As much as people seem to dislike the Grammys and distrust their perpetually scandal-plagued decision-making body, there’s no doubting the authority the awards body holds. Even as viewership remains far below the 20 million+ it once regularly enjoyed, the performances still have the power to make waves, who wins still makes headlines and who loses… Read more
Photo Credit: OVO/Republic It’s not uncommon for an artist to lose their passion – their fire, their spark – as they move up the echelons of stardom. That doesn’t make it any less disappointing to watch it happen in real-time. Case in point: Drake. After releasing three successive career-bests in the form of Take Care,… Read more
Photo Credit: Biz 3 Publicity It hurts to find out that any musician has died as young as Kirsnick Khari Ball, better known as Takeoff, did. But even in a world that does its damnedest to desensitize us to the violent, untimely deaths of Black hip-hop stars (rappers Young Dolph, Drakeo The Ruler, and JayDaYoungan… Read more
Photo Credit: Bryan Bedder (All Photos) You would be forgiven for forgetting that the VMAs are actually about music – discussions around this year’s ceremony focused on Yung Gravy’s surprising choice of date and a controversial, somewhat anticlimactic comeback by Johnny Depp as Moonman. But this year’s award show saw nominations and live performances by… Read more
Photo Credit: Courtesy of DJ Khaled There is something confounding about the success of DJ Khaled. Sixteen years, and thirteen albums, into his career, he has yet to release a truly singular piece of work, let alone a masterpiece. To his critics, Khaled simply does what other DJs do but louder and with a more… Read more
Photo Credit: Zamar Velez/Epic Records Giveon Evans’ biggest hits – with the exception of “Heartbreak Anniversary” have been thanks to other, bigger artists featuring him on their music. Two collaborations with Drake (as a co-artist on “Chicago Freestyle” in 2020 and a featured artist on “In The Bible” in 2021) led to two Top 20… Read more
Photo Credit: Republic Records The best Drake songs captivate people as soon as they first hear them – it’s why he’s responsible for some of the biggest hits of the 2010s. A trio of acclaimed albums and mixtapes from 2011-2015 – Take Care, Nothing Was the Same & If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late… Read more
Photo Credit: Urban Wyatt “Industry Baby” – the collaboration between Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow – felt like it might be a turning point in Harlow’s career, and not just because of its huge commercial success. While the majority of creative credit goes to Nas himself, it remains true that the song offered a… Read more
#10. Lil Nas X – ‘Montero’ Lil Nas X is a one in a million kind of artist, in that he elevates the game for everyone whether you like him or not. Tracks like “Montero (Call Me By My Name” and “Scoop” featuring Ms. Doja Cat show us why Lil Nas X is here to… Read more
Photo Credit: Laith Al-Majali In 2013, Majid Jordan – the Canadian R&B duo comprised of Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman – had the sort of breakout opportunity most artists can only dream of; being featured on Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home” – a top 5 global hit that’s now been certified platinum in… Read more