Videos of the Week March 31st

Well, after a few weeks of non-stop music video, this week we got a large dose of variety. Random doesn't even begin to explain this week's top five. Starting with the office supplies version of Fallon, The Roots crew, and Migos performing Bad & Boujee, it was far from ordinary. Continuing that trend was Danny Brown's new Jonah Hill directed video for Ain't It Funny. Think 80s sitcom visual aesthetic with all the craziness you could imagine from two of the most out there minds in entertainment. As a final bit of randomness, there's Kelvin the Deer Whisperer who visited a zoo and introduced us to a bunch of animals he enjoys. In case you missed it, Kelvin has a special relationship with animals, so you can imagine why people would film him visiting a zoo.

Moving on from the random to the salacious with Iggy Azalea's video for Mo' Bounce. Let's just say, lot's of twerking and a whole lotta a$$. And serving as the icing on the cake for this week's visual collage was a formal introduction to Stormzy. You may have heard him on Ed Sheeran's latest remix of Shape of You, but he's a much more dynamic talent than you may have thought. Go ahead and fast forward to the eleven minute mark to hear his cover of Frank Ocean's Godspeed and you'll start buying tickets to jump on the bandwagon...#Stormzy

Fallon and Crew Play Bad & Boujee With Office Supplies

Danny Brown - Ain't It Funny? (Video) (Directed by Jonah Hill)

Life Lessons From Animals Brought To You By Kelvin the Deer Whisperer

Iggy Azalea - Mo' Bounce (Video)

A Formal Introduction to Stormzy via BBC 1

Photo Credit - YouTube

Kendrick Lamar Tells Hip Hop to "Sit Down, Be Humble"

Just when you thought Kendrick Lamar was done making news this week, he went all biblical on the whole game of Hip Hop. Today Humble arrived in video form before hitting iTunes and Spotify, which made its release all the more surprising. With a high powered assist from Mike Will on the beat, Kendrick didn't mince any words on his verses. He basically told Hip Hop, "sit down, be humble, I got this game on lock." Switching between a church setting to an urban block and finishing with an ironic last supper re-enactment, there was plenty of symbolism in the mix.

Some say this was even more shade being thrown directly at Big Sean, but I don't buy it. The long story of their back and forth is so indirect that it's more click bait than factual at this point. My favorite lines centered around that "show me somethin' natural like ass with some stretchmarks" line. Hat tip to K Dot for encouraging women to embrace what God gave them rather than being something they're not. At this point, I'd say it's safe to say Kendrick is going to do whatever it takes to steal the spotlight from any and every rapper trying to stand in his way...#Humble



Kendrick Lamar - Humble (prod by Mike Will Made-It)

"Made That Thing a Starfish, Right Up on My Swordfish"

Countless times in the past I've gushed over Hip Hop and EDM collaborations. When done right, they go together like PB&J because everyone loves a hot 16 over a high intensity beat filled with bass. That being said, the PB&J sandwich below could have used a little bit better bread because it's waaay more Hip Hop than EDM in an overtly poppy way.

Let's unpack that a bit. David Guetta has the ability to produce some of the best Pop EDM and I don't need to sell you on the skills of Nicki Minaj and Lil Tunechi. But, Light My Body Up didn't live up to my lofty expectations because it was sort of awkwardly Trap-y, which isn't exactly the lane DG usually rides in. Not saying he can't do it or that the track sucked, but it wasn't what I hoped when I pressed play. To each their own, though, and you may like it more than I do, so iTunes and Spotify if you're a fan...#LightMyBodyUp



David Guetta feat Nicki Minaj & Lil Wayne - Light My Body Up

"I Might Lose My Way, But I Won't Lose Myself"

Time for a quick mid-week Pop detour from Life of Dillon. Having finally turned the page on Sex For Breakfast, it seems fitting they make another playlist donation. Focus is an accountability anthem set to a chill acoustic guitar beat. It's about living the way you want but manning up and taking responsibility for your actions. I've got a soft spot for sing-songy verses, especially when the lyrics are chalked full of inspiration.

