Cover Story
Rapper Kash Doll on her first mixtape, and why she’s still the next big thing out of Detroit
Brash, bold and beautiful, Arkeisha “Kash Doll” Knight emerged on Detroit’s underground hip-hop scene in early 2014 like a thunderbolt clap. She was instantly crowned “Detroit’s next big thing.” After her reign in the exotic dancing industry, even earning $26,000 in one night, she decided to retire her g-strings and lucite stilettos to pursue a…
Anthony Bourdain gives rare endorsement to Salt & Cedar letterpress studio
The work of Detroit’s own Salt & Cedar letterpress studio scored among the first endorsements by celeb Chef Anthony Bourdain.
Detroit makes list of this year’s most ‘influential art cities’
Wait until you see what they call us this time.
Just announced: Full winter lineup for Andiamo Celebrity Showroom
The Guess Who, Three Dog Night, the Temptations, Andrew Dice Clay, and many more grace the stage at Warren’s Andiamo Celebrity Showroom this winter season. Check the list and get your tickets now, while they last.
This “Christmas Wish” by Brielle Lesley will warm your heart
Lesley, a native of Detroit, sings gracefully in the downtown scenery of Campus Martius
Here’s the video from the Satanic Temple’s state-sanctioned capitol ceremony
The event has been billed as the “nation’s first state-sanctioned Satanic Ceremony in history.”
Just announced: The second ‘J Dilla Weekend,’ in Miami, FL on Feb. 5-7: DJ Premier, Slum Village and more
The full lineup and special early bird ticket deals were announced yesterday on the Dillatroinc website.
A eulogy for Gracie See Pizzeria
The best little west side pizzeria closes after 47 years. Jackman tells why he’ll miss it.
$52 million in construction contracts awarded to local companies in new Detroit arena
According to Olympia Development, more than $27 million of the new contracts are going to Detroit-based businesses.
Rubbed in Corktown to ring in New Year with new dinner menu, look
Rubbed will remain closed until Dec. 29, to make way for a major overhaul.
M-1 listed among ‘dumbest public transportation projects’
In a post we rate as the among the three dumbest on the Internet.
Donald Trump speaking in Grand Rapids tonight
A chance to see a prez candidate and probably hear some wildly offensive statements.
Haunted just covered the Chromatics’ “Kill for Love,” and it’s great
The popular performance artist said on her Facebook page that it’s the first song she’s ever recorded, and that it happened in just 20 minutes, the whole thing. “I am on vocals and he is playing synthesizer.”
Photo of the Day: Spirit of Detroit flaunts its Spartan pride
In case you haven’t taken a walk down Woodward today, here’s a photo of the Spirit of Detroit showing off a little Spartan pride in honor of the upcoming College Football Playoffs. The Michigan State jersey was placed on the downtown Detroit landmark earlier this morning, which, MSU is keen to point out, is the…
Rachel Maddow: Snyder’s anti-democratic policies to blame in Flint water crisis
Maddow says it’s “starting to become inconceivable that nobody has gone to jail, or been impeached, or recalled from office” over the disaster.
‘Keisha vs. Kash Doll’ postponed … but we have a review
Arkeisha “Kash Doll” Knight teased a few of her family, friends, and media outlets with a full first listen of her debut project, Keisha vs. Kash Doll, on Dec. 18 at Collective Studios in Oak Park. The intimate listening party still took place on the expected release date, however the record’s release has been pushed…
Check out this new holiday nugget written by Barret Strong and sung by Eliza Neals
Here’s a brand new holiday gem that ought to appeal to Detroiters of all stripes and persuasions. It was produced and Written by Barrett Strong Jr, co-Produced with additional lyrics by Eliza Neals, and recorded over at Tempermill Studios in lovely Ferndale. We’re informed that the singer will be performing the song “on WDIV Live…
Local cobbler hopes to save some soles this Christmas
God-given shoes.
Tickets on sale for Neko Case at the Majestic on Feb. 26
If you’ve never seen Ms. Case before, you might be surprised at how incredibly charming, witty and absolutely filthy mouthed the singer is. You won’t be surprised at how super talented she is, though.
