notes and melodies

Whose Opinion Really Maters?

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In a recent interview with Complex, “Princess Diana” rapper, Ice Spice, spoke on the importance of critics’ opinions on her music. When asked whose opinion she cares about, she candidly answers “the critics.” In music, we often see artists saying the exact opposite of the rising New York rapper. Many believe that the critics are a part of “the haters” and that their opinions don’t matter simply because they are always looking to pick apart what some may consider artistry. Also, with the prominence of streaming, the numbers and plays make it seem like the critics’ opinions really don’t matter as long as the people are listening. So now the question is, whose opinion really matters here? 

Elaborating more on her stance, Ice Spice says she cares about the critics’ opinions “because they actually study music and care about it.” She continues by saying “I’m more interested in [critics’ opinions] because at least it’ll be paragraphs explaining why they feel that way and I’ll be able to understand the person better versus just one little hateful comment from a private page.” Ice Spice makes a great point. She cares about the opinions of those with a background in music because they are the people who will help her grow. Ice Spice also acknowledges that her music isn’t for everyone. No one’s music is, but she also wants to know why people may not like her music. Is there something she could be doing differently or is it just not their taste? She is open to constructive criticism, a valuable skill for any newcomer in any industry. 

In 2023, music is a highly-saturated industry now more than ever, and sometimes it is difficult to stand out amongst the crowd. Music critics can be helpful for growing artists as they are learning how to create music that is authentic while being longstanding and memorable. While some critics’ delivery can be a bit harsh, it is safe to assume that most music critics have given artist projects a fair listen to form their opinion. As a growing artist, Ice Spice is benefiting from valuing the opinions of her critics. She’s taking in their reviews and using them to inform her next moves in the industry and is becoming an artist that her fans can’t get enough of. 

On the other hand, this is not to say that critics have the most important opinion here. After all, the artists are making music for the people. Additionally, critics will not always align with the views of the general public, and this is where a lot of artists begin to discredit the opinions of music reviewers. Many artists believe that as long as the streaming numbers are high, someone is loving the music, and they’re doing everything right. In a way, this thought process is kind of true. Some music critics are stuck in older and more traditional ways of viewing music and will not always get it. This explains how projects can receive poor reviews and somehow still land on the Billboard Hot 100. However, as the industry continues to shift and new artists and records are popping up every day, the critics will also begin to evolve and be more in touch with what the people are enjoying. 

So once again, the big question is “whose opinion really matters more?” and the answer is neither. Not shocking, but it’s all about balance. Like Ice Spice, up and coming artists should take the opinions of music critics into account. If your music is making enough of an impact for someone to review it in the first place, then maybe the critic has your best interest in mind and wants to offer insight on how to be more than a one-hit wonder or just a social media artist. However, artists should also take the opinions of their fans into account to keep them engaged and supporting their artistry. The best music comes from artists who apply the advice of other professionals while also creating a one of a kind lane for themselves that fans will continue to love and others can identify with. After all, no one wants to be remembered as the artist that had so much potential but “fell off.”

REVIEW: Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

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On May 13, Kendrick Lamar released his sixth and reportedly his final studio two-sided album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. The album has stirred up a variety of opinions and reactions as Lamar covers a wide range of topics from COVID to toxic relationships to fame to homophobia and more. It feels good to hear from the DAMN rapper again, but is this the “all hits, no misses” project we were expecting from him? I don’t think so.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers allows listeners to be a fly on the wall as we enter countless sessions between Kendrick Lamar and his therapist. The opening track “United In Grief” is quite the opener and serves as a reflection from Lamar over a rapid-fire and seemingly chaotic beat but does an excellent job of setting the tone for Side A of the new project. “United In Grief” tells the story of Kendrick’s rise to fame as a 20-something with the world now in his hands. He details all the things he did from buying cars, mansions, and chains to sexing the pain away on his first tour, constantly saying “I grieve different.” This track is the perfect transition into songs like “N95,” a play in anti-masking all about removing the mask that we wear to paint a falsely perfect picture to the surprise Kodak Black interlude “Rich,” where the rapper discusses acquiring fame and riches while also watching the men in his life place immense value on material possessions that he now realizes don’t matter. 

