Features

More Things To Learn About Chloe Bailey

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It’s safe to say that when it comes to the young artists in the game, Chloe Bailey takes the cake!  Whether she’s killing the Gram with stimulating posts or making music that makes you move, Chloe is shaping to be a star we didn’t know we needed.  After all, she is learning from Beyonce, so we shouldn’t expect anything less.  We have watched Chloe as well as her younger sister, Halle, grow up right in front of us.  You may think you know all about the Mableton artist, but there’s more to find out.

Here’s a few things you may not know about Chloe Bailey:

Parkwood Starts With Chloe

Parkwood Entertainment is home to Beyonce, Chloe x Halle, Jay-Z and Beyonce as The Carters, and now just Chloe herself.  The “CUFF IT” singer founded the Columbia Records-backed label in 2010.  The entertainment company is involved in not only music, but film, television, and artist management as well.  Besides the Beyonce herself, the “Have Mercy” artist is going to be the first solo artist to have a full-length project released under Parkwood.

Beyonce signed artists Ingrid Burley and Sophie Beem to her label in 2015 and 2016, respectively.  Beem signed a two-year artist development deal, therefore she is no longer with the label.  Burley remains with Parkwood, but has never dropped an album.  She released her EP, Trill Feels in 2016.  Beem also released an EP in 2016 as well titled, Sophie Beem EP.

Chloe x Halle have put out four albums under the label, but now it’s Chloe’s turn to take a chance solo.  She is set to release her debut solo studio album at the end of the month.  The 23-year-old artist named her debut, In Pieces, with the lead single being “Pray It Away”.  As of right now, the only feature we know of is Chris Brown as Bailey released the song and video to “How Does It Feel” last month.

Almost Won A Grammy Over Her Boss

We all know Beyonce is the queen of the Grammys.  Well, she is now after collecting a couple of trophies at this year’s ceremony.  There’s no doubt that Chloe will win a Grammy or two at some point in her career especially, with the mentor she has.  The Houston legend can teach her a few things about collecting gold Gramaphones.

Chloe almost won her first Grammy back in 2021 for Best R&B song.  Along with her sister Halle, the duo’s hit song, “Do It”, was nominated that year.  Unfortunately, Chloe x Halle had some fierce competition, including their boss, Queen Bey.  The “Crazy In Love” singer’s song, “Black Parade”, was nominated as well.  “Black Parade” was a part of the soundtrack Beyonce created for the new version of Disney’s The Lion King.  In the end, both songs were beat out by Robert Glasper’s “Better Than I Imagine” featuring H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeoceloo.

But, on a brighter note, for an artist to be nominated for a Grammy in the same category and in the same year as their label’s founder is a historic feat.

Inspired by Mentor’s Foe

Of course, Beyonce is her inspiration, but Chloe has been influenced by Kelis as she embarks on her career.  The “Pray It Away” singer has paid respects to the “Milkshake” artist in the past.  Last year, in an “#AskChloe” segment on Twitter, fans took the time to ask Chloe all kinds of questions.  One fan wanted to know who influences her, to which Chloe named Donna Summer, Imogen Heap, and Kelis.  She mentioned Kanye as an influence as well.  Also, last year on an Instagram Live session, Chloe further spoke on Kelis’s impact on her.

“Every time I put on Kelis, I feel like the baddest b****”

Kelis even inspired a few lyrics on her debut single, “Have Mercy”.  Bailey also credits Kelis for being confident in her body, prompting her to feel the same.  Chloe’s appreciation for the Tasty artist is respectful, but what does Beyonce think of that?

After all, Kelis did have her alter the song, “Energy”, from her album, Renaissance.  Before the album was released, Kelis took to Instagram to reveal that part of her hit song, “Milkshake” was being used without her approval.  Beyonce uses a small part of Kelis’s song at the end of “Energy”, to which Kelis calls it theft.  The “Halo” singer had no issues taking out that part of the song and has not made any statements regarding the incident since.

It’s funny how the world works at times.  Beyonce’s protégé, Chloe, is inspired by Nas’s ex-wife, Kelis, who recently had issues with Queen Bey, who is married to Jay-Z, and we all know the history between Nas and Jay-Z.  Somehow some way, the Queens and Brooklyn rapper are yet again tied to each other.

Chloe Does It All

As if we haven’t already known, but Chloe is talented.  She can sing, dance, act, you name it!  But she also does behind the scenes work that you may not know.  Chloe also writes for other artists, produces, and even designs album covers.

She is credited for writing on Willow Smith’s album, The 1st and contributed vocals to The Game’s Drillmatic: Heart vs. Mind album.  Bailey is also experienced in producing as well.  She has received producer credit on her own songs such as “Feeling Good” and “Have Mercy”, but also produced on the soundtrack to Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time.  Last year, the 23-year-old even had her hand in design, as she was involved with designing the album cover for Elliot Murphy’s Wonder.

What can’t this woman do? 

Let us know if you are excited for Chloe’s debut album, In Pieces, in the comments.

Lil Nas X’s Most Streamed Songs

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American rapper, singer, and songwriter Lil Nas X (Montero Lamar Hill) has solidified himself as one of the biggest artists in the world over the past three years. Before his sudden rise to fame, he had dropped out of college to pursue a career in music. At 19 years old, he was working at Six Flags and Zaxby’s, spending all of his spare time curating beats and verses in his room. The Georgia-born icon first blew up off of country rap banger “Old Town Road” in 2019. He would follow-up the hit single with the “7 EP,” before eventually releasing his debut full-length record, ‘Montero,’ in 2021.

Whether it be his fashion or his stage presence, Lil Nas has since proved that he can be alluring as a personality rather than solely for his music. One of the most in-demand touring artists out, his stage presence is up there with the likes of Tyler, the Creator or J Cole. His music videos have stirred up a fair bit of controversy, which usually means you’re doing something right. “Montero (Call Me By Your Name. Growing up on the Internet, the marketing genius has a knack for creating hits. In his short career, he already has over three tracks that have surpassed 1 billion streams.

Approaching 2 years since ‘Montero,’ the flamboyant MC hasn’t teased much about his new project. However, he’s confirmed that it will be releasing in 2023. Responding to fans on Twitter, he said that his new album will “most likely” be out this summer.

Today, we’re diving into the star-powered MC’s most streamed tracks.

Old Town Road- Lil Nas X (Ft. Billy Ray Cyrus)

A unique blend of country and trap, we may never hear as controversial and iconic as chart-topping song as “Old Town Road” ever again. The track lived at the mountain-top of the Billboard charts for a record-breaking 19 weeks, before Billie Eilish would finally dethrone him. Shockingly, “Old Town Road” was the first full song that Lil Nas ever put out. Overplayed throughout 2019 and 2020, the track sounds downright silly today. However, it’s a genuinely fantastic mix of acoustic strings and base-filled 808s.

