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(05/24/24 3:33am)
Rap beef and long–lasting resentment fuel hip–hop’s eternally–burning creative fire. While other genres squirm uncomfortably under the pressure of competition, rap never shies away, refusing to stale under tedious PR statements and mutual respect. And what competition can be more interesting than that between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, hip–hop’s two dominant forces? We find commercial supremacy squaring up against the critically beloved: the stuff of great American lore. But, this beef is more than just celebrity entertainment. Rap battles breed something infinitely more valuable—good music.
(04/24/24 6:53am)
Ever since I was a child, I just haven't been able to look away from Ariana Grande. Beauty and acting career aside, she has a musical magnetism that's always struck a chord with me. When I first found her, “Focus” had just come out—this song would later be called a flop by chart watchers, and Grande would ditch the entire concept in favor of what became the album Dangerous Woman. “Focus” would only be added to the end of the album’s Japanese Edition. In the years following Dangerous Woman's release, she would begin to lean deeper into honing every part of her craft, writing and co-writing hits for herself and other singers, while also shining as a producer and vocalist.
(03/29/24 2:28am)
The poetics of hip hop have long been Benny the Butcher’s instrument of choice. As part of rap collective Griselda, Benny the Butcher is one of the few artists to represent the songwriting acumen and narrative grit at the intersection of lyrical and coke rap—a blend of skill and realism that has escaped his contemporaries across a number of genres. He first garnered critical acclaim on the hip hop scene with albums like Tana Talk 3, The Plugs I Met, and his previous project Tana Talk 4, which was released two years ago.
(02/12/24 5:00am)
Conan Gray was christened teen pop’s newest patron saint as early as 2018, when his EP Sunset Season was released. Tracks on the project such as “Crush Culture” and “Greek God” displayed dreamy production paired with yearning, sardonic lyrics that resonated with teenagers, his target audience.
(12/01/23 12:00pm)
R&B singer Mariah the Scientist’s latest album "To Be Eaten Alive," is a testament to her growth and pen as an artist as she tackles her fame, life, and artistry. Released Oct. 27 off of independent label Buckles Laboratories, much of the record’s lyrical content is relevant to Mariah’s experience surrounding her boyfriend Young Thug’s incarceration on May 9, 2022, when Thug and other artists associated with music label and collective YSL were arrested on gang–related Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act charges, as well as her struggles handling womanhood and the music industry. This album is a step in the right direction, proving that her art can perhaps hold its own alongside generational contemporaries by the likes of SZA and Summer Walker. However, Mariah's work tends to reflect the tried and true motifs first developed by the genre’s predecessors, incorporating a love–letter style of writing and airy production.
(11/08/23 2:00pm)
Any person semi–familiar with mainstream country music knows whiskey, beer, and dirt roads like the back of their hand. These often cliché motifs limn radio—friendly portraits of small town bliss. Their inescapable presence in the genre has been a particular point of criticism, due to the lack of originality and performative “southern working class culture” they perpetuate. But, few lyrical landmarks are better traveled in the genre than the pickup truck. HARDY’s “TRUCK BED” bemoans his actions that led his girlfriend to break up with him, as he woke up on the “wrong side of the truck bed this morning.” Morgan Wallen sings about battling alcoholism on “Born With A Beer In My Hand” and mentions that he “put some scars on some trucks, [him]self as well.” But perhaps even more dominant are trucks’ presence in female country artists’ discographies, love songs and all.
(10/24/23 5:04am)
Troye Sivan’s third album, Something to Give Each Other, is a cohesive mixture of club and dreamier pop sounds, boasting a total of three singles out of a ten–track record. Though boundary–pushing, the album shines as a healthy progression from his past singles and features, with some sonic similarities to 2020 release “Easy” with Kacey Musgraves featuring Mark Ronson and 2021 solo release “Angel Baby.”
(10/05/23 7:37pm)
The past two years have seen the prolific rise of new female rap stars. From GloRilla’s “F.N.F.” to Ice Spice’s “Munch (Feelin’ You),” rising female rap stars have been at the forefront of pop culture. Indeed, these young stars’ rises have been marked by high–profile collabs like Ice Spice's verse on "Karma" by Taylor Swift, and cosigns by established veterans like Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. But St. Louis’ own Sexyy Red seems to be running ahead of her peers in terms of grassroots support. Her raw authenticity and infectious nature set her apart—and in comparison, the pull of her originality makes her contemporaries feel manufactured. Sexyy Red, currently best known for her “Pound Town 2” remix with Nicki Minaj and her solo single “SkeeYee” off of the album Hood Hottest Princess produced by Tay Keith, brings a genuine charm to a polished and even plasticky music industry.