New York, NY – Mary J. Blige has been given a role in the third season of MTV’s limited Scream series. According to a press release, Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment will executive produce. The Grammy Award-winning R&B legend joins the previously announced all-star cast, which includes Keke Palmer, Tyler Posey, Tyga and C.J. Wallace. Scream is set in Atlanta […]
Los Angeles, CA – Much to the surprise of partygoers, Kanye West popped up on guests at a private function for his longtime friend, creative director Willo Perron, last night (April 17) in L.A. To the excitement of the attendees, Ye brought out Kid Cudi for an impromptu set in celebration of the 10th anniversary […]
Chicago, IL – Chicago’s Reeseynem has teamed up with Chance the Rapper for his new track, “What’s The Hook.” On Thursday (August 17), Reeseynem dropped the uptempo song, produced by Nate Fox and TrapMoneyBenny. Chance the Rapper can be heard in the background, ad-libbing as Reeseynem opens up the song. Chance then jumps in and starts his […]
Stevie Wonder rushed to Aretha Franklin’s bedside on Monday, wanting to see her one last time before her death on Thursday. Wonder recounted the visit to CBS This Morning on Friday: “I flew out from L.A. to Detroit and went to see her and spoke with her. She wasn’t able to speak back, but her […]
Aretha Franklin’s legendary voice is rightfully the center of most remembrances of the Queen of Soul. But her almost unparalleled run as a recording artist is a marvel unto itself: She was the first female artist to place 70 songs on the Hot 100, and she’s tied with Stevie Wonder for the most No. 1s […]
It is by now not news that Ariana Grande has a brief song on Sweetener that is called “pete davidson” (lowercase hers), and is about — spoiler alert — her fiancé Pete Davidson. In the scheme of Permanent Relationship Monuments, this ranks somewhere below getting tattoos for each other, but above moving in together in […]
Yesterday we lost Aretha Franklin, and as we reflect on the many stories she left behind, there are a few that stand out. From her classic ability to shade to that time she was on Murphy Brown to the time she made Carole King’s whole life, Franklin was an ever-present force in the music industry […]
New Orleans, LA – YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Tory Lanez will serve as performers at the fourth annual Lil Weezyana Fest, according to Lil Wayne. The reveal was made on Thursday (August 16) in a post uploaded to Wayne’s Instagram account. In a caption for the flyer, the rapper promised “This will be one […]
New York, NY – Before Travis Scott hits the road on the recently announced Astroworld: Wish You Were Here Tour, he decided to treat himself to some new ink. On Thursday (August 16), La Flame shared a photo of New York-based tattoo artist Scott Campbell going to work on his scalp. “Getting tour ready,” he wrote […]
New York, NY – Although Ariana Grande had originally appeared to promote her new Sweetener album on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with just a simple comedy skit, the unfortunate circumstances of Aretha Franklin’s passing put the talented singer in the hot seat. Insiders at TMZ learned that Grande initially wasn’t with a shotgun […]
Nassau, New Providence – As Mass Appeal continues to power through with its Hip Hop Turns 45 celebration, N.O.R.E. has stepped in the arena (no Gang Starr) to rattle off his top five Hip Hop songs of all time. It should come as no surprise the Lefrak legend’s pick of the litter is unanimously East […]
The most satisfying approach to Aretha Franklin’s monumental body of work is chronological. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t jump ahead and cherry-pick any song you like. They’re all good. They’re all inspiring. They all display her astounding virtuosity. But to get a feel for her dynamic growth as an artist, start at the […]
A new Janet Jackson album is on its way, and if you aren’t already psyched about that, you soon will be. Last night the singer dropped her first music video in three years, and it’s easily the best block party you’ll go to all summer. And it’s no wonder, since it’s directed (and personally signed) […]
When she’s not composing for contemporary dance and theater productions, short films and performances, Başak Günak, also known as Ah! Kosmos, makes her own music. As a solo performer or accompanied by a guitarist, she has performed at several festivals in Europe and Japan and supported acts such as Sigur Rós and Jonny Greenwood’s Junun Project. Her first release, Bastards, introduced the […]
Reese LaFlare’s first studio album has touched down on streaming outlets. The former Two-9 member’s self-titled debut is comprised of 14 tracks, including his “Drip Like That” single. LaFlare’s LP features collaborations with Pusha T, Young Thug, Ty Dolla $ign, Gunna, Smokepurpp, Yung Bans and Vory. Check out the Reese LaFlare stream, cover art and […]