More than anything I really enjoy Life of Dillon's easy-going, laid back, beach music vibe. They've released a lot of great singles and an EP, but they haven't jumped up to the studio album level yet. No word yet on whether that's going to become a reality in 2017, but their string of recent singles should be ample bread crumbs. Sing along with me on Spotify y'all...#Focus



Life of Dillon - Focus

"Down and Down We Go, We'll Torch This Place We Know"

With about a week left before The Chainsmokers debut album drops, you'd think they'd be riding the wave of their latest single with Coldplay leading up to the release. More specifically, you've probably heard Something Like This playing into a commercial on an NCAA basketball tournament game or heard the candlelight version of Don't Let Me Down that was turned into an All-State commercial. For some that would be plenty of momentum, but today we got one last push in the form of The One.

To put things into context, their new one will serve as the lead off hitter on Memories...Do Not Open. Like most tracks that Alex and Drew put together, there's plenty of added meaning soaked into the lyrics. Similar to the way we all felt Drake's rise to fame in visceral way because of how transparent he lyrically in his music, The Chainsmokers pulled back the curtain a bit on this one in opening up about how they're having to constantly prioritize life's increasing demands. It's not an easy thing to empathize with since many of us couldn't even imagine the doors that have opened up in their life, but fame forces you to change in a lot of ways you may not have intended. I can say personally I appreciate that they still take the time to email over their new music and maintain a connection with people who have been down with them since the beginning.

The One may not end up being your favorite track on their album, but it will be one of mine because of it's authenticity and depth. It gets away from the upbeat catchy sound of the past singles and returns to a mellow vibe, characterized by a soft, mesmorizingly chill bassline. It's a good look that I'm considering icing on the cake as I continue to anxiously eye the other nine yet-to-be-released tracks that will arrive on April 7th...#MemoriesDoNotOpen



The Chainsmokers - The One

"Don't Tell a Lie on Me, I Won't Tell the Truth 'Bout You"

Remember that day when Kendrick put Drake subliminally on blast a few days after he released his new album? Yea, that happened this week with 's release of The Heart Part 4. I say subliminally because he didn't outright mention Drake by name, but the timing and long backstory of jabs back and forth are starting to feel more direct than subliminal.

There are also rumors circulating that Big Sean was in the crosshairs of Part 4, which lends some credence to the whole purebred rapper vs part-time rapper who went pop debate. What I mean by that is Drake and Big Sean rap, but they cast a wide net stylistically, which make them seemingly less of a true lyricist since they cater to a Pop audience. Seeing that Kendrick has always maintained a stance as the lyrical king of Hip Hop, the battle lines are becoming much more defined with the release of his new track. Will there be a follow up response from Drake or will he tip his cap and continue staying in his own lane? Time will tell, but one thing's for sure, there's nothing wrong with how well More Life is selling after the first week...#HeartPart4



Kendrick Lamar - The Heart Part 4

"I Don't Care Who's Watching, Dennis Rodman"

It doesn't get any more random than Dennis Rodman, especially on a cameo feature for a new single. But, random is exactly what Mike Posner and Blackbear do, so there should be little surprise that they would script a track around the enigmatic former Chicago Bull. Off top, the bubbly beat sucks you in as it leads you toward a rock/funk break down. It's the type of sing-songy, hybrid R&B/Pop/Hip Hop style that you'd expect from mansionz. Especially after seeing them at the Grammys letting their freak flag fly free, the pieces to the puzzle all add up.

Could I have done without the mindless babbling of Dennis Rodman at the end of the track? Sure, but it gives an authenticity to the track that wouldn't be there without hearing his voice, so I get why they added it. It'll be a solid addition to their self-titled debut that just landed on iTunes yesterday. How could you not give it a listen after a ringing endorsement like this...

It's out....worst album ever. Don't listen...seriously https://t.co/UIXkLmarHI pic.twitter.com/GZGDu72fZu

— mikeposner (@MikePosner) March 24, 2017

I'll need to be in the mood for randomness, but at some point over the next week I'll doing a few laps around it on Spotify...#DennisRodman

mansionz feat Dennis Rodman - Dennis Rodman

Videos of the Week March 24th

Couple interesting story lines baked into this week's top five. The first being the ultra sexy, Willy Wonka colored video for Jason Derulo's Swalla. Needless to say, the lyrical innuendo on the track manifested itself as well as you could have hoped in the video. Next, let me introduce you to DJ Hanzel, the German alter ego of Dillon Francis. As entertaining as he is, you could imagine why TBS sought him out for his own One Deeper Talks series. There are now seven short episodes in the series and two of them made this week's top five. If you're a fan of tongue in cheek humor and EDM, these will be right up your alley.

