24 Jun

Posted at 17:05h in Music
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It looks like Nicki Minaj’s wagon is firmly hitched to Ice Spice and she isn’t let go anytime soon. Just months after their first collab, the rappers have joined forces once again on “Barbie World,” a track from the Barbie movie soundtrack. The song samples Aqua’s 1997 hit, “Barbie Girl,” and also features the Scandinavian group. At just a minute and 50 seconds, “Barbie World” feels more like an interlude than a full track, and truthfully, the chaotic nature of the song doesn’t help.

The video is as pink and playful as you would expect it to be, and has been watched over five million times on YouTube in under 48 hours.

22 Jun

Posted at 21:23h in Music, Throwback
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No conversation about the ’80s is complete without mentioning Cyndi Lauper. From the music to the fashion, Ms. Lauper helped defined that decade.

Today, the New York native turns 70 years old, so it’s only right that she gets this week’s TBT spotlight.

Before the world got to know Cyndi, she had a false start with a band called Blue Angel. Though critically acclaimed, the band made no waves with its 1980 self-titled album and eventually disbanded. The group was then sued by its manager, which led to Cyndi filing for bankruptcy and working retail and restaurant jobs. It is worth noting that Cyndi had been offered solo deals while she was with the group and turnned them down out of loyalty.

In 1981, Cyndi got a second shot at fame when she was discovered by David Wolff, the man who would become her manager, while singing at a bar in New York City. In 1983, at age 30, she would release her solo debut single, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and the rest is history. The song would peak at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its parent album, aptly named She’s So Unusual, would go on to sell 16 million copies worldwide. The album also holds the distinction of being the first by a female artist to place four singles in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100.

Cyndi would go on to win the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1985 and continue giving us classics for the rest of the decade. Join me in celebrating this true pop icon.

20 Jun

Posted at 13:09h in Crime, Movies
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Jonathan Majors appeared in court for the first time for his domestic violence case — with Meagan Good by his side, no less.

If “I’ma stick beside him” was a person.

Majors was charged with misdemeanor assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault, and harassment back in March after allegedly slapping and choking his girlfriend at the time (and now ex) while in a taxi in NYC. The trial date has been set for August 3.

15 Jun

Posted at 22:17h in Music, Throwback
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We didn’t have a TBT selection last week, so you know what that means.

That’s right. We get two this week.

Today is Carl Thomas’ 51st birthday, so it’s only right we revisit his signature hit. Released as the second single from his debut album, Emotional, “I Wish” is one of those songs whose legacies far outsize their initial impact. The song only peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, but 23 years later, its status as a classic is not up for debate. Between the vulnerable lyrics, the vocal performance, and the turtleneck, the song and video have become icons of that era of R&B.

15 Jun

Posted at 21:53h in Music, Throwback
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This past week, Brandy’s sophomore set, Never Say Never, turned 25 years old. Yes, the album deserved a retrospective, but accept this week’s TBT post as a consolation.

Following the juggernaut that was “The Boy Is Mine” (with Monica), B-Rocka released “Top of the World” (featuring Mase) as the album’s second single. It’s not clear if a physical single was ever released — which was a requirement to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time — or if it was simply underpromoted, but the song failed to chart in America. The song was released four weeks into the 13-week reign of “The Boy Is Mine,” so it isn’t far-fetched to imagine that the label held back on promotion to avoid the cannibalization of an existing hit. The song fared much better in the UK, where it peaked at No. 2.

Co-produced by Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and the singer, the song is basically Brandy letting us know that life after fortune and fame isn’t without problems. It’s basically her version of “Same Ol’ G.”

On your average albun, a song as good as “Top of the World” would be a clear winner, but unfortunately for it, it was introduced to us via Never Say Never, an album that is truly stacked. However, the song is by no means forgotten, and if you need evidence, look no further than Burna Boy’s latest single, “Sittin’on Top of the World”, which samples the song.

15 Jun

Posted at 21:03h in Music
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Babyface’s recent appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts is one of the best in the show’s history. The legend — who shared the desk with Chante Moore, Tank and Avery Wilson — sung a range of classics he’s written for himself and others, and shared backstories about how they came to be.

According to Face, Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” almost never happened because Nippy wasn’t sure about it at first, and the “shoop”-ing on the hook is only there because he hadn’t finished writing the lyrics. The song would go on to become Whitney’s final No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot100.

01 Jun

Posted at 22:50h in Music
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Today is Alanis Morissette’s 49 to birthday, and while she is arguably in possession of a few Grammys she doesn’t deserve, a good song is a good song — and the ‘90s rocker has made a few.

It was too tempting to make “Ironic” today’s pick — it is, after all, her signature hit. However, the shining star in her catalog is her 2002 single, “Hands Clean.”

Released as the lead single from her fifth album, Under Rug Swept, the song is a retelling of an inappropriate (and illegal) relationship she had with an adult man when she was a teenager. It isn’t a new topic for the singer — “You Oughta Know” is also about a problematic relationship. While she has never named the boyfriend in question, it’s assumed that these songs are all about the same question. And in a move that can only be described as an odd choice, Full House star has basically outed himself as the subject.

31 May

Posted at 12:51h in Music
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DaniLeigh was arrested for DUI after a hit-and-run incident around 2am yesterday in Miami. The singer allegedly hit a man in a moped — and ended up dragging his vehicle for a block. She was eventually pulled over, after which she failed two sobriety tests. Her blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit.

According to authorities, an empty bottle of tequila was found in DaniLeigh’s car, which was towed. The man in the moped suffered a kidney laceration and a spinal fracture.

DaniLeigh was cited with leaving the scene of a crash without rendering care, driving under the influence and related property damage. She released on a $9,500 bond after being detained for three hours.

27 May

Posted at 18:36h in Movies
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After a nasty $38 million domestic haul on its opening day, the live-action version of The Little Mermaid is expected to gross $125 million in the US alone this weekend, making it the fourth-biggest Memorial Day weekend opening. And with a projection of an additional $80 million outside the States, the movie (starring Halle Bailey as the title character) is well on track to gross over $1 billion (contrary to Mena Massoud’s hot-ass take).