Standout tracks on Side A include the groove-worthy “Die Hard” featuring Blxst and Amanda Reifer, the West Coast influenced “Rich Spirit,” and the rage-filled “We Cry Together” featuring Hit The Floor and Zola actress Taylour Paige. “United In Grief” begins with the statement “tell them the truth,” and it seems like that’s what Lamar aimed to do with the first half of the project. Mr. Morale has a running theme of exposing the truths behind toxic masculinity, the hardships in fame, and the unhealthy ways in which we all grapple with pain. In “N95,” Lamar poses the question of “what the f*** is cancel culture?,” and this leads the listeners into the primary theme of Side B all about evolving from ignorance and pushing past the fear of true authenticity in the public eye.

Side B begins with K Dot’s counselor recording “session 10: breakthrough.” Side B opener “Count Me Out,” is Lamar’s breakthrough of realizing that he is able to grow and evolve from the mistakes of his past. We start to see this theme of being “canceled” by the public and how the rapper hopes to move past the fear of being canceled to speak his authentic truth tying back into the Side A themes. On the album’s cover, Kendrick Lamar wears the deeply religious Crown of Thorns, depicting him as a Christ-like figure. The track “Crown” shines some light onto why he may have chosen this strong imagery as he repeats “heavy is the head that chose to wear the crown” and “I can’t please everybody.” Lamar ruminates on this idea of people looking to him and his contemporaries as sort of modern-day prophets on “Savior” and the immense pressure that comes with it to remain in good standing with the public. This ultimately explains Lamar’s departure from the public eye as he ends “Savior” with “protecting my soul in the valley of silence.” Kendrick Lamar’s commentary on idolizing celebrities and elevating them beyond human status is poignant to hear as it seems like some fans have needed to hear these words for quite some time now. Lamar wants to be seen as human; he wants to be seen as someone who comes from mistakes and makes mistakes despite his celebrity status and has the ability to grow without the fear of being “canceled” or, in staying with the religious themes, crucified.

Side B has a few tracks that unfortunately miss the mark. “Silent Hill” featuring Kodak Black is kind of awkward for both Lamar and Kodak Black. It seems like neither one is comfortable on the track and would have been presented with the right amount of charisma from a Vince Staples or Baby Keem. I also have an issue with the number of times Kodak Black appears on this project given the legal issues surrounding his pleading guilty to the sexual assault of a minor. It seems odd for him to be a collaborator on a project that focuses so heavily on the issues in Black masculinity and the relationships between Black men and women. If anything, Kodak Black needs to be the one listening to the message versus preaching to others. This is a prime example of how the music industry fails to hold men accountable for their crimes against women. The irony of using Kodak Black to speak the truth on a topic while simultaneously not facing his own truths is exhausting.

Another issue on Side B comes in the track “Auntie Diaries.” The song is jarring with the repeated use of slurs, misgendering, and deadnaming. Lamar wanted to make a statement about homophobia in the Black community by telling the story of his own family members and his personal homophobia as a child. It’s admirable in theory but comes across as extremely tone-deaf in practice. With that being said, could Lamar have done this intentionally in staying with the theme of cancel culture on Side B and knowing the reaction the public would have? Possibly. Does this artistic vision take away from the issue? No. It, in fact, highlights the immense failure to acknowledge the privilege that Lamar has to use these hurtful words and walk away unscathed. The bottom line is that I am almost positive that Lamar could have found a way to make this statement without offending so many, assuming the track was created with good intentions.

Overall, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is not at all what I was expecting to hear from Kendrick Lamar, but after a 5 year-long hiatus, it is expected that he has a lot to say. However, I do think his isolation from the public has led him to become a bit out of touch in some areas and sometimes comes across as distastefully Christ-like. I will admit that the project seems to get better with each listen, and I will definitely revisit a few songs on this project. It’s easy to see that Lamar has a few songs made digestible for radio play while also delivering a heavy project that requires you to really sit and listen. As a whole, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers will serve as the end of an era for one of the best rappers of today.

