Lil Wayne has successfully straddled the line between rap and sports for decades. The 2023 ESPYs were last night, July 12, and some athletic figures walked away with a higher honor than a trophy: An improvised name-check from Lil Wayne during his performance of “A Milli” to open the broadcast.
The mad dash ended with Wayne spitting, “I want my NIL so I’m goin’ back to college / Tattoos on my face, you can call me Dennis Rodman.” Wayne thanked the crowd before leaving the stage and welcomed everyone to the 2023 ESPYs.
For more than a decade, K-pop’s global status has only grown bigger, expanding beyond charts and online streaming. As Korean artists continue to make a name for themselves with their albums and songs charting simultaneously both domestically and globally, so does the demand for the producers and songwriters behind their hits.
Justin Reinstein, a producer based out of New York, has generated his own discography of K-pop tracks he’s worked on over the last 7 years. (IVE’s “After Like,” Stray Kids’ “I am YOU,” ITZY‘s “Cheshire,” and a good number of TWICE‘s Korean and Japanese discography including their first English single “The Feels,” to name a few.) Before dipping his toes into K-pop, the East Coast producer has been involved in the music industry for eight years prior, working mostly with J-pop and some western artists. Over the pandemic, he started NuVibe Music, a production team and publishing company that primarily focuses on the Asian music market. The team consists of three other producers and topliners recruited by Justin. “I had a vision of starting a company that promoted positivity and forward-thinking creativity,” he says during the chat. “I didn’t want it to feel too business-like. All of us are good friends and work really well together.”
“I remember feeling very honored when Justin reached out,” Anna Timgren, the group’s topliner in Finland says. “He’s one of the top producers in the industry and we had a really good connection from the first song!” Anna was the second member to join NuVibe after Justin came across her pen work with Chung Ha’s “Stay Tonight.” She’s worked on LOONA’s “So What,” fromis_9’s “Stay This Way,” Viviz’s “BOP BOP!” and TWICE’s “The Feels” with Justin as well. The two disclosed they’ve worked together a year before reuniting in NuVibe, while Anna has been working in the industry for 10 years.
NuVibe’s two on-the-rise members consists of Suhyppy, a topliner from South Korea who just began working with K-pop last year and recently made her production debut with NMIXX’s “Rollercoaster,” and DTP, a producer based in England who started producing for K-pop in 2019 and joined the team two years ago.
While the K-pop hit-making collective consists of members from different sides of the world, the group works closely so often to create some of the best earworms the industry has to offer. In the midst of producing a busy summer and fall ahead, UPROXX chatted with Justin and Anna to breakdown what it takes to make a K-pop hit.
First thing’s first. How and what is the process like working with K-pop?
Justin: For me, I’ll usually get an idea for a track first. Or sometimes I’ll jam out at the piano and get a topline idea, and work around that. From there, it’s just figuring out the details. Putting together the puzzle until there are no more pieces left on the floor — if you’re putting the puzzle together on the floor. But it can definitely take some time – from the track, to vocal editing, to mixing. Actually, I like to work for just a few hours at a time, unless I’m so inspired that I just have to finish the project in one shot, then I’ll lose sleep for the sake of the craft. Or, unless there’s a deadline of course.
Anna: I like to really focus on creating the best melodies possible for the song. I won’t move on to recording until all of the sections feel 100% there. I usually give the topline process max of 2 days, that includes writing and recording demo vocals.
Justin: Anna and I are a bit similar in that she actually writes really fast. If you’re inspired, sometimes the melody just hits you. Recording the vocals is the “work” part, for sure. Figuring out the vocal arrangements, the right vibe of the singing, that all is what ends up taking the most time on the toplining side.
What’s the most important thing when it comes to producing a K-pop song in your opinion?
Justin: I pretty much look at it like producing any other song. The track has to groove. There has to be great sound selection. It’s gotta feel alive. And then on the technical side, I like to try to come up with moments that make you go “whoa.” Reverb automation is one of my favorite tricks to deploy.
How about the pitching process?
Justin: We’ll send the songs out to our contacts at labels, or other pitching partners in Korea. Sometimes the labels will already have an idea of the direction of a project, so we’ll send the song straight to them.
On top of working with K-pop, you all managed to work with some Korean K-pop producers as well.
Justin: I do a lot of work with Woo Min Lee “collapsedone.” We met in New York in 2018 and started working together regularly. We’ve produced a lot of TWICE, fromis_9 and other acts together.
