Category: News

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This past week, singles dominated the new releases in the R&B world. Chloe Bailey made her long-awaited solo debut with her new single, “Have Mercy,” a track she just performed at the 2021 MTV VMAs. Ari Lennox also made her return with new music, that being her fun and free-spirited new single “Pressure” while The Internet’s Syd calls for help from Smino for their bouncy collaboration, “Right Track.”

Chloe Bailey — “Have Mercy”

Last year, Chloe Bailey, along with her sister Halle Bailey, combined to be one of the year’s most impressive acts as they dropped their equally impressive sophomore project, Ungodly Hour. This year, Chloe is stepping out on her own and her new single “Have Mercy” marks her first steps as a solo act. The Murda Beatz-produced track is flirtatious, confident, and fierce, all being things we can expect Chloe to bring to the table for her upcoming debut album.

Ari Lennox — “Pressure”

Two years ago, Ari Lennox left us impressed with her phenomenal debut album, Shea Butter Baby. Last year, she cooled things down and delivered a few solo tracks and guest features to keep her supporters happy. This year, it appears her sophomore album could be on the way as she steps forward with her brand new track, “Pressure.” The song features help from Bryan Michael-Cox, Johnta Austin, Jermaine Dupri, and Jai’Len Josey for what amounts to a lively new single.

Syd — “Right Track” Feat. Smino

My hope is that Syd has a full body of work on the way, but until that’s confirmed, enjoying the music she gifts us is probably the best bet for the time being. The singer returns with her third single of the year with “Right Track” featuring Smino. On it, Syd pleads for her partner to stick to their course toward success in love while Smino steps in to amplify Syd’s message.

Tems — “Crazy Tings”

It’s been amazing to watch Tems’ rise over the past 12 months. Last fall she released her excellent EP, For Broken Ears. The following month she connected with Wizkid for “Essence,” a track that would grow to be one of this year’s song of the summer contenders. Now, she’s back to the solo route and it comes with “Crazy Tings,” her groovy new single. The track is the lead single to her upcoming EP If Orange Was A Place which will arrive with five songs and a lone feature from Brent Faiyaz.

Aaliyah — Aaliyah

Blackground Records continues to upload old albums from artists who were on their label in the early 2000s. This week’s release is a fan-favorite with Aaliyah’s self-titled album. The project featured heavy songwriting from Static Major and production from Timbaland, Eric Seats, Rapture, and more. Now, all of Aaliyah’s official albums are available on streaming services ending a wait that’s lasted well over two decades.

Yebba — Dawn

Yebba has impressed with her work this year, whether it be her collaboration with Lucky Daye or delivering her own interlude on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy. Now, the Arkansas-based singer is stepping out with her own body of work through her debut album, Dawn. It comes equipped with 12 songs and guest appearances from ASAP Rocky and Smino.

Eric Bellinger — New Light

One of the game’s most consistent and active singers is back with a new album. In what makes for his second project of 2021, following this year’s 1-800-HIT-EAZY with Hitmaka, Eric Bellinger arrives with New Light. It’s 15 tracks are amplified by appearances from Dom Kennedy, The Game, Sevyn Streeter, Brandy, Teedra Moses, and Kierra Sheard.

Kyle Dion — “Parmesan”

In less than a week, Kyle Dion will drop off his third album Sassy, and so far, the West Coast singer has delivered three singles for the upcoming project: “Purr” with Kari Faux, “Placebo” with Ja Rule, and “Money.” Now, he’s back with “Parmesan,” and it’s a record dedicated to his flashy appeal and sauce that’s like no other, but one that’s perfect for the parmesan companion in his life.

Alicia Keys — “LALA (Unlocked)” Feat. Swae Lee

In what arrives as an unexpected collaboration between the two artists, Alicia Keys and Swae Lee joined forces for their new single “LALA (Unlocked).” The slow-tempo finds the two artists singing back and forth about the growing feelings a couple possesses for each other and how their love is altered, for the better, but outside substances.

Kevin George — Everybody’s In My Ear

Kevin George is back in action with Everybody’s In My Ear, his sixth project since 2018. Comprised of seven songs and a guest appearance from Johan Lenox, George’s EP blends multiple genres that include R&B, melodic rap, and even pop. In a press release, the singer explained how the effects of “social media, perception, [and] opinions” brought him to this new era of his career. “I had forgotten my real purpose in this sh*t & for the first time since I was 15 I stopped making music completely for about 4 months,” he said. “I had to find a way to heal and move forward, but this time with absolute confidence and awareness in myself and who I am & why I even create.”