Let them eat pickle barrels
OK, in the heat of the moment, maybe we were a little too hard on the Detroit News. It’s only natural that we should occasionally find stories in that paper that make us grind our teeth, right? But maybe we were a little too quick yesterday to say we wouldn’t blame anybody for writing the…
Lorraine Platman, mac and cheese, and the ultimate holiday mac recipe
Talking comfort food (and a comforting holiday recipe) with chef-owner Lorraine Platman.
DIA offers free films, exhibition access during holidays
Here’s one way to spend time with the fam during that stretch of time between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Show preview: Failed Flowers, Haunted, Growwing Pains and Haunted tonight, Dec. 18 at Marble Bar
This is a bill where if you miss it, you’ll look back at the lovingly scrawled poster after seeing it on a friend’s wall a few years from now and think, “Damn why did I miss that??!”
Enbridge buys huge ad in Detroit News, says not to worry about Line 5 pipeline
We can’t help but wonder if the ad could have the opposite of its intended effect.
Curt Guyette discusses Flint’s lead crisis on ‘Democracy Now’
Want to understand what’s happened in Flint under emergency management? Watch this segment and see.
Avalon Bakery to make its way to downtown
Avalon International Breads, widely considered a pioneer in urban renewal in the city, announced today plans to open a location downtown in a Dan Gilbert-owned building 1049 Woodward. To be known as “Hearth and Soul” café, this new outpost is expected to employ an estimated 25 new workers, and feature a unique, new dining area set…
New ACLU video shows how city jerked around anti-shutoff protesters in court
The Homrich 9 had a Constitutional right to a speedy trial. The city dragged it out for more than a year and then scuttled the deliberations at the last minute.
Tonight: Let the spirit of the music guide you, with ‘Deep House Yoga Detroit’ at Populux
It’s supposed to be “a high quality yoga class that combines a live DJ with a state of the art sound, immersing each attendee in a relaxing, safe environment to supplement their practice.”
Detroit Water determined to push ahead with shutoffs and other costly, ineffective tactics
The wacky, upside-down world of Detroit water” Where realistic billing is illegal, ratepayers eagerly pay millions in collections fees, and the guy shutting off your water is your “social worker.”
NOW OPEN: Bucharest opens third location in Milwaukee Junction neighborhood today
The new location, just off Woodward Ave., is equipped with parking and is now open for dine-in and carry-out service.
Michigan offers yet another reason for millennials to give it the kiss-off
And this reason isn’t just about Michigan’s knuckle-dragging, Bible-whacking politics.
Dear Sirs: Octogenarian scammed of $14K in an elaborate ruse
Omg, this story just keeps getting worse and worse.
Cold As Life: Music, murder, and the legend of Rawn Beuty
How the infamous Detroit hardcore band was derailed by death, drugs, and self-destruction. A retrospective before the band’s relaunch with two live shows this week.
DPD’s new ‘virtual neighborhood watch’ accused of racial profiling
It turns out Nextdoor users are prone to prejudice and profiling.
Tonight: Special 16mm showing of the T.A.M.I. show at Third Man Cass Corridor
Here’s a very fun event — pretty sure it’s the first event at Third Man Cass Corridor since they opened on Black Friday. They’re showing it on film, in both their Detroit and their Nashville locations simultaneously.
Detroit Vs. Everybody designer partners with Camaro
Camaro vs. Everybody
VIDEO: University of Michigan’s engineering dean drops Star Wars rap
“On a campus far, far away, so far you have to take a bus from Central Campus to get there,” a wise old leader known as Dean Obi Wan Munson has a few things to say — in rap form — about U of M’s engineering program and its path to greatness. We won’t ruin…
Hilberry to become part of Midtown ‘jazz hub’
It’s great news for jazz lovers and the university. For lovers of architecture, not so much.
Atwater partners with local artist for new brand identity
Tony Roko and Atwater make a great pair.