When you blend the original and remix version, this song alone has amassed over 2 billion streams on Spotify. In fact, Lil Nas created the song with the vision of it being a hit. Purposely architecting the track amongst catchy lyrics, he wanted the track to be inherently ear-catching. Ushering in Billy Ray Cyrus for the first of many oddball remixes, the music video would amass over 1 billion views on YouTube.

Panini

Lil Nas X followed up “Old Town Road” with yet another hit single in the form of “Panini.” Similar to his debut track, it’s a 2-minute cut with a repetitive chorus that’s easy to grasp onto and yell out. Nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 2020 Grammys, the track solidified him as more than a one-hit wonder. Sampling Nirvana’s “In Bloom,” the chorus is an interpolation from the iconic Kurt Cobain.

Lil Nas would later release a remix of the track with DaBaby to capitalize on the virality of the song. “Panini” sees him branch out from his country-rap connotations, shooting for more of a traditional, trendy trap sound. There’s a definite Travis Scott or Drake influence in the production, as hi-hat whistles and a heavy 808 make their way into the mix. Far more synth-driven in comparison to “Old Town Road,” the track would keep fans guessing about what is EP would sound like.

Montero (Call Me By Your Name)

The lead single of Lil Nas X’s rollout for ‘Montero,’ the 2-minute banger features tantalizing chords and Latin undertones. Featuring Flamengo flairs and lush production, it’s a simple but effective track. Featuring sexually explicit homosexual lyrics, Lil Nas is bold about his sexuality. The song has amassed over 1.6 billion streams on Spotify. Tagged along with a boldly queer music video, the song was met with backlash from conservative detractors, who labeled the music video as harmful or immoral. However, they’re only playing into Lil Nas’s purposefully contentious narrative.

The track directly references ‘Call Me By Your Name,’ a 2007 book that was later adapted to the screen in 2017. The film takes the viewer through the complexities of a gay romance in Northern Italy, as the two struggle to open up during a time where homosexuality was largely demonized. The movie’s plot outlines the song’s lyricism, as Lil Nas states “I wanna sell what you’re buying.”

Industry Baby- Lil Nas X (Ft. Jack Harlow)

Featuring co-production chops from Kanye West, ‘Industry Baby’ is the hallmark banger off of his most recent album. An expertly crafted rap anthem, the track was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2021 Grammys. Sampling orchestral production, there’s a school band feel to the booming horns that kick off the track. A self-proclaimed Nicki Minaj stan, Lil Nas X was ghosted from Nicki Minaj when he reached out for a feature.

While much of the record’s subject matter sees Lil Nas discuss feelings of depression or loneliness that’s only expedited with fame, ‘Industry Baby’ is a fun exception to this. Referencing his Grammy nominations and heavy bank account, Lil Nas and Jack Harlow are flexing from start to finish. Speaking of Harlow, the Louisville-born MC delivered his best feature verse to date on the track. Two hard-working rappers who made it from nothing, the chart-topping track is a triumphant ode to their current fame.

That’s What I Want

Growing up in an era of unforgiving love-pop songs, “That’s What I Want” feels like a direct result of a kid who grew up listening to the latter era of OutKast. Featuring a more traditional pop-rock structure, it’s hard not to reminisce about songs such as “Hey Ya!” amongst romantic guitar strings and swirling synth patterns. Yet another chart-topping song for Lil Nas X, the track made him the first artist to have three tracks simultaneously in the Billboard Top-10.

The track continued to showcase him as a visual icon rather than solely a musical one. Lil Nas falls in love with a boy at a football game before later realizing that’s married. The track narratively contributes to his feelings of isolation that he associates with his homosexuality. The cowboy theme of the video is a direct reference to 2005 film ‘Brokeback Mountain.’ In the film, two gay lovers never unite due to one’s fear of being judged.

Holiday

Intended to fill the gap between his ‘7 EP’ and ‘Montero,’ “Holiday” is a Christmas-themed track that released in November of 2020. Peaking at the 25th ranked track on the Billboard Top 100, the song has since approached 500 million streams on Spotify. A celebratory track, he’s tongue and cheek with multiple hilarious bars. In addition, he continued to be creative on the visual end of things. The music video sees Lil Nas X dressed as a futuristic version of Santa Claus, existing in a cyberpunk Arctic world.

Lil Nas plays around with his songwriting on the track, stating “Hee hee! I’m bad as Michael Jackson” amongst a traditionally structured trap banger. With Tay Keith on production chops, smooth synths and direct drums populate the track. There’s a more melodic, laid-back feel to embrace the holiday aesthetic. It was a simple, but effective track that kept fans satisfied before his full-length project.

Star Walkin’

The most recent single from Lil Nas X, “Star Walkin’” is tagged to the League of Legends brand. There’s a definite overly-glossed, big budget feel to the production on the track. With hints of EDM and drill, it’s an effective banger to cater to his younger audience. The headline track for the League of Legends World Championship, the track has amassed over 250 million streams on Spotify over the past six months.

Lil Nas delivered a live performance of the track back in the November, clothed a slick white and gold outfit. Dancing from verse to chorus, it’s one of his more impressive lives performances to date. In addition, the track highlights Lil Nas’s business savvy and Internet personality. He knows how to capitalize on trends, which will solidify him as an industry-wide name for years to come.

Who Is Dwayne Wade’s Daughter Zaya Wade?

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Sports fans largely consider Dwayne Wade one of the best basketball plays in recent history. However, these days many think of him as the proud father of Zaya Wade. This is because since the spotlight found Zaya, Dwayne and his wife, Gabrielle Union, have been staunch supporters of her. First, though, fans should note that Gabrolle is Zaya’s stepmother. Her mother is Siohvaughn Funches. She and Dwayne Wade were married from 2002 until 2010. Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union tied the knot in 2014. 

Zaya was born in 2007. Since Dwayne Wade and Siohvaughn separated, Zaya has lived with Dwayne and Gabrielle. In addition, Dwayne has three other kids, one of which is with Gabrielle Union. He is also the legal guardian of one of his nephews. As most people know, Zaya Wade is transgender. She came out a couple of years ago and has been a public figure ever since. Of course, there has been controversy directed at the child. However, her parents support her, and she has received many kind words from other LGBT+ advocates. Zaya and her family also recently crossed a substantial legal hurdle that gives them a reason to celebrate. 