RIMON — Digital Tears

A year after impressing with her I Shine, U Shine EP last year, RIMON returns another project to display her growing artistry. Her Digital Tears EP arrives with six songs and a lone guest appearance from Earthgang. While the project delivers the up and down emotions of life that we can expect from her, it’s dipped in this sort of cyber aesthetic that makes an enjoyable listen that will stand out in her discography.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

This article originally appeared on 07.17.15

About a year ago, clothing brand American Eagle’s underwear line, Aerie, stopped retouching photos of their models.

As their CEO Jennifer Foyle said in a statement in 2014, “There is no need to retouch beauty.”

The results were beautiful.

---

And profitable.

After putting the nix on retouching, quarterly comparable sales for Aerie were up 9%.

9% for that quarter. The next quarter, Q3 of 2014, up only 3% in comparable sales. But then in the next two quarters? Up 13% and 12%. Coincidence? Maybe. But I like to think it has to do with things like this pic:

The brand uses the hashtag #AerieReal to let its fans know that the photos remain unretouched.

Model Iskra Lawrence, featured below kicking around on the beach, told Elle:

“I love my body and really don’t see myself as a size but more of a shape.”

Aerie clearly agrees!

She’s featured in ads aplenty. Unretouched, of course!

Aerie also agrees that backs are beautiful.

Stomachs being stomachs are cool by them, too!

Don’t freak out, but Aerie also agrees that real butts look like real butts.

Yes, some of these models have what the mainstream already traditionally thinks of as “great” bodies. But for some reason, the usual practice is to airbrush and retouch even THAT.

These photos show that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” body; ALL bodies have moments of #realness. And there’s nothing wrong with showing that. That’s what I love about them and what I love about this campaign.

And to their credit, in case the model bodies don’t do it for you, the brand has also posted photos of non-model, everyday women using the hashtag #AerieReal to spotlight the glory that is the unretouched photo on all types of shapes and sizes.

Frankly, no one needs Aerie to tell them that it’s OK for them to have a body and to love it without a filter. But if you ask me, more brands could get OUT of the game of body shaming and INTO the game of body positivity like Aerie.

And if Aerie is any example, body positivity is profit positivity.

I can agree with that!

So, a couple of things about Syd’s endearing, upbeat new song “Right Track“: First and foremost, it has been way too long since we heard from The Internet‘s frontwoman on the solo tip, so this and her other 2021 singles like “Missing Out” and “Fast Car” are more than welcome. I hope that it means she’s going to put out another solo album soon (you all slept on Fin and you ought to be ashamed of yourselves). Secondly, it’s always fun to hear her on more energetic, bouncy fare like this, especially as it so closely evokes the sound and feel of The Nepturnes’ prime-era R&B work. More of this, please.

But finally, and perhaps most importantly, the representation Syd offers in the song’s simple but effective video is so needed. Rather than shoot for salaciousness as previous depictions of same-sex female relationships have, which indulges the male gaze far too much to really be considered true representation, Syd offers a more evocative angle that works way better at suggesting the type of romance she sings about on “Right Track.” The masc-femme dynamic also offers a nice counterpoint to much of the hypersexualized depictions of queer love, while the cinematography itself is clean and gorgeous to look at.

Oh, and I guess, fourth: Add Smino to more things. All the things. Smino is so much fun, even when he’s just popping up to deliver a smooth verse like the one he offers here.

Watch Syd’s “Right Track” video above.

After spending the back half of the summer railing against anti-vaxxers and the politicians who encourage them, comedian Bill Burr is setting his sights on his biggest target yet: the NFL. During the latest episode of his Monday Morning podcast, Burr took the league to task for promoting Black Lives Matter while refusing to listen to players’ concerns over playing unnecessary games.

While calling the NFL “hypocrites” for commissioner Roger Goodell’s “bizarre” decision to extend the regular season after players asked to remove at least one exhibition game for safety concerns. The whole thing didn’t sit well with Burr, and he let the league know it. Via Mediaite:

“Dude how funny is it that the NFL has Black Lives Matter written on the back of their helmets as they also make the predominately black league play an extra football game every year after all the shit they know about CTE,” Burr ranted on his Monday Morning podcast.

Of course, the NFL can ignore Burr’s warning at its own risk, but it should probably be aware that the comedian accurately predicted a COVID breakout in Milwaukee following the Bucks’ NBA playoff run. Back in July, Burr blasted Bucks’ fans “who probably created a new variant of the f*cking coronavirus” during their “no masks no condoms” celebration.