Listen to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers and leave your thoughts below!

What Happened To Coachella 2022?

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Sandy winds, desert heat, and Ferris wheel flicks. Ah yes, Coachella season has come and gone, but there was something a bit different about Coachella 2022: hardly anyone mentioned it. Prior to COVID-19, Coachella was the music festival to end all music festivals. I have vivid memories of sitting in my teenage Houston bedroom watching the Coachella live streams via YouTube, wishing that I could be there to drink overpriced lemonade and take IG photos with Coachella Queen Vannessa Hudgens. However, this year, the festival simply just wasn’t “giving,” and I’m not the only one who feels this way.  Let me break down why that might be the case. 

Coachella was the pinnacle of spring and summer festival wear, but the rapid rise of fast fashion has stunted the taste of many Coachella attendees. Fast fashion has always been around with stores like Forever 21, Wet Seal, and Rue 21 filling the closets of teens everywhere. However, the rise of fast-fashion giant, SHEIN, has completely changed the way that consumers shop. Fast fashion focuses on what’s trending. Right now, that’s Y2K fashion and “BBL fashion” with the large cutout clothing trend. The issue is that Coachella is all about setting trends, not following them. Everyone was dressed the same this year, and those who stood out in the crowd captured social media’s attention because of the care and thought that went into their ensembles. It just seems like the attendees this year didn’t really understand the assignment in terms of setting the trends for everyone else to follow for this upcoming festival season. 

Now, when I did see a mention of Coachella on my social media timelines, it was typically by an influencer who was invited to the event to promote a brand. The influencer was typically in an exclusive tent and watching shows from a screen, only venturing into the crowd for a quick photo op. Influencer culture has shifted the way we view most things, but this shift was uncomfortably noticeable during this year’s desert festival. One of the appeals about Coachella pre-COVID was the feeling of the event seeming somewhat attainable to those at home. The aura of exclusivity surrounding the number of guests invited to the festival this year kind of made the event unattractive and personally left a sour taste in my mouth. It felt fake seeing social media stars parade around the festival grounds knowing they were there to paint a picture and uphold this image of an event versus seeing them experience the event authentically. 

And of course, it wouldn’t be Coachella without the music. Honestly, the Coachella lineup was pretty great this year with major names like Doja Cat, Harry Styles, and Billie Eilish headlining the 3-day event. Unfortunately, these headliners and other performers, who are awesome performers in their own right, had to follow up the iconic Beychella Homecoming performance in 2018. Beyonce raised the bar in terms of what festivalgoers expect out of a performance. Now that we have seen what can be done on the festival stage, we are not ready to come back to the same old festival routine of artists simply performing their standard concert set. There was hardly any buzz surrounding the performances this year, with the exception of the Weekend 1 Harry Styles show with Shania Twain, and even then, that was only a brief moment out of the full set. Kind of disappointing to see. 

All in all, Coachella wasn’t it this year, but that was to those like me who were stuck at home waiting to see the highlights. Let me know how you feel about Coachella 2022 or your thoughts on my breakdown of the event in the comments below.

2022 Grammy Award Predictions

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On April 3, 2022, the 64th annual Grammy Awards Ceremony will take place. While I believe that award show categories are becoming obsolete with the number of genre-bending albums we see today, I can’t help but make my predictions. Take a look at my Grammy predictions for the 2022 Grammy Awards and comment your thoughts below!

Record of the Year

MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X

I was obsessed with this song when it was being on social media, and it definitely lived up to the hype. The story behind “MONTERO” combined with the production by Take A Daytrip makes this record too infectious to deny. I think “MONTERO” has a unique edge when thinking of what the Recording Academy is looking for in ROTY. The somewhat heavy subject matter plus the dancey beat makes it the perfect contender for this category. 

