the scoop

the scoop

hip music party at u-pie

For The Love Of Hip Music II, a pre-Valentine’s Day party sponsored by local hip-hop duo Daboondox, will begin at 10 p.m. Saturday at University Pizzeria, on Lincoln Avenue near the Youngstown State University campus. Admission is $5 to the 18-and-over event.

DJ Killin will play dance music between performances by Kraze Tha Lost Son, Danny Hedrix and DaBoondox. “This will be an all-out dance celebration,” said Troy Napier of DaBoondox. “We encourage everyone to come out and celebrate with that special person in your life.”

The ’Dox have added new features to their already unique show. “We added a video screen with videos matching our performance,” said Jeff Killin, the other half of the duo. “We will continue to reinvent our sound and show.” The show will also include skits and props.

‘inferno’ is hot

While literary classics rarely get turned into video games, they share some DNA. Where would role-playing games be without “The Lord of the Rings”? What would horror games such as “Silent Hill” look like without the influence of H.P. Lovecraft?

So turning a 700-year-old poem into a video game — as Electronic Arts has done with “Dante’s Inferno” — really isn’t that much of a stretch, says executive producer Jonathan Knight.

“Dante synthesized hundreds of years of theological debate, reached back into myth and created this amazingly rich and detailed work,” Knight says.

Knight points out that “Dante even spec’d out a boss character for each level.” And, of course, “the last boss is Lucifer.”

summer science camp

PITTSBURGH — Registration is now open for Carnegie Science Center’s Summer Science Camps.

More than 30 camp themes are available this year for kids ages 4 to 14. Returning are classic camp favorites such as Kennywood Science — where youngsters learn about the science behind amusement parks, then venture to Kennywood to see first-hand what makes it tick. Also coming back are several robotics-themed camps, such as roboworld Camp and Introduction to Robotics. These camps allow kids to explore how robots sense, think and act with a wide variety of activities.

In addition to a week of themed activities, all Science Center camps include access to hundreds of hands-on exhibits (including Highmark SportsWorks), an Omnimax film, and a summer camp T-shirt. Pre- and post-camp care is available as early as 7:30 a.m. (for an additional $25 per week) and as late as 5 p.m. (for an additional $50 per week), and can be arranged when parents or guardians call to register. Complete info is available at CarnegieScienceCenter.org. Registration is open and available now; call (412) 237-1637.

foxx’s philosophy

LOS ANGELES — Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx says music got him where he is today. He encouraged the next generation of musicians to pursue their passion Tuesday at Walt Disney Concert Hall, where Foxx helped present $500,000 in new violins, flutes, French horns, trumpets and drums to students from 16 high schools nationwide.

The donated instruments are part of the Fidelity FutureStage program, an effort by the investment firm to enrich arts education in public schools. The 4-year-old program provides instruments, specialized training and a chance to perform with renowned orchestras, such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Boston Pops.

hot song

Mariah Carey’s “Up Out My Face” (Island) seemed like a surefire hit when it first came out last year. But on the remix, which is the first single from Carey’s upcoming album “Angels Advocate,” Nicki Minaj steals the spotlight with her wild delivery and clever rhymes. Though Minaj has been scenery-chewing on recent songs from Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke, “Up Out My Face” may prove to be her breakthrough.

musical message

What Becca Levy lacks in years she more than makes up for with heart. The 13-year-old Washington, D.C., native has just entered her teens but has already had her fill of the drunk driving accidents that kill thousands each year. Becca is using her music to make a difference and she is looking for a few Ohio teens to do that very same thing.

“Did you know that every 32 minutes, a person dies in a drunk driving accident in America? When I learned this, I realized that this was something I wanted to do something about — and the best way was through music.” Becca is the spokesperson for the Stop Drunk Driving Now Kids Saving Kids CD Campaign. A total of 30 artists will appear on a digitally distributed CD, and the music will be available for free downloading by anyone in America. When people visit the page to hear the music, they will see a host of messages — designed by high school and college students — about the brutal costs of drunk driving and prevention messages.

To submit music for consideration, send a MP3 or a WAV file of one of your songs — age, hometown, and your parents’ contact information — to ksksubmit@stopddnow.com. You must be 18 or younger and have recorded at least one original song.

historically snarky

If you’d prefer your classroom lessons be served with a side of snark, check out “The Smart Aleck’s Guide to American History” by Adam Selzer ($12.99, Delacorte Press). Wonder what being an early settler would have been like? “Imagine that it’s about 1493. You were born a manure shoveler in some rural European village ... Then, one day, you get word that a whole new world has been discovered, and that it’s full of wonders and treasures that are yours for the taking if only you’ll go on a voyage to explore it and cram your religion down the locals’ throats.” From the early settlers to the 20th century (although this last section is short, and a bit of an afterthought it seems), the book covers everything (we at least) would need or want to know. There are questions, and a rundown of “Some of the stuff we missed,” at the end of each chapter.

pop around

Those same-old self-photographed digital camera shots getting old? For fun times with friends, try a different way to document your memories. Uncommon Goodsuncommongoods.com) has some cameras that are unique and worth checking out. The Pop 9 Camera ($40) is for all you Andy Warhol fanatics. Using a single shot — still life, action, portrait, your choice — each print comes out with nine identical images. The pattern repeats itself into wall-worthy pop art.

Distortion more your thing? Check out the Fisheye camera ($50), which, you guessed it, snaps every shot from a fisheye lens (aka what the world would look like if you were a goldfish trapped in a bowl). It also comes with a handy suggestion and how-to booklet to more creatively capture the world through a fish eye.

If your tastes are more elegant and refined, check out the Diana Camera ($50), which over saturates the colors and gives a dream-like tone to pictures. There’s also an instructional booklet as well as “Diana: True Tales and Short Stories,” which will let you explore the history of the camera.