A couple of days ago I was scrolling down my Twitter timeline, as one does. I came across a tweet from Billboard‘s official chart account. The tweet listed the top five titles on their Top R&B Albums chart for the week dated June 15, 2019: Free Spirit, Khalid Long Live Love, Kirk Franklin American Teen,…
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BEST NEW MUSIC (4/19)
BEST NEW ALBUM Beyoncé – HOMECOMING: THE LIVE ALBUM Only Beyoncé could have a 40-song album from a year-old live performance be the best album of the year so far. HOMECOMING: THE LIVE ALBUM is a blend of both weekends of her legendary Coachella, sorry, Beychella performances. The album is an achievement in engineering and…
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…
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…