“Jesus Christ, they [may as well] have put f*cking COVID in liquid form and just put it into a crop duster and just f*cking flown right over that goddamn crowd,” Burr ranted at the time. Two weeks later, 491 cases were traced back to the Bucks event. So again, we’re not saying Burr is Nostradamus or anything, but the NFL might want to hear him out. He’s on a hot streak.

(Via Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast)

Todd Rundgren didn’t hold back on detailing his frustrations working with Kanye West on the rapper’s new album Donda. In a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock ahead of his induction in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Rundgren revealed what he felt was the driving force behind the album’s chaotic rollout and constant changes: Kanye’s rivalry with Drake.

“My involvement went on for a year, and in the end I realized why they hurriedly wrapped the whole thing up and put out what is obviously really raw, unprocessed stuff,” he said. “It’s because Drake was running the whole process. He was too afraid that Drake would one-up him, so he hurried up and released the album the weekend before Drake could get his out. And in the end, Drake ate his lunch anyway.”

Rundgren also echoed a concern expressed by another former Kanye collaborator, Soulja Boy, who ripped the producer for leaving him off the final tracklist and “wasting his time.” Rundgren called Kanye a “dilettante” who only dabbled in producing while designing shoes and wasting the rocker’s efforts. “I’m still a producer, and I don’t just want to be like driftwood in the process,” he said. He also criticized Kanye’s adherence to spectacle over craftsmanship, insisting, “Nobody would regularly make records like that unless they had stupid money to throw around. Nobody rents a stadium to make a record in. Nobody flies in the entire world of hip-hop just to croak one syllable, just so you can say that everybody was on it.”

However, he said he has no idea if he’s even on the project. “I have three albums worth of Kanye stems on my computer,” he revealed. “Because I kept getting called by Kanye to add vocals onto the record. When it got into the homestretch in July, I just said, ‘That’s enough for me. I have no idea whether any of this is being used.’ You don’t get much feedback from him regarding what it is.” The lack of communication has left him in the dark, unable to discern if he even has a role in all the clutter. “If I can contribute something, fine,” he conceded. “If I can’t, just let me know. I’m out of here […] There is a possibility that I’m actually in there somewhere. There’s so much junk in that record!”

Edgar Wright loves making playlists, some for public consumption, others for himself. During the early stages of his then-untitled new film that became Last Night in Soho, he “started amassing this playlist called ‘Soho’ that was 300 songs from the ’60s. I hadn’t thought what the film was going to be called,” the director told Total Film. He originally wanted Red Light Area as the title, but there’s already a movie called Red Light Area. Same with The Night Has a Thousand Eyes (it stars Edward G. Robinson as the “Mental Wizard”). Then he remembered a conversation he had with Quentin Tarantino.

“In Death Proof, Quentin uses a Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, & Tich song, ‘Hold Tight.’ I was talking to him about that song, and that band, and he said, ‘Have you ever heard ‘Last Night in Soho’?’ He played it for me, and he goes, ‘This is the best title music for a film that’s never been made’ … It was staring me in the face, because I’d heard this song, and I thought it was great: Last Night in Soho,” Wright said. He continued:

“I said, ‘Hey, did you hear what my movie’s called?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I read it.’ I said, ‘Are you annoyed with me?’ He goes, ‘You know what? Only you could make that movie.’ I said, ‘Well, I’m going to thank you on the end credits for giving me the song.’ He goes, ‘OK, but I’ve got to fess up now. What I said about it being the best end-credits song for a movie that doesn’t exist, is something that Allison Anders used to say. So if you credit me, you’ve also got to credit her.’ So on the thanks list, A to T, Allison Anders and Quentin Tarantino are the first and last people thanked.”

When Wright reached out to Anders (Gas Food Lodging) to tell her thanks for the inspiration, she “was thrilled & sent me a 7 inch of the song in question,” he tweeted. “Which is so lovely of her. It’s on my mantel piece.” Thank you, Allison and Quentin; thank you, Edgar; but most of all, thank you, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, & Tich.

(Via Total Film)

The 2021 Met Gala took place Monday night, offering celebrities a chance to both flex their immense wealth and show just how avant-garde they’re willing to get with their style. But when it comes to futuristic looks, Grimes is always ahead of the game both on and off the red carpet. Her Met Gala look was no different, as her outfit was completed by an eye-catching accessory: a giant metal sword made out of an AR-15.

The singer showed up to the event in a flowing white gown with silver detail, a metal mask, and a massive sword. The sword was designed by the art collective MSCHF and was forged by melting down the metal of a Colt AR-15 A3 gun. Seeing as this year’s Met Gala theme was “American Independence,” Grimes definitely understood the assignment.

