music
Killer Mike Accepts First-Ever Change Maker Award at Billboard Music Awards: Watch
Killer Mike is one of the best rappers in the game — and perhaps the most socially active. His passion could be heard when he gave a speech to Atlanta protesters after the murder of George Floyd, or when he subsequently appeared on Colbert. His careful consideration and belief in Americans’ rights could be read in his op-ed supporting Black gun ownership. And he literally put his money where his mouth is earlier this week when he announced the launch of his Black-owned digital bank, Greenwood. Honestly, the Run the Jewels rapper’s credentials pretty much speak for themselves, but a little recognition never hurt anyone. At Wednesday night’s Billboard Music Awards, Killer Mike was honored with the first-ever Change Maker Award. “Killer Mike’s dedication to equality, social justice and financ...
BTS Perform “Dynamite” at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards: Watch
If you thought K-pop couldn’t get any bigger than it already was, just look at the year BTS have been having. The septet became multi-millionaires when their label, Big Hit, went public; they took over The Tonight Show for an entire week; and their most recent single, “Dynamite”, became not only their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, but the first song from a Korean group to ever take the top spot. That’s on top of the two LPs they’ve already released this year, Map of the Soul: 7 and the Japanese-language companion LP Map of the Soul: 7 – The Journey. On Wednesday night, they continued their mega-success by taking home the Billboard Music Awards’ Top Social Artist trophy — for the fourth year in a row. To celebrate, BTS delivered a performance all the way from South Korea. In wha...
Ice Cube Working with Trump Admin to “Platinum Plan” for Black Americans
Ice Cube, who once famously shouted “Fuck Tha Police” as a member of N.W.A., is currently working with the Trump Administration to develop a proposed “Platinum Plan” for the Black community in America. The news first broke early on October 14th when Trump senior advisor Katrina Pierson tweeted, “Shoutout to @icecube for his willingness to step up and work with @realDonaldTrump Administration to help develop the #PlatinumPlan. Leaders gonna lead, haters gonna hate. Thank you for leading!” According to Ice Cube’s representative (Rolling Stone), the rapper was interested in meeting with both the Trump and Biden campaigns to discuss an “agenda for black Americans” and support for his Contract With Black America, which “strikes at the heart of racism and presents a blueprint to achiev...
Shatta Wale – Tomorrow Success
Check out this new piece of music titled ‘Tomorrow Success’ by Shatta Wale out now! Barely 36 hours after releasing ‘P.I.C‘ Shatta Wale drops a motivational tune ‘Tomorrow Success’ for his fans. The message here is that no matter what the present might look like there is hope for a better tomorrow. Listen, enjoy Shatta Wale – ‘Tomorrow Success’ below. [embedded content] Share this: You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
Demi Lovato Slams The ‘Commander In Chief’ With A Powerful Protest Anthem
In the road toward the 2016 election, YG and Nipsey Hussle had the viral dis track, “FDT,” or “Fuck Donald Trump.” Now, with less than a month before Election Day 2020 and early voting already underway, pop superstar Demi Lovato has released her own protest song, “Commander in Chief.” And like the rappers before her, she doesn’t mince words. In the somber new track, which surprise-dropped Tuesday evening (October 13), Lovato takes aim at the president, referencing his response to the coronavirus pandemic, the fires that have ravaged the West Coast, and racial injustice in the United States. “Commander in Chief, honestly / If I did the things you do, I couldn’t sleep,” she sings on the refrain. “Seriously, do you ev...
The Flaming Lips Actually Performed Their First Bubble Concert
Those crazy SOBs actually did it. On Tuesday night, The Flaming Lips performed their first concert for a live audience that was entirely protected in inflatable space bubbles. Taking place at the Criterion in the band’s hometown of Oklahoma City, the short gig was half test run for future concerts, half music video shoot (via Brooklyn Vegan). Setlist.fm notes The Flaming Lips performed a dance remix of “Assassins of Youth” as well as “Brother Eye”, both tracks from their latest LP, American Head. Frontman Wayne Coyne posted video of the event, which showed him singing in his familiar bubble, only this time it was rolled atop a number of fans in inflatables of their own. Another image showed a floor decal that read, “The Flaming Lips ask you to please wear masks when not in the space bubble...