Album of the Year

Evermore – Taylor Swift

This was a difficult one, and even I shocked myself with this prediction. First and foremost, I actually did not listen to this album, so this prediction becomes even more interesting. I honestly didn’t feel like any other album had AOTY potential, especially since the highly-anticipated Silk Sonic album wasn’t nominated. I’m saying Evermore will win because I can’t deny the traction that this album received from both fans and critics. I think the folky take from Taylor Swift will push this album to the forefront of the category. A close second or another possible winner might be Sour by Olivia Rodrigo.  

Song of the Year

Right On Time – Brandi Carlile

Considering that SOTY is a category focused primarily on a track’s quality of songwriting, I believe Brandi Carlile has the most potential here. The Recording Academy loves to sneak in a winner that no one sees coming, and I think Carlile might be that winner to make everyone’s heads turn. I would not consider myself a huge fan of her music, but I am aware of Brandi Carlile’s songwriting abilities and the many praises she receives for that talent. “Right On Time” is a song detailing pain and betrayal in a couple’s relationship that is tragic but oddly needed to make the relationship stronger. I haven’t heard a song quite like it, and I think that makes her a top pick in this category.

Best New Artist

Olivia Rodrigo

I think it would be crazy for Olivia Rodrigo to not walk away with a Grammy this year, and Best New Artist feels like the most appropriate category for her. Rodrigo’s entry into the music, following her Disney fame, is reminiscent of Billie Eilish and her notable Grammy run following her debut album. “Drivers license” was a song that captivated many with its simple yet relatable subject matter, and Sour as an album was a fantastic showcase of Rodrigo’s vocal capability and musical flexibility, blending traditional pop elements with nostalgic pop-punk elements. All in all, I believe she is very deserving of this win. 

Best Pop Vocal Album

Planet Her (Deluxe) – Doja Cat

Doja Cat shocked me with Planet Her. The cool thing about Doja Cat is her ability to blend her notable rap talent with her perfectly placed pop vocals. Planet Her has plenty of standout tracks with tons of replay value such as “Need To Know,” “Kiss Me More” which has been nominated in several other categories, and many more. I think the best quality of Planet Her is the variety of songs available on the album. No song feels unnecessary and Planet Her seamlessly bends genres to make it a standout pop album. 

Best R&B Album

Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan

Everything about Heaux Tales is amazing. Jazmine Sullivan worked in silence, crafting the perfect album to tell the stories of women from all walks of life. The album has all facets of R&B on lock from an upbeat party jam (“Put It Down”) to a heartwrenching ballad (“Lost One”) to a powerhouse acoustic moment (“Girl Like Me” ft. H.E.R.) Heaux Tales has an expert combination of A+ vocals, a cohesive subject matter, and clear songwriting. I’d be very surprised if this album doesn’t win.  

Best Rap Album

Call Me If You Get Lost – Tyler the Creator

I feel like this honestly goes without saying. Tyler’s music is aging like wine: it only gets better with time. As soon as listeners heard CMIYGL, the Grammy speculations started flying left and right, and admittedly so. The album is complete with top-notch production, an amazing storyline, some of Tyler’s best rapping amongst his CMIYGL collaborators (NBA Youngboy, Lil Wayne, Brent Faiyaz, DAISY WORLD, etc.), and immense attention to detail required to make a cohesive album like this one. This category will be a tough one, but I think Sir Baudelaire has it in the bag.   

Tune in to the 64th Grammy Award Ceremony on April 3 at 8pm EST. Click here to see the complete nomination list and learn where to watch the ceremony. Also, check my Twitter to see live tweets of the event!

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy Part 3 Recap

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The final episode of jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy was released last Wednesday to tie the Kanye West story together, and as expected, things got really tough to watch. 

As a fan, it was difficult to see Ye’s antics happen in real-time. It was even more difficult to not only watch his public downfalls again but also to see the things that the public did not have access to. At times, it felt like I shouldn’t have even been watching as West rambled about the public’s perception of him and his vision that others couldn’t seem to understand. To make matters worse, the day after the episode’s release, Kanye was in the news, yet again, for his disturbing music video for his new track “Eazy” where he is seen burying a decapitated Pete Davidson. Considering his past public blow-ups and his current problems, Part III of jeen-yuhs put a lot into perspective. 