Anna: I work with several producers and enjoy the diversity. It keeps things interesting!
Any culture shock moments working with the Korean music industry compared to western music?
Justin: Just the fact that I could get into my zone with jazzy chord changes. I love how widely accepted beautiful chord changes are in K-pop. There’s a lot you can do there and make it sound modern.
Anna: To me, K-Pop is a very melodically free genre. I really enjoy challenging myself because the groups have multiple singers and sometimes have rappers. So as a songwriter, I have to be able to write and sing (and sometimes rap) parts that fit the idols
Any obstacles or struggles you face working with K-pop? Such as time differences? Language barriers? Too many members? Deadlines?
Justin: You definitely have to be on call almost all the time. Being in New York, I’m getting e-mails when I’m going to sleep, and right as I wake up. We’re super grateful to be busy, though sometimes it’s good to turn your phone on silent and recharge the batteries. Literally, and figuratively.
Anna: I’m happy to be in Europe, I usually get a quiet morning until Justin wakes up haha!
How often do you have to travel or meet with artists in person? Or has it been all remote?
Justin: The majority of the time we work remotely, but now that the pandemic’s subsided, I think we’re aiming to visit Korea 2-3 times per year. It’s always great connecting with the kind folks that work at the labels, our songwriter friends, and of course if we get the opportunity to meet artists, that’s always a blast.
Anna: Yeah, I mostly work remotely, but I also do songwriting camps here in Europe from time to time.
You’ve worked with so many artists. What’s your most prized track or album then?
Anna: The song of my life is definitely “The Feels” by TWICE. I’m so happy that one of the first songs me and Justin, along with Justin’s regular collaborator collapsedone, made together ended up being such a big song!
Justin: I agree, that one is really special. I also love one of our latest releases “What I Want” by fromis_9. Anna and I worked hard and developed an interesting sound that we were exploring at the time. It was so rewarding when the label believed in our vision. It goes to show that you should always follow your gut when it comes to trying something a little left field, creatively.
What was the moment when you realized you’ve gained success in your work.
Justin: It’s a never ending journey. I still feel like we’re striving for success.
Anna: I agree, well said Justin. High five!
Dream collaboration or project.
Anna: Ahh there are so many great artists that we’d like to collaborate with. aespa, LE SSERAFIM, Red Velvet, NCT to name a few. But we don’t think too much about that, what drives us is the desire to create what we’re feeling at the time.
Justin: I agree. If we love the song as we’re creating it, we have faith that some A&R is gonna love the song eventually. It’s always a thrill when the labels take interest in songs that we create just because we felt like creating.
What’s one thing about this profession you wish you could tell others that you haven’t had the chance to tell?
Justin: If you’re a new writer, I’d suggest focusing on building with other new writers. If you aim straight for the top, oftentimes (but not all the time) those more established writers already have their set collaborators, and won’t be as likely to agree to a collab. When you build with other people who are on the same level, you can learn & grow together.
Anna: Yeah, I totally agree. Building your own relationships and finding your own connections and growing together with people is the most important thing, in my opinion. It’s not always easy, but we shouldn’t forget the reason why we do this: the love of music. That’s what’s gonna keep us going even in the hard times.
Finally. What makes K-pop pop?
Anna: I think the reason why K-pop is so popular is the mix of refreshing sounds and melodies combined with great dancing and performances.
Justin: Definitely. It’s something fresh and new for the world. It’s infectious.
It seems like it’s been a long, long time since Chicago rapper/poet Noname put out a new song. However, the wait will soon come to an end, as the outspoken MC has announced the release date for her next single. It’s called “Balloons,” it features New Orleans rapper Jay Electronica and Detroit singer Eryn Allen Kane, and it’s due on July 21.
The track constitutes Noname’s first new single since 2021 when she released “Rainforest” without much fanfare. Prior to that, her last release was the fiery “Song 33,” her June 2020 response to J. Cole’s “Snow On The Bluff,” which criticized an unnamed commenter for shutting down questions online. Fans interpreted the song as a shot at Noname, and after the hype died down, it seemed that the Chicago rapper was exhausted by the scrutiny.
It was revealed earlier this month that Billie Eilish has a new song for the Barbie movie, and today (July 13), the track, “What Was I Made For?,” has been released.
Press materials note of the emotional piano ballad, “The intimate and heart-rending track exists as the sonic background for pivotal scenes throughout the film, while beautifully and poignantly highlighting the film’s important message and sentiment.”
