Music
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Why These 10 Hip-Hop Tracks From 2019 Have Us Hype for 2020
There’s quite a bit of hip-hop cooking in the kitchen for 2020, in terms of scheduled and rumored releases. Full-length projects are expected from the holy trinity of contemporary rap greats—Drake, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar—as well as albums that will excite the kids (Lil Uzi Vert, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie) and us old…
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Vic Mensa Says What Others May Think About Juice WRLD’s Death and How Today’s Rap Glorifies Drugs
There’s an adage that says “when you live by the sword, you die by the sword.” People have often used this as justification for when someone who glorifies gun use dies by gunfire. But the same can be said about excessive drug use, too. Grammy Award-nominated hip-hop star Vic Mensa believes that his fellow rappers…
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A Gift for Baby Jesus: Kanye West Drops Jesus Is Born Album on Christmas
Just in time for Jesus’ birthday, Kanye West released his anticipated Jesus Is Born album on Christmas. The gospel album dropped on streaming services Christmas afternoon, just two months after West’s Jesus Is King released, CNN reports. The album boasts a more traditional gospel style than Jesus Is King, and it’s sung completely by the…
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Why Boyz II Men’s Christmas Interpretations Is the Best Christmas Album of the Last 50 Years
Boyz II Men’s second album, Christmas Interpretations, is the best, most complete, Christmas album of the modern era—and it’s not even close. Sure, there have been great songs—Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” comes to mind (more on that later)— but as for a flawless and seamless album, you don’t need to…
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The Bronx’s Universal Hip Hop Museum Awarded $3.75 Million From New York State
On Thursday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a state grant of $3.75 million to be awarded to help the formation of The Universal Hip Hop Museum, which is planned to be completed in 2023. According to CNN, the venue—co-founded by music executive Rocky Bucano, rap music legend Kurtis Blow and trailblazing deejay Grand Wizzard…
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Nick Cannon Drops Third Diss Track
Tonight millions of film-goers around the world will bear witness to the conclusion of the 40-year-old Skywalker saga. Fear not though, for as one saga concludes another has continued. I’m speaking of course about actor/game show host/Louis Vuitton Sub-Zero, Nick Cannon and his one sided beef with Eminem. On Friday, TMZ reported that Nick Cannon…
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Jay-Z's 'Year-End Picks' Playlist Proves He Loves DaBaby, Solange and Drake Like the Rest of Us
With 2019 drawing to a close, not only are we being blessed with a wide assortment of lists celebrating the decade that was, but we are also recognizing a year filled with worthwhile contributions of its own. Looking to revisit some of his own favorites is the ever-elusive Jay-Z, who compiled 40 songs from the…
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Is Kanye Cancel-Proof? A Look Back at His Controversial Decade
Kanye West had himself a decade. While he started out on a musical tear that had car speakers and arenas rocking, he ended it as a Donald Trump, MAGA-hat wearing, gospel-ish artist. The one consistency is that when he started out 2010, he thought he was God’s gift to the planet—and he pretty much ended…
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Digital Bootleg Men Indicted in Federal Court
If you’re of a certain age you may remember the bootleg man being the staple of many a black barbershop. Typically running a four-for-$20 deal, he’d allow you to see all the latest movies for the price of a ticket and some popcorn. In recent years the services of the bootleg man have been rendered…
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All I Want For Christmas Is…the Bag: Mariah Carey's Holiday Staple Hits No. 1 on Billboard for First Time, New Music Video to Come
There’s longevity, then there’s Mariah Carey. Carey’s singular seasonal bop, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” has been playing on loudspeakers in grocery stores, company holiday parties, recreation centers, karaoke bars and mall kiosks around the world for 25 years—but just this past week, the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for…