Here’s a look into who Zaya Wade is and why she sparks so much conversation. 

When Did Zaya Wade Come Out

Zaya Wade attends Harlem’s Fashion Row x Janie and Jack Los Angeles Fashion presentation. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

Coming out and admitting your truth can be challenging for anyone to do. For Zaya, she came out publicly as transgender in 2020. Of course, the topic of transgender individuals wasn’t new at the time, but it still sparked some controversy. It was Dwayne Wade himself who announced that his child was indeed trans. This happened in February of that year, and he spoke about fearing the hate she may receive. Dwayne Wade’s daughter made her red carpet debut the next month at the Truth Awards. More recently, the basketball star even said he fears her safety whenever she leaves the house. 

Since coming out as transgender, Zaya Wade has not only faced some backlash. She has been an inspiration. Of course, being only 15 currently, there is only so much she can say herself. However, Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union have done a great job supporting Zaya and speaking about transgender rights. More recently, the couple received an award at the NAACP Image Awards. In their speech, they talked about how LGBTQ+ people, especially trans people, are often left out of the conversation about equality. Their speech was seen by many as a call to action for inclusion. 

In February of this year, the news broke that a judge granted Dwayne Wade’s daughter a huge legal victory. Zaya Wade is now legally her name. In addition, the young girl was granted a legal gender transition. This means that her birth certificate reflects her life as a girl instead of her identity before transitioning. The ruling was filed in a Los Angeles superior court. For the most part, the world seems accepting of this legal change for Zaya. 

Despite general acceptance of Dwayne Wade’s daughter’s legal name and gender change, some critics have stated Zaya and her parents should have waited a few more years until she turned 18. One notable example of this was when actress LisaRaye McCoy spoke about this on her Fox Soul show and expressed doubt that this was even legally possible. In addition, of course, since before the legal gender and name change, rapper Lil Boosie has been a major detractor for not only Zaya but the LGBTQ+ community in general. 

What Does Zaya’s Mother Say

Siohvaughn Funches, Zaya’s mother, has been outspoken against Zaya’s transitioning for a while now. While she hasn’t seemed hateful, she has expressed concerns that Dwayne and Gabrielle are using their child. She said as recently as last year that Dwayne is profiting from his daughter’s newfound fame. However, the ex-NBA player responded by saying she has had numerous opportunities to get to know Zaya, including speaking to her therapists and doctors and getting to know her friends. According to Dwayne, Siohvaugn has had no interest in doing so. He also stated that his ex-wife tried something similar some time ago that caused significant harm to their children. 

Of course, Siohvaughn also has support in the media. Many feel she should have some say in their daughter’s public life. No one is sure why the former couple has such a contentious relationship, but it does seem that she is more traditional in her beliefs and may not be understanding even if she was in Zaya’s life more. It’s also unclear how often Zaya and her mother actually speak. She first spoke out about the idea of a legal name change back in November of 2022. It’s not uncommon for parents to not be accepting when it comes to having a transgender child, but hopefully, Siohvaughn will someday come to fully accept her daughter. 

Keke Palmer: All About The Actress, Singer, And New Mom

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Keke Palmer, 29, the triple threat can now add mom to her many roles, as her acting and singing have already made her a standout both in life and on screen. Making her debut in the 2004 film Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Palmer quickly became likable from her honest and kind demeanor, making her a favored co-star to want to be around.

Keke Palmer Debuted As An Actress And Singer

Making a transition to television in the same year of her movie debut, Palmer ultimately went on to star in multiple Nickelodeon series like True Jackson, VP and Winx Club. When she displayed how raw her skill was at such a young age, Palmer continued to succeed in the industry with more serious roles that would later catapult her into the respected actress she is today. Starring in films like Akeelah and the Bee, Madea’s Family Reunion, Jump In!, and The Longshots, Palmer has spent most of her life in the film world.

When her adult life came around, so did the adult roles. No age could define Palmer on screen, as her ability has transcended into one of the greats. Taking on roles next to Tyler Perry, Queen Latifah, Whoopie Goldberg, Julia Stiles and Ice Cube, Palmer was able to gain versatile parts in films like Alice, Hustlers, and Nope. Palmer has also been a voice over actress in films like Lightyear, Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare, and multiple movies from the Ice Age franchise. Displaying even more skill, Palmer has taken her career a step further into the musical world with a 2014 role as the first African American Princess to star in a title role as Cinderella on Broadway. With Rolling Stones calling her assertive and confident with a “biting sense of humor,” Palmer stays contributing her love for acting in every role she is given.

Palmer Explains Her Love for Her Career

Keke Palmer interviews for Bustle wearing a Gucci gown and Cosabella bra.

In an effortless steez, Palmer epitomizes true passion behind the screen saying, “I can’t even tell anyone how it feels when I’m acting, I don’t mean to say that I don’t have to try. But there’s something in my heart that explodes, and I feel like I understand. When I’m acting, I feel like so in control and so centered. This is something that I solely get from acting and music.”

Not only has Palmer paved her own way as an actress, but she has also grounded herself as a singer and songwriter. Her 2007 debut album So Uncool charted on Billboard’s Top R&B & HipHop Albums list and was released under her contract with Atlantic Records. Palmer explains her love for music with, “Whether it be in acting, music, or even in dancing, I only want to do things that I truly connect to, and with my music, it’s everything that I am.” Though she’s now signed to Island Records, Palmer has released albums Virgo Tendencies, Pt. 1, and Virgo Tendencies, Pr. 2 along with multiple singles over the course of the previous years. 

Palmer Meets Longtime Boyfriend at Diddy’s Memorial Day Party in 2021

Keke Palmer shares her and boyfriend Darius Jackson’s first experiences with son Leo.

Palmer started dating boyfriend, Darius Jackson, 29, after meeting at Rae and Diddy’s Memorial Day Party in 2021. Keeping their relationship private for only a few months, the couple have remained close since their first encounter. Telling Bustle in an interview, Palmer says, “This is the happiest I’ve ever felt with someone. So why would I go out of my way to hide this person? That’s a lot more work than just living in my life and being in my life. You know what I’m saying?”

Being in the entertainment industry as well, Jackson is both an actor and fitness trainer. Attending Fresno State University on a football scholarship, Jackson continued in the footsteps of his older brother Saranus Jackson who played sports before launching his acting career in 2017 in the series Insecure. Though he hasn’t much acting fame, Jackson can be linked to the upcoming sci-fi film Dawn of the Predator as Agent Mayo. In the film, a group of agents are deployed to a robot-controlled territory, and upon their attempt to retrieve technology from an alien crash, they are faced with war against the aliens. 