One of the major turning points in the documentary was the death of his mother. Donda West was so involved in Kanye’s career from rapping along with him in their home to becoming his manager to starting a charity foundation in his name. Her death has clearly impacted him in ways that we won’t be able to understand especially because it appears as though he never really grieved the death of his mother. Kanye continued touring and making appearances. He never took a break and that is where we start to lose the pink polo Ye that we all once loved. 

There’s no point in running through the extensive history of Kanye in the media because we all have seen enough. There’s also no point in discussing Kanye’s mental health because we are all aware of his bipolar disorder and the many ways in which BPD presents in people. Kanye’s mother told him “the giant can never see himself in the mirror.” Kanye is the giant who can’t see himself for how he truly is. He can’t see the hurt he’s causing others. He can’t see the danger in his words and actions. He’s too far gone, and it feels like no one has any idea of how to bring back the “old Kanye” without Donda West here. You can see how others speak to him from Coodie to Rick Rubin to his own father. Everyone is walking on eggshells trying to prevent the next downward spiral.

Part III of jeen-yuhs showed a man who is hurting and grasping onto anything that makes sense to keep him going despite them being controversial, ill-informed, or downright dangerous. It seems like his latest obsessions include his messy divorce from Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson dating his former wife. Hopefully, the creation of his Donda album is helping him to kickstart the grieving process he never started, and if not, then all we can do is hope Kanye is surrounded by people who can help bring him back to earth. 

Watch jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy on Netflix.   

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy Part II Recap

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Part II of jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy showed the true impact of grinding to reach your dreams. Viewers got the inside scoop behind some of Yeezy’s most notable tracks and the creation of the rapper’s Grammy-winning debut album, The College Dropout. The running theme of Part II: if you want it done right, do it yourself. 

Kanye is officially a Roc-A-Fella rapper, but now what? One would expect the label to put him to work immediately, but that’s not quite what happened. The label still saw West as just a producer who got signed. Kanye has a seat at the table, but no time to speak. Roc-A-Fella is putting their energy toward other signees while Kanye waits for his time, but when he realizes Roc-A-Fella isn’t planning to work on his debut, Mr. West takes matters into his own hands. 

The advantage of being a producer and a rapper is that you don’t have to wait for anyone else to start making the music. Kanye had the connections and credibility from his production alone. Being signed to one of the best hip-hop labels was an added bonus. Kanye was able to get Jaime Foxx in the studio to hear the concept for the track “Slow Jamz,” a new approach to rap leaning on old school R&B and dedicated the ladies. In the studio session, you can see Jaime Foxx become a believer of the Ye vision as he spits the first verse over the iconic sample. He’s excited to work on the track, and that’s how he does; that’s how Kanye earns his star-studded debut. He uses his connections to get people in the room and converts them into believers of the Yeezy dream, and it worked every time.

Although Kanye is working on his album without the help of Roc-A-Fella, he’s still an artist on the label and has executives to answer to. After leaving a studio session where he was producing for a fellow labelmate, the worst happens. Kanye finds himself in a life-threatening car accident. Fortunately, he survives, but his jaw, fractured in three places, has to be wired shut. This doesn’t stop Kanye who is moving toward his goals with tunnel vision. He writes “Through The Wire,” documenting his struggles and mindset throughout this tumultuous time. “Through The Wire” was a turning point for the rapper. This is the moment when Kanye really sees just how hard he is willing to work. West is willing to deny surgery to reconstruct his jaw and to piece a music video together on short notice as long as it keeps him on track to release this album as quickly as possible. Kanye is ready for the world to see him shine on his own. He refuses to wait any longer.  

Throughout the episode, Kanye was very vocal about Roc-A-Fella stalling his budget. This meant no studio time and no marketing. West got creative, setting up recording equipment in hotel rooms, borrowing studio time from others, or going to artists’ home studios to record verses. He had to make do with what was available to him, and he did it extraordinarily well. The College Dropout was finished, and as for promo, he got creative there as well. Whether it was playing his demos for random people on the street to get their reactions, using his Chicago connections for free promotion, or appearing on Def Poetry Jam, Ye made sure that everyone knew who he was and what they could expect from his debut. 