Though Grimes’ look definitely turned some heads, it’s not apparently the only gun MSCHF has turned into a sword. In fact, it’s part of a MSCHF’s latest Guns2Swords project, which, as the title suggests, melts down guns and reforges them to a different kind of weapon.

In their Guns2Swords manifesto, MSCHF explained the project’s mission:

“We propose that guns are a symbol that can be replaced by a different symbol without loss of satisfaction and at reduced threat to others. Guns2Swords substitutes the symbol for the real and neuters reality while salving the psyche. […] Non-mandatory gun buyback efficacy is mixed at best. Still, removing guns from circulation is never a bad thing, merely more or less effective. Chekhov’s Gun holds as true in fact as in fiction: a gun, once introduced, WILL be fired.”

Check out Grimes’ 2021 Met Gala look above.

Back in August, My Morning Jacket announced plans to release their ninth studio album, following last year’s The Waterfall II. The new album is self-titled, drops October 22 via ATO, and features the expansive single, “Regularly Scheduled Programming.” Now, the band has shared another entry from My Morning Jacket: an upbeat, lushly harmonized song simply called “Love Love Love.” There’s also a video, which features vibrant animations and MMJ rocking out as strobing, neon lights flash across the screen.

“‘Love Love Love’ is trying to steer the ship away from everything I’m talking about in ‘Regularly Scheduled Programming’ and speak toward positivity and pure love, finding truth within yourself and in the world around you,” My Morning Jacket leader Jim James said in a release.

“I hope this album brings people a lot of joy and relief, especially since we’ve all been cooped up for so long,” James said in a statement last month when the album was announced. “I know that feeling you get from driving around blasting music you love, or even lying in bed and crying to the music you love. The fact that we’re able to be a part of people’s lives in that way is so magical to us, and it feels really good that we’re still around to keep doing that.”

Watch the “Love Love Love” video above.

My Morning Jacket is out 10/22 via ATO Records. Pre-order it here.

Mike Richards’ tenure at Jeopardy! is now officially over, although the show’s still eeking through the handful of episodes that he hosted. This continuing awkwardness arrives after Richards’ dismissal in the wake of an exhaustive report from Claire McNear (of The Ringer) that detailed Richards’ history of troubling (often sexist and bigoted) comments. Richards is out as executive producer, too, and meanwhile, current champ Matt Amodio must push forth and attempt to keep winning, even with the whole annoying-answer issue under his belt.

Amodio sat down with the Washington Post following his accrual of at least $574,000 in winnings, which he’s largely racked up during the strangest time in the long-lived game show’s history. Naturally, Amodio needed to address how he’s coping with the pressure during unusual circumstances, and his answer was a telling one. In order to stay focused on winning, he’s not thinking about the hosting issue at all:

“Frankly, the last thing I’m thinking about when I’m in the middle of a game is who’s hosting. I’ve had people say, ‘Oh man, you’ve moved on to your fourth host, that has to be difficult.’ And I would say, ‘Well, you’re right, but I didn’t even realize that, necessarily.’ Cause I’m trying to pull these really obscure facts out of my brain, and that takes all the mental energy I can afford at the moment.”

In other words, he’s keeping his “game face” on, which is about all that anyone can do to push through competition with outside forces threatening to distract. To a lesser degree, Amodio has also prevailed by getting that blue checkmark that he desired on Twitter. In other words, everything is coming up Amodio, and nothing is coming up Mike Richards. And the search for a host must go on.

(Via Washington Post)

Indie-pop spark plug Hatchie (Australia’s Harriette Pilbeam) has a couple of announcements to make this morning: Not only has she signed to Secretly Canadian, Hatchie has also shared an eye-catching new video for the song “This Enchanted.” During the clip, Pilbeam performs a strobe-lit set with her band while also walking around at night in some Claire Danes-in-Romeo-And-Juliet angel wings.

Of the new song, Pilbeam says, “‘This Enchanted’ encapsulates everything I wanted to do moving forward from my first album. I started writing it with Jorge and Joe in February 2020 and completed it from afar in lockdown later in the year. We had been talking about making something dancey but shoegaze.”

She adds, “It’s one of the more lighthearted, lyrically vague songs of my new recordings about falling in love; it’s not a perfect relationship, but you’re enthralled by one another and it’s an easy love. It’s one of the most fun songs I’ve written, so it was a no-brainer to pick it as my first solo release in almost two years. It feels so right to be working with a label as exciting as Secretly as I step into new territory with Hatchie. I’ve been counting down the days until its release for a long time.”

“This Enchanted,” of course, follows the singer’s 2019 album Keepsake and its preceding EP, 2018’s Sugar & Spice. Watch “This Enchanted” above.