Quantcast
Channel: Okayplayer
Viewing all 1578 articles
Browse latest View live

Metro Boomin To Feature Lil Uzi Vert, Future, JID & More on ‘Spider-Verse’ Soundtrack

$
0
0


The Metro Boomin-produced soundtrack Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse features a universe of hip-hop elites. Similar to his Heroes & Villains rollout, the 29-year-old producer announced his Spider-Verse collaborators with a slew of cartoons depicting each featured artist, including Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Swae Lee, Offset, JID, and more.





While Swae Lee and Coi Leray both appeared on 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack, additional newcomers to the franchise are Nav, Toian, Beam, Ei8ht and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie. The previous soundtrack was just as hip-hop oriented, based on tracks that protagonist Miles Morales/Spider-Man would listen to throughout the 2018 flick.

Last winter marked the release of Metro’s long-awaited sophomore album, which was accompanied by an action-packed short film that was narrated by and guest-starred Morgan Freeman.

Metro Boomin - Heroes & Villains (Short Film) www.youtube.com






In March, Metro, legal name Leland Wayne, spoke to Flaunt Magazine about being raised on Spider-Man films and the importance of adding to the franchise’s musical legacy.

“As a family, we always grew up, went to all the Marvel movies as a family thing. Every single movie, we were big on going to the movies period,” he said. “That was one of the things we’ve always done, between my mom, my brothers and sisters. Marvel’s always been huge. My little brother and sister, the youngest, they're eight and 12. They’re the biggest Marvel fans in the world. They loved the first Spider-Verse movie so being able to do this, it’s full circle and I take with what a great deal of responsibility to deliver.”

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will make its theatrical debut on June 2.

Third Person Charged In Connection to the 2002 Murder of Jam Master Jay

$
0
0


A third man has been arrested and alleged to have involvement in the 2002 murder of Run-D.M.C. member Jam Master Jay. On Tuesday (May 30), The New York Times reported that 49-year-old Queens resident Jay Bryant was charged with the murder of JMJ, legal name Jason Mizell, while also engaged in drug trafficking in addition to other drug-related charges. Bryant also faces a firearms charge and is being held in custody on a separate drug-related indictment.

The arrest comes two decades after Mizell was shot and killed at his Queens recording studio on October 20, 2002. In a detention memo, prosecutors claimed that Bryant was seen entering the DJ’s studio on the day of the shooting and a piece of clothing left at the scene contained his DNA.

Two other men, Karl Jordan Jr and Ronald Washington were previously charged in August 2020 over the killing. Along with Bryant, the trio are alleged to have entered the studio and fled after the shooting, with Jordan accused of firing two shots at Mizell at close range, one fatally striking him in the head. Following the 2020 indictment of Jordan and Washington, the prosecutor's office shared that the murder occurred due to a drug deal gone bad, dependent on Mizell’s “previous acquisition of 10 kilograms of cocaine.”

Jordan, 39, and Washington, 59, both pleaded not guilty, but are currently awaiting trial which is scheduled to begin in January 2024. Last year, a judge dismissed a motion to have their charges dismissed.

Bryant’s legal representation has also indicated that the 49-year-old will plead not guilty.

“Mr. Bryant will be pleading not guilty,” Bryant’s attorney, Cesar de Castro, said in an email. "Securing an indictment in a secret grand jury, applying an extremely low burden of proof, is one thing. Proving it at trial is another matter.”

Erykah Badu Confirmed for Netflix Adaptation of August Wilson’s ‘The Piano Lesson’

$
0
0


Four years after appearing in 2019 romantic comedy What Men Want, Erykah Badu is returning to our screens. The Dallas-born artist has recently joined the cast of the Netflix adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Piano Lesson. Reprising their roles from the recent Broadway revival are John David Washington as Boy Willie and Samuel L. Jackson as Doaker Charles. The play also scored two Tony Award nominations this year, Best Revival of a Play and Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role for Jackson.

Badu’s cameo in the film will reintroduce “her soulful sound and eclectic style,” Variety confirms. Set in 1936 after The Great Depression, The Piano Lesson centers the Charles family, helmed by Charles (Jackson) and their heirloom, the family piano, which has designs carved by an enslaved ancestor. In the 1987 production of The Piano Lesson, Jackson originally played Boy Willie.

Also starring in the Netflix adaptation are Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Corey Hawkins (The Tragedy of Macbeth), Michael Potts (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), and Ray Fisher (Zack Snyder’s Justice League). Directed by Malcolm Washington from a screenplay he adapted with Virgil Williams, The Piano Lesson will also be produced by Denzel Washington.

Badu, born Erica Wright, has had a handful of scripted roles in film, including 1998’s Blues Brothers 2000, 1999’s The Cider House Rules, 2004’s House of D, 2013’s They Die by Dawn and 2016’s The Land. This summer, she’ll embark on the Unfollow Me Tour with Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def.

Tyler, the Creator Reveals Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival At Dodger Stadium In November

$
0
0


Big news was revealed in Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem’s new music video “The Hillbillies.” Appearing in the video was Tyler, the Creator, who revealed that his long-delayed carnival-slash-music festival Camp Flog Gnaw will be returning to Dodger Stadium in November.


Although the official lineup for the festival has not been revealed, some fans have assumed that Lamar will be the headliner, while Keem may also make an appearance at the event. In an interview with Billboard in 2022, Tyler’s longtime manager, Chris Clancy shared that the Call Me If You Get Lost rapper would not be holding a Camp Flog Gnaw until 2023 due to a hectic schedule.

"It’s really not that deep," Clancy said. "Tyler toured all year and was busy with a number of projects. Reading the tea leaves and what’s happening with festivals coming out of the pandemic, we thought it would be best to come back next year."

The last Camp Flog Gnaw was held in November 2019, with performers including Solange, Yasiin Bey, A$AP Rocky, H.E.R., Blood Orange, YG, 21 Savage, Thundercat, Summer Walker, Earl Sweatshirt and Drake, who was infamously booed off the Camp Stage. In response, Tyler said he was “disappointed” with attendees' reaction to the Her Loss rapper.

"The only reason I was mad was because I was like, 'Aubrey, come to this. Everyone is going to welcome you with open arms. These kids don't judge. This is a safe spot for anyone,’” Tyler told Kerwin Frost in 2019. “And then when that happened and these m*********** are like 'f*** you,' it's like a reflection on me to Aubrey."

