Latest news with #Kingmakers
Los Angeles Times
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Review: Kingmakers by Sophie Lark
Kingmakers , a saga written by Sophie Lark, is the perfect mix of both thriller and romance, brought to life by the characters Anna Wilks and Leo Gallo. Anna and Leo have been friends since childhood, due to their families being mafiosos in their respective regions. Upon their eighteenth birthday, they are sent to a classified school hardwired for training mafiosos, called Kingmakers. This school is defined by harsh discipline and a relentless work ethic, but each student attending has a drive unlike any average adolescent. However, there is no guarantee of surviving school – there is always a possibility of death during the activities and hostility from competing students. Kingmakers follows Anna and Leo as they try to maintain their relationship, and perhaps more, while battling other students and surviving their cut-throat school. This saga was a blend of thriller and romance like no other. While there were elements of a romantic relationship between characters, there was still a grander plot guiding the story and making it exciting for non-romance lovers. I enjoyed it greatly as the characters were very precise and disciplined, unlike unnecessarily flawed characters in other books whose authors so desperately try to make them relatable. Another element I enjoyed was the exciting dangers that were consistently being thrown at all characters. There truly was no dull moment, and I feel as if the author was trying to display how the world keeps moving and does not stop for you; therefore, do not get caught up in your own life and forget what is around you. While I truly enjoyed this book, some parts seemed rather unnecessary. Between mafia families, there is expected to be rivalry; however, some characters were rivals just to be rivals, and oftentimes, such rivalries did nothing to move the plot along. Some characters were mentioned once with a long paragraph of sheer hatred towards the main characters, and then were never mentioned again. This confused me at some points, as at random moments a new character was introduced and another would be forgotten. Despite this, this saga was very enticing and easy to read once the characters were fully introduced. While this saga may be fiction, some elements of the book are educational and beneficial for adolescents to learn. The characters in Kingmakers display resilience, discipline, strength, and courage. Each character has their own flair, but ultimately, they strive to be their strongest self, showing great discipline and perseverance. Youths nowadays lack discipline and often indulge in pleasure after quitting a difficult project or activity. Reading this saga would not only be interesting, but also inspire adolescents to mimic the actions of the characters, pasting their traits into their own. Another lesson gleaned from Kingmakers is the ability to withstand immense pressure and pain. Leo is often subjected to pressure, as he is the top-ranked student in all physical and most academic tests. Yet despite all this, he still manages to persevere and stand firm, as in his head he is not breakable. If adolescents adopted this trait or mimicked it, the world would have a tougher, more resilient incoming generation, one that can withstand any obstacle thrown at them with composure. While some readers argue romance sagas are non-educational, I disagree, as Kingmakers sets ideal standards for young adults through its characters, a hopeful line inspiring young adults to adopt these traits. Related
CBS News
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Oakland record label Kingmakers Music uplifts the Black community with socially-conscious rap
Rap music has long been a voice for struggle triumph and everyday life, but one Oakland record label is using it to create something deeper. 24-year-old Alonzo Henderson is doing something you don't see from many rappers. Henderson, who goes by the stage name Zo1, isn't laying down edgy lyrics or hard-hitting beats. He's going for something far less common in the rap world — a love song. "It's very life affirming music that anyone can enjoy and listen to," he said. In a world where controversy sells, Zo1 is proving that you don't need explicit lyrics or shock value make an impact. His latest track, "Feelin' the Luv," is produced by Kingmakers Music, a non-profit record label with a mission to uplift Black men in Oakland through music and mentorship. "We're not developing musicians. We're developing great human beings," said rapper Jahi, who has been working in music for a quarter century, including collaborations with Chuck D of the groundbreaking political hip-hop group Public Enemy. He is also Kingmakers Music's director. According to Jahi, the goal is to make socially-conscious music that steers clear of drugs, violence and profanity. "It's a misnomer to think that the only way you can rap or rhyme is to put derogatory words," he said. Socially conscious rap isn't new. It's been part of hip hop since the beginning. But labels like Kingmakers are bringing it to the forefront, using music as a tool for change. "Hip hop is a house of many rooms and we've been in the cussing room a lot. We've been in the shooting room a lot. We've been in the violence room a lot," Jahi explained. "But there's a mediation room. There's a mindfulness room. There's a lyricism room that speaks about love and joy and introspection and family. And I want to invite people to spend some time in those rooms as well." In addition to their non-profit label, Kingmakers also run academies focused on animation, fashion design and media production. For zo1, stepping into those rooms didn't just shape his sound it; helped keep him on the right track — both in music and in life. "I was getting caught up with different people, but I had folks behind me that would just show me different ways to do things and the right way to go," he said.
