Music
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The Root Jams Weekly (5/29/2020): 'Protest Music'
This week, month, and year have been exhausting for Black America. There’s always a battle raging somewhere against power structures that prey and pray for our downfall. Gathered here are a collection of staff-curated songs that embody the spirit of protest. #RIPGeorgeFloyd “Protest Music” (5/29/2020) Playlist Tonja Stidhum Billie Holiday “Strange Fruit” The Beatles “Come…
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Put Her Name in Ice: Beyoncé Is Only the 2nd Artist to Score #1 on Billboard in 4 Distinct Decades
In “Savage Remix,” Bey did say her “whole team [will] eat”—and she didn’t lie! Not only did Meg secure her first-ever #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 list, but Beyoncé has reached a historic milestone of her own. According to Billboard, Bey is only the second artist to appear in the top spot on the…
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Megan Thee Stallion Just Raised Her Price With Her 1st Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 for 'Savage' Remix
Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé can add “No. 1 on the Hot 100” to the list of self-proclaimed attributes—classy, bougie, ratchet, sassy, moody and nasty!—in their “Savage Remix.” It’s official—after debuting at No. 2, the hit song is now No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list! This marks Meg’s first-ever number one song on the…
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Universal Music Group Announces Launch of Def Jam Africa
Monday was Africa Day, the annual commemoration of the formation of the Organisation of African Unity. So it’s incredibly fitting that Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company in over 60 countries, announced the launch of Def Jam Africa, which is dedicated to “supporting the best in African hip-hop talent and culture across the…
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10 Thoughts About the Jagged Edge x 112 Verzuz With the Struggle Sound
1. Coming off of the high that was the Bounty Killer versus Beenie Man Verzuz Dance Party Jam Session No Social Distance In Sight, I personally thought the Jagged Edge (JE) versus 112 joint was going to end up being somewhat underwhelming. That Saturday night Verzuz was so lit and so live, it was the…
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Replay, Revisit, Reject: Did the Long Weekend Give Way to Better Music?
We get it: With everything going on in the world, it can be difficult to carve out time to discover new music. Industry-pushed tunes that you may not even bang with like that could also get in the way of you finding something that tingles your consumer taste buds. While new tunes are usually released…
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Beenie Man and Bounty Killer Gave Us the Best Verzuz Battle So Far
If there’s one thing Jamaicans know how to do, it’s put on a show. And if anyone can put on a show it’s veteran dancehall artists Beenie Man and Bounty Killer, whose Verzuz battle on Instagram Live last night was reminiscent of a clash at a real life Jamaican concert. Before you accuse me of…
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The Root Jams Weekly (5/22/2020): 'What a Bam Bam'
In honor of the upcoming Verzuz battle between legends Bounty Killer and Beenie Man on IG Live, The Root is bringing you a playlist full of the staff’s favorite West Indian island jams. “What A Bam Bam” (5/22/2020) J’na Jefferson Terror Fabulous “Action” Beres Hammond “Last War” Tenor Saw “Ring the Alarm” Tonja Stidhum Beenie…
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We Ain’t Gettin No Younger, so We Might as Well Give 112 Verzuz Jagged Edge a Try
Oh, you thought we were having a regular Verzuz weekend? Nope! Since this upcoming weekend is a long weekend thanks to Memorial Day, aka the unofficial start of summer, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz have managed to provide us with a double feature along with Saturday night’s Beenie Man vs. Bounty Killer showdown. After some speculation…
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Question for the Singer: An Open Letter to Lana Del Rey
Question for Lana Del Rey: Now that you’ve pulled out your MacBook and fixed your fingers to claim that you’ve been criticized and crucified for the inability to truly moan along perform lyrics in your catalog pertaining to “being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing…