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…
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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…
2018 VMAs: Who Will Win and Who Should Win (Part 1)
The most eccentric and fun award show of the year is right around the corner. The 2018 Video Music Awards (VMAs) will take place on August 20 and feature performances from Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj (read my review of Queen here), Shawn Mendes, and more. Every award that will be handed out during the telecast…
The 10 Worst Snubs at the 2018 VMAs
Now that we’ve had about a day or two to digest and dissect the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards nominations, here are the 10 worst snubs this year. 1. Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe in the “Pynk” (left), “Make Me Feel” (center), and “Django Jane” (right) music videos. Along with releasing the best album of 2018 so…
Top 30 Songs of 2018 (So Far…)
30. Cardi B, “Get Up 10” (from Invasion of Privacy) If there was a female version of Meek Mill’s perennial “Dreams and Nightmares,” it would be this fiery and impassioned opener to Cardi B’s debut album. The track details Bardi’s astronomical rise to fame with lines like, “Look, they gave a bitch two options: strippin’ or…
The Story Behind These Never-Before-Seen Photographs of Kendrick Lamar
Last night, two photographs of Kendrick Lamar made the rounds on Twitter. In the photographs, Kendrick sits serenely on his tour bus draped in neutral hues. The person behind these stunning photos taken after a Championship Tour Stop? 18-year-old filmmaker and photographer, Braylen. I got the chance to ask Braylen some questions about his incredible…
Album Review: ‘Invasion of Privacy,’ Cardi B
Last year, Cardi B captivated America’s attention and hearts with her breakthrough history-marking single, “Bodak Yellow” and her inimitable personality. Her debut album, Invasion of Privacy, is a collection of tracks that perfectly encompasses her dynamic presence. The album opens with the passionate and gritty “Get Up 10” which is lyrically reminiscent of Meek Mill’s…
You Should Be Hearing These Songs Everywhere This Spring
Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton, “Say Something” As Chris rises slowly and steadily with his own single, “Broken Halos,” “Say Something” will be the song that saves Justin Timberlake’s Man of the Woods era. The lead single, “Filthy” failed to make an impact, but this country-pop has the potential to conquer pop and country radio and…
The Black Panther Soundtrack Is The Best Album of the Year
The movie hasn’t hit theatres yet, but the Black Panther soundtrack, curated by Top Dawg Entertainment and Kendrick Lamar, is a masterpiece. The album is at once forward-thinking and retrospective. The themes shift between the comic book world of Wakanda, the mind and emotional conscious of T’Challa/Black Panther, black nationalism, black pride, and swaggering bravado. With…
