While veteran journalist and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa was bound by a virtual screen during her South by Southwest keynote, her presence was felt inside the Austin Convention Center.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner dug into the spread of misinformation and how it's been weaponized by the world's political powers to threaten democracy.
Read MoreParis Jackson hit the stage at Scoot Inn to flex her new musical muscles and introduce the roaring crowd to a small friend tucked inside her boot laces during a South by Southwest set.
The 23-year-old musician soared during Wednesday night's performance, as the crowd bobbed their heads, swayed their bodies and used their cell phones to record Jackson's high-spirited performance.
Read MoreDid you see those fluttering lights above the city's skyline Sunday and Monday night? We did, too, and we decided to find out how they all came together.
What you saw (or missed) was a promotional push for the new "Halo" TV show, which had a screening at South by Southwest at the Paramount Theatre on Monday afternoon.
Read MoreSaturday update: Nicolas Cage called!
After printing more than 500 flyers and projecting a building-scaled picture of actor Nicolas Cage against a downtown wall with the message "PLEASE CALL ME" around South by Southwest, superfan Robby Schnetz's wish was granted.
Schnetz, 31, received a call from the Academy Award-winning actor, known for roles in “Con Air” and “Face/Off,” on Saturday afternoon. And as the Austinite promised he would, Schnetz thanked Cage for the work he’s done in Hollywood and told him that he was, in fact, his biggest admirer.
“I wanted to just thank you so much for everything, all the years of content you’ve put out, all the roles you’ve chosen and the characters you’ve played,“ Schnetz told Cage, who is in Austin for the premiere of his movie "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent." “It’s amazing and I honestly feel like I am your biggest fan. I can’t necessarily prove it, but in my heart of hearts, I really do believe I am.”
Cage thanked Schnetz for his support, and let him know his outrageously ambitious efforts didn’t go unnoticed.
“I’m a film enthusiast, too. So anytime somebody is interested in a movie or cinema, I’m always happy to talk, Cage said. “But I just wanted to let you know I got your message and I called you and I wish you the best of luck on all your endeavors.”
Earlier: South by Southwest has long been a festival bursting with super-fandom, with droves of fans pouring into downtown Austin hoping to spot their favorite actors, musicians and influencers.
If you've already made rounds on Day One, you've likely seen one of the biggest signs of fanship floating around this year's festival, the first in-person SXSW in two years.
Slapped across the columns and walls of the Auston Convention Center are flyers featuring a photo of actor Nicolas Cage with the messages "I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN" and "PLEASE CALL ME" above a 737 area code phone number.
The fan responsible is Austinite Robby Schnetz, who printed nearly 500 copies of the flyer in hopes of connecting with the "Face/Off" and "Con Air" actor, whose newest film, "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," is one of the most anticipated flicks to screen at SXSW. The film plays at 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount Theatre.
We gave Schnetz, 31, a ring to talk about his admiration for Cage, the bold move of posting his phone number throughout downtown Austin, and the hundreds of calls and texts he's received from impersonators of the Academy Award-winning actor.
Although we were initially sent to his voicemail, where the Plano-native requested a verification selfie in case we were Cage, we finally got a hold of him for a quick Q&A.
This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
American-Statesman: Out of all the fans of Cage, what makes you the biggest?
Robby Schnetz: I don't know if I could technically prove it because there are so many people, but I know in my heart that I am.
I started younger, man. One of my fondest memories with my parents was when I was super young. We watched "Con Air," and it was funny because he played some guy named Cameron Poe in the movie. The thing was, I had a friend in elementary school named Cameron Poe, and that's why my parents were like, "Hey, let's watch this movie."
They already saw it but they wanted me to see it so that I could go, "Oh hey, there's my friend." But you know, I watched (Cage's movies) throughout the years, and when I got to college, he was the main actor my roommates and I really started to follow.
But now, I got shower curtains, pillows, coasters, even a Nicolas Cage flag. I just know that in my heart of hearts I am his biggest fan. And if he's here in Austin, like, why wouldn't I do this stuff?
What about Cage made you such a massive fan?
I mean, he's been around for so long and he's not like one of these, "Oh, I'm gonna do a couple of blockbusters, get my millions and get out." He's not just doing roles for the box office. He's doing roles for the fans and because he wants to do them.
In his past couple of movies he had little dialogue, and in "Willy's Wonderland" he had no dialogue. He can act without saying a word. And with his upcoming movie, "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," you can tell he did this for the fans just by looking at the trailer. This is him thanking the fans and really appreciating everything they've done and supported.