Vybz Kartel Reportedly Fighting ‘Life-Threatening Illness’ While In Solitary Confinement

$
0
0


While Dancehall and reggae artist Vybz Kartel continues to pursue freedom in court, he’s reportedly facing inhumane prison conditions that are putting his life at risk. New York’s Fox 5 has shared that the 47-year-old Kingston native is battling Graves’ Disease and two alleged heart conditions that can be fatal if he doesn’t receive surgery soon. In 2014, Kartel, born Adidja Azim Palmer, was sentenced to life for the murder of his associate Clive "Lizard" Williams.

“Mr. Palmer's illness is actually life-threatening," Palmer’s human rights attorney, Isat Buchanan, told Fox 5. The artist is also on a 23-hour lockdown for a cell phone violation. Under the severe conditions, Palmer is said to be in a brick cell with little air circulation, no water, and a bucket used as a toilet — all of which are worsening his health.


Buchanan says he visited his client on Monday (May 29).

"His neck was swollen, if you think of a shirt that is about 18.5 inches in the neck area, you couldn't close the collar on his neck and that's how bad it is in this moment," Buchanan said. "His face is actually swollen. And one other thing. He always wears glasses; in this condition, that causes his eyes to protrude."

Palmer was previously located at Horizon Adult Remand Centre before being transferred to the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre last September. At the time, Buchanan called the move a “serious problem,” claiming that Horizon is the "only institution that is medically equipped" to aid Palmer’s health.

A medical report obtained by Fox 5 also details Palmer’s seven-year history with Graves’ Disease, which has not gone into remission despite medication. The artist’s private physician, Dr. Karen Phillips, also suggested that he receive surgery.

"Fighting for his life, yes, because it can be dangerous," Buchanan said. "We do not want to get a phone call to say that because he was under this 23-hour lockdown, and unable to breathe, that he succumbed to his illness."

This Documentary Tells the Story of of Washington, D.C.'s Love of New Balance Sneakers

$
0
0


A lot can be said about a person by what kind of shoes they're wearing. And in Washington, D.C., New Balance is the sneaker of choice. It represents prosperity, comfort and style. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the brand has been known for its comfortable running sneakers since the late '70s. When stores in the D.C. area started selling the shoes in the early ‘80s, the brand’s reputation went to a new level.

In his documentary short, DC’s Shoe: The Origin of New Balance in Washington, D.C., filmmaker and musician Jacob Garibay spoke to other natives of The District about how the sneaker brand rose beyond its Boston roots to represent a Black metropolis. New Balance has become as synonymous with The District as the percussion-heavy sound of go-go music.

In the documentary, interviewees share what made the brand special for them and how New Balance sneakers found a space in their lives. You hear a wide range of stories, including tales of people wearing New Balance sneakers to see D.C. go-go band Rare Essence in the ‘80s to younger D.C. natives talking about their parents championing the sneaker brand to this day.

Through his research for the documentary, Garibay asked his followers to share throwback pictures of D.C. residents wearing New Balance shoes. His social media accounts were flooded with pictures of people wearing the sneakers at a wide range of events, from “go-gos” to neighborhood block parties to even the red carpet of the BET awards. No matter where a person from The District went, people knew who they were because of their New Balances.

Garibay, 27, spoke with Okayplayer about his inspiration for exploring the topic, how its perceived value made it a fixture on blocks throughout The District, and how he believes the brand can do more than sell shoes in the city where it is beloved.


What inspired you to create a documentary that told the story of New Balance’s rise as the premier D.C. sneaker?


Jacob Garibay: I was born and raised in D.C. I lived there my whole life until I moved for college to Temple University in Philadelphia. I was in D.C. public and charter schools my whole life. I was never someone who felt I had to go out and find my culture. I never felt like I didn’t have an identity. Apart from being Black and Mexican, I identified as somebody from D.C. Although my Dad’s side of the family is Mexican, my Dad was born and raised in D.C. We’re second generation D.C. natives on both sides. My Mom is Black. I felt the unique culture of D.C. more than anything. Not seeing the world much through traveling before college, I was under the assumption Black culture was D.C. culture.

New Balance sneakers are to D.C. like LA with [Converse Chuck Taylors] and Nike Cortez. For me, New Balance wasn’t something we looked at as our unique fashion, it was like everybody wore New Balance. I didn’t want to be the guy without New Balance. It was around fifth or sixth grade where everybody had Nike Boots.


picture from the '80s of guys wearing street clothes

How did New Balance gain such relevance in Washington D.C.?


Growing up, you’d hear stories about New Balance from different people. From the comments on videos I posted, people said that if you had money in the ‘80s, you’d see people in pictures at go-gos in New Balance. That’s how we pointed back to us as the city that started it. We have pictures from the early ‘80s of people wearing New Balance to the club or go-go.

New Balance was the first $100 sneaker in D.C. It was a status symbol. NB put out a $100 running shoe in 1983, the original 990. Two years later the original Nike Air Jordan 1 was still only $65. If you wanted to feel like you were getting money or of status, you would see a New Balance or Air Jordan 1. It was a more expensive shoe. The neutral color was gray.

My first interviewee told me that if you’re on the block all day, you want a pair of shoes that’s comfortable and something that wouldn’t hurt your feet after four or five hours. That shoe was New Balance. He also pointed to Asics and made the point that D.C people mostly got their style from tennis players.

If you think back, Sergio Tacchini was fashionable. People wore tracksuits in pale, muted colors. In the late ‘90s Baltimore became fond of New Balance and in the mid-to-late ‘90s, Philadelphia got into it. Before current trends, only London and Japan got special colorways.

What was one of the most memorable stories someone shared with you for the documentary?


When I initially started the project, I asked people to submit pictures on Twitter, and got a ridiculous amount of responses. Doug, a guy I interviewed, was on the 2008 BET Hip-Hop Awards red carpet with some friends. All five of the guys had on New Balance 992 sneakers.

The camera’s going off for the picture of them captured the reflective material on the 992s. As he told me, “We weren’t making a statement; it was just popular in the city.” D.C. native LoLa Monroe walked up to Doug and instantly went to say "what’s up" to him.


With New Balance’s reputation as a popular D.C. brand fully known, how else would you like to see the brand engage the D.C. community?


I think people are really happy that they’re culture is being represented. I think at this point, more than anything, they realize the buying power they have. They’re like we’ve done so much for New Balance, what are they doing with the energy we give them? We made them hundreds of millions over the past 30 years. What are they doing in return?

Even with branding and marketing, they signed Jack Harlow and they’re trying to expand the lifestyle demographic beyond communities. How can you do it more authentically? Even though you don’t have to put in as much marketing dollars, how can you show people in Washington D.C. real love? We don’t want shoes. We want representation. Make someone here the face of a campaign. Give out scholarships and grants.