Stefflon Don aims to expand her reach beyond the UK with the release of her new mixtape, Secure. The British rapper’s latest work features 16 tracks, including the single “Lil Bitch.” Future, DJ Khaled, Popcaan and Sean Paul are among the guests on the project. Check out Steff’s Secure stream, cover art and tracklist below. […]
Fort Worth, TX – Even though rapper Tay-K has been locked up at the Tarrant County Lon Evans Correction Center for over a year, that’s not keeping him out of trouble. According to the Star-Telegram, the North Texas teenager was allegedly caught with a cellphone last month and has racked up another felony. Sheriff’s officials […]
Wyclef Jean has returned with a new single titled “Letter To Canibus” featuring — that’s right — Canibus. Despite their tumultuous history, the two MCs have evidently made peace. Their contentious relationship stretches back over two decades, when Canibus was signed to Clef’s Refugee imprint. Clef was enlisted to produce Canibus’ debut album, 1998’s Can-I-Bus, and […]
Harlem, New York – After already adding his twist to kicks like the Ventilator and the DMX Run 10, the longstanding partnership between Harlem staple Cam’Ron and Reebok continues with the official release of the Fleebok 4s — a revamped take on Allen Iverson’s iconic Question sneakers, which turned 22 this past June. Adorned with […]
Those who weren’t blessed with a few coins from Travis Scott during his $100,000 Twitter giveaway this week can be happy to know some of it went to a good cause. Days after the chart-topping artist made the announcement, a handful of fans have come forward to reveal they were one of the lucky few to […]
Brooklyn, NY – Chance The Rapper has been booked to headline Spotify’s RapCar Live event in Brooklyn. The streaming service announced Chance’s participation in a press release on Thursday (August 16). Tierra Whack, Sheck Wes and DJ SpinKing are also scheduled to perform at the concert. The RapCar Live event series was launched in 2017. […]
Gospel is the most American music. It is a music of perseverance, of adapting to strange new land, of faith in the capacity to overcome insurmountable hardship. It is the unintended side effect of slave masters nudging displaced African captives toward Christianity, where they saw their own struggles mirrored in the travels of the Israelites […]
While a few Ariana Grande fans complained that Aretha Franklin had inconveniently scheduled her death, the songstress herself took time to pay respect to the late Queen of Soul even on the eve of her new album’s release. While she was originally scheduled to appear on The Tonight Show briefly to promote her album Sweetener […]
Ariana Grande’s eagerly anticipated fourth studio album Sweetner has arrived, and it’s got everything: lowercase titles, that Pete Davidson song, Missy Elliot, Pharrell, and Nicki Minaj. Grande did decide to add Davison’s last name to the title of the song about him because, as she tweeted, “i like the way it looks i love his […]
Billy Corgan has been hosting his own AMA over on Instagram (thank you, questions feature) and yesterday gave fans an interesting bit of tri. According to Corgan, “We were offered the end credit song for Shrek 1 but the offer was withdrawn and given to Smashmouth [sic] (who had hit with Monkees song).” He later […]
Say Anything frontman Max Bemis released something of a loving manifesto today, in conjunction with the announcement that the band would not tour to support or the release of their forthcoming, and possibly final, album. Oliver Appropriate will be the band’s 10th studio album, and the process of making it took a toll on Bemis, […]
When Aretha Franklin sang, everyone who listened felt the purest version of heartbreak, love, or joy. Whichever way she wanted to bend your heart, she could. Hers is the pen behind some of American music’s most enduring songs, but when she decided to cover someone else’s, she took it in exciting, emotional, and usually jaw-dropping […]
When it comes to Aretha Franklin, the clichés are all true: She was larger than life. Her voice was the centerpiece of any room it floated through. She was able to succeed through multiple seismic shifts in music without losing her center. Looking at this survey of photos, most of which are of Aretha in […]
It’s been seven years since P.O.S. and Astronautalis — collectively known as Four Fists — put out a collaborative project. The Doomtree MC endured a kidney transplant, while Astronautalis got married. But now, the duo is back with a new single titled”Dork Court.” The track comes from their upcoming album, 6666, which boasts 11 tracks […]
New York, NY – Hot 97’s Funk Flex is taking his beef with Cardi B to another level by claiming the platinum rapper paid for radio spins. On Wednesday (August 15), the record-breaking rap star hopped on Instagram Live to address rumors she paid people to show her music love. The new mom explained her frustration with […]