Music
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Ghetto Fabulous: Andre Harrell Created a Culture of Black Excellence
“My goal is to bring real black America — just as it is, not watered down — to people everywhere through music, through films, through everything we do.” This was the manifesto of 32 year-old, newly-minted entertainment mogul Andre O’Neal Harrell, in conversation with the L.A. Times in 1992 about his $50M multi-media deal with MCA Records. Harrell, who founded Uptown Records, died on Friday, May 8th of an apparent cardiac episode at the age of 59. As the music industry mourns this unexpected loss, a refrain keeps echoing through posts and tributes: Andre’s impact on music and culture was never properly celebrated. In conversations about culture shifters and modern music moguls, Andre Harrell is often relegated to a supporting character role in the Sean Combs story. He’s t...
Baauer and graves Subvert Expectations with Massive “Black Beatles” Remix
Baauer and graves have both been known to keep listeners on their toes and expecting the unexpected, but the two have really outdone themselves this time. Earlier in the week, graves teased that he and Baauer were planning on dropping a song together within the week. The announcement initially led some to believe the collaboration would be an original track and released as part of Baauer’s forthcoming PLANET’S MAD album. As it turns out, it was something else entirely. Yesterday, graves conspicuously dropped the collaboration via a Dropbox file titled “Baauer graves thing.” The track inside is instantly identifiable as a bootleg remix of Rae Sremmurd‘s hit single “Black Beatles.” Despite the unconventional means of re...
Bob Dylan Memorializes Little Richard: “I’m So Grieved”
The influence of Little Richard can be felt across the entire spectrum of modern music: just look at the countless number of artists, many of whom are legends in their own right, who took time to memorialize Richard following news of his passing on Saturday. Even the notoriously private Bob Dylan issued a rare statement to honor the rock music pioneer. “I just heard the news about Little Richard and I’m so grieved,” Dylan wrote in a message posted to his social media channels. “He was my shining star and guiding light back when I was only a little boy. His was the original spirit that moved me to do everything I would do.” “I played some shows with him in Europe in the early nineties and got to hang out in his dressing room a lot. He was always generous, kind and humble,” Dylan went on to ...
Screaming Trees’ Gary Lee Conner Calls Mark Lanegan’s Memoir ‘Vicious and Petty’
Mark Lanegan published his memoir Sing Backwards and Weep last month, and to put it bluntly, it’s been pissing people off. Aside from reigniting a 24-year-old feud with Oasis’ Liam Gallagher, the former Screaming Trees frontman also took some swings at his old bandmates. Earlier this week, the band’s guitarist Gary Lee Conner expressed his thoughts about the book in a lengthy Facebook post. After admitting that the band didn’t “get along like friends and sometimes it felt like we were enemies,” Conner couldn’t deny their musical chemistry. “Mark took the songs Van and I wrote and helped elevate them lyrically and vocally to a higher level,” he wrote. However, while he’s able to take the higher road, Conner was disappointed with Lanegan’s recount of his time in Screaming Trees — a...
U2’s Adam Clayton Opens Up About How Quarantine Affects Mental Health
U2’s Adam Clayton has been open about his battles with depression and addiction, and on Friday night the bassist visited Ireland’s The Late Late Show to discuss how quarantine can affect others who are struggling with their mental health. “I think it’s hugely stressful for people to be inside, in small spaces, maybe with children, maybe having to work from home if people still have their jobs,” he explained, adding that these stressors could cause additional anxiety. “For anyone under that kind of pressure, there is help out there,” he assured. “It’s hugely difficult to manage and in an isolated state, when you’re just stuck with your own head and the thoughts going on inside your head, that is extremely stressful.” When asked about his “own run in with issues,” and how...
Deadmau5 Drops New Fortnite Edition Playlist On Spotify
Ahead of his hotly anticipated virtual Fortnite concert, deadmau5 dropped a special Spotify playlist just to celebrate the event. The masked producer helped usher in Fortnite’s new “Party Royale” mode alongside fellow performers Steve Aoki and Dillon Francis. For those that missed the premiere, a rebroadcast of the performances will take place beginning at 1PM CDT today. As a party favor, Deadmau5 is leaving fans with a “Deadmau5 & friends: Fortnite Edition” playlist. Opening with a throwback classic, “Hi Friend!,” Deadmau5 curated a fast-paced gaming playlist for when the stakes are high. The mau5trap label head didn’t steal the spotlight all for himself, however, as he diversified the experience by hi...
Could Amsterdam Dance Event 2020 Potentially Still Happen?
