The massive influx of new music every Thursday night, it is easy to miss great songs. As we inch closer to the end of Quarter One, I’m introducing a new segment to the site: Five Songs You Need to Listen to Right Now. Lizzo – “Tempo (feat. Missy Elliott)” Lizzo introduced her Cuz I Love…
Category: Music
Iggy Azalea Drops New Banger “Sally Walker”
Quiet as it’s kept, Iggy has been slowly rebuilding her career the traditional way: consistently dropping strong songs and stronger visuals. Last summer, she released a solid EP entitled Survive the Summer which included the endlessly catchy “Kream.” Yesterday (Mar. 15), Iggy released her new single, “Sally Walker.” Sonically, the song is somewhere between Cardi…
New Artist Spotlight: Rashad Leamount
R&B is having a moment. New artists such as SZA, Khalid, Summer Walker, and Ella Mai are redefining and uplifting the genre in today’s new music landscape. Soon, I think we can add Rashad Leamount to that list. With his new single, “Snakes + Ladders,” Leamount offers a slinky blend of reggae-inflected and trap-infused R&B….
The New Solange Album Isn’t for Everybody. And That’s Okay.
Last Friday (Mar. 1), Solange released her fourth full-length album, When I Get Home. Leading up to the record’s release, Solange released snippets of music and visuals on the social media site Black Planet. Each new picture or gif heightened everyone’s anticipation for Solange’s new album. Her last record, 2016’s A Seat at the Table, was a Grammy-winning masterpiece that debuted at…
On ‘Head Above Water,’ Avril Lavigne Sinks
When Avril released her Christian-tinged comeback single, “Head Above Water,” a couple of months ago (read more here), it seemed that she was ready to stake her claim in the new world of pop. Avril’s last major release was her eponymous 2013 album. That record was a collection of grave mistakes (“Hello Kitty”); sad attempts…
2019 GRAMMYs Recap
Allegedly, last night was Music’s Biggest Night. The 61st Annual Grammy Awards were held in Los Angeles; decked out with explosive performances, surprisingly solid results, and tributes galore, the Grammys delivered a formidable telecast despite the lack of major superstars. THE AWARDS Kacey Musgraves’ gorgeous Golden Hour was awarded the top prize (Album of the Year), while…
Ariana Delivers a Dark Companion to ‘Sweetener’ with ‘thank u, next’
When you think of a list of artists who could drop two albums in six months, the list mainly includes rappers. Future, Drake, NBA Youngboy, and… Ariana Grande? On her fifth full-length studio album, Grande reinvents the pop wheel by releasing the antithesis to her Grammy-nominated #1 summer album, Sweetener (review here). Following the culture-shifting…
GRAMMYs Watch: Who’s Taking Home Album of the Year?
This year is going to be full of surprises. Every category in the General Field (Best New Artist; Album/Record/Song of the Year) has been expanded from five to eight nominees. In past years, we could rely on traditional voting patterns to make strong predictions. Now, this expansion of the field, coupled with the increased blurring…
GRAMMYs Watch: Who’s Winning In the Rap Categories?
Best Rap Performance The nominees: “Be Careful” (Cardi B); “Nice for What” (Drake); “Bubblin’” (Anderson .Paak); “King’s Dead” (Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, James Blake); “SICKO MODE” (Travis Scott, Drake, Swae Lee, Big Hawk) As much as I adore Anderson .Paak and his effervescent single, “Bubblin’,” I think it’s safe to say that he will…
Here’s Why Ariana Grande’s “7 rings” Is Not Cultural Appropriation
Now, before we get into some things, I do not speak for the entire Black community and this is simply my opinion. The way I understand cultural appropriation is as such: “A person (likely from a culture with higher socio-political capital) lifts elements of a culture that is not theirs and uses it for (usually…