What advice do you have for other first-time filmmakers hoping to share stories that matter to them?


Put your best foot forward. Do it as best as you can. I didn’t feel any pressure. That felt like a good thing. Now I have pressure with my next project. I also want to get better and make sure I have a better camera. I started this doc in September 2021 and finally put it out this year. I didn’t go my whole childhood wanting to make movies, but I had a camera and access to a camera for my job. I did video and photography work. I had a Sony A6500 camera. It was something that came along with my job.

I’m trying to build out a small team. I did 90 to 95% of the shooting, editing and setting up own takes for this project. I am looking for someone to help fund the next project so I can pay those people. I made the screening free and put it out on YouTube. Access to information about history is something people shouldn’t have to pay for. It’s about an underrepresented group of people and something I don’t think people talk about enough.


__

Michael Butler is a Panamanian writer from Augusta, Georgia and has written about culture for publications like Remezcla and Lonely Planet. When he isn’t eating ripe plantains, Michael is a fan of the Atlanta Hawks and reciting every line from The Five Heartbeats.

'Black Mirror' Releases Season 6 Trailer, Promising the Unexpected

$
0
0


June 15, also giving a sneak peek of upcoming episodes including “Joan Is Awful.” The episode centers on a woman (played by actress Annie Murphy), who uses a Netflix-like streamer named Streamberry which debuts a drama based on her life, the lead role played by Salma Hayek Pinault.

Additional episodes promise guest stars including Zazie Beetz, Paapa Essiedu, Myha’la Herrold, Michael Cera, Rory Culkin, Himesh Patel, and more. Series creator and co-showrunner Charlie Brooker told Netflix fan site Tudum teased that the new season would be an unexpected twist from earlier episodes.

“I’ve always felt that ‘Black Mirror’ should feature stories that are entirely distinct from one another, and keep surprising people (and myself) or else what’s the point?” Brooker said. “It should be a series that can’t be easily defined, and can keep reinventing itself.”

Brooker added, “Partly as a challenge, and partly to keep things fresh for both me and the viewer, I began this season by deliberately upending some of my own core assumptions about what to expect. Consequently, this time, alongside some of the more familiar Black Mirror tropes, we’ve also got a few new elements, including some I’ve previously sworn blind the show would never do, to stretch the parameters of what ‘a Black Mirror episode’ even is. The stories are all still tonally Black Mirror through and through — but with some crazy swings and more variety than ever before…. I can’t wait for people to binge their way through it all and hope they enjoy it — especially the bits they shouldn’t.”

Originally based in the U.K., Black Mirror premiered in December 2011 before being purchased by Netflix in 2016 ahead of its third season. Its fifth season was released in 2019, following the interactive spinoff film Bandersnatch.

Watch the full trailer below.

Black Mirror: Season 6 | Official Trailer | Netflix youtu.be

Digable Planets to Celebrate 30 Years of Debut LP With Tour

$
0
0


Digable Planets are hitting the road to celebrate their seminal 1993 debut. On Wednesday (May 31), the legendary East Coast trio announced their upcoming Reachin 30th Anniversary Tour,’ which begins September 8 in Raleigh.

In the 1990s, Digable Planets released two albums, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) followed by 1994’s Blowout Comb. After a two-decade hiatus, the group – composed of Ishmael "Butter Fly" Butler, Craig "Doodlebug" Irving and Mariana "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira – released concert album Digable Planets Live in 2017. The three have since pursued separate projects over the years, with Butler also being a member of experimental hip-hop duo Shabazz Palaces, which has dropped six albums since 2011.

Digable Planets’ relevance has remained strong since the ‘90s, with their 1993 song “La Femme Fétal” being discussed around the 2022 overturn of Roe V. Wade. In a recent interview with Yahoo Entertainment, the group spoke about their reconciliation and hopes for a third project.

“After a while we came back together,” said Irving. “We missed this s***. I missed being around [these] cats. I missed making music with them, I miss [touring] with them. And we all felt the same way. But it’s still a work in progress. We still trying to figure it out. Luckily, we still here.”

“We are together now, so I’m hopeful for the future,” Vieira added.

“We think about making new music, we think about it all the time,” Butler agreed. “We talk about it often as well.”


What To Do In NYC This Weekend

$
0
0


Uzi and GloRilla might have the songs of the summer that originated in winter, on TikTok, and spread to the corners of the Earth before they could dominate terrestrial radio. (What’s that anyway, lol?) “FNF” and “Just Wanna Rock” last because of social media and, frankly, energy. Summer energy cannot be manufactured, in other words, through planting and branding. But Summer Jam and The Roots Picnic are summer brands that capture that feeling that only songs performed live can issue: nerve electricity earned from sharing space and sound with fans. Both events bill this weekend and each features the biggest songmakers of this year and the past twenty.

Special Events and Tributes

Roots Picnic Weekend

Date - June 2nd - 4th

Location - The Mann in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia

Lauryn Hill, Lil Uzi Vert, and the newly added Usher headline this three-day event. Okayplayer-ites will populate the place in body and spirit. We’ll have the writer of this event page and our social media team there. So pull up for an interview! Or OOTD fit shot!

Cost: From $189

Harlem Bazaar

Date - First Sunday of every month until October

Location - Adam Clayton Powell Blvd and 125th, Harlem

At one point in time, “Etsy” as a concept was a New York flea market. You can buy and observe great goods from Harlem’s artist class and probably get the same kind of “limited edition” wears you’d otherwise pine for if they were drops on an app. Please go out and support makers, with your presence and your cash. Admission is free, though.

Cost: Free

The Big Queer Book Fair by The Rolling Library

Date - Sat., June 3

Location - 31st Avenue and 34th Street, Astoria

The Queer Book Fair is an answer to the book-banning threats of a less free country, trafficking books that might turn contraband later and from the kinds of Black, queer, femme, and suppressed voices that invariably shape limitless, liberated futures.

Cost: Free

R’N Vibration: The R&B Party

Date - Sat., June 3

Location - Bar Schimmi, Williamsburg

The best party music of the year is R&B and that’s a tribute to the malleable, fun, sensual qualities of singers and the flexibility of producers. Come out to a free R&B set near McCarren Park and enjoy the sun on your way in and out.

Cost: Free with RSVP

Shows

Emily King

Date - Wed., May 31

Location - Terminal 5, Hudson Yards

Emily King has smoothly built a near 20-year career on soulful ballads, appreciation songs, and a sturdy touring schedule. She plays at Terminal 5 tonight.

