Teyana Taylor’s ‘Bed Of Roses’ Video Stars Aaron Pierre
Spike Tee is back. In the video for her new song, “Bed Of Roses,” Teyana Taylor casts herself and breakout heartthrob Aaron Pierre for a rather literal interpretation of the title, making for a moody, sensual visual companion to the smooth, mellow single. The video was directed by Taylor and executive produced by Missy Elliott […]
Rico Nasty’s NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert Is ‘Lethal’
Considering Rico Nasty hails from Prince George’s County, just a few miles away from NPR Music’s DC headquarters, it’s kind of shocking she hasn’t done a Tiny Desk Concert until now. She certainly makes up for the lost time, rocking out through a set made up mostly of selections from her new album, Lethal, including […]
Teddy Swims’ ‘I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Complete)’
The I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy era has been kind to Teddy Swims: “Lose Control” was his first No. 1 single, while I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2) was his first top-5 album. Now Swims is putting a bow on the era with today’s (June 27) release of I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Complete […]
Leikeli47 Interview: Honoring Black Music History
For the past decade, masked rapper Leikeli47 has been one of the most pioneering voices in hip-hop. Her music combining a spectrum of influences that, at times, seem polar opposites; ballroom and yardie culture would seem to be natural enemies, but Leikeli blended them as easily as breathing. Last year, the East Coast nomad shocked […]
Lorde’s Surprise Glastonbury Performance Of ‘Virgin’: Video
Earlier this month, there were rumors flying around that Lorde was gearing up to play a surprise set at this year’s Glastonbury festival. The chatter was so intense that Lorde was asked about it in an interview, and she said, “You know… I’m pretty keen, honestly. I feel like… ’cause the album’s gonna be coming […]
BigXThaPlug & Shaboozey’s ‘Home’: Another Rap-Country Anthem
BigXthaPlug and Shaboozey have done it again. Building on the chemistry they built from their collaboration on Shaboozey’s “Drink Don’t Need No Mix,” they once again team up for another rap-country anthem in “Home.” The two Southern genre benders tackle one of both categories’ favorite topics: the open road, and just how good it feels […]
Lizzo Drops ‘My Face Hurts From Smiling’ Mixtape
Well, here’s a fun surprise. While waiting for news about Lizzo‘s follow-up to her 2022 album Special, fans have been given a new mixtape to hold them over until she’s ready to drop another album. The tape is called My Face Hurts From Smiling and features 13 all-new tracks, including collaborations with Doja Cat and […]
Ray Vaughn Celebrates His ‘XXL’ Freshman Selection With The Boisterous ‘Look @ God’ Video
TDE rapper Ray Vaughn is having one heck of a week. The same day that he was announced as one of XXL‘s 2025 Freshman class, it was also revealed that he’d signed a distribution deal with RCA Records, which also distributed his labelmate SZA’s last two albums. The Long Beach native celebrates his run of […]
Kehlani’s ‘Folded’ Video Is A Fantasy Laundry Service
Earlier this month, Kehlani released their new single, “Folded,” marking the beginning of their next era in the wake of 2024’s Crash. The song finds Kehlani flip-flopping between wanting to move on from a relationship and continuing it, instructing their ex-lover to pick up their things and go before they “fold.” In the alluring music […]
Do Black People Actually Hate Musicals?
Who says Black people don’t love musicals? Well, according to the algorithms over the past week — both digital and universal — a lot of people, including us. Through conversations with friends in person and on social media, and through TikTok’s curated feed, this point came up repeatedly over Juneteenth weekend. But a counterargument was […]