The song arrives alongside an Eilish-directed video, in which she sets up a doll clothes wardrobe before a sudden burst of rain ruins everything.
On Instagram, Eilish wrote of the song and video, “in january greta [Gerwig] showed me and finneas a handful of some unfinished scenes from the film; we had nooooo idea what to expect at ALLL… we were so deeeeeply moved.. that the next day we were writing and COULDNT shut up about it lolll andddddddddd ended up writing almost the entire song that night. to be real with you this all seemed to happen in a time when i really needed it. i’m so so thankful for that. this video makes me cryyyyy.. it means so much to me and i hope it will mean just as much to you. don’t have much to say other than that, i think it will speak for itself[heart emoji] :’’’’) enjoy.”
Eilish previously indicated the track would be a tearjerker when she wrote on Instagram, “WE MADE THIS SONG FOR BARBIE AND IT MEANS THE ABSOLUTE WORRRRLLLD TO ME. THIS MOVIE IS GONNA CHANGE UR LIVES AND HOPEFULLY THE SONG WILL TOO. GET READY TO SOB @FINNEAS.”
Ghislaine Maxwell has filed over 400 complaints against her fellow inmates since beginning her 20-year prison sentence for being an accomplice to sex creep Jeffrey Epstein, earning her the nickname “Prison Karen.” Her latest instance of being a snitch came against her bunkmate, a “heavily-tattooed inmate nicknamed Batman,” who Maxwell complained left their boxers and socks over the metal rungs of the bed to dry.
The Daily Mail reports that “their bickering turned even more bitter when Batman started sneaking a prison girlfriend back to the 5ft by 8ft living space after the low-security Florida lockup’s nightly 9 p.m. headcount.”
An insider had a first-hand account of what went down. “The cubes don’t have doors like regular cells so Batman’s girl would just creep in and climb up to the top bunk,” the source told the British publication. “[Ghislaine] would hear every grunt and moan as she was trying to sleep just a few feet below. The beds aren’t bolted down and they can rock from side to side and make a lot of noise.” The insider added, “Max and Batman weren’t getting along because of the underwear thing so this was the final straw. Inmates aren’t allowed to have sex so she went and reported Batman to the unit’s case manager.”
Batman was moved to a different cell, but things didn’t work out with the replacement (the Joker?) who did not appreciate Maxwell stinking up the joint.
The newcomer quickly kicked off about avid jogger Maxwell failing to take showers and stinking out their cramped living quarters with her sweaty sneakers.
“Maxwell would come straight off the running track and not wash. It’s something you often see with sex offenders, they are worried about being attacked in the shower,” added our source. “Eventually they had a huge argument – this time over a clothes hanger – and it got so heated that the new bunkie threatened to beat Max with a padlock. Of course, Max complained, and this girl was also removed.
The insider added, “Max seems to think she will eventually get a cube all to herself if she keeps stirring up trouble.” A convicted sex trafficker stirring up trouble by snitching on her inmates? This should end well.
Vladimir Putin’s ego regularly gets boosted by Russian State TV, but apparently, that’s no longer good enough. Gone are the days when he could go shirtless horseback riding and then have his butt kissed, as one of his underlings previously discussed, while being called a “superman.” And with Russia essentially in financial tatters and Putin no closer to winning his war on Ukraine, the dude presumably could use a pick-me-up.
He was not going to receive any head pats (or on-demand removals of Russia-Ukraine war articles) from Wikipedia, obviously, but Putin can now surf the next best thing while being too manly to hide in a bunker. A damn-near clone of Wikipedia (actually called “Ruwiki”) now exists, and this one will gladly omit articles that Putin wouldn’t like. That includes mentions of the Ukraine invasion, although the Telegraph notes that the vast majority is flat-out cut-and-pasted from regular old Russian Wikipedia. Business Insider also summarizes the major difference, which is the complete non-mention of anything that paints Putin in a negative light:
The “criticism” section of Ruwiki’s page on Putin — one that runs roughly 2,500 words on Russian Wikipedia — has been truncated to a few paragraphs, while retaining some sympathetic comments from a US academic.
And while there is no page on Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there is one using the Kremlin-approved term “special military operation.”
Ruwiki’s page on Ukraine makes no mention of the war.
The new wiki-esque site is run by Vladimir Medeyko, who previously worked for Wikipedia. Medeyeko, according to the Telegraph, founded the site with the intention of adhering to Russia’s “draconian” laws concerning media coverage of the president. In other words, the resulting vibe might be like Russian State TV in text form.