Cost: $59.83

Date Nights

Collective Canvas

Date - Sat Jun 3

Location - 320 Tompkins Avenue, Bed Stuy

Somewhere Good is a Brooklyn art and events group that hosts free “hangouts” for anyone interested. As date ideas go, this could be one of the most creative, low-stakes ways to meet with a new partner or woo a longtime partner anew. The collective canvas is a collage you’ll make with perfect strangers until you all agree it’s done.

Cost: Free with RSVP

Q-Train

Date - Every 3rd Thursday in June

Location - Sycamore Bar, Ditmas Park

A drag show, bingo game, and reverie at Brooklyn’s best bar inside of a flower shop address. Sycamore has rare and Brooklyn-distilled whiskeys, beers, and other spirits. Try to keep trivia on the front end of the night so you can properly enjoy the nightcaps on the back side.

Cost: Free

The 15 Best Black LGBTQ Movies

$
0
0


There is no doubt that when one thinks of LGBTQ movies, they think of films like Brokeback Mountain or Portrait of a Lady on Fire. While seminal to the foundations of modern queer cinema, these films are not the end-all be-all. Rather than stopping at films showcasing stories focusing on white people, queer movies are actually really diverse, filled with stories that proceeded — and continue — to move on from films like Dog Day Afternoon and Carol.

Black queer cinema, while sometimes not even directed by Black filmmakers, exudes something else entirely from what the standard form of these films usually looks like. They’re often languid in pace, stretching time in ways that are experimental and complex. They allow their characters and subjects to bask in the act of simply being, their selfhood tethered to their race and sexuality but not bound or confined by it.

While some of these films have been hailed as masterpieces, many of them have gone relatively unseen. So, there is no better time to celebrate them than during Pride month. Here are the 15 best Black LGBTQ movies.

Pariah (2011)

Pariah (2011) Official HD Movie Trailer www.youtube.com

Available to rent on: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video

This film follows the young Alike, daughter of a police officer and an extremely religious mother, as she attempts to come of age within the bounds of her home life. She discovers her burgeoning queerness in such an authentic way, her typical tomboyness soon exploding into a tender first love with the daughter of one of her mother’s church friends. Though only opening in select theaters upon its release, Pariah has since claimed the hearts of many, even garnering a Criterion release.

The Watermelon Woman (1996)

The Watermelon Woman Trailer (1996) www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Paramount+

Directed by Cheryl Dunye, The Watermelon Woman tells the story of a young black woman working in a video store who becomes obsessed with a mysterious actress from the 1930s, known only as "the Watermelon Woman.” Dunye’s feature debut touches on the erasure of queer and Black women from mainstream media, and the importance of preserving and documenting their stories. It’s a masterful work of independent filmmaking, even being selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Shakedown (2018)

SHAKEDOWN - OFFICAL TRAILER www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Criterion Channel, official Shakedown website

In this raw and intimate documentary, director Leilah Weinraub documents the lives of queer Black women in Los Angeles who were part of a strip club scene from 2002 to its closure by police in 2004. Despite Weinraub originally beginning shooting in 2002, Shakedown wasn’t released until 2018 when it premiered at the Berlinale Film Festival. The documentary is as tantalizing as its poster (a woman gasping in elation in front of a bright red backdrop), and became the first non-pornographic film to be released on Pornhub.

I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

I Am Not Your Negro - Official Trailer www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu

Perhaps the best documentary about America’s most influential Black queer writer, I Am Not Your Negro uses James Baldwin’s unfinished novel to capture his influence and life. Though going into production and being released decades after Baldwin’s death, the film fiercely tackles the idea of race in America, all the while showcasing Baldwin’s feelings toward the death of his friends like Malcolm X. It’s a documentary that proves just why James Baldwin was so influential at the time, and remains so in our modern age.

The Aggressives (2005)

The Aggressives (Trailer) www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Kanopy, Tubi

This low-budget documentary follows a series of lesbian studs and trans men in New York City, who juggle their identities with other aspects of their lives over a period of five years. Each cast member is wholly unique and charming, allowing the doc to feel intimate and like you’re catching up with an old friend. In a time where Black lesbians and trans people are severely underrepresented, The Aggressives is an underrated must-watch. From clubbing to the struggles of the prison industrial complex, director Eric Daniel Peddle tackles all aspects of these subjects’ lives, portraying them not as stereotypes but as fleshed-out individuals trying to make space for themselves in the world.

Tongues Untied (1989)

Tongues Untied Trailer www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Kanopy

Described as an experimental documentary, Marlon Riggs’ Tongues Untied is as cheeky as it is poignant. Proceeding iconic documentaries like Paris is Burning, Tongues Untied cuts from sequence to sequence, never allowing you to sit still with the image — or messages — on the screen. Poetry clashes with music, and music with footage of the film's subjects jesting with one another, birthing an essential look at Black queer life of the 1980s.

Paris is Burning (1990)

Paris Is Burning | 'House Mothers' (HD) | MIRAMAX www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Criterion Channel, Max

This iconic 1990 documentary allowed viewers an inside look at New York City’s ballroom scene in the 1980s. Shot over the span of many years, the film features testimonials from women like Venus Xtravaganza, as well as various lessons on ballroom culture. The film paints an intimate portrait of the scene and its members, driving home the importance of their chosen families and memorializing many of the fallen subjects on screen forever.

Tangerine (2015)

Tangerine - Red Band Trailer www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Max

While initially gaining fame because it was shot on an iPhone — something that was rare in 2015 — Tangerine has withstood its initial reputation and proved to be an essential addition to the Black queer cinematic canon. The film follows Sin-Dee and Alexandra, two trans women who engage in sex work. After being released from prison, Sin-Dee learns that her boyfriend (and pimp) has cheated on her with a cis woman. This sparks a revenge-fueled mission not lacking in humor and heart, proving that when helmed by the right person, empathetic films about Black queer life can still be made.

Rafiki (2018)

'Rafiki' - Official Trailer (Exclusive) www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Kanopy

A sweet and vibrant spin on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Rafiki follows two young women whose fathers are running against each other in a mayoral race. The film's vibrant colors match an equally boisterous soundtrack, making for a rare, feel-good Black queer film. While the film was initially banned in Kenya, director Wanuri Kahiu argued that the ban was unconstitutional and filed a lawsuit, resulting in the ban being lifted for a week-long theater run.

Passing (2021)

Passing | Official Trailer | Netflix www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Netflix

Though the central tension between Irene and Clare seems to be about race, there’s an underlying tension between the two women that goes — mostly — unspoken throughout the film. Gazes are allowed to linger for far too long and glances are made through crowds of people, making sure the audience knows that these two women cannot keep their eyes off each other. Their friendship almost feels psychosexual as they both long for what the other has in their life and, perhaps, long for each other as well.