It’s February 2005, and The College Dropout is more than a success. Kanye is whisked away on his first tour, and surprisingly, things are quiet from the boastful artist. That’s because he leaves his longtime friend and documentarian Coodie behind. Coodie has been following West since the very start and was an early believer in the Kanye West vision, and yet, Yeezy didn’t see a need for him on tour. I believe that this is where the problem begins. His leaving Coodie behind shows just how quickly Ye was willing to abandon those who came up with him for the fast life and flashing lights. This is not to say Coodie alone kept Kanye from being Kanye, but maybe keeping a few of those key people around who were there during his come-up would have reminded Ye of simpler times of shooting pool at the house or eating burgers and cheese fries in diners. In Part II, Kanye is on his way to the top of the mountain, and as the old saying goes, what goes up must come down. 

Part III of jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy will be released on Netflix on Wednesday, March 2.

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy Part I Recap

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The new Kanye West documentary premiered last week on Netflix, and with only one episode available from the three-part series, viewers can easily understand how Yeezy became the man he is today. 

The Kanye West story was written from the start by Ye himself. It all began with a vision. West knew he had what it took to make it in the music industry, to reshape what it meant to be a visionary, to break free of every label placed upon him. He had a plan and was not willing to accept anything less than what he originally envisioned. He moved to New York after producing half of the critically-acclaimed Blueprint album and was living beat to beat as he tried to convince label executives to take a chance on the producer turned rapper. 

Picture this: a young Kanye West storming into Roc-A-Fella Records with a rough demo of “All Falls Down” only for him to be completely ignored. It’s a tough image, but that’s exactly what happened. Roc-A-Fella knew West as a producer, and that’s all. They acknowledged him as he walked into the building and seemed happy to see him in some instances until he pressed play on the stereo. Despite clever lyrics about insecurity, an undecided college major, and Lauryn Hill’s beautiful vocals, no one acknowledged the potential. Now, was Ye’s approach flawed? Sure, but it was a bold and almost admirable move that only foreshadows the Yeezy we see today. From that moment, West refused to be ignored. This experience would only explain why his moves seem to become grander and grander every day. He demands to be heard.   

He continued making beats for others and saving the best beats for himself. He continued writing lyrics, recording, and playing tracks for his friends. He used his network to collaborate with greats like Scarface, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli. He saw the vision and trusted that those in his circle saw the vision as well. However, that was not enough to keep the budding emcee’s dream alive. The most important figure in this vision was Ms. Donda West. 

In Part I of Jeen-Yuhs, the importance of Donda West to the Yeezy vision is too clear to omit. Kanye visits his mother’s home, downtrodden and in need to support after his Roc-A-Fella stunt. Ms. West’s love immediately revives Kanye as she reminds him of his talent, confidence, and drive. She’s genuinely invested in his vision as she raps his song lyrics and listens to him talk about his goals. She is his #1 fan, and it is clear that no one’s support matters more to West than his mother’s.   

Ms. West reignites his fire. Kanye returns to New York with a new sense of self and is set on making his goals happen one way or another. His drive leads him to a spot on MTV’s Direct Effect, a featured interview on Chicago’s WGCI radio station, and finally, the coveted contract with Roc-A-Fella Records, bringing the Kanye West vision full circle. 


Part II of Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy will be released on Netflix on Wednesday, February 23.  

A Letter From The Editor

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Well, this took a bit longer than anticipated, but hello again.

In October 2021, I decided to put Notes & Melodies on a not-so-brief pause. While this decision was not an easy one, I knew it was the best one not only for myself but also for the life span of the brand. Notes & Melodies began to feel mundane for me as the creator and I’m sure for you all as the audience. When I really took the time to reflect on the purpose of Notes & Melodies, I realized that I stepped away from the original intentions of the blog: to share music with those who love it already and those who want to love it. With that being said, allow me to reintroduce myself:

My name is Morgan, and I am a music journalist and curator based in Atlanta, GA here to help you discover the latest Notes & Melodies from your favorite and soon-to-be favorite artists. I created Notes & Melodies in February 2021 to reach music lovers in my personal network and have managed to touch more people than expected from budding artists to indie label executives to music lovers in completely different states. I am excited to touch the hearts and ears (sounds strange, I know) of you all and hopefully many more. Welcome to Notes & Melodies: Reimagined.

