The entertainment industry, like so many other industries, have experience some major setbacks since quarantine and lockdown orders have been mandated because of the coronavirus. Namely, big blockbuster film releases have been affected with production stoppages as well as theater premiere delays.
One such film on the radar for so many fans is the upcoming James Bond project titled No Time to Die starring Daniel Craig. The plot follows Bond in retirement in Jamaica but is quickly taken out of his newfound life because of an old CIA friend requesting his help. What ensues then is a trail of mystery surrounding a new villain who’s equipped with new technology capable of unspeakable destruction.
In its initial release date, the film was slated to come out on November 25th but now the date has been moved earlier to November 20. The reveal was officially announced on the movie’s official Twitter accountwith the caption, “the return of old friends.” It’s important to note that this will be Daniel Craig’s final run as the hero James Bond.
“This is it. That’s it, it’s over,” Craig stated in an interview earlier this year. “But I, for one, am incredibly happy I got the chance to come back and do another one, because… this movie, whatever people think of it — who knows what people are going to think of it — everybody, including these people here, just put everything into it. And we did our best. And it feels like that. I know it sounds simplistic, but we did.”
The cast of No Time to Die also includes Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, Naomie Harris, Lea Seydoux, Ben Winshaw, Jeffrey Wright, Rami Malek, and Ralph Fiennes.
Update – Examining “Godzilla’s” humble beginnings, enviable power and controversy.
Driver’s Ed is a series dedicated to dissecting the cultural importance and history of significant cars. HYPEBEAST and an expert cover everything from the car’s beginnings to its current status, and what we can expect in the future. Driver’s Ed is for the newcomers of the automotive world and the aficionados.
The Nissan Skyline has a history that spans more than 50 years. In 1957 it was introduced as a luxury four-door sedan and five-door station wagon, but throughout the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and beyond it was championed for its successful racing career. By the ‘90s, Nissan’s leading performance model was adopted by a burgeoning scene of car enthusiasts looking to tune them, and as we entered the 2000s the Skyline became a starlet on the silver screen.
The Skyline’s extensive racing pedigree played out both in real life and as a poster child for almost every PlayStation Gran Turismo video game. The Skyline became a go-to choice for many gamers playing the likes of Need for Speed, where a digital version would be the closest they’d ever get to driving any Skyline iteration. Alongside its video game appearances, the Skyline was a lead car in numerous Fast and Furiousfilms, such as the one driven by Paul Walker playing Brian O’Connor whose blue and silver 1999 GT-R R34 became an icon in itself.
Today, Skylines are a holy grail of the car world, a unicorn to most and a challenge for many others as they navigate import regulations and sky-rocketing prices.
History
In 1964, Prince Motor Company — which originally manufactured the Skyline — produced a Gran Turismo variant of the Skyline, dubbed the S54 GT. Prince used the signature Italian abbreviation “GT” to drive sales and make the car desirable.
The S54 GT was also Prince’s lead car in the Japanese Grand Prix in 1964. The car’s loss to the Porsche 904 spurred Shinichiro Sakurai, an engineer for Prince and then Nissan, to make a car that could beat Porsche. Not only did Sakurai have a major hand in producing the first Prince Skyline, he also designed the R380 — the first prototype race car developed by Prince in postwar Japan. It was inspired by the 904’s mid-engine layout and featured a highly-aerodynamic custom-built body, and was also used to break five E-class land speed records in late 1965. In 1966, Prince raced four of its mid-engined R380s in the Japanese Grand Prix against three Porsche 906s — Prince cars placed first and second. This would be the last time Prince would appear on the race track however, as in 1966 it merged with Nissan.
In 1969 Nissan developed its first performance-focused Skyline — what is commonly referred to as the “Hakosuka.” The Hakosuka put Nissan’s racing legacy into gear. While the production model produced a healthy 160 HP — strong figures for a two-liter car from the late ‘60s — its racing variant, complete with a long list of upgrades, won 52 races in its first three years of production. Today, the Hakosuka is a six-figure collectible.
