Recently, it's been harder to keep my playlists to my top ten picks of the month. I think it's just because how I am doing and feeling at the moment. Leaving out a song feels like a crime when it was an anthem of the month. I picked five favorites to highlight, ones that I love. No Fuss was the first song on the playlist and set the mood for the entire month. I did an album review on my YouTube channel for Adekunle Gold's new album and am absolutely obsessed with it. This song in particular I was really vibing with in February. Here is a link to the video if you want to check it out. Baby Tate is a unique vibe, She seems quirky, fun, and certainly delivers on great r&b songs. I recently discovered Naomi Sharon's song Hills on Spotify. The single cover is gorgeous. I quite like the video as well. I will be keeping my eye on her and how she grows. After following her on Instagram, I noticed Drake follows her as well and even commented on some of her stuff which defintely means he's got his eye on her too. We know that Drake likes to feature smaller artists on his songs and they usually blow up after that. At least, that is what I noticed especially with Giveon and Jorja Smith. This hyperpop song called Queer is a new genre I'm getting into. I love the design, and the YouTube video commentary says this digital character was created as a sculpture for queer pride in the face of prejudice. It's an empowering, courageous song that balances both the masculine and feminine energies. By far, the cherry on top for me is DeVita's song Show Me. I discovered her towards the end of the month and literally SCREAMED hearing this song for the first time. It immediately reminded me of H.E.R. and put the song on repeat. I also did a YouTube video about her most recent release. It's gorgeous, stunning, amazing, beautiful, outstanding, everything you could ever want in an R&B ep. Here is the link to the YouTube video of DeVita's EP react/review. DeVita has a new fan because of this song.
Show Me - DeVitaI hope you enjoyed the mini highlight of February songs of the month. There is so much great music out in the world. I hate to think I could be missing out on great tunes so I'm always trying to check new artists out, new vibes. If you like something and think I might too, please please send me a link!! I would LOVE to hear it. Music sharing is really why I take time to do this and I definitely want to share music with you. Thanks for hanging out today.
0 Comments
I've been wondering what to do all month for Black History Month. I had the great idea to just share what I already do know and think is cool: MUSIC HISTORY. I have watched so many documentaries about music, I have books on music history, I listen to podcasts about music. I wanted to share some right here, right now. I've been amassing my favorites over time. LET'S GET INTO IT BECAUSE I'M EXCITED! God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop by Kathy Iandoli First which I have read is ... God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop by Kathy Iandoli This is highlighting women in rap who often get overlooked and undercredited for their contributions. Because I was not alive when a lot of these women were in the limelight, I discovered people like Left Eye, learned the backstory of Queen Latifah, and more!!! When I saw it in the bookstore, I saw Megan Thee Stallion featured and I HAD to get it. It just shows how important women like Megan are that she was so early in her career and already featured in a book about important rap figures! Astounding. I'm halfway through reading the book and it's been a great read. Any opportunity to learn more about pivotal women in history, especially women of color, I WANT TO HEAR IT. Barnes & Noble Link Music is History by Questlove I recently purchased two more books from a local black-owned bookstore I am very excited to read. Music is History by Questlove talks about how music reflects the times and movements in society, comparing the songs created to crucial landmarks points in time like 9/11. I like it because he writes with a strong personal voice and knowledge of pop culture. He even includes his favorite music recommendations from different decades which I AM SO HERE FOR. It's a hunky chunky book dating over the past fifty years but doesn't feel dry like a textbook. It's cool beans because you can actually go and listen to the songs he recommends so I'm excited to do that. Barnes & Noble Link Hip-Hop (And Other Things): A Collection of Questions Asked, Answered, Illustrated by Shea Serrano The other book I bought is ... Hip-Hop (And Other Things): A Collection of Questions Asked, Answered, Illustrated by Shea Serrano I picked up this book because it has neat illustrations in each chapter to communicate the vibe of what is being discussed. It's not just line after line of reading. It's fun, casual, and feels more like an atlas or encyclopedia of great albums and songs. Classics like Jay-Z songs include commentary of chart information and history of how the song happened with context behind it. I love it. I'm into it. This is what I came to read. Barnes & Noble Link The Tao of the Wu by The RZA This other book I have isn't really a music book or even specifically aimed at history, but it does cover the life experience of someone truly critical to music and rap history: RZA. He wrote his book titled ... The Tao of the Wu by The RZA and wow. The book description covered it beautifully as "a brilliant blend of Eastern spirituality, pop culture reverence, and hard-earned street knowledge" as he talks about his influence and thinking processes. It is stunning, and I'm only halfway through the book. I love the universal lessons he presents and talks about. I can feel how passionate he is in his writing and that is priceless to me. Barnes & Noble Link Another media about music I love to consume are documentaries, movies, or any show. Just from Netflix, I have come across some really good ones that have been deliciously thought provoking with gorgeous film styles. These are a couple I can remember off the top of my head as being completely fantastic. I am looking forward to watching more documentaries later about the lives of individuals like Sam Cooke and