I don't know many actors that would do that and go out there and be like, "Yes, I'm going to play myself and give myself to this role." He really loves the fans and is an actual actor. Well, he is more of a thespian than an actor.
Why did you decide to print out the hundreds of flyers?
(Cage) was here a few years ago doing a movie, and I was, you know, a poor college kid. I didn't have the money. I was going around hoping to see him. But at this point, now in my 30s, I got a couple hundred bucks to just say screw it. Why not just try it?
Aren't you afraid you'll get calls and texts from weird strangers?
I've gotten literally hundreds of calls and texts of people pretending to be Nicolas Cage. I guess it's all a part of the process to find him. You have to play to win.
How excited would you be if you actually got a call from him?
I don't get starstruck that often by celebrities and stuff like that, but to actually meet somebody that you admire so much, It's going to get my heart pumping. I just want to thank him for all the content he's put out through the years. I just want to say, "Hey, I appreciate everything you've done artistically." I just appreciate his talent.
If the flyers don't work, anything next?
(I'm) going to see if this digital projection on buildings can get me to meet the legend himself or if it can get me into the movie premiere.
It’s hard to imagine a time when the masses weren’t drawn to artist and fashion designer Kanye West, a man who's spearheaded some of the biggest cultural shifts and era-defining trends since he first stepped into the industry spotlight.
But the Netflix documentary Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy chronicles the days when West was a quietly confident producer who was known for his soul-stirring beats but fighting to land a record deal as a solo artist.
The first two episodes of the three-part film, titled “Act I: Vision” and “Act II: Purpose,” are pieced together from 20-year-old footage recorded by now-director Coodie Simmons, who gave viewers a glimpse into the recording sessions of songs that made West a household name. Simmons, who directed the project with fellow filmmaker Chike Ozah, first turned his camera to West with the belief he would ascend to rap superstardom. But even with his remarkable foresight, not even Simmons envisioned what kind of force West would become in the world of fashion.
Nobody knew — except Ye.
The self-proclaimed “Louis Vuitton Don,” a nickname West first christened himself on the song “Last Call” from his debut album The College Dropout, mixed luxury brand pieces like Dior, Gucci and others with streetwear essentials — which blurred the lines of modern couture forever.
From leather kilts, Margiela masks, and Venetian shutter shades, hip-hops fans and high fashion mavens have been drawn to West's influence. And for the 44-year-old rapper, conquering the fashion industry was a goal he set from the time he signed his record deal at Roc-A-Fella Records.
“If West’s rubber BALENCIAGA RAIN BOOTS aren't evident enough, HIS STYLE has always been AGAINST THE GRAIN.”
In “Act II: Promise,” West made his intentions clear during an interview following his car accident in 2002: “I had an accident and almost died and everything, right? But I was sitting up in the hospital for the first seven days, and I’d just be watching TV and I just came to this revelation …. people are like, ‘You almost just died. What came from this?’ And I just sit back, and just decided that I’m going to be the best, the best, dressed rapper in the game because their gear was crazy whack.”
If West’s rubber Balenciaga rain boots aren't evident enough, his style has always been against the grain. On his song “Touch the Sky,” West addressed how his stylistic choices early in his rap career hindered his success: “Back when they thought pink Polos would hurt the Roc/Before Cam got the sh*t to pop/The doors was closed/I felt like Bad Boy’s street team: I couldn’t work the locks.”
In the same way he was viewed as an artist, West’s clothing style didn’t fit the mold of a “rapper,” which better aligned with the gangster rap image that loomed over the genre in the early 2000s. When everyone was wearing XXXL Mitchell & Ness jerseys, jump-rope length chains and baggy jeans in the early 2000s, he was draped in bright rugby shirts, a monogrammed Louis Vuitton backpack and Ralph Lauren sweaters adorned with the "Polo Bear," later inspiring the “Dropout Bear” that was placed on his first three album covers.
Throughout the documentary, West was also spotted in Superhero and movie-themed graphic T-shirts, knit turtleneck sweaters and a retainer that was far from camera shy. While maligned at the time, a lot of the pieces West wore 15-20 years ago are touted in high fashion circles today, which is a true testament to his vision for future trends. Vintage Polo pieces and other brands West donned in his “College Dropout” days are treasured items for hype beasts and online resellers, and some pairings would even hint at future brand collaborations.