Palmer Gives Birth to Son ‘Leo’

Though acting and singing may have been the prevalence of Palmer’s whole life, her newest role as ‘mom’ may be her most important one yet. Palmer gave birth on February 25, 2023 to a healthy baby boy, Leodis Andrellton Jackson. Though it’s a first time being a parent for Palmer, she stays happily grateful for her experience, taking to social media to say, “”Hey Son!!!! Born during Black History Month, with a name to match! LEODIS ANDRELLTON JACKSON, welcome to the world baby Leo.”

Keke Palmer Has Ideas for the Future of Her Career

Keke Palmer gets candidly cheeky about how to solve Bustle’s interview questions.

Though Palmer is most focused on being a new mom with her longtime boyfriend, Jackson, she still has her eyes set on new horizons after earning a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host for her appearance alongside Michael Strahan on Strahan, Sara, and Keke from 2019-2020. Palmer told Bustle she envisions herself giving back to her community in the near future by interning a plethora of young black adults for the directing and producing of films saying, “I imagine myself directing movies and producing films and having a bunch of different interns that are just in college.”

Continuing, “Young, black kids that are learning how to be a grip, that are learning how to be a DP, that are learning how to work in production, or as a designer, or people that are learning how to be a teamster, I really want to educate the young kids on the fact that you don’t just have to work in Hollywood as a performer, or as a writer, or as a director — your ass could be a crafty.”

With 20 years in the industry, Palmer has exhibited the essence of a true star. In following her own advice, “You can do anything as long as you don’t stop believing. When it is meant to be, it will be. You just have to follow your heart,” Palmer continues to thrive as a new mom still wanting to work, as her love for acting and singing is endless.

Creed III Review: Michael B. Jordan Directs A Classic

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It’s this Creed III quote that resonates with audiences after the film has ended. The quote is a bit of a throwaway line for antagonist Damian Anderson, but it holds a special meaning to those who worked on the film.

Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with Creed III. He joins a long list of actor-directors while trying to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with behind and not just in front of the camera (spoilers for the Rocky and Creed franchise ahead).

Anderson spent time locked away in prison after trying to help Adonis Creed. The former pulled out a gun on someone when the latter started a fight with them. Now that he’s free, he’s eager to prove that he is the champion he was on track to be.

That’s when he drops the line to Creed. He wants to be the champ, and even if he’s got a late start, it’s better than no start. That clearly refers to Anderson’s fictional situation, but also mirrors Jordan’s own real-life situation.

Jordan’s directing was a long time coming

Jordan joined the Creed franchise as an actor in 2015 with Ryan Coogler’s Rocky soft reboot. Eight years later, Jordan is in the director’s chair for Creed 3 (Creed III). It’s the first time the Black Panther star has sat in that seat, but it’s hardly noticeable.

The actor’s directorial debut comes 22 years after he debuted as a child actor in Hardball. Nevertheless, Oscar-winning directors gotta start somewhere, right?

The film stars up and coming Jonathan Majors opposite Jordan, as well as Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson and Wood Harris, but it’s Jordan who shines on and off camera.

Creed III plot summary

Creed III sees the newly retired Adonis Creed enjoying his time off. He’s a loving husband to his artist-turned producer wife, Bianca, and a doting father to his deaf daughter, Amara.

He also runs the gym with his former trainer and partner, Little Duke. They work to shape the next generation of boxers and are promoting a fight between their world champion and Viktor Drago, the antagonist from 2018’s Creed 2.

When Anderson returns and tells Creed what he wants, there’s not much opportunity for it. That is, until Drago befalls an injury and the title bout is now missing a contender.

Enter Anderson, whose nickname was “Diamond Dame”, who shows his true colors by boxing as dirty as possible and defeating the world champion, Felix Chavez.

Anderson used a prison-defined body and clever tricks to get the best of Chavez and become the world’s champion, but it’s Creed that he really wants.

The two, who have a lot of anger and guilt over what transpired in the past and their lives after Anderson went into prison, agree to fight it out despite Rocky’s former protege having been retired for three years.

Michael B. Jordan shines as a new director

Michael B. Jordan stepped into the director’s chair with the confidence his character showed in his opening fight against Chavez. Creed was in control the entire time and it showed. Behind the camera, Jordan was in control the entire time.

Jordan’s style and flair bleed into this movie. It’s the most stylish boxing movie perhaps of all time. It’s also easily the most fun film to look at in the Rocky franchise.

Speaking of Rocky Balboa, Jordan took on an unenviable task of crafting the first Rocky film without its first star- the Italian Stallion himself. Stallone stepped away because of grievances with producer Irwin Winkler. That could have left a major hole in the movie.

Jordan ensured that hole was never felt. In fact, he went so far as to make this the only movie since the original that could stand alone. Yes, it flows out of the first two Creed movies and the previous six Rocky films, but it’s as accessible as the original.

Jordan’s directorial flair was on full display

The style and flair that Jordan displays in his first ever film are never more present than in the final fight. This is the most personal fight in the entire franchise. It may only rivaled by Rocky’s revenge bout against Ivan Drago for killing Adonis Creed’s father (major spoilers ahead) in Rocky IV.

As a result, Jordan made the unique decision to strip everything away. Boxing has always drawn big crowds, but for Anderson and Creed, it was just the two of them.

Jordan showed that visually by putting them in an almost colorless arena with no fans. There was no noise except for the grunts and hits each boxer landed. It perfectly showcased what this fight meant.

At a certain points, the wall of the ring turned into a prison cage like the one Anderson spent 18 years in. Another turned into the walls of the abusive group home the two spent years in.

Creed III was inspired by anime

Jordan discussed this decision with the New York Times, saying that he felt like the void was a perfect visual storytelling medium.

“Back when we would go through our first choreo, every punch would be a line: ‘What are we saying in this fight?’ That idea always stuck with me, and I just put that on steroids and infused it with anime. There was even a moment where I put subtitles in the void.”

Michael B. Jordan via The New York Times

He ultimately decided against the subtitles bit, feeling that it would be too difficult for the audience.

“Yeah, there was no sound: It was completely silent and just subtitles. I was like, ‘All right, that’s my artistic side coming out too strong! I got to remember what kind of movie I’m making, that invisible contract that I signed with the audience.’ I watched anime all my life, so I could watch and read subtitles at the same time, but a lot of people can’t do that.”

Jordan via The New York Times

Creed III: Not perfect, but really close to it

Creed III is not a perfect film. It is arguably the best in the trilogy and could rival the original as someone’s favorite, though. There are a lot of factors to that (such as Jonathan Majors giving yet another unbelievable performance), but Jordan’s leadership guided this film to an excellent place.

