Music
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I Think I Might Owe Jhene Aiko An Apology. My Bad, Jhene
Since we’ve all been some manner of “at home” since March, one of the most consistent forms of Black entertainment has been Verzuz—not always for the right reasons; doesn’t it seem like forever ago that Teddy Riley was trending?—and the arguments, speculation and unsolicited social media advice offered to multimillionaire entertainers who apparently all forgot…
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Roc Nation to Release Social Justice-Themed Compilation Album 'Reprise'; Jorja Smith Drops First Single
The world has transformed into a more socially conscious place in recent months, and if any medium captures the moments our world lives through best, it’s music. Whether Sam Cooke was pouring out his life experiences during the Civil Rights Movement for “A Change Is Gonna Come” in 1964, or Childish Gambino was showing us…
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13-Year-Old Keedron Bryant's Visual for Viral Song 'I Just Wanna Live' Is a Strong Contender for Video of the Year
Whether through sheer creativity or by amplifying a moment or a movement, music videos used to mean something and make you feel something. I crave the days of yore when I’d rush home off of the school bus in order to watch MTV’s Total Request Live (TRL) or BET’s 106 & Park. I was eager…
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Jagged Edge Is Releasing a New Album Soon. Here's What I Think Each Song Is About Based on Its Title
Jagged Edge, easily one of the greatest R&B groups of all time—baby, baby baby, it’s actual and it’s factual—is releasing a new album, A Jagged Love Story, soon. Each member of the group has posted both the album’s cover art and track-listing on their respective IG feeds, noting that the album has been submitted to…
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Drake Has More Slaps Than Madonna, Holds the Record for the Most Top 10 Hits in Billboard Chart History
As of today, Drake has surpassed Madonna for the record for the most Billboard Top 10 singles in the chart’s 62-year history. This means he has just as many Billboard Top 10 singles as he has bad tattoos. Thanks to the musician’s features on DJ Khaled’s latest songs—the self-aware “Popstar” and The Weeknd-esque “Greece”—he now…
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6 Reasons Why Ray J's Song 'One Wish'—Which Just Turned 15—Is One of the Greatest Songs of All Time of Ever
On July 25, 2005, William Ray Norwood, Jr. better known to the world as Ray J, released his classic single, “One Wish.” Whether you agree or not with this next statement doesn’t matter, for its truth is indisputable: “One Wish” is one of the greatest songs of all time of ever. Fifteen years later, “One…
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The Root Jams Weekly (7/24/2020): 'Uncut Gems'
We all have our favorites. You know, the songs or artists that you love more than everybody else. The b-sides. The indy circuit jams. The artist with 10 followers. The artist on the rise. Or those jams that you know—with your whole heart—would change or should have changed the world…if only folks really listened. This…
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Salt-N-Pepa Reveal Tupac Was Edited Out of the 'Whatta Man' Video Because of His Reputation: 'You Can't Fight the Record Company'
Do me a solid and go watch Salt-N-Pepa’s 1994 music video for “Whatta Man.” Around the 1:07 mark, Salt is getting loved on by a faceless gentleman. That faceless gentleman just so happens to be the late Tupac Shakur. Surprise! He appears around the 3:16 mark as well. During an interview with LL Cool J’s…
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Black Music Groups With 3-Letter* Names, Ranked
I started thinking about SWV. And then I started thinking about TLC.
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Brandy Discusses Forthcoming Album, the Price of Fame and More With Apple Music
Brandy returns with new music on Friday with B7, her first album in eight years. On Tuesday, the R&B superstar sat down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe during his “At Home With” radio series to discuss the 15-song project, its collaborations and some of her career’s biggest hits. For Brandy, the music never stops; however,…