Sincerely,

M. G., Founder & Editor

6 Underappreciated Music Videos To Watch

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Music videos add a fun element to the listening experience by literally painting the picture for the listener. In recent years, the art of the music video has declined, and artists are less focused on creating visuals for their music. In the same way, listeners are less focused on viewing music videos as programs like MTV, VH1, and BET have decreased the exposure to music videos. However, there are still some artists out there who care about the visual element, and their work goes underappreciated. That ends today for 6 of my favorite underappreciated music videos.

RIP To My Youth by The Neighbourhood

California band The Neighbourhood continued their black and white aesthetic with their 2015 lead single “RIP To My Youth.” The song is all about embracing the inevitability and uncertainty of death and how we all strive to live full lives in hopes we make it to paradise. The video is woven with aggressive images as lead singer Jesse Rutherford lies in a coffin smoking a cigarette, a featured dancer throws powerful dance moves in a damp and smoky tunnel, and the band performs accompanied by an addictive bassline and pounding drums.

Too Fast by Sonder

“Too Fast” is a track from the group Sonder, lead by singer Brent Faiyaz. The music video features Brent Faiyaz and a young boy, assumed to be a young Faiyaz. “Too Fast” discusses the process of growing up and moving through life a little too fast and ignoring the red flags that we face as we mature. The video is truly symbolic and worth the watch!

Love$ick by Mura Masa ft. A$AP Rocky

British producer Mura Masa teamed up with rapper A$AP Rocky to create a summery track about a seasonal fling that ends as quickly as it starts. The video, however, takes a bit of a different approach. The video follows three teenage boys as they spend the day together getting into trouble like only teenagers know how to do. It’s lighthearted and fun, making it a video to lighten the mood.

Whack World by Tierra Whack

Tierra Whack’s 2018 debut album Whack World stunned the hip-hop community with Whack’s lyrical ability and undeniable flow. However, the accompanying music videos strung into a 15-minute movie take us on a journey into the whimsical mind of Tierra Whack. Seeing each song come to life adds a whole new perspective to the album and makes the project seem a lot more fun and experimental. From raps about her dead dog to keeping her cholesterol down, Tierra Whack nailed it with the Whack World movie.

Ryd/Dark Red by Steve Lacy

Steve Lacy, the bassist for R&B band The Internet, released his first self-produced solo project Steve Lacy’s Demo in 2017 and featured the singles “Ryd” and “Dark Red.” The bassist combines the two tracks to tell the story of a love that seemed to be harmless and spontaneous but quickly turned fatal.

Honey by Erykah Badu

“Honey” by Erykah Badu is a love song nonetheless, but the music video puts a spin on what love means for Badu. The video is shot in a watcher POV-style and takes us on a trip through a record store. Each record features Badu as she recreates the album covers of her contemporaries, her influences, and other artists she admires. The message behind the video: save local record stores. Definitely worthy of a round of applause.

Watch the videos above and leave your thoughts in the comments! What’s your favorite music video?

DONDA VS Certified Lover Boy: The Review

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The Drake and Kanye beef was a feud I never saw coming, but it has been brewing for a long time. From wasted studio time to stolen beats to inappropriate comments about wives, and more, it’s time to let the music do the talking.

DONDA

Kanye West released his tenth studio album DONDA on August 29 after a series of listening parties and a teeth-clenching weeks-long rollout. The album was a dedication to his mother, Dr. Donda West whose death has clearly impacted Kanye in more ways than one could have imagined. Continuing with Yeezy’s Christian rap ventures, DONDA is a solid body of work with no profanity and beautiful religious lyrics and themes.