Majors imbues his character with a palpable rage. The audience can feel the anger at being locked up for trying to save Creed while Creed ran and escaped any punishment.

For his credit, this is probably Jordan’s best outing as Adonis Creed. The audience feels his emotions with him. The guilt he carries over what happened with Anderson comes right through the screen.

The two give performances as strong as their in-universe characters are. That, combined with excellent directing, makes for what will undoubtedly hold up as one of 2023’s best releases. That’s high praise for a movie released with almost nine full months remaining in the calendar year.

Given that this movie isn’t Oscar-bait in any way, it would be a surprise to see a Best Supporting Actor nomination thrown to Majors or a Best Director nomination for Jordan. However, they’re both worthy of unending praise.

Some actors that move into directing don’t do much. They might direct a film or two, but most remain actors. Jordan mentioned to the New York Times that he had projects in the pipeline (that he wanted Majors to join him in), so he’s absolutely going to be a director to watch in the future.

Unfortunately, he set the bar so high with Creed III. It’s hard to envision him topping it. He probably welcomes the challenge, and the audience is absolutely looking forward to it.

Here’s Everything We Know About ‘Swarm’

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Swarm is a new horror series starring Dominique Fishback.  The co-executive producers are Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino and creator of HBO’s Watchmen, Janine Nabers.  The series is coming to Prime Video this month on March 17th.  It also stars Chloe Bailey and Snowfall star, Damson Idris.

Fishback plays a fan that obsesses over a famous pop star and it consumes her life.  In the trailer, it’s clear the pop star’s character is influenced by Beyonce.  The “BeyHive” is one of the biggest fandoms ever.  The series will first premiere at the SXSW festival on March 10th.  Nabers calls it “a sister to Atlanta” while Glover says it’s “a post-truth The Piano Teacher mixed with The King of Comedy”.

Here’s everything we know so far about Donald Glover’s new series.

Dominique Fishback is Swarm‘s Star

After being told she wasn’t cut out to be an actress and denied from acting school, Dominique Fishback sure has done well for herself.  She did not let those obstacles deter her as she aspired to be on the big screen.  Hailing from Brooklyn, Fishback went to public schools in her neighborhood, but also took free acting classes for kids in New York.  Ultimately, she was able to participate in her theater course where she learned more about acting and writing her own plays.

Fishback attended Pace University in New York and graduated with a degree in theater. With her degree and experience writing her own material in her theater course, Fishback decided to put on her own show, Subverted.  Subverted was a one woman show that was written and performed solely by Fishback.  After this, she took off!

Film & TV Roles Before Swarm

She landed roles in films such as Night Comes On, The Hate U Give, Project Power, and most notably, Judas and The Black Messiah.  Her role in Judas and The Black Messiah as Deborah Johnson, partner of Fred Hampton, led her to be nominated for a BAFTA award as well as an NAACP Image Award.  The New York native is also set to star in the third installment of the Transformers series.  Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is set to be released this year.

The 31-year-old has also appeared in different TV series throughout her career.  Fishback has appeared in episodes of The Affair, The Americans, Blue Bloods, Royal Pains, Show Me a Hero, and most notably, The Deuce.  Along with being the star of Swarm, she has a main role on the Apple+ TV series, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, starring alongside Samuel L. Jackson.  All of Fishback’s hard work has been paying off as she is very busy these days.

Atlanta, FX Ties

After watching Atlanta, we know what Donald Glover can bring to the table.  The four season series was certainly not your typical TV show.  Glover’s ability to combine many different topics including family, Hip Hop, love, fatherhood, and friendship separates him from the rest.

In the trailer, fans can see that this series is influenced by Beyoncé as Childish Gambino continues to stick to his music roots through his film work.  Swarm is bound to have hidden messages and meaningful moments just like Atlanta did.   Similar to the FX series, Glover continues to make opportunities for black artists to showcase their talents on a big stage.  Chloe Bailey and Damson Idris star alongside Fishback as her sister and boyfriend, respectively.

Idris and Glover have ties together before this series as both have major shows on the FX network.  Idris stars in the hit show, Snowfall.  

Beyoncé-Influenced

As I stated above, this series is influenced by Beyoncé.  The Atlanta director is not afraid to make fun of today’s society.  Throughout the four seasons of Atlanta, the “3005” rapper has created episodes surrounding topics such as blogging, social media, barbershops, and racism, and fashion.  Glover has even developed storylines based on people like Tyler Perry, Drake, and Disney’s Goofy character.  Now, it’s Beyoncé’s turn.

Beyonce’s fandom, the “BeyHive”, is a group everyone is familiar with.  The “BeyHive” has to be the most powerful movement on the Internet.  One wrong word about Beyonce and the hive will swarm.  Next thing you know, you have thousands of bee emojis on your page.

As I mentioned above, Glover has the ability to make fun of topics that are a staple in not only the black community, but society as well.  There’s no doubt that he’ll address the “BeyHive” in the most respectful, but awakening way.

An Obama is Involved

Wow, Malia Obama has surely grown up right before our very eyes.  Now, 24, the former President’s daughter is taking her talents to the big screen.  She is one of the writers on the series as this is her first writing opportunity since graduating from Harvard in 2021.  Co-Creator of Swarm, Janine Nabers, told People that Malia is professional and her age really is a plus factor.

“[The main characters of the show] are in their 20s and Malia is in her 20s, so it was really great having someone like her in the room.  She’s a very professional person, she’s an incredible writer and artist.”

Though this is her first job writing, the 24-year-old has been around television before.  She was an intern at the Weinstein Company and on Lena Dunham’s Girls.  She also worked as a production assistant on Halle Berry’s CBS series, Extant.  

It’s a Small World

Paris Jackson, daughter of Michael Jackson, will appear in the series.  Also, Macaulay Culkin’s younger brother, Rory Culkin, will have a part as well.  It’s a small world being that Michael Jackson and Macaulay Culkin were lifelong friends.  The Culkins and the Jacksons still manage to be linked together after all these years.

Let us know if you plan on watching Swarm when it premiers on Prime Video in the comments. 

Chris Brown’s Best Performances

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Whether you hate to admit it or not, Chris Brown is one of the greatest performers we have ever seen.  Just like there is always a conversation of who’s the greatest basketball player, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James?  Or who’s the best rapper in this generation; Drake, Kendrick Lamar, or J.Cole?  For R&B, the conversation is always Michael Jackson, Usher Raymond, and then Chris Brown.

