music blog
Chan-wook Park’s Decision to Leave Is a Sizzling Romantic Thriller: Review
This review is part of our coverage of the 2022 New York Film Festival. The Pitch: A mountain climber is found dead at the bottom of one of Busan’s most intimidating peaks. An accident? Probably. But ace Busan detective Hae-jun (Park Hae-il) still finds himself drawn to the man’s Chinese widow, Seo-rae (Tang Wei), with whom he shares a beguiling, unspoken connection. She’s elusive, enigmatic; he grows more obsessed with her the longer he watches her on long stakeouts. And the closer the two get, the harder it is for him to see the woman she truly is — and the harder for her to hide it. The Mist: If there’s one thing you can count on from a Chan-wook Park film, it’s that it will be chock full of surprises. That’s certainly true of Oldboy, Stoker, and The Handmaiden, thre...
Lil Nas X Pauses Atlanta Concert to Take a “Mean Shit”
When it comes to a Lil Nas X performance, you have to prepare for the unexpected. That advice can also extend to the rapper himself, who was forced to paused his Atlanta show earlier this week to take a “mean shit.” As we saw in our recap of Lil Nas X’s first night at Radio City Music Hall, the “Long Live Montero Tour” consists of three acts, giving the performers a brief break between each as the curtains close. Evidently, Lil Nas X took that as his opportunity to answer nature’s call: “I’m backstage and this is not a part of the show, but I’m taking a mean shit,” he told the audience over the venue speakers. “I’m gonna be, like, a minute or two, and I’ll be right back.” If you ask us, the music biz could always use a little more transparency, and some fans took to Twitter to ex...
California Bill Restricts Rap Lyrics from Being Used as Criminal Evidence
Creative expression has scored a major victory in California, as Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill restricting rap lyrics from being used as evidence in court. The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act was unanimously approved by the state’s senate and assembly back in August before being signed into law. Per Variety, a virtual signing ceremony was held featuring speeches from rappers including Killer Mike, Meek Mill, Too $hort, YG, E-40, and more. CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr. and leaders from the Black Music Action Coalition and Songwriters of North America also joined the ceremony. “For too long, prosecutors in California have used rap lyrics as a convenient way to inject racial bias and confusion into the criminal justice process,” Dina LaPolt, entertainmen...
Prince Estate Denied Sinéad O’Connor Documentary Use of “Nothing Compares 2 U”
The Prince estate denied Nothing Compares, a new documentary about Sinéad O’Connor, the rights to her cover of Prince’s song, “Nothing Compares 2 U.” In a statement to Billboard, Prince’s half-sister and co-heir wrote, “I didn’t feel she deserved to use the song.” Prince wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U” for his side project, The Family, and the song appeared on their self-titled 1985 debut. O’Connor’s 1990 cover transformed her career, taking her from a buzzy singer-songwriter with a few minor hits in Europe to an international sensation with three Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year. There’s a reason that documentary director Kathryn Ferguson chose that name for her documentary. “Initially we had intended to use the song, but we received a refusal (which as the rights h...
Seven Lions and Lights Reunite for Soaring Bass Anthem, “Stop Thinking”
Seven Lions has teamed up with Lights for “Stop Thinking,” the final single from Beyond The Veil, his long-awaited debut album. Longtime fans will surely remember “Falling Away,” a melancholic house record released by Lions and Lights way back in 2015. They’ve now reunited, jabbing their collaborative past with a shot of adrenaline by virtue of a soaring anthem. Fans have been clamoring for the collab since summer 2021, when Lions debuted it at Red Rocks. And the melodic bass pioneer does what he does best: produce visceral electronic music at the intersection of brooding and banging. “Stop Thinking” is also a textbook snapshot of the singular songwriting prowess of Lights, whose poignant vocal performance explores the difficulties of cli...
HI-LO Returns to Drumcode With Anthemic Techno Track, “WANNA GO BANG”
HI-LO is back with “WANNA GO BANG,” a thumping techno track out now on Drumcode Records. Oliver Heldens turned to his longtime nom de plume when returning to Andrew Beyer’s flagship label, which released HI-LO’s Drumcode debut, “Hypnos,” almost a year ago. The new song, which samples DJ Deeon’s “2 B Free,” is part of a two-track EP slated for release on October 7th. Between its layered kicks, driving basslines and acid-inspired leads, “WANNA GO BANG” has all the hallmarks of a signature, peak-time HI-LO record. Heldens mutates Deeon’s classic vocoded vocals and uses them as the track’s centerpiece, lending to a menacing techno banger befit for Drumcode’s illustrious discography. Take a listen...