The Turning Point
Nissan re-imagined its Skyline series in the late ‘80s, introducing the R32. Greg Anagnostopoulos, owner of New York’s Skyline Source, an automotive shop that specializes in full factory-correct restorations of various Skyline models, holds a special place in his heart for the R32. “I always thought [the R32] was cool but I never thought it would be possible to see one unless I went to Japan or Australia,” Anagnostopoulos told HYPEBEAST.
“If you look at some of the mechanical and technological features that Nissan offered back in the ‘80s, you’ll understand that the Skyline, especially the GT-R, was a mechanical marvel for its time. Everything from all-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steering, and a race-proven twin-turbo RB26 power plant put the Skyline way ahead of its predecessors,” added Anagnostopoulos.
Nissan beat Porsche time and time again in Group A class races (a series of production-derived vehicles intended for outright competition in touring car racing and rallying). However, Nissan was so successful in Group A races that racing moderators were indirectly forced to change the rules and requirements, following the marque’s winning streak between 1989 and 1993 in the Japanese Touring Car Championship. In 1991, Australia became the GT-R’s first export market and went on to dominate the Australian Bathurst racing series, leaving Australian V8 race cars and the Ford Sierra Cosworth (an outright winner in European Group A races and a cult ‘80s car) in its dust — in turn becoming what Australian press referred to as “Godzilla,” likening it to a Japanese monster.
In 1993 Nissan released the R33 Skyline. Its appearance in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious echoed the go-faster attitude of a burgeoning boy racer and tuner scene. More aggressive styling, more power (and a higher potential output once tuned), coupled with a defined legacy, four-wheel-drive as standard, and a promised NISMO iteration coming in 1996, made for a successful package.
Like its predecessors, the R33 was not available in the United States — despite how certain films painted a picture of a thriving underground tuner scene. It was competing against the likes of the Toyota Supra A80 — another Fast and Furious headliner — which, as Anagnostopoulos notes, was in fact sold in the United States.
“The Skyline has a different appeal and a sort of mystical attraction to people more than any other car I have ever seen before,” he says, comparing it to Japanese Domestic Market classics such as the Supra, Honda NSX and Mazda RX-7. “The reason for this is mostly due to the fact that Nissan only marketed the Skyline in Japan and Australia, pretty much giving the ultimate ‘FU’ to the rest of the world.”
As the R33 GT-R was released in 1995, it has passed the 25-year threshold for importing JDM cars into the United States. This has, in turn, seen demand and prices rise inexplicably. As Anagnostopoulos notes, “Just a couple of years ago you could pick up a decent R32 GT-R for around $12,000 USD, today you are paying around $25,000 USD for a similar GT-R and prices are on the rise.” Those buying the R33 nowadays are recognizing its cultural importance alongside the fact that its looks have aged gracefully — much more retro ‘90s tech than an archaic rectangular slab.
How to Get One
Contrary to popular belief, importing the R33 to the United States is quite simple. As long as you can prove the car’s build date and accurately complete the EPA 3520-1, declare code E and DOT HS-7 forms, all you need to do is arrange for the car to be delivered and processed.
However, as of 2024, the R34 will be legal to drive in the United States without any special permission. As we have seen with previous models such as the R32, bringing a Skyline into the U.S. as they turn 25 years old increases the demand and, therefore, prices. Anagnostopoulos says “as collectors start to realize how important the Skylines are in not only a historical sense but a cultural and artistic sense they will drive prices even higher. I am a firm believer that once the R34 lineup becomes 25 years old we will see values unlike ever before throughout the entire Skyline range.”
The R34 was a groundbreaking car in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, coming in numerous renditions from the standard version to the V-Spec, V-Spec II, the super-limited N1 offerings, M-Specs, and the commemorative V-Spec II Nur edition. There was also the 200 MPH Z-Tune offering, the R-Tune, the S-Tune, and so many more aftermarket tuning options from the likes of HKS and Mine’s, which pushed the R34 to incredible figures around the 800 HP benchmark. It was an exciting car, one that held the track record for a production car at the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit until the Porsche 996 911 Turbo came along. Nissan ceased production of the car in 2002, and the Skyline never returned.
