Music
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30 Days of Musical Blackness With VSB, Day 4: Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, 'Be Real Black For Me'
Since first discovering Donny Hathaway, he’s been my favorite singer ever. His version of “A Song For You” is one of the few musical compositions to ever bring tears to my eyes and I’ve made it a point to own every ownable composition of his in multiple formats. I’m also a Roberta Flack fan, though…
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30 Days of Musical Blackness With VSB, Days 2 and 3: Tank and The Bangas, 'Spaceships' + The Roots 'Act Too (The Love Of My Life)'
You’re getting a twofer today; it’s a celebration, bitches! This weekend I made my way up to Philadelphia for the 12th annual Roots Picnic (whole article comin’) to celebrate my 40th birthday (more on this coming soon, too) and because of the amount of drinking and shenanigans I participated in, Day 2 got lost in…
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30 Days of Musical Blackness With VSB, Day 1: Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, ‘They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)’
June is Black Music Month and we here at VSB have decided to celebrate with aplomb and splendor. Just like we did back in February with our 28 Days of Literary Blackness series, we also love music and relish in the opportunity to celebrate that love as frequently as possible. Sometimes you just have to…
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10 Thoughts About the Wu-Tang Clan and Their Showtime Documentary Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics & Men
1. I got into the Wu-Tang Clan very late to the game. It’s not because I didn’t think they could spit—I did, but the sound was just too dirty for me. I was a very big fan of Dr. Dre and DJ Quik and they both produced very cleanly, so to speak. And also, one…
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Cardi B Unleashes On Tabloids in New Single 'Press'—So, Are Folks Pressed About It?
“Pop up, guess who, bitch?!” Cardi, that’s who. The outspoken rapper is back with a new single called “Press.” And the name speaks for itself—the song is about the press, as in, the news, the blogs, and the tabloids. The single is a quickie and Cardi goes hard on several topics including her daughter Kulture,…
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Party for the Purple One: Jay-Z and Tidal to Host Release Celebrations for Prince’s Originals Album
Prince not only colored the world with his own music, he also contributed to the music of other iconic artists. And, as we all know, that color was purple. As we continue to celebrate his legacy, Tidal has announced their special line of events to honor the late musician and his posthumous album, released by…
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‘Realer’: Megan Thee Stallion Drives the Blaxploitation Boat as a Modern-Day Pam Grier
Y’all got the A/C blasting? Because Megan Thee Stallion’s first music video from her debut album, Fever, is here. And she’s “Realer.” Y’all. It’s a whole short film. Director: Munachi Osegbu Producer: EVERYBODYNEEDSUS Plot: The antagonist is Ill Will Jackson, who is fucking up the whole atmosphere, so our stacked protagonist, Megan Thee Stallion, has…
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ASCAP to Honor Motown Records’ 60th Anniversary, T.I. Will Receive Special New Award
From Hitsville to the Rubberband Man! The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will be hosting its 32nd Annual Rhythm & Soul Awards this summer and both Detroit and Atlanta have hometown honorees to celebrate. In honor of its 60th anniversary, Motown Records will be presented with the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage…
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Watch: DJ Khaled Brings Out SZA, John Legend, Lil Wayne, Big Sean and More for SNL Performances
On May 18, DJ Khaled made his first appearance as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live, paying homage to Nipsey Hussle with some of his close friends and collaborators. For the first performance, Khaled (full name: Khaled Mohamed Khaled) probably broke a record for most additional guests on the SNL music stage. The crowd…
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Watch: Lil Nas X Drops ‘Old Town Road’ Video Featuring Chris Rock, Vince Staples, Rico Nasty and More
Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus dropped its highly anticipated music video with unexpected cameos from Chris Rock, Vince Staples, Rico Nasty, Diplo and more. The five-minute video, paying homage to the Wild West, starts off with a chase down Old Town Road 1889 before Lil Nas X comes…