Well, now we know even more about why (beyond allegedly extreme paranoia) Putin stopped surfing the internet. Now, he can read it on a cell phone (which he also reportedly avoids doing) and (again) pretend that he’s a big, virile man, like he never invaded Ukraine to prove anything.
Dr. Dre presents as someone who does what he wants and only what he wants. That wasn’t always the case in the early 1990s. The former N.W.A. member discussed the surprising origin story of his seminal solo album, The Chronic, during an episode of Kevin Hart’s Hart To Heart on Peacock.
“Money and business got involved, and it separated the friendship,” Dre said of N.W.A.’s breakup in a clip shared exclusively with Billboard. “I had to separate myself from [Eazy-E] because he decided to take a different route. [Ice] Cube had already left, so I’m out here on my own. I have absolutely no idea what the f*ck I’m gonna do. I just know I have this talent.”
He added, “A close friend of mine — we’ll call him D.O.C. — talked me into doing The Chronic album. It wasn’t my decision. I was talked into doing that. I just went in there and went for it because I felt, at that time, it was a life-or-death situation. […] Back is against the wall. Life-or-death situation. This record is gonna determine whether I’m gonna stay in the studio or not.”
Over the weekend, Coldplay brought a Backstreet Boys song to audiences in Gothenburg, Sweden on the Music Of The Spheres Tour. Chris Martin reimagined “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” on the piano, making the track more intimate and inspiring the crowd to sing along passionately.
It was revealed earlier this month that the band has reduced their carbon footprint by 48%. “When we first announced the Music Of The Spheres Tour, we hoped to make it as environmentally beneficial as possible and reduce our direct carbon emissions (from show production, freight, band and crew travel) by 50%,” they shared. “Now that we’re into the second year of the tour, we’ve started to run the entire show (audio, lights, lasers etc) from an electric battery system that allows us to use 100% renewable energy as efficiently as possible.”
The first teaser trailer for Barbie was a spot-on parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey, but the homage goes further than that. The Stanley Kubrick classic is one of 30-plus films that inspired Greta Gerwig while she was directing and co-writing the most pink movie of 2023. They range from Best Picture winners (The Godfather and An American in Paris) to sci-fi blockbusters (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) to Hitchcock thrillers (Rear Windows) to movies where John Travolta dances a lot (Saturday Night Fever and Grease).
One obvious inspiration for Barbie is The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the colorful and vibrant musical from 1964. “That’s an amazing movie and astonishingly beautiful,” Gerwig told Letterboxd. “I loved the use of color and the surrealness. Rodrigo Prieto and I — he shot the film and he’s one of the greatest DPs who ever lived — were talking about that layering of the colors and how you’d shoot five different shades of pink or red in one shot and not have it overwhelm anything, that you feel like there’s separation, but that it’s vibrant.” She added, “Everything feels painterly, and that was a big part of it.”
As for The Godfather, Gerwig said, “We all know why The Godfather was in there, because it’s a triumph of Robert Evans’ and [Francis Ford] Coppola’s aesthetic genius,” adding, “It’s the best ever; it’s a masterpiece.” I can’t wait for Barbie Part II when we see Young Ken living in New York City.
You can watch Gerwig discuss her picks above, or read the full picks here.
In the heat of summer, Troye Sivan has dropped a dancefloor-ready banger, “Rush.” The track is the lead single from his just-announced new album, Something To Give Each Other. The LP is set for release on October 13, but Sivan shared the cover art today, in which he gives a wide smile while a naked person sits on his shoulders.
A press release describes the project as “a celebration of sex, dance, sweat, community, queerness, love, and friendship.” It also notes, “Emerging from the tribulations of the last few years, Sivan found himself rewiring with the joy of human connection and dance music.”
Sivan says of the new song, “‘Rush’ is the feeling of kissing a sweaty stranger on a dancefloor, a 2-hour date that turned into a weekend, a crush, a winter, a summer. Party after party after party after after party. All of my experiences from a chapter where I feel confident, free and liberated. Independent, yet somehow the most connected to the music and community around me.”
Watch the “Rush” video above. There’s no revealed tracklist for Something To Give Each Other yet (pre-order pages currently indicate it’s “coming soon…”), but find the cover art below.
Capitol Records
Something To Give Each Other is out 10/13 via Capitol Records. Find more information here.
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