Bleu Clair Joins Forces With OOTORO and Chyra for Sultry House Single, “Killer Bee”
It’s been an explosive year for Bleu Clair, who has just added yet another standout house record to his catalog. Boasting a captivating tech house sound, the Indonesian trailblazer has taken the dance music scene by storm over the course of the last couple years, performing at a slew of major festivals and collaborating with the likes of Matroda, AC Slater and Martin Garrix (as Ytram) among others. Bleu Clair has now returned with “Killer Bee,” a sultry club record. The production expertise of Indonesian compatriot OOTORO seamlessly blends with Clair’s signature style while Chyra’s come-hither vocal performance makes the track all the more irresistible. Laced with subtle, Middle Eastern-inspired sound design and exotic grooves, “Killer Bee” is a tune master...
Music Tech Startup Songfinch Raises $17 Million to “Create a Middle Class of Musicians”
Music tech startup Songfinch has secured $17 million, closing a Series A funding round that amplifies its efforts to create a “middle class of musicians,” Built In Chicago reports. Songfinch is one of a handful of music startups aiming to change how independent musicians are compensated for their work. “The industry tends to be a star-driven league and the top two percent get a chance to participate and eat most of the dollars in the industry while the other 98 percent struggle and fight for scraps,” John Williamson, CEO of Songfinch told Built In Chicago. The goal of Songfinch’s online marketplace is to provide artists with a hub where consumers can commission them to create custom songs. The platform allows users to choose a style, mood and other custom elements f...
DaBaby Claims He’s Being Blackballed Over Bummy Album Sales
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Jason Koerner / Getty The recent album from DaBaby hasn’t performed as well as his previous releases, prompting the rapper to believe that he’s being blackballed by the industry. The “Bop” rapper’s latest album, Baby on Baby 2 was released last week. Initial sales projections estimate that the LP will move 16,000 album-equivalent units for that first week. In comparison to the numbers that his 2020 album Blame It on Baby made in the first week, which was 124,000 units along with debuting number one on the Billboard Hot 200, the amount for his new release does seem a bit paltry. Related Stories For DaBaby, the news was an occasion for him to give himself some props and add his own conclusions via his Instagram stories. On Wednesday, he wrote: “Not bad for ...
Kim Burrell Is Still BIG MAD About Yolanda Adams’ Criticism of Her Problematic Sermon From 2017
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: Paras Griffin / Getty Kim Burrell is still BIG MAD about Yolanda Adams not feeling her controversial sermon from 2017 that wreaked of homophobia. The acclaimed gospel singer used a recent visit to the Tamron Hall show to express her disappointment, and the talk show host had some pushback. The 50-year-old gospel addressed the controversial sermon Thursday (Sept.29) on the Tamron Hall show, where she mentioned the “perverted homosexual spirit” that led to Adams calling out, adding to the calls for Burrell to be canceled. Ellen canceled Kim Burrell’s appearance on her show, and Burrell’s radio show got the axe because of her statement. “I was disappointed because we’ve all shared the same stage, back rooms, and green rooms, and some of their publ...
Nike To Partner With JD Sports & Zalando To Create A Better Digital Marketplace
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Nike / NIke Earlier this year there were rumors that Nike would be cutting off Foot Locker and Champs from carrying their products as they feel they no longer need the middle man. Now it seems like that may just be the case, eventually, as Nike is partnering with Foot Locker rival JD Sports in an effort to expand their digitally connected marketplace. According to Nike, this Fall the company will be collaborating with JD Sports and Zalando to cover more digital ground out in these internet streets as sneaker collecting and reselling continues to be a lucrative business. The move comes just one year after Nike partnered up with Dicks Sporting Goods for similar services. Through these new partnerships, Nike Members can link their membership accounts with th...
HHW Gaming: MTN DEW Launches Real Deal Challenge To Elevate & Highlight Black HBCU Gamers
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: MTN DEW / Real Change Challenge MTN DEW is continuing its promise to help level the playing field, plus elevate and highlight Black gamers in the process. MTN Dew launched its Real Change Opportunity Fund in 2021, “a commitment from the brand to make tangible investment in Black entrepreneurs through a unique competition” and providing winners with the resources, programming, and funding to start their businesses. Related Stories In the second year of the initiative, the soft drink company is shifting the focus to the world of video games by supporting Black gamers and the HBCU Esports League owned by Cxmmunity with the creation of the MTN DEW Real Change Challenge. The goal is to “increase Black representation in esports and gaming” by supporting HBCU ga...
