Arts

Arts

What happened when a writer stumbled upon a famous Puerto Rican astrologer's capes

8:09am August 19, 2023

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon talks with writer Edgar Gomez about stumbling upon a shop selling Walter Mercado's capes. The celebrated Puerto Rican astrologer died nearly four years ago.

Books
Arts

3 works in translation tell tales of standing up to right wrongs

7:00am August 19, 2023

by Lily Meyer

Itamar Vieira Junior's Crooked Plow, Miroslav Krleža's On the Edge of Reason, and Maru Ayase's The Forest Brims Over all emerge from acts of rebellion.

The cover of Daughters of Latin America.

These poems by Latin American women reflect a multilingual region

6:01am August 19, 2023

Sandra Guzmán once heard an alarming statistic: Every 14 days, an Indigenous language dies around the world. So she created a new multilingual project centered on Latin American women.

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3 members of the Memphis hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia. D.J. Paul (from left), Juicy J and Crunchy Black at MTV's Total Request Live on March 22, 2006, in New York City.

Three 6 Mafia turns $4,500 into $45 million with 'Mystic Stylez'

5:59pm August 18, 2023

by Phil Harrell

In 1995, the Memphis hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia took a shoestring DIY approach to recording their debut album, Mystic Stylez. Their example led to a flourishing independent hip-hop scene.

Get ready for lots of toy-based movies trying to duplicate the success of 'Barbie'

5:41pm August 18, 2023

by Stephen Thompson

The Barbie movie is on pace to be the top-grossing film this year. This means we're about to get a lot of movies trying to duplicate that success in a toy-filled cinematic future.

Filmmakers behind Latinx superhero movies like 'Blue Beetle' hope to inspire change

5:11pm August 18, 2023

by Mandalit del Barco

Many of the new movie superheroes star Latino actors or have Latino characters with diverse origin stories — and their creators hope the heroes will influence change.

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DJ Crazy Times and the Eurodance parody that captured a nation

5:11pm August 18, 2023

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with comedian Kyle Gordon, aka DJ Crazy Times, about his new hit song "The Planet of the Bass" — a 1990s Eurodance parody that has taken the internet by storm.

Rachel Zegler will star as Snow White in a new adaptation.

Another Disney princess, another online outrage. This time it's about 'Snow White'

5:09pm August 18, 2023

by Manuela López Restrepo

Rachel Zegler finds herself at the center of another Disney princess outrage. But the way this particular one came about demonstrates the inner workings of a fine-tuned cycle for whipping up fury.

Arts

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend reading and listening

5:00pm August 18, 2023

Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: The Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series, Good One podcast and The Kaiju Preservation Society.

Books
Arts

Isabel Cañas' 'Vampires of El Norte' elegantly navigates a multiplicity of genres

2:06pm August 18, 2023

by Gabino Iglesias

In many ways — setting, historical elements, the mix of romance and horror, the use of Spanish — Vampires of El Norte is the spiritual sister of The Hacienda, and a perfect example of genre mixing.