CARM (of yMusic) Shares New Song “Land” Featuring Justin Vernon: Stream
After a decade of guesting on high-profile albums, founding member of yMusic CARM (CJ Camerieri) will drop his star-studded solo debut CARM next year. His latest single is “Land”, which reunites him with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. yMusic is a contemporary classical ensemble, and over the last few years they’ve become one of the most in-demand backing bands in the world. Led by trumpeter Camerieri and violinist Rob Moose, they’ve appeared on recent Bruce Hornsby efforts Non-Secure Connection and Absolute Zero, Paul Simon’s In the Blue Light, and Ben Folds’ So There, to name a few. Camerieri has also won two Grammy awards as a member of Bon Iver, and he comes highly recommended by that group’s lead singer. As Vernon said in a statement, “CJ and I have worked together ...
James Blake Surprise Releases New EP Before: Stream
As announced just 24 hours ago today, James Blake has released a new EP called Before. Stream it below via Spotify. Before follows Blake’s 2019 full-length Assume Form and spans four tracks in total. As the title suggests, the London musician revisits his early work in dance club music — the same era that spawned his self-titled debut LP, one of the best albums of the 2010s — for this new project from the comfort of his home studio in Los Angeles. According to Blake, most of the material was recorded in 2020 in between covering popular songs. A handful of notable guests are featured on Before. Composer Nico Muhly provided guest assistance, as did Mount Kimbie, who previously partnered with Blake and slowthai on last month’s “Feel Away”. Blake also tapped Erick Arc Elliott, who he worked al...
Bad Religion Share New Song “What Are We Standing For”: Stream
Venerable L.A. punks Bad Religion have returned with a new single, “What Are We Standing For”. It’s a sincere political anthem just in time for the impending November election. The song’s titular question is on the minds of many this election season, with the future course of US politics seemingly at stake. Per the press release, the song is in solidarity with athletes who decline to stand during the national anthem and for those who have “taken a knee to protest police brutality and racism.” “In this time of tribal nationalism, dissent, as a form of political speech, is vital to democracy,” co-songwriter and guitarist Brett Gurewitz remarked. The track is an outtake from Bad Religion’s 2019 album, The Age of Unreason, and would have fit nicely on that record. It’s a rollicking uptempo roc...
Mysterious Woman from Black Sabbath’s Debut Album Gets Her Own Funko Pop! Figure
Funko’s popular line of collectible Pop! figures has expanded over the years to include a wide array of music, film, and television subjects. Even with the toy company’s vast roster, who would’ve thought that the mysterious woman from the cover of Black Sabbath’s debut album would get her own Funko Pop! figure? That’s the case with a new line of Funko Pop! figures based on classic albums. The first Funko “Pop! Albums” series features figures modeled after three iconic album covers. They include Sabbath’s self-titled debut, The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die, and AC/DC’s Back in Black. Upon its release in 1970, Sabbath’s debut album helped usher in what the world knows now as heavy metal. The woman on the ominous cover had remained a mystery until earlier this year, when she was locat...
Ian Curtis’ “Love Will Tear Us Apart” Guitar Sells for $210,000
An iconic piece of Joy Division history has found a new home. On Tuesday, Ian Curtis’ signature Vox Phantom guitar was auctioned off by Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Sale for a staggering £162,562 (or $211,513). The guitar most famously appeared in Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” video. However, it also toured with the late frontman during the band’s 1980 European tour and was used on the recording of Closer track “Heart and Soul”. Curiously enough, the Vox Phantom has quite a history that extends well beyond Curtis. Following his untimely death, the guitar passed on to bandmate Bernard Sumner, who eventually gave it to his Electronic colleague Johnny Marr. The buck doesn’t stop there. Fifteen years later, Marr later returned the guitar back to Sumner, who finally left it with...
Testament’s Alex Skolnick Unleashes New Rap Song “Wear a F**king Mask”: Stream
This year’s most unlikely political rap star, Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, has returned with a second pandemic anthem: “Wear a F**king Mask”. The thrash guitarist surprised everyone last month when he dropped the hilarious “Trump Sucks” rap — a homemade ditty with a clear and direct political message, given the impending November elections. Consider this new track the B-side to “Trump Sucks”. Tragically, the basic safety measure of wearing a face covering during the pandemic has become a divisive political issue, with President Trump remaining defiantly apathetic toward mask regulations despite contracting COVID-19 himself. Well, Skolnick is having none of that. He might not be the most gifted rapper, but that’s part of the satirical humor, as Skolnick himself admits. “My recent home...
