"Say She Wanna Do It For a Bankroll"

Remember that time Diplo released a new single featuring Bieber, then re-released the single replacing him with young up and comer Rich Chigga? Yea, I'm with you, I didn't see it coming either. But evidently when the original version disappeared from the internet, this is why...

"other artists made soundcloud take down the Justin Bieber version because they had exclusives with him, you can find it online here tho cause ¯\_(ツ)_/¯" - Diplo

Sounds like it was more of a BS formality than a conscious decision to boot Biebs off the track. Nevertheless, holy bass Batman! Bank Roll has all the quirky clicks and pops you'd expect from a Diplo track, but with a whole lot of back end to boot. At it's core, it's a hype Hip Hop track with three of the buzziest rappers out right now. I'm still in the wait and see phase with all three, but I will say Rich Chigga got my attention with Dat $tick. Don't hesitate on copping the free download and by all means flex on this one windows down this weekend...#BankRoll

Diplo feat Rich the Kid, Rich Chigga & Young Thug - Bank Roll (prod by Boaz van de Beatz, King Henry & Diplo)

"Release, Let Go, and Have a Good Time"

Is it me or does it seem like Calvin Harris is focused on making the best summer playlist possible? First it was Slide with Frank Ocean, now he enlisted the help of Pharrell, Young Thug, and Ariana Grande on an equally carefree new one in Heatstroke. I'll put it this way, if you're a Young Thug fan you're gonna eat this one up. He's all over the track from the drop, chipping in two verses and even lending a hand to Pharrell on the hook. It's not very electronic, more smooth, pop funk. The sound is something you'd expect from a Daft Punk track, not a Calvin Harris single. It'll be run through the gamut of Top 40, but it's perfect cruising music, so by all means get at this before you hear it at every beach or lounge party you go to this summer...#HeatStroke

Calvin Harris feat Pharrell, Young Thug & Ariana Grande - Heat Stroke

Videos of the Week January 6th

What better way to start off the year than a memorably embarrassing performance? If you haven't seen Mariah's memorable technical mishap with the lip synching during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, I'm not sure I can even recommend watching it in good conscience. It's that hard to watch. But since I'm a purveyor of pop culture, it's my duty to share. Besides, it opened up the door for Colbert to spoof it, which added a bit of levity to the situation that hasn't lost steam with all the negative publicity it created.

Embarrassing performance aside, there was a lot of new music that graduated into videos this week. Led by DJ Snake and crew's dance party video for The Half and Big Sean's very purple, glow in the dark video for Moves, music was the main course this week. But by far the most impactful video of the week goes to Showtek and Major Lazer for Believer. Like most, they were touched by the photo of Omran Daqneesh who has become the visual personification of the crisis in Syria. In their own way, Showtek and Major Lazer found a way to preach hope through their music story, which was one of the best uses of video I've witnessed in quite a while...#Believer
That Mariah Carey New Years Performance Everyone Was Talking About

Stephen Colbert Having a Mariah Moment

DJ Snake feat Jeremih, Swizz Beatz, & Young Thug - The Half (Video)

Big Sean - Moves (Video)

Major Lazer & Showtek - Believer (Video)

"It's a Friday, I'm Bout To Go Off"

Very few things entertain me more than when Hip Hop and EDM artists cross paths. When the two genres mash together, tempo is always what I notice first. Is it toned down to accommodate the Hip Hop verses or do they gear up in anticipation of the drop? It's never the same formula, but it seems like this heavy bass, Trap sound is becoming the meet in the middle point.

When you listen to The Half, you may find yourself wondering how DJ Snake was involved. That's not a criticism at all, I just didn't think of him as a capable Hip Hop producer. That changed after this one and his other new one with Travis Scott, Oh Me Oh My. Loaded with Swizz Beats ad libs, a hype hook by Jeremih and a Young Thug verse to give it some street cred, there's a lot to offer. I haven't given it a full listen, but I'm really excited about DJ Snake's new album, Encore. It's not your typical album with filler tracks between singles, there's quality mixed throughout. Follow me over to Spotify to give it a full lap...#Encore

DJ Snake feat Swizz Beatz, Young Thug & Jeremih - The Half

The Sky Keep on Fallin' With RL Grime & Salva

Yea, this is that dopiness you've been waiting on. Continuing a hot streak of Hip Hop songs turned Trap, RL Grime and Salva gave Travi$ Scott and Young Thug's Skyfall a shiny new paint job. For about the first minute, you're wondering what madness is going to ensue post drop. Then at the 55 second mark, you get a play-action-fake beat switch for ten seconds. That's when the addition of some heavy bounce is thrown in the mix with the bubbly synths.

After only a few listens, I'm not afraid to proclaim that this is one of my favorites from February. The depth and pace jives so well together that it hits home with the core of what I like going on between Hip Hop and electronic music right now. Best part about it, it's available for free via Soundcloud. Free things do come wrapped this nicely in packages, so do it justice and play it loud when you see that .part file become .mp3 in your downloads folder...#Skyfall

Travi$ Scott feat Young Thug - Skyfall (RL Grime & Salva Remix)