Author Archives: Burt Helm

It’s not exactly a British invasion. Dizzee Rascal is the second English rapper to have a major album release in the United States, following The Streets’ release of “Original Pirate Material” last year. And the best feature of his album “Boy in Da Corner” is not that revolutionary — or even catchy or intelligent — »

Relationships take a lot of care, attention, and time, and on Valentine’s Day, you want to show that someone just how special she is. But this year, skip the hum-drum Valentine’s roses, dinner and play. Your relationship is going too smoothly anyway. This time, “spice things up” emotionally by taking her on one of these »

I have an announcement to make. I have a girlfriend now. By “now,” I actually mean for about nine months, but she didn’t really feel comfortable with me writing this column for a while. What? Why are you making that whip-cracking noise? Wait, don’t stop reading! Please don’t stop reading! Yes, this is the column »

Even if you don’t think you’ve heard of Kanye West, you’ve already heard him. He was the beatmaker responsible for hip-hop classics like Talib Kweli’s “Get By,” but also for mainstream chart-toppers like Jay-Z’s “Girls Girls Girls,” “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” and most recently Ludacris’ “Stand Up.” And songs from his first solo album, “College Dropout,” like »

Bad boys, bad boys, watcha gonna do? Watcha gonna do when they come for you? The Yale University Police Department is tucked away on the far end of campus in a weathered old house on Sachem St., a block past the hockey rink. It’s a strange place; inside there is a short hallway, with cramped, »

So last Thursday night I got hassled by some townies, and my friend Starks kicked the door of a moving car (it was a Mini, with four dudes inside. They deserved it). Where were we? Closing time outside of BAR, of course. Ahh, closing time on Crown Street. It has all the chaotic diversity of »

Hey, dude, how’ve you been? I know, seriously. So, what’d you end up doing this summer? That sounds awesome. OK, now we’ve gotten that out of the way. So – Pretty, much, the “how was your summer” question elicits one of two responses from Yale kids. Either you did some ridiculously hard finance internship/selfless volunteer »

Rock stars drive Ferraris. So do investment bankers, high-priced litigators, and the idle rich. The rest of us are stuck with rusty Geo Metros, emasculating Chevy Malibus, or our parents’ 1990 Subaru station wagon. But is there really that much difference between a guy in a Bentley and a guy in a Pinto? When you »

One of the best parts of being a DJ on an FM station is doing shout-outs. I am a DJ on Tuesday nights on “The Love Zone” on 94.3 FM, WYBC’s commercial radio station. In addition to doing my weekly song dedication of “Do Me Baby” to my suitemate’s sister and mom (hey, can I »

Over spring break I took a trip to California, and while I was laid-over in Chicago I overheard these three guys talking at the gate near me. They were all in college, very gangly, and aside from one kid with a flat-top, all had gelled side-parts. From listening I learned the three of them were »

Thomas Carlyle once said, “Society, which the more I think of it astonishes me the more, is founded upon cloth.” The man’s totally right. Style is important, especially when it comes to clothes–it’s probably the sole reason that last Thursday, I almost got involved in a three-way. But let me tell the story from the »

I have to admit, Valentine’s Day is not effin’ sweet. You can’t help feeling a little left out on Valentines Day when you’re single and watching the couples walk from place to place, engaging in cute activity after cute activity. You guys are going ice skating and then out to dinner? That is SO adorable! »