Standout tracks like “Jail” featuring Jay Z, “New Again” featuring Chris Brown,”24” featuring the Sunday Service Choir, and “No Child Left Behind” featuring Vory and the Sunday Service Choir all speak to Kanye’s history of public and private slip-ups and his faith that no matter what the public believes, God has the final word. One of my favorite qualities about a Kanye West project is the number of features Kanye utilizes to tell his story, and DONDA does not miss the mark. Kanye has enough star power and credibility to bring out the best in any artist and that was clear on DONDA. I heard some of the best verses that I have ever heard from artists like Lil Yatchy (”Ok Ok”), Baby Keem (“Praise God”), Fivio Foreign (“Off The Grid”), and many more. DONDA also introduced hip hop fans to new artists Vory and Shensea whose features decorated the album with melodic vocals and unique flows. There’s nothing like a Kanye West project to bring out the best in an artist whether old or new.

DONDA, however, is by no means a perfect album. Truthfully, the album is too long. Some of the tracks on the album could have easily been cut, and no one would have noticed. For example, every song after “No Child Left Behind” is simply a new version of a song already featured on the album with just different featured artists. Instead of Jail featuring Jay Z, Jail Pt. 2 features DaBaby. Quite frankly, no one asked to hear a “part 2” of songs that were already fine with just their original versions, and I stop listening when the album gets to the repeated tracks. Another pitfall of the album is that the album feels like Kanye did not make it with himself in mind. It feels like a compilation of songs that Kanye made for other artists and he decided to add a verse to the tracks after they were done. As a project dedicated to the late Dr. West, I would’ve liked to feel Kanye’s presence a little more on the project.

CERTIFIED LOVER BOY

Certified Lover Boy was released on September 3, only a few days after DONDA. The highly anticipated project from Drake dropped and the Internet exploded with tweets and Instagram captions of standout lyrics and remakes of the Certified Lover Boy album cover. Certified Lover Boy showed that Drake is truly the King of the Internet, and no one can take that away from him. According to Drake, the album is “a combination of toxic masculinity and acceptance of truth which is inevitably heartbreaking.” The point of the album is for Drake to play into this persona of being the vulnerable lover boy rapper that all the girls love and all the men can relate to no matter how cheesy or toxic. Standout tracks on the project include “Papi’s Home” featuring a sample of “Daddy’s Home” by Montell Jordan and a surprise appearance from Nicki Minaj. “In The Bible” featuring Giveon and Lil Baby is another track that has caught the attention of many. The song is Drake rapping to a girl who claims to be religious about her hypocritical ways of judging him for his sexual past and tendencies. “Way 2 Sexy” featuring frequent Drake collaborators Future and Young Thug serves as the album’s single release and is a club anthem and Instagram caption library for listeners. The very simple track is sure to make your shoulders move and have you naming all of the things you are simply too sexy to be tolerating. My personal favorite tracks on CLB are “No Friends In The Industry,” “Yebba’s Heartbreak” featuring Yebba, and “Get Along Better” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. The project is a textbook Drake album with corny lyrics, emotional tracks, and a few hard-hitting cuts that remind you that Drake has proven himself as one of the greats.

Like DONDA, Certified Lover Boy also misses the mark in a few areas. I noticed that Drake’s features tend to outshine him on this project. Features from Lil Baby (“Girls Want Girls”), Jay Z (“Love All”), Project Pat (“Knife Talk”), and Tems (“Fountains”) all make listeners wonder what the song would sound like without the contributions from Drake. I think that’s a problem on an album that was delayed for months and expected to compete with albums by other top artists. Another pitfall of the project is that I think Drake missed an opportunity when it came to communicating the theme of the album. Certified Lover Boy should have been an album of R&B cuts and sing-song raps that Drake has made so popular, but we barely get any of those. The project was unfortunately underwhelming, did not feel cohesive, and could have been improved with the right team of people to help Drake to keep the focus on the lover boy persona that he has built.

Have you listened to Certified Lover Boy? Have you listened to DONDA? Do you agree with my thoughts? Comment your thoughts and which album you prefer!