Set It Off (1996)

Set It Off Trailer 1996 www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Tubi

While not specifically helmed as a queer film, Set It Off features a fantastic performance from Queen Latifah as Cleo, a Black lesbian. The film follows four Black women who plan to rob a bank, each with their own unique motivation and experience. It’s as action-packed as it is devastating, and a wonderful 90s flick to watch during Pride month.

Daughters of the Dust (1991)

Daughters of the Dust (2K Restoration) | Official US Trailer www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Mubi

Expansive in the openness of its direction and its set design, Daughters of the Dust isn’t just an essential Black queer film, but an essential queer film in general. The film follows a multi-generational family of former West African slaves in South Carolina, particularly focused on Yellow Mary. Though not stated in a way that would be common in a film of this decade, her family doesn't seem fond of their relationship. Still, our main character remains unabashed in her love. Director Julie Dash allows Yellow Mary and her companion to simmer in their queerness, sharing lingering gazes at the ocean and with one another as well.

Black is…Black Ain't (1994)

Black Is...Black Ain't Trailer www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Kanopy

In what would be documentarian Marlon Riggs' final film, the artist utilizes aspects of what made Tongues Untied so powerful, and adds to it tenfold. Black Is…Black Ain't celebrates the intersections of being Black, and urges viewers to understand that, despite what we may think, there is no correct way to be Black. Again, Riggs blends interviews and poetry with his own testimonials, using this documentary not only as an educational tool but a goodbye, as he was dying of AIDS at the time of production.

Dirty Computer (2018)

Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer [Emotion Picture] www.youtube.com

Available to stream on: Janelle Monae’s official YouTube channel

While they’re known for their draw to visions of Afrofuturism, there is perhaps no more a futuristic project than Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer. The film weaves music videos for each song on Monae’s Dirty Computer album with interludes featuring a sci-fi story about a woman named Jane, who lives in a futuristic world where humans are called computers. The project features Janelle Monae as Jane and Tessa Thompson as Zen, a woman who allows Jane to break free of her trapped state. With this project, Monae envisions the ultimate utopia: one where Black queer people are able to thrive and celebrate their existence.

Moonlight (2016)

Moonlight | Official Trailer HD | A24 www.youtube.com

Streaming on: Kanopy, Tubi

Famed for its last-minute Best Picture win at the 2017 Oscars, Moonlight has withstood the test of time. Barry Jenkins’ seminal film focusing on the shy Chiron feels fresh seven years later. As the story follows Chiron through three eras of his life, the Moonlight movie draws you in like the Miami tide, encapsulating your emotions and mirroring them with Chiron’s singular experience. Slick cinematography is paired with Nicholas Britell’s breakout score to effectively create one of the best LGBTQ movies of all time.

Kaiya Shunyata is a freelance pop culture writer and academic based in Canada. Their work has appeared in RogerEbert.com, Xtra, The Daily Beast, AltPress and more.

Drake Visits Lil Dicky In Surprise Appearance on "Dave" Season Finale

$
0
0


The season three finale of Lil Dicky’s hit FX show Dave was one for the books. Along with actress Rachel McAdams and two-time Oscar-winner Brad Pitt, Drake appeared on the star-studded season finale, joining the show’s tradition of reintroducing household names.

Other big stars throughout the course of season three included Usher, Killer Mike, Rick Ross, Don Cheadle, Jack Harlow, and more. According to Lil Dicky, legal name Dave Burd, the cameos all come down to Burd’s persuasive letter-writing to potential guests.

DAVE Season 3 Official Trailer youtu.be

“Drake is like the top of the mountain top musically and as a rapper,” Burd told THR. “I had met Drake and he pulled me aside and told me the show is one of the more important shows of our generation and I knew he was a fan.”

He continued, “With all of them, my writers' room was like, “This is kind of crazy that you’re putting all your eggs in these baskets because what if they say no?” These people don’t even do TV. Drake hasn’t done TV since ‘Degrassi.’ Honestly, I think the show can have a tendency to get overlooked. Once you sit down and watch, it’s kind of objectively a great show. These are like the biggest stars of our time validating our show.”

Although Drake has given up acting on scripted television shows for executive producing (Euphoria, Top Boy, Saint X), the Her Loss rapper last appeared in films Ice Age: Continental Drift and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. This summer, he’ll embark on the It’s All A Blur Tour with 21 Savage.

Saba Gets Deep In No I.D.-Produced Single “hue_man nature”

$
0
0


Saba and No I.D. reconnect for a new single and the official title of their long-awaited project. On Thursday (June 1), in time for African-American Music Appreciation Month, the Chicago heavyweights dropped “hue_man nature,” the latest offering from their upcoming mixtape From the Private Collection of Saba & No I.D. The single also marks the follow-up to “Back In Office” earlier this year.

The two plan to forge new ground in hip-hop upon the release of From the Private Collection. To be able to have a real career, you have to reinvent your thought process, reinvent your perspective,” No I.D., legal name Ernest Wilson, said in a press release. “And you can’t do it sitting on the mountaintop, yelling about what you did. You think you know — and then everything changes.”

hue_man nature - Saba & No ID www.youtube.com

While No I.D. has continued to co-produce material for Beyoncé (“Church Girl”) and Brent Faiyaz (“Loose Change,” “Role Model”), Saba also released his third solo album Few Good Things last February. Featured on the project are fellow Chicago emcee G Herbo (“Survivor’s Guilt”), Krayzie Bone (“Come My Way”), 6lack and Smino (“Still”), Mereba (“A Simpler Time”), Fousheé (“Make Believe”), and more.

Also last year, Saba, legal name Tahj Malik Chandler, revealed to Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1 that No I.D. gave him 120 beats while on his Back Home Tour.

“He was like, ‘You hear that little beat in the background, that’s just number 80 this week, don’t mind me,’” Saba recalled. “So when I got up with him, he told me he did 120 in a two-week span. He was like, ‘I got 120, how many of them you want me to send you?’ I was just like, ‘Bro, I’m about to go on tour, send me all 120. I didn’t expect him to actually do it, but he did it.”

Saba’s next live performance takes place on July 9 during the Governor’s Ball music festival in New York City.

Spider-Man Fans Can Expect A Live-Action Miles Morales Film & Spider-Woman Spinoff

$
0
0


With Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse releasing on Friday (June 2), more Miles Morales is in store. While the third installment of the Spider-Verse is expected in 2024, franchise producer Amy Pascal says that a live-action Morales film and Spider-Woman spinoff are in the works.