Just in case you forgot there was still social turmoil across the US, Run the Jewels took the liberties to bring that to the forefront like only they know how. Let's just say there's a police lineup and all signs point toward it being a setup. And last, but not least, I'm ending this week's top five on a heartfelt note with Sampha's Tiny Desk performance. The dude can flat out sign and all he needs is a crowd and his piano to put on a show. Tip of the cap Sampha, you rocked that tiny desk and had us all on pins and needles...#TinyDesk

Jason Derulo feat Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign - Swalla (Video)

DJ Hanzel (Dillon Francis) Interviews Calvin Harris on One Deeper Talks

DJ Hanzel (Dillon Francis) Interviews Flosstradamus on One Deeper Talks

Run the Jewels - Legend Has It (Video)

Sampha Performs an NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Photo Credit - YouTube

"Got to Keep on Hoping, When it All Feels Broken"

Y'all may not know this, but I'm a closet Folk fan. Considering how much Newgrass I've posted over the past two years, it may not be as big of a stretch as I'm making it seem like. To be clear, when I say Folk, you better believe I mean that Pop Folk you hear on the radio from the likes of Mumford and the Lumineers.

While you're at it, might as well throw the X Ambassadors into that mix. Past songs like Renegades and Cannonball showed you the type of guitar driven, new age Folk sound they were capable of producing. On their new one, Hoping, there's a heaviness that permeates the vibe of the track. Despite the somber tone, the amount of inspiration packed into the vocals is what will make you continue pressing play over and over again.

Word has it the proceeds of their new single will be going to the ACLU who is continuing to fight our President's recently proposed immigration ban. Given the constant flux that recent political events have created, we could all use a bit more hope, so this one came at just the right time...#Hoping



X Ambassadors - Hoping

"I Got You Keeping Me Afloat, When I'm in Your Waterfall"

I've been writing about Stargate tracks dating back eight years ago when they were producing tracks for the likes of Brandy and Beyonce. The Norwegian production duo have a discography that would put 99% of producers to shame both on the number of collaborations they've pulled together and the star power they've worked with over the years. Just in case you forgot about them, they just released another new noteworthy single with vocal help from Pink and Sia. It's every bit the power duet you'd expect from two of the best vocalists in the game, but the slow and sexy Dancehall vibe is why you'll keep hitting play. It may have taken them years, but Waterfall is the first time Stargate listed themselves as the lead artist on a track. They must like playing the behind the scenes, supporting role because their music speaks for itself. Hopefully they'll put a whole album together so I can continue to speculate why it's taken them so long to play the Batman role...#Waterfall



Stargate feat Pink & Sia - Waterfall

"Back Again, Fresh Off Tour in the Trap Again"

It's not a stretch to say that when it comes to injecting energy into music, there's no one better than Flosstradamus. All you need is one listen of Sound Clash to verify that last statement. But that's not the end of the story because they're Back Again with their PICs Mayhem and Waka Flocka. It may not be the best lyric video I've seen, but you can get a glimpse of how turnt a Flosstradamus gets...



If you're in college, this has to be considered a Spotify must add if you're hosting a party in the coming weeks. Just promise me this, if you're going to use this to pour gasoline on a crowd, please don't skimp on the speakers because the top line and bass on this one need to be appreciated with subs. Consider yourself warned, bang this one out and if you're sitting in a cubicle, don't hesitate to make the folks around you turn their heads...#BackAgain

Flosstradamus & Mayhem feat Waka Flocka - Back Again

"Nightcrawler, is this the Death of Me?"

If you've been following ZHU lately then you probably heard about the not-so-subtle shot he took at the top DJs last week. The shade ZHU threw was directed at the list of DJs below in a dark, hype video his posted to Instagram for his new track below, Nightcrawler...



