Music
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The Root Jams Weekly (9/4/2020): 'The Teenage Years'
Monday evening, we were treated to the Verzuz folks have been talking about since the idea came to be: Monica versus Brandy. It featured all of the shade and entertainment we expected, but what it mostly did was take everybody back to the the early-to-mid 90s. For many of us, those were our teen years…
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Teyana Taylor's 'Still' Music Video Featuring Tributes to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor Garners Mixed Responses
Teyana Taylor’s latest music video for her song “Still” aims to serve as a reminder that Black lives truly matter, and that police brutality in America needs to end. “Still” is found on the Harlem native’s latest project, The Album, and the music video (released on Wednesday) was directed by Taylor as her creative alter…
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This Is No Ordinary Flex: Sade Announces Vinyl Box Set That Contains All 6 of Her Albums
Helen Folasade Adu. That’s it. That’s the blog. OK, OK, OK, I do have an actual job to do. Which isn’t a problem, because I am absolutely thrilled to report that Sade will be releasing a special six-album vinyl box set! Earlier this week, the “epitome of ‘nobody asked for this’”—as The Glow Up’s Managing…
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Yes, Cardi B Actually Did Want Lizzo's Wet Ass Presence in the 'WAP' Music Video
Now from the top, let us drop any further speculation about Lizzo’s absence from the hit “WAP” music video by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion because Cardi has covered those bases. But before we get there, let’s back it up a bit. If you can remember, along with the video’s raunchy lyrics and vivacious…
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It's Been 30 Years Since Mariah Carey's 1st Album Debuted and She's Earned Over $60 Million in Royalties for 1 Song
Imagine that moment when Mariah Carey raises that single finger to check her pitch while singing—now, add 29 more fingers to it. That’s how many years it’s been since the iconic singer released her debut album. Yes, 30! Wow, time flies. In a recent interview with Vulture to celebrate the momentous occasion, Carey reminisced and…
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The 2020 VMAs Were Virtual and It Was Like MTV Started Playing Music Videos Again
It’s time for yet another awards ceremony with a virtual stage! This time, it’s MTV’s biggest night for music—the Video Music Awards (VMAs)! The actual ceremony as a whole was pretty—er—white, but here’s a Black-ass fact: Keke Palmer was the first-ever Black woman to host the VMAs solo! The first VMAs debuted in 1984, so…
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The Root Jams Weekly (8/28/2020): 'Walkout'
It’s been a week in America. After another shooting of a Black person at the hands of police—7 times in the back, no less—everybody reached a new level of over it. Athletes in several of the major sports either postponed, cancelled or walked out of games or contests. It’s the kind of week when the…
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Ledisi Has a Few Sonic Tricks Up Her Sleeve for Latest Album, The Wild Card
With a decades-long music career, numerous Grammy nominations, and lauded accomplishments in the film, television, theater, and literature realms, one might imagine Ledisi able to rest on her laurels. However, as she details to The Root over the phone, every endeavor feels brand new, and she will continue to extend herself to the fullest despite…
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Conversations Are Being Had to Dust Off Aaliyah's Catalog and Try Again to Make It Available for Streaming
As an Aaliyah fan, I’m at the point where I’m so frustrated by the runaround in regards to the availability of her music catalog that I want to write a “4 Page Letter” to whoever is in charge. It will not be enclosed with a kiss, by the way, just filled with complaints and frustrations.…
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This Is Not A Drill: Brandy and Monica Confirmed for Next Verzuz
Dreams do come true, and we very likely will get to see a 2020 version of “The Boy Is Mine” duet, because it is now official: Brandy and Monica will be facing-off in the next Verzuz on August 31. The two R&B icons have come up frequently in discussions about ideal Verzuz pairings, ever since…