Last year, at Usher’s Las Vegas residency, he brought out Chris Brown to perform, in which he called his co-collaborator for “New Flame”, a “legend”.  Usher is right, Breezy is a legend.  He proves he can do it all as a singer, dancer, rapper, and actor.  You’re bound to get a bit of everything when you see him in concert.  

Chris Brown has too many great performances to count.  Whether it be on tour, the Grammys, or the BET Awards, Breezy has always left it all on the stage.  Let’s take a look at the seven best performances from Chris Brown throughout his career. 

7. Chris Brown sings “All Black” at 2011 American Music Awards

Although they rescinded their invitation for him to perform there in 2022, Brown hit the AMAs stage in 2011.  In a performance where he solely displayed his vocal abilities, Breezy put his heart in it when he sang “All Back”.  The slow ballad turned into the uptempo song, “Say It With Me”, where he put his moves on display, per usual.

6. Chris Brown Performs Hits at 2014 Soul Train Music Awards

Chris Brown’s ability to sing while dancing is what separates him from other artists.  Most singers often lip sync their lyrics while performing their moves, but not Breezy.  In this performance, he started off with his hit song “Yo”, where you can clearly hear his voice over the music.  He transitions to his hits like “Poppin”, “Take You Down”, and “New Flame”. 

As the camera points to the crowd, you can see fellow artists enjoy the song, including Tank.  The R&B crooner caught himself trying to move like the Virginia artist at one point.  To wrap up this set, Breezy performed his hit, “Loyal”, which got some people off their feet.  Even nearing the end of his set, he still sounds good while dancing like his set just started.  It’s safe to say the man is in shape.

5. Breezy Gets Intimate at 2011 Summer Jam

Chris Brown gets intimate with his fans at the 2011 Summer Jam as he starts off with “Wet the Bed”.  He continues the theme by performing his slow jam, “Take You Down”.  The “No Guidance” singer has always been about his fans and is known to bring women on stage.  Of course, he did it at Summer Jam, too. 

The woman on stage was subject to Breezy dancing and caressing her as she sat in a chair.   She even experienced a few intense thrust at one point as women all throughout the stadium went crazy longing to be her.          

You can see Chris put his all into this performance nearly falling to his knees as he belted out “Take You Down”.

4. 2016 iHeartRadio Awards

In a set that shows all different sides of Breezy, iHeart fans were blessed in a set that was less than 10 minutes.  He starts with “Liquor” with his background dancers, but transitions to “Back to Sleep” by himself.  Brown is singing to a woman on stage before jumping into “Wrist”-literally.

As he raps “Wrist”, he dances along with his background dancers, but somehow he always manages to out do them.  His style is second to none.  Chris and his crew break out into his pop hit song, “Yeah 3x”.  Not too many artists can give you hits across different genres like Brown. And to top it all off, his clothing company, Black Pyramid, received a bit of promo during the set.

An-all around great performance by Breezy yet again.

3. Chris Brown performs in Timbs at the 2007 Grammys

Gliding down the stairs while coming out in a mask, Breezy started his performance with a step show before going in to his debut hit “Run It”.  Dancing in Timberland Boots is something we haven’t seen before and Chris makes it look easy.

Just like his MTV Awards performance that year, the “New Flame” singer performed alongside two kids that might be the future Breezy.  From backflips to handstands, he received a standing ovation.  And to think, he did it all on a sprained ankle and in TIMBS!  This could be considered his greatest performance based on the circumstances alone.  

2. 2007 MTV Awards

Breezy’s first time performing at the MTV Video Music Awards was in 2007.  He started it theatrically, as he acted if he was trapped in a booth.  Two kids came to free him and he started dancing alongside them.  As the two kids leave, his dance crew forms behind him as Breezy makes some stunning moves.

As “Wall to Wall” begins, Brown jumps from the stage to another platform and the show starts.  With this being his first performance on this stage, it’s no secret that he was going to be lip syncing.  As “Wall to Wall” ends, Rihanna comes out to her hit song, “Umbrella”.  After a few moments, she approaches Chris and they dance together, shortly, before going their separate ways.  This is one of the first interactions we see of the two young superstars.            

Breezy starts his Michael Jackson impression as his DJ plays “Billie Jean” in the background.  Moments like these are the reasons people say he is the second coming of MJ.  He maneuvers just like Michael did when he was on stage for a few seconds before going into his hit “Kiss Kiss”.   With the “Run It” artist jumping from platform to platform, moving like Michael, and dancing with Rihanna, there’s no way the crowd wasn’t entertained.         

1. 2006 World Music Awards Michael Jackson Tribute

Breezy did a tribute to the King of Pop at the 2006 World Music Awards.  As soon as the light hit him, the audience started cheering and did not stop.   Chris comes out in the same red “Thriller” jacket Michael had on in the original video moving like MJ himself.  He re-creates the video on stage following a young woman serenading her while dancing.

Of course, Chris Brown and his crew perform the iconic dance scene that’s in the “Thriller“ music video, to which the crowd couldn’t get enough of.  You bet he received a standing ovation that night and he was only 16 years old!

Let us know your favorite Chris Brown performance in the comments!

Halle Bailey & DDG Relationship Timeline

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Halle Bailey and DDG are one of the hottest couples out right now.  Though, we do not know how long they have really been each other’s lives, we can only speculate.  One of the first times we’ve seen the young couple together was on Christmas in 2021.  There was a photo circulating online of Halle at DDG’s home for the holidays.  The rumors started then, but didn’t really heat up until last year.

From attending awards shows to red carpet movie premieres, the past year DDG and Halle have been putting their relationship on display.  With rumors, old flames, and social media, it’s hard to have a drama-free relationship these days.  But, they both manage to keep things together.  Although we don’t know everything about their relationship, we have been keeping up with their love life.

Here’s a timeline of DDG and Halle Bailey’s romance.  

The Beginning

January 1, 2022:  At the top of the year, Halle Bailey and DDG were spotted at the Usher’s Las Vegas Residency.  That’s when the rumors started to circulate throughout social media.  Usher even posted a picture with the rumored couple on his Instagram story that night.

January 7, 2022: DDG posts photo on Instagram on vacation in a snowy area with snowboarding gear on.  Halle also posts a photo in a winter setting snuggling with her cat.  Fans speculated that they were on vacation together, possibly the Maldives, though neither party confirmed that to be true.

February 4, 2022: DDG takes Halle on an adventurous date.  The two went underwater swimming like mermaids while holding hands.  Halle said it was the most fun she has had in a while.

February 7, 2022: A month later, they were out together again in Los Angeles.  Paparazzi caught them leaving Nobu restaurant as Bailey tried to keep her head down, while getting in the car.