During West’s Def Poetry Jam performance of “All Falls Down” called “Self Conscious,” he wore Adidas Superstars, and even sported a Gap shirt throughout the series, foreshadowing the release of his “Yeezy Gap engineered by Balenciaga” collection in late February.
But in time, everyone would begin to rap, produce and dress like West.
Before becoming a rap superstar, West maneuvered through the industry on his own accord, using the scraps and resources he had to place his form of artistic expression at the forefront. And much was the same when it came to fashion. Even with a Louis Vuitton footwear collection, West arranged to intern for Fendi in 2009 alongside the late Virgil Abloh, who was the artistic director at Louis Vuitton's menswear collection before he passed in November 2021.
The New York Times reported that the two men were making $500 a month to run errands and fetch coffees at the famed fashion house. And in a 2013 interview with former BBC Radio 1 host Zane Lowe, West reaffirmed his genius, claiming that he and Abloh introduced the idea of leather jogging pants to Fendi – a trend that would emerge in high-end circles years later.
In 2009, West enlisted industry notables such as Abloh, Don C, Kim Jones, who was Louis Vuitton’s men’s artistic director at the time, and others to establish his first clothing line in 2009: Pastelle. It wasn’t his first dive into the depths of fashion design — that was Mascotte by K West, which was scrapped in 2004, but Pastelle was his first full-fledged attempt at creating his own brand.
But after West’s outburst against Taylor Swift at the 2009 Video Music Awards, Pastelle’s LA office shut down and his plans for the brand’s flagship stores and events soon did as well, according to Complex. His frustrations were made public during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!,”where West talked about the resistance he’s faced at the gates of the fashion world.
“I WANT to make the next RALPH LAUREN.”
“I spent 10,000 hours at this; I dedicated my life to this. And a lot of people say, ‘OK, you know, you have to do music.’ Imma keep doing music, but what if people told me I couldn’t rap. What would have happened? What if people told me I couldn’t perform?’” he said. “I’m only 36 years old, I have other goals and other things, and I’m going to use my platform and every platform to stand up and say, ‘I want to make something. I want to make the next Ralph Lauren.’”
While the interview was nearly a decade ago, it’s reminiscent of the moment in Jeen-yuhs when West played “All Falls Down” to a puzzled music executive, whose colleagues roamed in and out of the room, and he left the Roc-A-Fella office momentarily deflated.
After footwear deals with Louis Vuitton and Nike, West continued to push for his own clothing line and would eventually take the reins of his Yeezy brand in 2015. And in the seven years since its inception, the brand’s apparel and sneaker releases have helped boost West’s estimated $1.8 billion net worth, according to Forbes.
Yes, the numbers are astronomical, but West’s impact has been nearly unmatched because of the stylistic trends he’s set ablaze. He broke ground years ago with collaborations and footwear deals with high fashion brands, inspiring other rappers to level up their drip game and even delve into the business of fashion.
As Yeezy has generated millions of dollars — and quenched the thirst of hype beasts from around the world — he’s opened doors for others to succeed in fashion and has consistently drawn in the industry’s top talent. Designers like Heron Preston and Matthew Williams, who’s now the creative director of Givenchy women’s and men’s collections, have made their marks in fashion after working alongside West and his extended creative team.
So, while many will point to West’s polarizing statements, failed presidential campaign, thickly rubberized rain boots (for now, at least) and his antics on social media, which has half the country calling Pete Davidson “Skete,” his impact in fashion is undeniable and will remain an integral part of his legacy – just as he envisioned.
After a series of hard-fought intellectual battles against some of the country's brightest college students, University of Texas student Jaskaran Singh was crowned winner of the "Jeopardy! National College Championship" during Tuesday's ABC broadcast.
Singh, a senior and finance and economics major, claimed the championship title and the grand prize of $250,000 after facing off against Raymond Goslow of Kennesaw State and Liz Feltner of Northeastern University.
Read MoreIn East Austin, high-rise apartments and newly built complexes are signs of gentrification in the historic area. But nestled inside the ever-evolving district is RichesArt Gallery, a Black-owned creative space that aims to redefine American history with a new exhibit.
On the gallery's walls are the faces of Malcolm X, Maya Angelou, Jean-Michel Basquiat and other iconic Black figures. The lively watercolors and oil paintings highlight these figures' stories as cultural and political trailblazers while conveying a message that transcends their artistic forms.