“You’ll see all of it,” Pascal told Variety on Wednesday during the Across the Spider-Verse world premiere in Los Angeles.

Co-producer Avi Arad also teased that a Spider-Woman film would arrive “sooner than you expect.” “I cannot tell you yet, but it’s coming,” he said.

Pascal also explained that while a fourth Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland and Zendaya has been greenlit, the writer’s strike has paused its development.

“Are we going to make another movie? Of course, we are,” she said. “We’re in the process, but the writers strike, nobody is working during the strike. We’re all being supporters and whenever they get themselves together, we’ll get started.”

Also in attendance during the premiere were the film’s stars Shameik Moore (Miles Morales / Spider-Man), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman), Brian Tyree Henry (Jefferson Davis), Issa Rae (Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman), Daniel Kaluuya (Hobart "Hobie" Brown / Spider-Punk), and Oscar Issac (Miguel O'Hara / Spider-Man 2099), along with soundtrack executive producer Metro Boomin and featured artist Offset.



Also on the soundtrack are Nas, Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Rocky, Lil Wayne, 21 Savage, Coi Leray, 2 Chainz, JID, Swae Lee, Don Tolliver, Nav, Toian and more.

Lil Uzi Verts Talks About Changing Pronouns to They/Them

$
0
0


Lil Uzi Vert is catching fans up to speed on their pronouns change. In a new interview with 032c Magazine, the Philadelphia-born rapper, legal name Symere Woods, explained the reason for the transition, and detailed their understanding of gender identities before they made the announcement last year.

“No, I never hesitated,” they said. “But I did take my time to learn as much as I could about this before I was able to proceed. Taking the time to figure out who you are is a big part of what it means to be alive. Once you figure out whether you’re here with it, there with it, or both, you’re not alone anymore.”

They added, “This community offers access to a certain kind of support that you might not have had [previously during] your entire life because you weren’t raised that way. I come from a household where it’s not okay to be ‘non’ anything.”

Woods also denied the notion that they were ‘brave’ for changing their pronouns.

“No, because bravery has only a ten percent chance of living,” they said. “I’m not brave at all. I just think a good product [is] a good product. Think about fashion: gay and trans designers are some of the biggest talents out there, and gangster-ass guys wear their stuff without a thought. What you make is what matters, not how you identify.”

The artist is currently in a relationship with City Girls member JT, and was last in the spotlight performing with rock band Paramore at their Madison Square Garden concert in New York on Wednesday night (May 31). A longtime fan of the Tennessee group, Woods rocked out to their 2007 song “Misery Business.”



Frank Ocean Continues Work With Homer​, Releasing the Photo Book 'Mutations'

$
0
0


Seven years after the release of his massive Boys Don’t Cry zine, Frank Ocean has published a new book via Homer. Titled Mutations, the 48-page booklet features images shot between October 19 to December 22, 2022 by the singer-songwriter.

In 2021, Ocean partnered with Homer for a pricey collection, including silk scarves and jewelry. The collaboration continued into last August, when the 35-year-old also dropped a line of accessories featuring a keychain, pendants, and a diamond-encrusted NSFW toy. Around the same time, Ocean launched a special edition of his longtime Apple Music 1 radio show blonded Radio, titled Homer Radio, which he described as, “a one-hour window into what plays around our office after hours.”

While Ocean has continued to work with the luxury brand, he last performed at Coachella in April, where his scheduled two-weekend shows turned into a one-night-only engagement. Calling his first headlining show at Coachella “chaotic,” Ocean canceled his second performance due to a leg injury. However, the artist still made time to tease new music during his April 16 show.

“It’s been so long. Everybody I’ve talked to has said how long it’s been, so long, so long… but I have missed you,” he said. “I want to talk about why I’m here, because it’s not because of the new album. Not that there’s not a new album, but there’s not right now. It’s not right now.”

Ocean is also reportedly directing his first feature-length film with media companies A24 and 2AM, its working title rumored to be Philly.


Latto & Cardi B Rip Out Surprise Single “Put It On the Floor Again”

$
0
0


Latto and Cardi B are acting brand new on surprise single “Put It On the Floor Again.” On Friday (June 2), the rappers dropped the song and its companion music video filmed in Atlanta, which has guest appearances from Offset, BabyDrill, and LSU Women’s Basketball breakout star Angel Reese.




Produced by Go Grizzly, Squat and Pooh Beatz, the original “Put It On the Floor” debuted at the first Coachella weekend in April. Since then, it’s become a TikTok anthem from recent prom attendees to artists like Lizzo, Coco Jones, Lil Nas X, and more.




“Put It On the Floor Again” marks Latto’s second single of 2023, following “Lottery” featuring vocalist Lu Kala. Earlier this year, Latto, born Alyssa Stephens earned Best New Artist and Best Melodic Rap Performance nominations at the 2023 Grammy Awards, also being honored with the Powerhouse Award at Billboard’s 2023 Women in Music Awards. Last summer, Stephens released her sophomore album 777, which included the top-charting single “Big Energy.”

Cardi B, who released her Grammy-winning debut album Invasion of Privacy in 2018, is prepping her sophomore album, but has been featured on remixes by Kay Flock (“Shake It”), Summer Walker and SZA (“No Love (Extended)”), and GloRilla (“Tomorrow 2”). Also last year, the Bronx-raised rapper dropped standalone single “Hot S***” featuring Kanye West and Lil Durk. Next, Cardi is expected to headline Hot 97’s Summer Jam on Sunday, June 4 at the UBS Arena in New York.

Watch the “Put It On the Floor Again” video below.

Latto - Put It On Da Floor Again (feat. Cardi B) [Official Video] www.youtube.com

Gunna Seems to Clear the Air on YSL Arrest & Case In New Song

$
0
0


Gunna seems to be addressing the “snitch” allegations in a new song. On Friday (June 2), the Atlanta rapper dropped new single “Bread & Butter,” where he claps back against those targeting his Alford plea deal in the ongoing RICO case centering Young Thug and other YSL members.

Over a beat produced by Turbo, Omar Grand, and Cam Griffin, Gunna, born Sergio Kitchens, disses those who’ve called him a “snitch,” also suggesting that he was tricked into taking the plea deal by lawyers and the Fulton County District Attorney.

Gunna - bread & butter [Official Video] youtu.be

“Never gave no statement or agreed to take no stand on ’em/ On whatever you n***** on, then trust me, I’ma stand on it/ Lawyers and the D.A. did some sneaky s***, I fell for it/ On my Ps and Qs because this time, I be prepared for it,” he raps.