February 19, 2022: DDG defends Halle after a fan makes a negative comment about her on social media.  Bailey went on Instagram Live to show how she looks without any makeup on.  While watching live, DDG took to the comments to let her know how beautiful she is.  One user didn’t feel the same way and wrote, “She’s not cute to me”.

DDG had time to clap back and responded, “You too old for this.  Yo [p*****] barely work [a clown emoji] look in da mirror . U a 2 on yo BEST day.”

DDG & Halle Make It Official

March 27, 2022: DDG makes their relationship Instagram official by wishing Bailey a happy birthday with the caption “Happy Birthday to the beautifulest, the flyest, the sweetest [heart emoji] love you forever[sad face emoji, diamond emoji]”

April 18, 2022: Weeks after making their relationship officially pubic, the couple attend Coachella.  During a party, Halle & DDG are dancing, smiling, and taking selfies.

June 3, 2022: Halle posted a video on TikTok of her teaching DDG how to sing.  Looks like he might be doing a duet with his girlfriend in the near future.

June 26, 2022: The young couple made their debut on the red carpet at the BET Awards. 

Love Is In The Air

July 5, 2022: DDG sits down with DJ Akademiks for an interview where he has nothing but praises for his girlfriend.

”I honestly get inspired by my girl.  She honestly motivated me to be better and work harder and get to certain levels.  I look up to her in a sense ‘cause it’s, like, I never been around nobody that really…’cause i feel like I’m always the motivator, I’m the inspirer.”

August 6, 2022: A month after DDG made his sweet comments about his girl, she returned the favor.  In an Essence cover feature,  Halle says she is “for sure” in love with DDG as she has been a fan of his since 2015, when DDG was a Youtuber.

August 26, 2022:  DDG filmed the video for his song, “If I Want You”, and guess who was the star?  None other than his lover, Halle.  Not only is she the star of the video, but she also provides some background vocals.

Halle & DDG Out & About

September 23, 2022: DDG speaks with DJ Bootleg Kev, in which he discusses the racist backlash Halle has been getting from being casted as Ariel, in the new version of The Little Mermaid. 

”I didn’t know people was this racist-I didn’t know this was a thing.”  He continued to express his confusion with the racist remarks.  ”I thought this s*** was gone already, I thought that s*** was gone!  I thought Martin Luther King canceled that s*** out! This s*** is crazy, I was like ‘what the f*** is these n***** talking about?’”

Many fans did not like what he said, but the rapper assured fans he was only joking.

September 28, 2022: The young hot couple attended Paris Fashion Week together as they both wore comfortable casual outfits to Roger Viver’s show.

October 10, 2022: Date night again for the couple as they leave a restaurant in Los Angeles.  DDG’s birthday is on the 10th as well as Halle took to Instagram to appreciate her boo with a montage of phots.

October 22, 2022: They attended the 5th annual Wearable Art Gala.  The couple complimented each other’s outfits by wearing all-black.  DDG wore an all-black suit while Bailey donned a black jeweled gown.

December 13, 2022: The couple attend the premiere for Avatar 2: The Way of the Water.

Drama in 2023

This year, the young couple are facing some challenges.  Earlier this year, after posting a cryptic tweet, DDG had to clear up rumors that he and Halle are not breaking up.  Fans were confused about his tweet:  ”All these girls the same ain’t no wayy” with a crying face emoji.  He also removed all of his pictures of her on his Instagram and stopped following her.

Chloe and Halle’s older sister, Sky, was confused as well and wanted answers.  She took to Instagram Live to blast DDG, but soon recanted her statements as Halle assured her, she wasn’t having any issues with her man.  

DDG responded on Twitter stating that there was no cheating going on, reminding people that it’s just Twitter.

DDG x Halle vs Rubi Rose

Last month, after Halle posted a photo of herself to Instagram, fans noticed she was wearing the same shirt Rubi Rose wore when she was with DDG.  Rose and DDG dated briefly in 2020.  She saw this as well and took to Twitter to call the rapper a “weirdo”, but she didn’t stop there.

Rose exposed DDG for sliding in her DMs not too long ago.   Apparently, DDG hit Rose up first with intentions to link up.  Rose responds by writing, “U hitting me the day y’all argue is so u lol” and DDG replied, “lol u right, lemme go heal first”.  The two former flames went back and forth on Twitter with insults.

Bailey chimed in and stood by her man with the tweet, ”the devil is working lol please don’t feed into the lies, especially from a third party”.

Last week, the couple was at Milan Fashion Week with all smiles.  It’s safe to say they are doing well!

Let us know if you think Halle and DDG will last in the comments.

Is Tory Lanez Still In Jail?

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For the last three years, if you’ve been anywhere on social media you seemingly were unable to escape the ongoing court case involving singer and rapper Tory Lanez. Lanez, birth name Daystar Peterson, is currently awaiting final sentencing after having been found guilty of assault with a firearm, possession of a concealed weapon, and the negligent discharge of a firearm. This combination of charges that could earn him a maximum of 22 years in prison.

There Has Been A Delay In His Sentencing

Tory Lanez attends the 2022 Parlor Games Celebrity Basketball Classic. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

While initial reports suggested that Tory Lanez would be in court to face sentencing on February 28th, there was a delay in sentencing that will extend the sentencing as far as April 10th, according to recent reports. As of now Lanez, who was previously living in a penthouse in Miami, is now a temporary resident of the LA County Sheriff Department’s central jail until sentencing, after which his next placement will be determined.

In case you HAVE been in a social media time bubble and haven’t heard anything about this case (can you tell me how to do that, ya girl needs a break) the backstory is a sordid and convoluted one. One where friends got into a car after a party at Kendall Jenner’s on July 12th, 2020. And soon after, one person had bullet wounds and the others seemed to have different stories of what occurred. While the information on the who, what, when and where continued to change, one thing remained constant. A good portion of the world, especially the hip-hop community was attached to the outcome.

Lanez’s name alone would be enough for this case to become social media fodder. But considering the victim of the shooting was Megan Pete, aka Megan Thee Stallion, the Twittersphere was set ablaze almost immediately after the shooting hit the public. For a few days after the shooting, it seemed to be silent on the end of the artists, with neither Lanez or Megan making any public pronouncements about the event. The only details at the time were that Lanez had been arrested on concealed weapon charges. And, that Megan had suffered some form of injury from “stepping on glass.”