Subliminal shots aside, the track is as bouncy and deep as you'd expect from ZHU. His distinct, falsetto vocals work to undermine the creepiness of the lyrics, but the rolling deep house vibe is impossible to ignore. It's a forceful track that's destined to ignite clubs around the world. If you're biting on the track, you may want to opt-in on becoming part of The Blacklizt. No idea what that really means, it could be a tour, album, or even a cult. Even though I just openly speculated, it's not really my place to guess, I'm here to report on music that moves me. Needless to say, the plot thickens and there will be plenty more to sink your teeth into as he takes the EDM world head on...#Nightcrawler

ZHU - Nightcrawler

"You Don't Deserve Me at My Best"

Real talk, Machine Gun Kelly is cornering the market on inspirational Hip Hop. I use the phrase "Hip Hop" loosely because both Bad Things and his new one below (At My Best) are every bit as much pop as they are Hip Hop, but that doesn't take away from how dope they are. His newest heat rock features an addicting hook from Hailee Steinfeld and enough emotion soaked lyrical inspiration to get the attention of anyone who's ever been overlooked.

When I say overlooked, I mean never been a "cool kid" or felt like they're accepted for who they are. The underlying message is that everyone has faults and makes mistakes, but you shouldn't allow that to slow you down on your pursuit of being great. Hate on it for sounding too Pop, but the world needs more confidence inspiring tracks like this one. Having gone through some stuff myself and previously relied on music as a friend to get me through it, I've got a special place in my music library for tracks like this. Word has it MGK's third studio album will be dropping any time now and I don't need to tell you how close the kid from Cleveland is from super stardom...#AtMyBest

Machine Gun Kelly feat Hailee Steinfeld - At My Best

"I Hear My Battle Symphony, All the World in Front of Me"

As we turn the page to start another chapter in Linkin Park's reinvented sound, I present to you Battle Symphony. Some may have thought Heavy was an outlier, but no sir, this thoughtful, contemporary new sound may be what they are now. They've always made emotional music, but there used to be a lot more rock edge and rage in the past. Not saying it's a bad thing at all, I liked who they have been and I'm beginning to like what they're evolving into. Shoot, they're even upping their game to get on par with their lyric video game...



For those who missed it, their new album, One More Light, will be dropping on May 19th. It may end up being a polarizing album because of how different it is from previous albums, but I'd encourage those who liked them through the Chester screaming days to hold back judgement until the full, ten song album drops. They've always made music that makes you feel and they're continuing to do that with added depth, so think long and hard before you hate on their "new sound"...#BattleSymphony

Linkin Park - Battle Symphony

Videos of the Week March 17th

Another week in the book and another music video heavy top five. Those rumors about Fallon falling off a bit since Colbert won the election must be somewhat true considering the dearth of funny content coming across the radar of late. Nevertheless, the show goes on starting with crisp new videos from The Weeknd and Linkin Park. The former is what you'd expect from a video shot on another planet, while the latter is emotionally charged and dramatic as the lyrics suggest. BUT, it all paled in comparison to the massive uproar that Snoop caused with his slightly more than suggestive shot at Trump. He even got the old Donald to lash out on Twitter, which is nothing new, but interesting that the video was taken seriously.

Outside of the world of music videos, we got some fresh reaction from Chance the Rapper off his recent Grammy win. Hip Hop is lucky to have a well-spoken, genuinely good dude like him leading the way. He does a lot of good things and that's all in addition to the amazing music he's been churning out of late. Lastly, we got a fun behind the curtain look at how Ed Sheeran and UK rapper Stormzy feel about internet trolls. There's a lot of negativity in the world, so it's nice to see an example of how artists let it roll off their back. It may not quite have lived up to a Kimmel Mean Tweets, but it was a fun watch anyways...#InternetTrolls

The Weeknd feat Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming (Video)

Linkin Park feat Kiiara - Heavy (Video)

Snoop Dogg feat BADBADNOTGOOD & Kaytranada - Lavender (Video)

Chance the Rapper Complex Interview

Ed Sheeran and Stormzy Respond to Internet Trolls

Photo Credit: YouTube

"I Give You Love and Affection, Baby You're My Obsession"

Full disclosure, hadn't heard of Vice prior to listening to his collaboration with Jon Bellion below. Now I know he's a talented DJ and he rubs shoulders with the right people. Obsession mixes a funky beat with a quirky, synth sax sample and a heavy dose of falsetto vocals. The beat affords JB all the room necessary to let his crazy good vocals shine through. It's catchy enough to garner plenty of Top 40 love and give Vice a foundation to build off of as an artist. Check it on iTunes or Spotify if you found it as likable as I did...#Obsession