For those looking to buy a Skyline in the U.S., for both show and display reasons or to drive it legally, there are a few things to consider. Some of these cars are at least 25 years old, which as Anagnostopoulos explains is a good thing for those looking to fix-up their newly acquired gem. “If the car has a little surface rust here and there that’s ok but if there are holes in the floor stay away. The main points to inspect for rust on the Skylines are strut towers, trunk floor, window surrounds, trunk drip rails, and most importantly the jack points under the car.”
If your Skyline is looking worse for wear, then Nissan does sell brand new parts under its Heritage Program. “If you find a well-sorted car that has been properly maintained throughout its life you should have very low cost of ownership, but buying that bargain GT-R could cost you more in parts and labor than expected,” says Anagnostopoulos.
The Future
The GT-R R35 is a true homage to its “Godzilla” heritage. Like all that preceded it, the R35 features four round rear lights, a notable rear wing, aggressive styling, a sloped coupe body, a turbocharged six-cylinder engine, all-wheel-drive and supercar-killing performance figures. However, today’s GT-R is somewhat of a supercar itself.
Nissan dropped the Skyline moniker for the 2008 R35, giving the name to its luxury models in Japan, harking back to what a Skyline was in the 1950s. Today’s GT-R has come in many iterations, from NISMO tunes to a 50th anniversary edition, and even served as the inspiration for the GTR-50.
The GTR-50 celebrates 50 years of GT-R production, and is aptly limited to just 50 units. It’s the most expensive car Nissan has ever produced, costing north of $1.1 million USD apiece, and is co-designed by Italdesign, a heritage design and engineering company and brand based in Moncalieri, Italy.
Of course, this model is incredibly exclusive. Fans of the GT-R lineage can get excited for 2021, when Nissan is expected to showcase the next generation: the R36. Little is known about the new model, but it’s safe to assume that Nissan will continue to be innovative with its engineering, meaning we could see hybrid power derived from its GT-R LM Nismo race car and design cues taken from the GTR-50. Nissan is rumored to be stocking the R36 in showrooms before 2025, which is set to be the most expensive and powerful performance-driven model to date.
Ludacris was asked to rate his favourite rappers according to their flow and while he explained his every choice not everybody will be happy about it.
One can think that the question about the top 5 rappers gets old and tired but Ludacris was quite pleased to answer it for XXL. He even stated that this was one of the greatest questions he had ever been asked. Maybe because it had a more specific focus. This time it was about rappers with “undeniable flow”, whatever it means.
So, top five flows, man. Andre 3000 is going to be in there. I feel like he always challenges, always challenges. Imma put Kendrick Lamar in there as No. 2. Imma put J. Cole in there as being, like, right now, I’m thinking of people that are versatile and constantly trying to think of different flows that don’t pretty much have a set flow that they always do. Those are three. Imma go ahead and put Jay-Z in there, man. Jay-Z does different things and he does experiment with different flows. And mostly, his different subject matter and how he’s able to weave through and be on a track with anybody. So that’s No. 4. Damn, man, No. 5.
This is where things got difficult. Only one slot left and so many names were not even mentioned. Hip-hop journalist Shaheem Reid tried to help Luda and reminded him about Lil Wayne, Eminem and Busta Rhymes but it was clear that Ludacris struggled not with remembering big names but with choosing one of them.
I was honestly gonna put Lil Wayne. Damn, this is hard because it’s like you got Lil Wayne… You got Eminem, but Imma have to go with Lil Wayne because the body of work and his consistency. And he’s been in the game almost 30 years. And I was just on Lil Wayne radio. I need everybody to understand that it has nothing to do with life or death and who is living… ‘Cause I love 2Pac, I love Biggie, may them rest in power, and I love Big L, he’s one of those I would say as well but we are going back to what we were talking about. Lil Wayne in terms of the span and how long and how hard it is to be that versatile and continue reinventing yourself through almost three decades, that’s a hard feat. So Imma going to throw him in there too. So I’ve got J.Cole, I’ve got Kendrik, I’ve got 3000 and I’ve got Jay-Z in terms of flows.