COVID-19 has put global festivals, conferences, and major gatherings on ice, and until a vaccine or effective treatment hits the market, it is difficult to imagine most large-scale events taking place. However, attention is now turning to Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), which is currently still on the books for 2020. The 25th edition of the event is currently scheduled for late October. At the moment, major events in the Netherlands have been banned until September 1st, and subsequent guidelines for events taking place after that date have yet to be issued. Despite the many hurdles ahead, ADE organizers have not yet cancelled their 2020 event, but they are closely monitoring government regulations. ADE is a bit unique in the sense that it is a collection of showcases, meeting...
Morgan Page and Mark Sixma Look to Brighter Days with “Our Song”
Morgan Page and Mark Sixma evoke a strong sense of nostalgia on their new collaborative single “Our Song.” The two veteran Armada Music producers, both hitmakers in their own right, combine their affinity for bright, uplifting melodies, reminding listeners that summer days are just around the corner. After hearing the storyline-style vocal, Sixma reached out to Page knowing that together, the two could take their ideas to the next level. The veteran producers exchanged versions of the song remotely—Sixma from the Netherlands, and Page from his studio in Los Angeles. Given the remote circumstances under which the two producers produced “Our Song,” perhaps it’s only fitting that quarantined lifestyles will be the focus of their music video. The forth...
With Little Richard’s Death, Only Two Members of the Inaugural Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class Are Still Living
Rock’n’roll really does keep you young. But not immortal, sad to say. With Little Richard‘s death today (May 9) at age 87, now just two members of the inaugural class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are still living — Jerry Lee Lewis, who is 84, and Don Everly, the older of The Everly Brothers, who is 83. The other members of the first class, from 1986, have all died. Three of them were inducted posthumously: Buddy Holly had died way back in 1959 (at age 22), Sam Cooke in 1964 (at age 33) and Elvis Presley in 1977 (at age 42). But all of the other members of the inaugural class lived to see their inductions and in fact made it into the 2000s, which suggests that rock’n’roll really does keep you young. But not immortal, sad to say: Ray Ch...
Little Richard’s History on Billboard’s Charts: ‘Tutti Frutti,’ ‘Good Golly, Miss Molly’ & More
The late star scored over two dozen songs beginning in the ’50s. Little Richard was one of the most influential pioneers of modern music, shaping the evolution of rock and R&B and charting legendary songs on Billboard‘s charts. The icon, born Richard Penniman on Dec. 5, 1932, in Macon, Georgia, died Saturday morning (May 9) at age 87. The singer, songwriter and pianist sent over two dozen songs onto Billboard‘s charts, with his most of his beloved hits having predated the Billboard Hot 100, which began on Aug. 4, 1958. (Prior to the Hot 100’s inception, Billboard published various charts ranking store sales, radio airplay and jukebox selections). [embedded content] He first debuted on a Billboard chart in November 1955 , when “Tutti Frutti” debu...
6ix9ine Flashes ‘$1 Million’ Jewelry & Stacks of Cash from House Balcony: Watch
6ix9ine is living his best life after being granted an early release from prison. On the heels of dropping his new comeback single “Gooba” on Friday (May 8), the 24-year-old rainbow-haired rapper shared a video on Instagram of himself flashing stacks of cash and showing off his “$1 million” diamond encrusted shark pendant and watch. “Every rapper calling each other pushing there albums back,” 6ix9ine captioned the video, adding the cost of his jewelry. “1,500,00 WATCHES (and) 750,000 CHAIN.” In his video post, the rapper — who was granted an early prison release last month amid the coronavirus pandemic — is seen on the balcony of a discreet house wearing a baby blue hoodie and shorts while singing and dancing to a remix of Brytiag...
Here’s How Billboard Reviewed Little Richard’s ‘Tutti Frutti’ in 1955
The song was Little Richard’s first entry on a Billboard chart in 1955. There wasn’t much else like “Tutti Frutti” when Little Richard premiered the song in 1955. The risqué song about sex and dancing, helped Richard land performing slots in clubs, and later established him as a certified hitmaker. The track also earned him his first career Billboard chart entry in 1955, debuting at No. 12 on the Best Sellers in Stores chart in November 1955, and later reaching No. 17 on the Most Played in Juke Boxes tally in 1956. Before that, though, Billboard reviewed the song in the October 29, 1955 issue of the magazine, calling it “A cleverly styled novelty with nonsense words.” Here’s the full mini-review from the magazine, alongside other by The Cadillacs, Piano Red, Margie Day and Rollee McG...