While claiming his allegiance to Thug, Kitchens then begins to point his bars at Drip Harder collaborator Lil Baby or Lil Durk, accusing one of the rappers of having a snitch in their camp.

“Peepin’ s***, I’m seein’ n-ggas fall back/ You b****-ass n***** got me as the topic of the chat/ You switched on me when you know you in business with a rat/ And the boy that’s like your brother, and nobody speak on that,” Kitchen continues.

Thug remains in jail awaiting trial on eight charges, including conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and participation in criminal street gang activity, in addition to drug and weapons offenses.

Kitchens was released from jail last December, repeatedly denying that he snitched on Thug and the rest of YSL. “While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way,” Kitchens said in a post-release statement.

Nas, A$AP Rocky, Lil Wayne & More Power Up On the Metro Boomin-Produced ‘Spider-Man’ OST

$
0
0


Metro Boomin swings into the multiverse on the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack, which he executive-produced. The second soundtrack of the Spider-Verse franchise, following 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the soundscape remains rap-oriented with legends (Nas, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, A$AP Rocky) and newcomers (Coi Leray, JID, Don Tolliver) alike.

Boomin, legal name Leland Wayne, attended the Across the Spider-Verse premiere on Wednesday night (May 31) in Hollywood, also promoting the star-studded soundtrack. The album also follows Wayne’s fellow comic-themed sophomore album Heroes and Villains, which dropped last December.

Earlier this year, Wayne spoke to Flaunt Magazine about his family’s history of watching Marvel movies, along with the inaugural Spider-Verse film.

“As a family, we always grew up, went to all the Marvel movies as a family thing. Every single movie, we were big on going to the movies period,” he said. “That was one of the things we’ve always done, between my mom, my brothers and sisters. Marvel’s always been huge. My little brother and sister, the youngest, they're eight and 12. They’re the biggest Marvel fans in the world. They loved the first ‘Spider-Verse’ movie so being able to do this, it’s full circle and I take with what a great deal of responsibility to deliver.”

Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, Across the Spider-Verse stars Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Daniel Kaluuya and Issa Rae. The movie, which is in theaters now, will be followed by a second part, expected to arrive in 2024.

First Look Friday: Zulu, the Rap-Loving Hardcore Band Co-Signed By Eric Andre

$
0
0


Things keep looking brighter and brighter for Zulu. In March, the Los Angeles band released their first full-length album, A New Tomorrow. It looks joyful. Utopian. The cover features Black folks in colorful textiles dancing under sunshine and trees. If they get tired, a picnic is waiting to nourish them. On the band’s earlier records, darker city scenes show police lurking around every corner. Zulu founder Anaiah Lei tells Okayplayer, “While our past material was a more direct approach and very in your face about the treatment of Black individuals around the world, I wanted to step away and express the love and beauty of us.”

You’ll find Zulu — who consists of vocalist Lei; guitarists Braxton Marcellous and Dez Yusuf; bassist Satchel Brown; and drummer Christine Cadette — on Instagram @blackpowerviolence, but don’t overthink their handle. Yes, they’re here for Black power. No, they don’t fit perfectly into the powerviolence subset of hardcore punk. The word “powerviolence” should give you an idea of what the genre sounds like. Songs have heavy guitar riffs and rarely last longer than two minutes. Aggressive blast beats abruptly switch to slower, sludgy grooves. The guttural vocals sound like they’re coming from somewhere deeper than the guts.

Zulu sounds like that and. And the lull of violin strings and piano keys. And a rap verse from Yusuf. And a Curtis Mayfield sample. And a poem that Alesia Miller wrote for the record. And smooth snippets of jazz, funk, reggae, dancehall, and basically every other type of Black music. Opera is not off the table for future releases. “Some people wouldn’t consider us a powerviolence band. And truth be told, I don’t know if we are,” Lei said during a Zoom conversation. He’s visiting family abroad. Brown is holding it down in LA, where most of the band are originally from. Lately, though, they’ve been all over — on a bill with Denzel Curry, Death Grips, and Earl Sweatshirt in England, and with Blink-182, Paramore, and Japanese Breakfast in Atlantic City.

This band has ambition, ability, and most importantly, restraint. True to their powerviolence roots, Zulu keeps it short and surprisingly sweet as they spread their uplifting message. Of their irresistible live performances.“Whoever comes into it, from whatever space, they can’t deny the energy and the power that comes with it,” Lei said.

For June’s First Look Friday, we spoke to Lei and Brown from Zulu about creating a positive community worldwide; teaming up with Eric Andre to pay tribute to A Tribe Called Quest; and organizing a hardcore festival for Black bands where everyone’s welcome to come let it all out.


All the members of Zulu, a Black powerviolence band, pose for a promotional image. Photo by Chrisy Salinas.

The interview below with Anaih Lei and Satchel Brown of Zulu has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

How do you approach mixing genres and sampling?

Anaiah Lei: The newer stuff — we made that. The interludes, yes, those are samples. Aside from the obvious ones, like Curtis Mayfield, everything else was made for the record [by us and our friends]. The influences come from hardcore, but the influences also come from these other genres from our [Black] history. So why not make that style visible?

In your video for “Where I’m From” [featuring Pierce Jordan of the band Soul Glo and Obioma Ugonna of the band Playytime] a bunch of Black and brown hardcore folks are paying homage to A Tribe Called Quest’s video for “Scenario.” How did that come together?

Most of the footage was from a tour that we were on with those other bands called Darkside of Da Moon. We’re all hip-hop fans. I think Dez had mentioned [trying to recreate the “Scenario” video] to me. That song had all their friends and it really displayed unification at its best. And that’s what we’re trying to do now.

Zulu - Where I'm From (Official Music Video) www.youtube.com

Eric Andre’s there too. How’d you get connected?

He’s tapped in musically, so he hit me up just randomly, talking about being a fan of the band, which is awesome. I was talking to him one day when we were getting [the video] together. We’d filmed all the tour footage and we were slowly getting individual shots back home. I asked him, “Hey, would you be down to be in the video?” It was really simple. Me and Dez showed up to his house, filmed the clips of him, and bounced.

What else would be a dream come true for Zulu?

Playing in the motherland is something I think we all share. That’s gonna happen. It might not happen now but it’s gonna happen at some point.

It would be crazy to have the recognition of or tour with the likes of artists like SZA. It doesn’t even make sense, I guess you could say, sonically. But if we can get to a point where we’re unifying our folks to get hip to — if they weren’t already hip to — this style that we play. Punk rock music has existed for a long time, but being able to cross those borders…

Satchel Brown: There’s people who come to our shows, especially folks, and they never even heard this stuff before. They don’t even know what the heck it is. Then when they hear it, they’re like, “Wow I can express myself this way and it’s cool and like there’s other niggas doing it with us.” The most important part is that it gets spread out even farther. There’s probably so many more niggas that really need it.