Vice feat Jon Bellion - Obsession

"I Want You to Feel Surreal"

If you've kept up on EDM over the past few weeks you've been privy to a heavy dose of Louis the Child. A few weeks back I boldly declared Love is Alive as a front-runner for song of the year. Then last week they put out Phone Died, their tongue-in-cheek, excuse anthem. This, week they're back on the grind with Surreal, a funky, mellow jam with a vocal assist from RKCB. It's every bit as grown and sexy as you'd hope for out of a new Louis the Child track. Between the soulful undertones and smooth keys, it'll be right at home on your latest Cool Out mix. Don't have one of those? Well, then this one probably isn't for you, so I'll catch you on flip side tomorrow...#Surreal

Louis Futon feat RKCB - Surreal

"I'm Damned 2 Loving You"

Not sure how I missed this one when it flew across the radar a few weeks back, but hopefully you can hear the regret in my implied internet voice. DJ Premier teaming up with Miguel on a track? Hell to the yea, that's a great idea that someone should have thought of months ago. If you're a Miguel fan, 2 LOVIN U is going to sound really familiar because the vocals are from a bonus track off his last album titled damned. Normally I'd post the original version to compare, but the new version with Primo is leaps and bounds better. For newly minted visuals, check it below...

Miguel's vocals fit like a glove over the vibrant, thumping beat with cuts and breaks galore. Can't say for sure what album this will ultimately end up on, but it was released via DJ Premier's new TTT (To The Top) outfit, which is interesting. In some cases like this one, I'm totally fine with sweating the details on a track as I run laps around it...#2LOVINU

Miguel - 2 LOVIN U (prod by DJ Premier)

"I Don't Need No Lies, Pick a Side, Pick a Side"

Gotta admit, it's nice to hear the Young Money/Cash Money crew back together. No Frauds signifies in a big way turning the page from the whole Meek Mill situation and moving onto a new beef with Remy Ma. Check the back story if you're curious on how all that came about.

What you can expect when you press play are a few dope verses from the three amigos over a Murda Beatz beat. It goes hard in the deck (#808 check) and leaves plenty of room for all parties to leisurely spit their tough talk about fake people. It's a treat because you get to hear Drake and Tunechi at their best over a hard beat. Word has it Nicki's 4th studio album is well on it's way toward a mid-late 2017 release. Not sure about y'all, but hearing the gang is all back together leads me to believe I'm going to checking out Nicki's new album soon...#NoFrauds

Nicki Minaj feat Drake & Lil Wayne - No Frauds (prod by Murda Beatz)

"Never Trust a Girl at Coachella"

Maybe it's the music nerd in me, but I genuinely appreciate hearing about how songs came to be. Whether it's a friend of a friend introduction that turned into a collaboration, a song about a significant other that went bad, or in this case, a shared festival experience, I'm usually inclined to spend my time sharing stories that move me. Usually I do a quick summary, but thanks to Matoma, I can sit this explanation out...

"I played my first ever Coachella last year and it was a truly incredible experience. Between the two weekends I was doing writing sessions in L.A. and met up with Nasri from MAGIC! who I have always been a huge fan of because of their feel-good reggae-inspired music.

We wanted to write a song about Coachella since I had the moment of my life at that festival, so we came up with this story about a girl who teases with a guy’s feelings at heart at the festival. It's just a fun story about the good vibes and reckless fun that people experience at a music festival.

We finished the song really quickly and then asked D.R.A.M. if he could do a verse since we felt a rapper could take the song to exciting new heights. After hearing his verse I can from my heart say that he nailed it. I was so honoured to work with such amazing artists and hope you love this feel-good summer song!"

I usually associate Matoma with Trop House, so seeing a collabo with MAGIC! really piqued my interest. I don't have too many examples to go off of, but mixing anything reggae with Trop House is usually a good look. The subject of the track is pretty self-explanatory, but I feel like the sheer fact that they based on it meeting a girl at a music festival is a genius move. I'm apathetic about D.R.A.M.'s verse, but with all the music festivals popping up weekly, you can bet this one will have a ton of replay potential. Give it an iTunes or Spotify if you feel like beating your friends to the punch on this one before summer festival season starts...#GirlAtCoachella

Matoma feat MAGIC! & D.R.A.M. - Girl At Coachella