INTROSPECTIVE: How Dua Lipa Could Change Pop Music

During the early months of 2017, I found myself buzzing through suggested Spotify playlists. At that moment, all the current American hits sounded synonymous and I just wanted something different. Genuinely curious about what “International Hits” were pulsing around the world, I zipped through every song waiting for that string, percussion or vocal to hit […]

#NEWVIBES: Bruno Mars’s Finesse Remix ft. Cardi B

Lathering in the spirited hipster I am, the eighth track off of Bruno Mars’s 24k Magic album, Finesse, is a funky, groovy 90’s inspired record that has been in heavy rotation already with me. The remix featuring Cardi B shot to the Billboards overnight and shows an even more exciting visual. The music video paid […]

INTROSPECTIVE: Is Chris Brown Breaking Barriers Anymore?

Chris Brown is the James Brown of our generation; Captivating, extremely talented, yet limited. In the darkness of his many shortcomings, a part of America (particularly the wealthy and powerful) has blocked him from opportunities. This is evident in his eagerness and determination to just stay current in the music world. He is unapologetically the […]

#NEWVIBES: G-Eazy’s “No Limit”

“No Limit,” a promotional track off of G-Eazy’s upcoming album “The Beautiful and Damned” is a an electrifying upbeat club banger. Assisted by Asap Rocky’s anthemic hook the track enters as a smooth, boastful showering of pleasant references but soon finds it’s pace when Cardi B spreads her grainy Bronx charisma all over the record. […]

A Thought: Welcoming Weird Music

As trends and fads usher in faster and stronger, one phase has become integral in the music world: Reinvention. There has been more genre changes, aesthetic takeovers and surprise albums in the last five years than in the the previous 20. And while many critique this new lifestyle for the mainstream music scene; which undoubtedly […]

INTROSPECTIVE: Demi Lovato’s “Sorry, Not Sorry”

Demi Lovato’s “Sorry, not Sorry” which is clearly an effort to extend her urban reach on radio, is simply an enjoyable record. The significance of the record is not just this unexpected transitioning from Rock-Pop to Urban-Pop but also that her voice is a just do for the genre. From her early beginnings even on […]

2 Chainz: An Unlikely Superstar

Since 2 Chainz’s explosive “Based on a T.R.U Story” album, he has grown into a respectable rhymer for the Hip-Hop upper echelon. While his music may sound simplistic and braggodocious to an average listener, he uses just that as foundation for every style and genre he dips his metaphorical toes in; and it works! He […]

Kehlani: Restoring 90’s R&B?

For a while, I purposefully ignored Kehlani because her music and image appeared gimmicky. Her early tunes seemed too hooky, and didn’t look well for longevity. How I was wrong. A listen to her debut album “Sweet,Sexy,Savage” revealed just how cohesive and legitimate her sound is. Reminiscent of Neo-soul talents like Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys […]

Katy Perry: America’s Favorite Culture Vulture

Katy Perry’s new sound and edgy look has received negative attention. With damaging accusations of “culture appropriation” to being accused of using racial slurs, things with Perry is… bittersweet. While her character is taking quite a hit from fans and activists alike, her music is dominating the charts. It would be criminal of me to […]

MODERN BREAK-UP: Music For The Milennial Soul

I was never a fan of slow, sultry rhythm and blues. As a matter of fact, I purposely ignored the genre because it seemed too vulnerable and obvious for someone like me to indulge in. My younger self categorized R&B as this overpowering monolith of vocally depressing, ridiculously theatrical music propragated through brown faces. The […]