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Saturday, February 22, 2025 — Houston, TX

Charlie Cruz

A&E 2/18/25 10:43pm

Review: Drake and PartyNextDoor’s “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” is lackluster damage control

By Charlie Cruz

Drake and PartyNextDoor’s “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” is an embarrassment — 73 minutes of recycled ideas, lazy songwriting, and some of the worst attempts at experimentation Drake has ever put on wax. It's a bloated mess of an album, proving that just because two artists have chemistry doesn’t mean they should make an entire project together. But the biggest issue isn’t just the lackluster music — it’s the fact that this album is Drake’s first release after his career-altering loss to Kendrick Lamar. Instead of delivering something impactful, he gives us limp attempts at reassurance and 21 half-hearted party songs.  

A&E 2/18/25 10:41pm

‘¡Ritmo!’ 2025 brings art, soul and celebration to campus

By Charlie Cruz

The Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice hosted its annual ¡Ritmo! showcase Feb. 3, filling the Grand Hall with music, dance, poetry and Latine culture. This year’s event, themed “Arte y Alma (Art and Soul),” brought students together by highlighting the connection between artistic expression and cultural identity.

NEWS 2/4/25 11:24pm

Student Judicial Programs investigates snow day antics

By Charlie Cruz

Rice students climbed onto the roof of Lovett Hall Jan. 21 during a snowball fight in the academic quad. The Rice University Police Department received a call about students on the roof, which prompted officers to respond and direct students to leave. Student Judicial Programs is still investigating the situation.  

A&E 1/28/25 11:30pm

Review: Central Cee’s “CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS” is polished but predictable

By Charlie Cruz

Central Cee’s “CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS” is both a testament to the UK rapper’s rapid ascent in the global rap scene and a reminder of his limitations. Serving as his first major-label release under Columbia Records, the album arrives with significant anticipation, following the success of tracks like “Sprinter” and “Doja.” While “CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS” delivers polished production, a handful of standout features and some unexpected surprises, it ultimately feels held back by repetitive flows and familiar themes.  

FEATURES 1/28/25 11:03pm

Cracking the hack: Rice alum wins RP2350 Hacking Challenge

By Charlie Cruz

Identify vulnerabilities, test strategies and defeat the enemy: to the right minds, hacking is much like winning a battle. Duncan College alumnus Aedan Cullen recently made waves in the cybersecurity and hardware engineering communities by hacking one of Raspberry Pi’s most secure microcontrollers, earning a $20,000 prize in the process. Cullen’s achievement was unveiled at the RP2350 Hacking Challenge hosted by Raspberry Pi and Hextree.

NEWS 1/28/25 10:43pm

DEXA body composition scans available at Rec

By Charlie Cruz

The Rice Recreation Center recently introduced Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry scans, which Anatolia Vick-Kregel, senior associate director of health and well-being at Rice, described as a cutting-edge method for body composition analysis. DEXA scans provide a detailed breakdown of muscle mass, body fat percentage and bone mineral density.

A&E 1/21/25 10:48pm

Review: “Balloonerism” is a graceful tribute to Mac Miller’s legacy

By Charlie Cruz

Mac Miller’s “Balloonerism” is a delicate balancing act — a posthumous release that feels deeply personal yet walks the fine line between honoring an artist's legacy and commodifying it. Unlike other releases from late artists, which can feel like haphazard collections of half-finished demos (The Party Never Ends by Juice WRLD comes to mind), “Balloonerism” is a cohesive, almost ethereal work.

NEWS 1/14/25 10:59pm

H&D rolls out new spring dining schedule

By Charlie Cruz

Housing and Dining unveiled a restructured dining schedule for the spring semester, introducing extended meal times and continuous weekday dining. Lunch and dinner times are staggered at different serveries — for example, Baker offers lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., while Seibel offers lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Under the new plan, at least one servery will be open at any given time between 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays.

A&E 1/14/25 10:33pm

Bad Bunny's "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" is a love letter to Puerto Rico

By Charlie Cruz

With “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Bad Bunny kicks off 2025 with an electrifying return to his roots, creating an album that is equal parts tribute, reinvention and celebration of Puerto Rican identity. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio doesn’t just deliver 17 tracks; he crafts a vibrant journey that honors the traditions of his homeland while fearlessly reshaping the landscape of Latin music. It’s a bold, deeply personal statement that reaffirms his place not only as a global superstar but also as a cultural ambassador for Puerto Rico.

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