Tory Lanez And Megan Thee Stallion

Tory Lanez performs onstage during Celebrity Sports Entertainment Presents Tory Lanez & Jen Selter. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images)

That was until July 15th, 2020. In a post that has since been deleted, Megan the Stallion went on Instagram in a live video. She indicated that she had been shot in the night in question. Though who had put the bullets into her foot continued to be a mystery. Details of what led up to the shooting continued to be vague, and speculation and conspiracy theories abounded. The social media storm swirled into a tsunami a little more than a month later, when Megan broke her silence. She pointed her finger at her alleged shooter: Tory Lanez.

In the video about the incident, Megan stated that she initially withheld information from the police about the shooting. She feared for the life of herself and the people in the car – including Tory Lanez. With the murder of George Floyd having been replayed in 4K for the two months prior to the shooting, Megan said that it was with that motivation that she kept the information from police.

“The police was literally killing people, for no motherf—ing reason, you think I’m about to tell the police that we, us Black people, got a gun in the car?”

Tory Lanez Has Referenced The Situation In His Music

While social media, fans, and the general public seem to continue to be torn, taking sides, and hurling accusations as to whether Megan was lying for clout, or whether Lanez is a violent, over-the-top musician with a Napoleon complex – one thing remains clear.

As of December 23, 2022, Lanez was found guilty of all charges brought against him. He will continue to be held in LA County Jail without bail until sentencing. Recent reports allege that Lanez’s legal team may request an entirely new trial. In his most recent sentencing appearance in late February, the gag order originally placed on Lanez was lifted. This means that for the first time in years, Lanez will be able to publicly speak on the case.

Not to say that Tory Lanez wasn’t speaking on the case before the gag order. In his most recent album Daystar, there are plenty of references to the alleged shooting. Including lyrics alluding that Megan was lying on the incident for clout. What clout he refers to, considering Megan Thee Stallion’s streams, fans, and social media following far surpasses Lanez’s, is unclear.

With the gag order lifted, we may see more from Lanez on his side of the story. And if a new trial is granted, this situation could drag out even farther. Until then, Lanez will remain in the custody of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Victoria Monét’s Top 5 Songs

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Victoria Monét is a multi-talented American singer-songwriter. Getting her start by joining a performing arts program, she would soon begin writing poetry and singing in her room. In addition, Monét is well-known for her talent as a dancer. While Monét’s solo career has blossomed over the past 5 years, she’s also become a household name as a songwriter. Supporting artists such as Ariana Grande, Lupe Fiasco, and Chris Brown, she wrote songs such as “7 Rings” and “Drunk Texting.”

The 33 year old has recently been making waves as a solo artist in the R&B scene. Her most recent album ‘JAGUAR’ has garnered over 200 million streams on Spotify alone. A 25 minute collection of funk-tinged R&B, the record received critical acclaim from the Billboard charts and publications such as Pitchfork. Finally embracing the spotlight rather than working in the shadows, it remains one of the better R&B records to come out in the 2020s.

The mother of a 2 year old daughter, Monét has spent the past two years balancing her family life with the creation of her next full-length project. In a recent interview with Billboard, Monét teased the beginning of her rollout for her next project, stating “Jaguar part two is coming.” In addition, it sounds like she’ll be releasing her headlining single for the project sometime in March. Blending groovy instrumentation with scintillating vocals, the Sacramento-based artist really earned her flowers over the past few years.

Before her follow-up album to ‘Jaguar’ releases, we’ll be taking a look at some of her best songs to date. Let us know what your thoughts are on the list in the comments!

Coastin’

Victoria Monét’s most recent single, “Coastin’” is a feel-good groove all the way through. Sampling the drum pattern and bassline from Tamia’s “So Into You,” Monét’s smooth vocals seamlessly cut through the production. Her 80s soul influences are apparent as ever. The music video perfectly reflects this mood, as she drives around on a warm California day.

Monét has a unique ability to walk a fine-line between disco and R&B, blending the two genres into a pacing that fits her. “Coastin’” is a hallmark example of this. An ode to a man she’s in love with, the track is an uncompromising love letter to the sunshine of California. Monét stated, “we wanted this song to represent the freedom to finally go outside (post-pandemic). It feels so good to be able to finally Coast freely.”

Moment

The track to land Monét her first late-night performance, “Moment” is the track that really put her on the map as a solo-artist. The lead track off of ‘JAGUAR,” Monét repeats “Aye, this your motherf**kin moment” to her lover. This can also be interpreted as a phrase she’s repeating to herself, as she attempts to embrace the spotlight.

A slow-moving R&B cut, sensual drums and flow switchups cover the track from start to finish. Monét displays a quirky ability to seamlessly rotate from allegro to lento tempos. High-rising violins gradually become more and more prevalent on the track, as Monét pleads for her lover to embrace the moment. It’s a fitting intro to the record.

Experience

Featuring production chops from dance/electronic artist SG Lewis, the UK-based producer curates yet another groovy collaboration on “Experience.” Also working with the likes of Clairo and Remi Wolf, he has a uncanny ability to encouraged artists to adapt to his sound. Victoria Monét does so beautifully, whose voice swirls around snappy drums and delicate synths.

The most streamed track off of ‘JAGUAR,’ it recently surpassed the 50-million mark on Spotify. This is in large-part due to Khalid’s appearance on the track, who’s actually outshined by Monét. However, his sensual vocals fit the mood of the song. A celebratory track, Monét waives goodbye to a past tumultuous relationship. The title of the track itself is self-explanatory; Monét takes the licks of the relationship on the chin, and moves on towards something more positive.

All You Need

Victoria Monét’s “Life After Love, Pt. 2” EP gives the impression of an artist who’s still trying to find her sound. Tracks dart from Japanese pop influences to Caribbean-influenced sonic tropes. The standout track is undeniably “All You Need,” featuring booming drums and colorful background vocals.

Monét repeats “All You Need” on the chorus, demonstrating her infatuation with her lover. While more grounded in soul, it’s still very much distinctive from her later work. Stating “Maybe I’ll be the one that you meet heaven with,” it’s a relatively straightforward love song shows off her vocal prowess. In addition, it’s interesting to listen to her older sound given the context of her most recent releases.

We Might Even Be Falling In Love

There’s a reason why four of the five tracks off of this list appear on her most recent album, ‘JAGUAR.’ Signifying a more focused sound that best complimented her vocal personality, “We Might Even Be Falling In Love” is another love ballad in a record full of them. Running at a fleeting 51 seconds, it’s a frustratingly short song. However, it’s a tight-knit interlude that’s straight to the point.

After the first quarter of the record sees both Victoria Monét and her lover express resonations about fully committing to each other, “We Might Even Be Falling In Love” sees her open up fully. Amidst subtle horns and a groovy bassline, she states “U-Haul, ’cause I might let you move in it.” She recently released an extended version of the track with R&B icon Bryson Tiller.