We found the perfect holiday gift for that ultimate MC5 fan
We received a tip from Third Man’s Ben Blackwell that a very interesting MC5 poster is for sale on eBay this week. The poster, for a show up at Cranbrook on April 28, 1967, looks amazing — Charles Moore, Joseph Jarman, and the MC5. The way that so many of the best rock shows back then…
A behind-the-scenes look at Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s latest over-the-top tour
“We have stuff everywhere,” says Adam Lind, the self-proclaimed “guy who’s responsible for everything that goes wrong.” Lind heads up Night Castle Management, the firm that handles all of Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “artistic endeavors.” He makes the remark as he walks through the cluttered hallways of Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, a small town just…
Drink up
Ultimat Vodka 40% ABV Poland has long been considered the birthplace of vodka, and the clear liquor is arguably the most popular in the world. And like any other liquor, some brands are better than others. You can probably guess where Patron Spirits Co.’s Ultimat Vodka lands on the spectrum. Crafted with wheat for smoothness,…
New book chronicles Detroit’s seminal custom car scene
Despite its Motor City moniker, Detroit has found itself unfairly written out of the history of hot rod culture. At least that’s what Bob Larivee Sr. wants to prevent from happening. Larivee is a lifelong auto aficionado from Detroit — a custom car collector and racer for decades who has been involved with Detroit’s famous…
Savage Love: Roughly speaking
Q: I’m a straight 26-year-old man who wants advice on helping my fiancée realize a particular fantasy. We have been dating for three years and are in a happy monogamous relationship. I was always vanilla, but she enjoys rougher sex and light bondage. We’ve incorporated some of this into our sex lives, and we are…
Local retailer is always on the go
A few years ago food trucks were the thing and a rash of motorized eateries burst onto the scene. While a few still survive today, many seemed to have fizzled out. Now a new mobile business may be on the rise in Detroit. By day, Deidra Hogue is a corporate financial analyst for an automotive…
Horoscopes (Dec. 16 – 22)
ARIES (March 21 – April 20): The next few weeks are loaded with uncertainty. Strap yourself in and throw your expectations to the wind. Fortunately, you shine in situations where the only solution is to turn into a flame and sear a path toward whatever the aim is. You are riding on the wind. Get…
Weekly reader responses
Pipeline feedback Last week’s cover story dealt with controversy brewing over Enbridge, Inc.’s 62-year-old oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac. Reader Danielle Todd wrote: Just a quick note to thank you for such excellent reporting on Line 5. It is such a clear outline of what is going on and it really opened my…
Stir it up: When murder isn’t even newsworthy
The first I knew of the murder that took place a couple of blocks from my house was an email from the Nextdoor Greenacres neighborhood website. A neighbor wrote that she’d been walking her dog and heard gunshots nearby. A little later she heard ambulance and police sirens. A few minutes later I saw another…
Vertical Detroit elevates downtown’s food and drink experience
While the growing number of restaurants surrounding the Campus Martius district of downtown Detroit have largely dominated the narrative over the past several months this year, what we’re most excited about is a few blocks away in the Harmonie Park section of town. We’re talking about the Vertical Detroit restaurant and wine bar, perhaps the…
Former lesbian bar is burning up as a LGBTQS club
John Brisson and Alex Sanchez were a little wary when a friend told them metro Detroit’s only lesbian bar, Stilettos, was up for sale, but the couple decided to take a tour of the place anyway. “The first night we went there was a great show, but it was all women except for us,” says…
Politics and Prejudices: Going to the dogs
Two weeks ago, on the same day terrorists murdered 14 people in California, Lucillie Strickland was walking her 4-year-old son Xavier to school when they were attacked by four pit bull-type dogs. They dragged him under a fence and ripped him apart in one of the most horrible deaths I can imagine. The next day…
Mark your calendar today for these upcoming shows
Tickets are now on sale for these events. Jan. 2, 2016, Ne-Yo at the Fox Theatre; olympiaentertainment.com; Tickets from $69 to $125. Jan. 29-30, 2016, Ann Arbor Folk Fest with Richard Thompson, Yo La Tengo, Joan Baez, and many more at the Hill Auditorium; theark.org; General public tickets are $37.50 and $50 for a single…
‘Liedernacht’ reunion gathers Detroit nightclubbers for a good cause
Anyone who’s spent any time in Detroit’s underground music scene in the past several decades has most likely encountered the man known as Stirling at one time or another. A gaunt and seemingly ubiquitous presence, Stirling made a name for himself as a club owner and promoter, whose dance nights at the now defunct gay…