Read MoreFor jazz musician Miles Smith, the poignant sounds of classical strings and soothing tunes from the likes of Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and other legends of the genre echoed through his home.
There was never a moment of dullness, Smith, 21, said. Every morning, his ears were filled with the reverberating sounds of trumpets, saxophones and piano keys, with jazz seemingly becoming an inescapable fix.
And with both his parents dedicated musicians and music professors at Ohio State University, the Fort Collins, Colorado native — who moved to Columbus at age 12 —said his culmination as an instrumentalist was a near formality.
"I like to joke that I was either going to become a musician or be disowned by my parents," Smith said jokingly.
Named after American trumpeter Miles Davis, Smith, now a Dublin resident, picked up the drums at age 3 before switching to the trumpet in sixth grade. From there, "jazz was an earworm that never left his body," Smith said.
"That was the turning point," he said. "I pick up the trumpet in sixth grade and think, 'Maybe this will work.' I picked it up, notes started coming out, it was feeling pretty good."
Instead, his affinity for jazz music soaked deep within him, becoming a sequential part of his every day. And while many his age gravitated to other popular R&B and hip-hop artists, he leaned toward the genre that got its start in the backwaters of New Orleans.
"It's something to be prideful about," he said. "With jazz becoming a lost art, but still very present even in 2021, is something I'm very proud of. It found its way to me, and jazz music just felt right."
Now, Smith is a member of the OSU Jazz Emsemble and the OSU Fusion Jazz Ensemble, led by his father Mike Smith.
As he held a picture of a younger Miles Smith resting in his arms as he conducted a band, Mike, 61, looks at his son's artistic growth in awe.
“He has an absolutely amazing ear," Mike said. "He can hear (the sounds) and spit them out. He formed an intimate relationship with the trumpet. He could figure them out and play them out.”
Mike, a lecturer and jazz professor at OSU, said even during those early stages, he knew Miles would morph into an incredible artist.
That never shocked him. What surprised him is Smith's affinity for teaching, a role he vowed he’d never do.
“I'm thrilled by it," Mike said. "I really am.
"Me and his mom laugh at it because they seemed to do anything but teach. Both of them have found they excel at it. It’s funny but it's heartwarming to see it happen. I hear him giving lessons on Zoom to people and I marvel at how good he is at that.”
Between his commitments at OSU, Smith works as an instructor at various Columbus-area schools and previously held teaching stints at the Lincoln Theatre, a place he frequented often as he built up his own command of the leadpipe.
Gamal Brown, associate director of The Lincoln Theatre, said Smith’s involvement there has been an incredible addition and has provided assistance toward to developing local musicians through practice and education.
“I'd love to see organizations use (Smith) as the poster child for what jazz is in the city," Brown, 49, said. "They would benefit from him as a source,"
Smith said he works as an instructor to inspire other young, Black kids to embrace their inner musician, just as his professors and mentors did for him.
Along with his parents’ influence, Smith credits the mentor-to-mentee relationships he’s developed with famed musicians and former professors for his musical maturation.
Having met and briefly instructed Smith when he attended OSU, Jon Lampley, 32, said he had the talent from the start.
Lampley, who currently plays with the house band of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," quickly recognized Smith's desire to be great in the time they spent together.
From listening to Smith, Lampley said he knew he had the tools to be a great musician.
"I gravitate towards people who are inspiring and uplifting, and to be able to have a direct line of inspiration at an early point is really cool," he said. "I'm excited to see how Smith progresses, and hopefully, we can make some music in the not-so-distant future."
Anthony Stanco, 32, Smith's former trumpet professor at OSU, said the young musician's budding talents are only surpassed by his dedication to the craft.
"I've always been blown away from his talent," said Stanco, who currently works as a professor at Michigan State University. " To play this music, you have to be around the culture, and Smith does that."
From transcribing the solos of Miles Davis and fellow trumpeter Clifford Brown, Stanco said given Smith's love of the genre, the sky is the limit.
"If you take care of the music, the music will take care of you," he said. "That is huge, and I don't see him having a national name as a far stretch. As his previous instructor, I'm going to help as much as I can."
As his young musical career marches forward, Smith said there are many things he wants to pursue. While grad school is a possibility, he's thought about a full-time role at the Jazz Arts Group or the Columbus Jazz Orchestra and, more recently, teaching on the collegiate level like his two parents.
But above all, Smith said he wants to reach the heights of Lampley and others who have inspired him.