According to Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), an analytics network that connects universities, business schools, and students from around the world, McGill ranked second in all of Canada and 31st in the world.
It tied with The Australian National University and King’s College London in the United Kingdom.
The news comes from the 2021 rankings report, which marked schools by six metrics: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.
“McGill University owes its reputation to its 50 research centers and institutes, 400+ programs, rich history, and thriving alumni network of 250,000 people around the globe,” reads the report.
In the 2021 ranking, McGill received a very high academic reputation, with a score of 92.3 and an overall grade of 80.
McGill’s ranking of 31st in the world is four grade better than last year’s 35th overall global ranking,
According to the QS World University Ranking, McGill is now trending upwards after five years of being on the downfall since back-to-back years of being ranked 21st in the world, in both 2014 and 2015.
BAIT and Reebok have teamed up for an Instapump collaboration inspired by DisneyPixar’s “Toy Story,” available exclusively at the Japanese sneaker store.
Originally released in 1994, the Reebok Instapump was initially designed as a running sneaker. The PUMP technology are small inflatable chambers that enable wearers to create a custom, more comfortable fit.
The latest “Toy Story”-themed iterations are inspired by the film’s main characters, Buzz and Woody. One sneaker features detailing and iconography from Buzz’s Space Ranger uniform, while the other draws on the cow-print pattern of Woody’s cowboy outfit.
Alongside the footwear comes a range of T-shirts, each of which ties into the characters of the “Toy Story” film series.
Coming in specially-themed packaging, you can sign up for the BAIT online raffle here to be in with a chance of buying the latest Instapump Fury OG.
The Air Force 1 Low Arrives in Two Color-Sole Options This Month
The Air Force 1s keep on coming, with a fresh two-pack of colored-sole options arriving later this month.
Both pairs arrived anchored in classic white leather and is matched in hue at the nylon tongue, laces, and liners. Options arrive accented in University Red and Black respectively, with colors painting the heel and Swoosh overlays, tongue branding and the entirety of the sole unit, save the white lineal and AIR detail in at the heel. Both pairs are capped off with matching color tongue tags and insoles, as well as white Nike Air embroidery in the rear.
Take in a detailed look at both the University Red/White and Black/White Air Force 1 Lows further on, and look for the duo to touch down at the retailers listed below on June 27th for a cool $90 a pop.
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje will reportedly unify the lightweight title at UFC 253 on September 19.
Gaethje earned his shot at undisputed champion Khabib when he outclassed and stopped Tony Ferguson to win the interim title at UFC 249 last month.
Conor McGregor had hoped to face the American but was shot down by the UFC before announcing his ‘retirement’.
McGregor announced on social media at the weekend that he was walking away from the sport but it is not the first time he has quit, retiring last year before returning to the ring less than 12 months later.
Now Combate claim a date has been selected for Khabib vs Gaethje, the fight targeted to take place in just over three months at an undisclosed location.
It’s no surprise that the bout is still some time away with Khabib having a number of issues standing in the way of his fighting career at this moment.
The Russian has just completed Ramadan, a month in which Muslims don’t eat or drink during the hours of daylight and a period which needs significant time to return to full strength from.
The coronavirus crisis also continues to make life tough for fighters, especially those residing outside of the United States.
Most importantly Khabib’s father remains in a critical condition, having fallen seriously ill last month with problems related to Covid-19.
Father and trainer Abdulmanap was placed in a medically-induced coma last month in Moscow after falling ill with pneumonia. The 57-year-old came out of the coma following surgery but was then placed on life support.
There was some good news earlier this week with his manager Ali Abdelaziz saying there were signs of improvement.
‘Khabib is very strong, his family is very strong and his father is very strong,’ Abdelaziz told ESPN.
‘He’s improving. He opened his eyes, responding a little bit — good sign. Allah is in control. We have faith he will be better, but at the end of the day, it’s completely up to his health whether it progresses or not. But he’s progressing, and we’re very happy about this.’
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