Anaiah Lei: People want to limit punk rock and hardcore, but this is a bigger thing that we’re trying to do. Apart from a tour I want to do, apart from artists I want to collaborate with, I want to see our people connected. I want to see our people unified, truly, wholeheartedly. Showing people not only can they do what we’re doing and be a part of what we’re doing, but that the style that we do is a part of our history, and their history too. It’s happening slowly, but surely.

Was being able to enjoy heavier music always easy for you, or was it an acquired taste? Do you think everyone can ease their way into it?

I grew up with it; it was just there from the jump. There is sometimes the, “either you get it, or you don’t” but it’s not Black and white. I know plenty of people that have heard it and been like, “I didn’t really know how I felt about it at first, and it took a while to come around, but now I love it.”

Satchel Brown: For me, it did kind of click. I think that knowing a lot of musicians helped. But with just living in America in general like there’s a vibe, a feeling — to me — of being unsatisfied. Sometimes I feel like it’s universal. When I take people who have never been to those shows, it’s kind of jarring [for them]. But I think they do understand where it comes from. They do understand this feeling of dissatisfaction that I think is in a lot of people who live here. Where can you put that energy? I think that place [that allows you to enjoy heavy music] is a good place to put it. I think nowadays more people are more open to it.

When I was younger though, it was a little bit different. There was a lot more white people in the scene, especially when we were younger. It made it kind of hard to even understand, “Where is my space in this? How can I even be here?” I think people like me and Anaiah who’ve been there help with showing that everyone’s here. This is a moment right now, in general, where a lot of people are on edge. They need that sound that can represent that and help them express it.

You get crazy energy from the audience when you perform. How do your positive message and this violent, physical aggression coexist?

Anaiah Lei: It’s always been like that [at hardcore and punk shows]. I guess people will see it from the outside, like, “This is wild, why would people do this and act that way?” Most people end up accepting it. They’re just like, “Oh, so, it’s OK to do that in that space?” Yeah, that’s OK as long as you respect other people. It’s alright to let it out that way.

Satchel Brown: [Anaiah,] you were talking to me about that Onyx performance [when Sticky Fingaz shot up the 1994 Source Awards]. Fools was chewing up the club and people could perceive [that energy] as aggressive. I think it’s just more like, here’s a place where you can express however you feel about what we’re about to play for you. If you’re in the club and you’re feeling yourself and you wanna shoot up, or [if you’re in the mosh pit and] you wanna kick someone in the face, it should be OK. Yeah it’s violent and like yeah maybe someone gets hurt, but it’s kind of bigger than that. Like it’s now or never. Either take that moment or you don’t. I feel like people are trying to just take that moment and ride with it.

Anaiah Lei: I mean it sounds wild to say that, especially if you just didn’t understand the context. But artists that would shoot up the club, shoot up their venues, that’s some Caribbean-style, gun salute type stuff. That is a part of Black culture. Some of us in the band are Caribbean. So there’s that dance hall style where people do that to show their appreciation. And in the hardcore scene, your appreciation to the music is jumping off the stage and slamming — getting kicked in the face.

Satchel Brown: When we meet people [at our shows] who aren’t just hardcore kids, they’re not just there for the music. They want to be a part of an energy where they can just express freely. I think that’s why people really do it: so they can really be out there and not feel like they’re gonna be judged. It’s almost boring when it’s just the people who go to these shows all the time because they know the situation. Sometimes they don’t even be wildin’, they don’t even be freaking out. It’s usually the people who are new and like, “Wow.” I feel like that’s what it’s for.

On “Where I’m From,” you sing, “You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for us.” Does the meaning of that “you” and that “us” change when you’re performing for an audience that isn’t all Black?

Anaiah Lei: Sometimes I talk about us, sometimes I talk to us, and sometimes I talk to other people that aren’t us. It’s just, song by song, whatever I decided to write about.

Satchel Brown: When we’re there [live] that’s when the lyrics are more purposeful. I think it’s more hard-hitting. I think that’s why people kind of go crazy when we play these songs. It’s like a prideful chant to me, it’s a calling. For the people who hear it and get it, they’ll feel it and they’ll do what they need to do to it. And the people that don’t will just sit in the back and be whatever. The message, and the music, comes across even more during the live shows, whether or not there’s a white person there.

Anaiah Lei: It’s basically more impactful live despite who’s hearing it, because you could take—hopefully—some knowledge from that, no matter whether you’re folks or not. You’re gonna take something from it regardless. So many lyrics may be specifically for someone, but it’s a universal message at the end of the day. That’s what we want is to open people’s minds.

__

Mariah Stovall has written for the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hanif Abdurraqib's 68to05, The Paris Review, and the anthology Black Punk Now. Her first novel, 'I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both,' is forthcoming from Soft Skull Press.

“Rappers Delight” Meets Sprite In New Hip-Hop 50 Campaign With Nas, Rakim & More

$
0
0


In time for Black Music Month, Nas, Rakim, Latto, and GloRilla take it back to hip-hop’s early days in a new Sprite commercial. The television spot shows all four rappers both quoting and rhyming over 1979 Sugarhill Gang classic “Rapper’s Delight,” which is heralded as a hip-hop staple. Each artist also performs interpolations of their own signature hits like Latto’s “Big Energy” and Rakim’s “Paid in Full.”

As the commercial features graffiti artists, GloRilla is seen on stage, while Latto takes to a recording studio, Rakim teaches in a classroom and Nas sits on a stoop while drinking Sprite. The campaign also promotes the company’s new limited edition flavor Lymonade Legacy.

Sprite has long collaborated with rappers in the past, including Kurtis Blow for their “Now More Than Ever” campaign, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, Grand Puba, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Drake, Vince Staples, Lil Yachty, Kamaiyah, and more.

“Our resume speaks for itself,” said A.P. Chaney, creative director for Sprite North America. “Sprite took a chance on hip-hop before it was cool, and has always been of the culture, not only for the culture."

In a new interview with BET, Latto – who has newly released Cardi B-assisted “Put It On Da Floor Again" – talked about being involved with Sprite’s new campaign.

“Hip-hop is constantly evolving, so to be a part of this new wave and new style of hip-hop is super honorable, especially when you talk about female rap and its heavy presence in hip-hop. So I'm excited today to be included with artists like me and GloRilla, alongside the greats,” she said.”

Viewing all 1578 articles
Browse latest View live