Oracle Fall 2019

F A L L 2 0 1 9 , T H E A D E L P H I O R A C L E , P A G E 1 9 New Yeezys Worth the Hype? The Adidas Yeezy shoe — one of the most popular shoe brands to sweep the nation in recent times — has been in the spotlight ever since its debut in 2015. This shoe brand was forged by the spontaneous and always creative Kanye West after his departure from Nike. Fast forward to the present day: Yeezy is now one of the biggest shoe brands on the planet. Pulling the same numbers as Jordan Brand in one-fifth of the time, Yeezy has accumulated almost $1 billion in revenue since its adidas release. Now, in 2019, Yeezy has branched out into multiple models. Three of the new designs currently leaked by insiders are the Yecheil, Yeezreel and Yeshaya. They’re slated to release in two versions, one being non-reflective and the other, of course, being reflective and rarer in produc- tion numbers. Yeezys tend to do big numbers in the aftermarket when it comes to lim- ited availability. These colors are new for the brand, with most of its color- ways not leaving the earth-tone spec- trum in the last year. The current release date for these shoes in not yet known, but the most likely scenario is a fall/winter season debut. Whenever they do drop, they are sure to be in high demand. Fashion Fads And Trends By: Kristian Toli, Grade 12 “Jesus Is King,” according to Kanye West, who recently dropped his ninth studio album by that name. “Jesus Is King” adds to his incredi- bly discography of industry-changing albums. West is widely viewed as one of the most groundbreaking artists of this generation; his albums paved the way for and inspired countless artists. His first song, “Through the Wire,” was recorded weeks after a serious car accident in October 2002. For his ef- forts, West earned himself a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Per- formance at the 2005 Grammys. That honor ultimately went to Jay Z’s “99 Problems,” but West did come away with several other awards that year. West realized he was on a path to success and wasn’t afraid to show it. He followed up his debut with the critically acclaimed album “Late Registration.” Filled with features, this album had pro- vided one of the most popular records of the modern era, “Gold Digger,” for which West received the coveted Grammy award that Jay-Z had earned the previous year. Debuting at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 chart, “Late Reg- istration” sold more than 860,000 copies in its first week. Skipping ahead to one of his most industry-changing albums, 2008’s “808s and Heartbreak” has inspired many of today’s rap and hip-hop art- ists with its pioneering sounds, mixes and auto tune use. This album was created after the death of West’s mother, whom he never hesitated to say influenced his success and music. Moving forward to albums like “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (2010) and “Yeezus” (2013), West solidified his success and reached the high point of his career. At this point, he had become the pinnacle of what he rapped about in his songs. Yeezus is a play on the name Jesus, as West called himself a rap god (like on the track, “I Am God”). West then went through some per- sonal and professional struggles, as many artists do. Years later, on his 2018 album “Ye,” he gave listeners a raw glimpse into his mind, revealing that he had been diagnosed as bipolar. The album was dark, and gave fans a reason to sympathize with their hero. Releasing “Kids See Ghosts” later that same year, West furthered the aes- thetic he had set previously on “Ye.” Now West has stated that he feels re- born as a Christian, finding new faith in God, and he doesn’t hesitate to show it. He began performing “Sunday Service” shows, hiring a choir and traveling the nation performing Gospel music and his own music for free. He hasn’t charged a dollar for any show this year, especially near his release of “Jesus Is King.” Showing the same signs of almost every other album, the reviews of the album are split down the middle. There are people who haven’t found a way to let go of the past and continue to hold it against the artist, and there are fans who accept West for who he is. Though po- larizing in many respects, West remains one of the most productive, influential and innovative artists in the world. By: Kristian Toli, Grade 12 Three of the new Yeezy designs currently leaked by insiders are the Yecheil, Yeezreel and Yeshaya. Music Review: Kanye West’s Discography