerous for Rice varsity athletes

By Connor Hayes

More than halfway through my final semester as a student at Rice, I have begun to realize that I rarely take time to reflect on my experience as an Owl. Many seniors panic at this point in their academic careers, terrified of missing something on their Rice "bucket list," now faced with the realization that they will soon be unable to ever go back and relive their glory days.

NEWS 2/24/11 6:00pm

Religion and hip-hop course engages community

By Connor Hayes

Anthony Pinn, Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies, has taught a course on religion and hip-hop since the Spring of 2007. The class has always been among the most popular in its department, with around 150 students enrolled each year. This spring's course, however, filled to its capacity of 240 students during the first day of registration. The reason behind the sudden increase in student interest is no secret: Pinn is now co-teaching the course with a very popular guest. A tangible cross-campus buzz began to spread when Pinn announced late last spring that Port Arthur, Texas rapper Bernard Freeman, known more commonly as rapper Bun B, would be joining him in Duncan Hall each Tuesday and Thursday morning.Freeman, known simply as "Prof" to Pinn and his students, explained that his vast career experience as a rapper and his intimate connection with the city of Houston make up for his lack of a background in academia.

NEWS 2/10/11 6:00pm

Feature: "Joke candidates" are no laughing matter

By Connor Hayes

Martel College seniors Erik Tanner and Daniel Hays entered the Student Association presidential debate Monday night as "joke candidates," allowed to participate in the forum for their comedic value over their presidential merits. As the debate came to an end and candidates were afforded the opportunity to give a closing statement, Tanner and Hays turned to a more serious tone, offering thoughtful remarks on the state of the university. "There's something amazing at this university - there's a bold, irreverent and funny nature to it, and there's a freedom here that doesn't exist anywhere else," Tanner began. "Unfortunately, that side is starting to die for us - that spirit is starting to wane."

NEWS 1/27/11 6:00pm

Talkin' to the Cool Kids

By Connor Hayes

The Warehouse Live's packed house erupted at the first 808 beat as Chicago-based rap duo The Cool Kids hit the stage last Sunday on the last stop of their "Road to the H-Town Sneaker Summit" tour. While some people reserve their day of rest to worship in a more traditional sense, these fans were taken to church and rap-baptized by two 20-something indie rappers in a crowded nightclub, which is no small feat in a city that holds its hip-hop holier than most.The Cool Kids sport a style that seems to meld the braggadocio, clever lyricism of the east coast ("I'm the new cat diggin' in cans in the alleyway/Fuck Simon - you should do what Mikey say,") with the thick, syrupy bass of the South. They've carved out a niche with young fans who appreciate metaphors over melodies and subs over samples. The group played a combination of tracks from their 2008 EP The Bake Sale, their digital-release mixtapes and their long anticipated upcoming LP, to be released through a promotional deal with PepsiCo.

NEWS 12/2/10 6:00pm

Decoded reveals meaning of Jay-Z's lyrics, identity

By Connor Hayes

Shawn Carter's aptly titled book, Decoded, is a deep exploration into his monumental rap identity, "Jay-Z," and the lyrics behind his work. His significant influence not just as a rapper, but also as a businessman, entrepreneur and media mogul is juxtaposed with his violent, drug-ridden beginnings.The book's design, with Carter as the art director, is consistently beautiful. Clean lines and images correspond with the constantly changing topics, and the front cover is a striking all-gold reproduction of Andy Warhol's "Rorschach." Unfortunately, Decoded's excellent design definitely overshadows the storytelling.

NEWS 11/18/10 6:00pm

Bouncing Cats: not about funny kittens

By Connor Hayes

Because of my undying love for feline-related videos, I was immediately excited to review a film entitled Bouncing Cats and interview the filmmakers. However, upon discovering that the title of the film referred to a Ugandan beatboxing technique instead of cute kittens, I was less enthusiastic. Due to my lack of interest in actually doing work and my self-diagnosed agoraphobia, I almost did not go to the screening - until I came across something that changed my mind on the spot. I was going to interview Bun B. I was down to ride, and thanks to my hypochondriasis-induced amnesia, I was able to forget about my aforementioned preoccupations.Much to my surprise, I walked away from the event not starstruck from meeting Bun B or the others associated with the film but with a fresh and inspired perspective of an unbelievable cause. While I had an interesting conversation with Bun B, I was awestruck by my time with Abraham Tekya.

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