Janelle Monae has always been on the fringe of breaking into the mainstream. She sang with the band Fun. on “We Are Young” — which topped the Billboard 100 for six weeks in 2012 — and she acted in not one, but two Best Picture nominees in 2016.
On the heels of countless outdoor concerts and festivals, summer is a great time for artists to release new music. While many artists may announce and release albums within a matter of days, and other artists may tease new music without a certain release date for months, there are a number of albums we can expect before summer’s end.
Mere days after announcing its inception, J. Cole dropped the unexpected album, KOD (an initialism for Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed and Kill Our Demons). After his hotly anticipated — though largely disappointing — 4 Your Eyez Only record dropped last year, many have been critical of both the rapper’s fanbase and his legitimacy as “one of the greats.”
Rap trio Flatbush Zombies have been carving their way through the soundwaves with trippy personas and outgoing personalities since 2010. Thanks to a flurry of hard-hitting mixtapes that capitalized on the group’s acid-laced rhymes with ear-grabbing instrumentals, the trio added a breath of fresh air to the rap game.
When Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s song “Ffunny Ffrends” mysteriously popped up on Bandcamp back in 2010, it was a random, ownerless track.
There are multiple stories running through one body, quickly responding to all feelings of anger, paranoia and vulnerability. Cardi B does not merely chase a quick appraisal with Invasion of Privacy, but rather reminds us that proving the doubt of success is hardest when in the spotlight.
Last year in February, Saba’s cousin and co-founder of the Pivot Gang rap crew, John Walt, was shot and murdered in Chicago. Saba searches for the cure to his emptiness from the loss of his cousin through the innovative piano backtracks and lyrical excellence that embody CARE FOR ME.
My Dear Melancholy, serves as the antithesis to Starboy: It’s an angst-ridden love letter filled with the passion and darkness that The Weeknd left off his previous album, which favored faster tempos and radio-friendly choruses.
“Get off your a** and hustle,” is the first line on Rich the Kid’s debut album The World Is Yours. He goes on to rap, “I’m the definition of a hustler,” which could not be more true. While The World Is Yours has been marketed as his first album, he’s been a star in the trap scene for half a decade. In the past five years, he’s released a staggering 18 mixtapes which, on average, meant a new project every three months. On top of that, he founded his own record label Rich Forever Music all before signing a deal of his own. Rich is a hustler in every sense of the word.
Scottish-based, Mercury-Prize-winning group Young Fathers have been ones to ignore the confines of genre since their critically acclaimed 2014 debut Dead. The following year, they upped the ante with genre defiance while throwing in more abrasive touches that expanded their sound even further. Their first output since 2015, Cocoa Sugar is yet again an expansion of their incredible musical palette.
JPEGMAFIA will be performing a free show April 21 at The Sett in Union South.
David Byrne has tried and succeeded in a variety of musical endeavors throughout his long career: Oscar-winning music for “The Last Emperor,” a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, just to name a couple.
Fans of “Rick and Morty,” myself included, may not have expected the duo to return Logic’s favor of a brief cameo, as he did last season on the popular show. The grandfather-grandson duo announced last week that Logic was dropping a sequel to his well-received Bobby Tarantino mixtape that would be “Good ol’ Atlanta-style club rap.”
Tory Lanez, an outspoken rapper and singer hailing from Toronto, released his second full-length album earlier this month with MEMORIES DON’T DIE.
Listeners of 'Black Panther: The Album' may recall “Paramedic!” as one of the record’s highlights. It starred a vibrant and enthusiastic rap group out of Vallejo, California who made a noticeable buzz for all the right reasons.
Marvel Studios once again exceeds all expectations with “Black Panther,” their most impressive display of passionate world-building and inventive storytelling portrayed by a cast of well-established favorites and exciting newcomers.
On paper, it was too good to be true: one of hip-hop’s boldest voices ever curating the soundtrack to one of Marvel’s boldest films ever. Could it be possible? Three singles and one monumental film later, Black Panther: The Album holds true.
The Wombats' music has always been filled with angst. The band, originating in Liverpool, fills their songs with frantic beats while lead singer and guitarist, Matt Murphy, packs his lyrics with how he feels, frequently coming across with disgust. Their first album from 2007, A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation, is filled with pounding drums.
MGMT has never been one to listen to critics. Or fans. Or anyone, really.
Indonesian rapper Rich Brian (formerly Rich Chigga) makes a well-produced attempt at proving he is an emcee capable of being more than just a singles artist. With his first album Amen, Brian presents a mediocre package of 14 tracks and a 44-minute run time.
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Solutions by The State News