Nina Simone. They are added on my watch list! This is Pop This 8 part series tells the story of pop music of many kinds. When it first came out, the intro clip of T-Pain's interview went around Twitter and actually started bit of discussion about it. Now it seems like T-Pain's music career and presence is more prominent because of it. I love that Orville Peck is featured alongside Lil Nas X. It's a wonderful journey in time through music. It was a great watch, and I can feel the impact of their music today. Homecoming: A Film I love Beyonce - I always have and I always will. Whenever there is a conversation about iconic women, women in music, black women in music, I will scream about Beyonce forever. It doesn't matter if you like her music or not. That woman has done so much for so long so consistently. She is a legend and I believe entirely underrated even now. Nobody else has done it like her. She is in a league of her own regardless of gender. Her performance at Coachella as the first black woman to headline is just incredible for so may reasons. That is why I believe her live show of Homecoming is truly a moment to witness. Beyonce's talent and dedication cannot be compared and I loved this performance. Maybe one day I will get the opportunity to see her in person. The documentary is on Netflix for now. This is history in real time. If there is anything I am about, it is giving people their flowers and love while they're still around to receive and feel that appreciation. I think that's it for sharing music history knowledge and how black people have really shaped pop culture. It's evident here without me having to say much by the breadth of excellence across history. Any of these books and movies can say it better than I can. But it is such a complex conversation to be had really. I wonder how our world might look if people in the past had more freedom to create and were given the opportunities to share their talents. It's why I lean towards appreciating people who are here and with us now, present day. There are people around us every day that are changing lives and making history. I hope those people get the attention they deserve and the opportunities. And even when creating something is simply for personal enjoyment, not to be capitalized off of, that has meaning and value. To simply exist. Happy Black History Month
I wanted to do something different and had this idea to share my favorite Genius interviews where artists talk about the songs they made and more or less details about their art. I love watching them. Sometimes they're funny or silly or the artist brings up an interesting perspective of theirs. Hearing the backstory behind a song you've heard 100 times can sometimes totally change the meaning of the song. I like that because it just shows how art is so personal and how something someone makes can be interpreted and applied to anyone's individual experience. And sometimes, a song is made purely for entertainment and it's great to just leave it at that. Enjoy!! Cordae - Sinister ft. Lil Wayne
Lauren Jauregui - On Guard ft. 6lack
Zack Fox & Kenny Beats - Jesus is the One *Disclaimer* this is a VERY explicit song but equally hilarious and that's why we all love it. Just forewarning -
Girl in Red - Serotonin
Kali Uchis & Rico Nasty - Aquí Yo Mando
Jazmine Sullivan - Lost One
Megan Thee Stallion- B.I.T.C.H.
Bonus: Tems - Higher (Live)
I found so much new music in January! I think it was the longest playlist I have ever made while doing my music journal project, topping out at 7 hrs 45 minutes = 153 songs. It was a ride from start to finish. The vibe started out with some afrobeats, went into emo girl punk rock music, and kind of mellowed out toward the end. Here are my top 20 song choices of January, visualized and hand drawn to make it fun:
Perfectly Untrue (Girli & July Jones Remix) - Lucia & the Best Boys
Deal With It - Ashnikko ft. Kelis
Big Dreams and Faded Jeans - Dolly PartonI think music is so fun and personal because of the diversified human experience. Art heals and lets people know that while we are all so different, common feelings often overlap. It makes people feel a little less alone and that why I love to share art. Life is weird, feelings are weirder. Music is the art form that helps me figure those things out. And sometimes, it's not that deep and it's just nice to enjoy things on a surface level :) The way we express ourselves is interesting and unique. I know I'm figuring it out day by day and growing towards things that feel good to me in this present moment and present time. For me, that's what this is all about: sharing appreciation and being open to what the world has to offer. I know that whatever resonates now may not hit the same in a year, or it may hit differently, and I'm okay with that. I expect it to be that way. To me, that means I continue to evolve as a person and that's all I can ask for really. Some people listen to the same five artists for years, and I think that's great. It serves a purpose and it's not my business. I love hearing new songs and artists though. It's a hallmark of the society we live in and the ever-changing state of the world, what interests are rising and falling among us, and what we can expect in the future. I read a quote or statement somewhere saying that art is first place to look during the early changes of societal shifts and interests. That is where personal experience and community experiences as a group converge which is very neat to me. I love to hear it. This is why art and music is both personal and communal. Anyways, thanks for taking a moment to check this out today. I hope you found something new to listen to! I know I did last month and continue to daily. Have a beautiful day. As a bonus, I found out that a song I had been listening to all month was a girl I follow on Tiktok! The whole time! I had no idea and was very excited to find this out. Below is her original video which she released as a song!! Go support her! She's so good and such a wonderful creator. Her sound is so haunting and hypnotizing, I love it. |
Author
A 20 something passionate about many facets of music: lyricism, melody, visual interpretations, the good stuff Categories
All
Archives
June 2022
|