#Afro pop 2024

[angola-musicas23]

MAGIC - Good Feeling About You - Afrotech Remix (feat. Mastiksoul)

Já disponível a nova musica da autoria de “MAGIC feat. Mastiksoul” tem como titulo ”Good Feeling About You – Afrotech Remix”  Confira agora o download em mp3 Baixar mp3 gratis no nosso site abaixo. Baixar musica nova : MAGIC – Good Feeling About You – Afrotech Remix (feat. Mastiksoul) Download Mp3baixar 2024,baixar musica Good Feeling About You – Afrotech Remix angolamusicas.com   Artista: MAGIC…

[444m777]

29 things I love about Michael: Day 12

His AFRO! Michael (and his brothers’ hair) was MAJESTIC! And when he had it up in an afro before switching to jheri curl and then full blow out was just wow to me.

I know some people prefer his curls and felt it was strange he never kept it that way. I personally liked all of his hairstyles. I know he had a brief stint with shorter hair which I’d like to make a separate post on another time.

But back to the afro… I love seeing Black people rocking their natural hair. I never felt it was insulting when someone made a Jackson 5 joke to me when I was older kid up to adulthood and had my hair out in an afro or to other groups (of kids) with afro hair. They never said it in a positive way. It was a jab and mostly a jab at being Black and having “bad hair”. Before I understood the concept of the Jackson family being music royalty I knew deep down it was a compliment because Michael’s afro was enormous, beautiful and healthy.

I used to color my hair and had blond tips and then full on orange afro. I’ve since cut my hair and went the bald baddie route hahaha… but now I’m growing it back out. I miss my big hair. I miss feeling like I could be a member of the Jacksons haha. Yes, that’s me and yes it’s all mine (before I cut it haha) one thing about living in Europe as a Black person I was constantly being asked if my hair was real and not a wig and people touching my hair without asking, sticking their nasty fingers in my fro. Seeing videos of people grabbing Michael’s hair makes my heart sink especially the years after the whole Pepsi incident. His scalp was so sensitive :(

Also I absolutely love these picture of Michael in the afro wig. It’s soooooo frikkin cute. Who’s miss girl in the last pic👀 I want him to look at me like that

It’s Michael’s birthday month and so I’m sharing every day something I love about him. Feel free to join in or use the tag #29thingsMJ I’d love to read what you love about him

[musictyme]

Tems - Love Me JeJe

[my-chaos-radio]

Release: July 19, 2024

Lyrics:

Plenty more, plenty more

But you're my hope for the night, oh

Gimme more control

Slow down for the night, oh

Lemme know, lemme know

That you're down for the vibe

Are you down for the vibe? Oh

We don't say bye-bye

You can see my eyes

That I'm on the rise, oh

I believe body lies

But your body be smilin' though (ayy, ayy)

These are the nights I love

'Cause you know, baby, I adore you, I adore you

Can't ignore you, can't ignore you, ah

Body-ody, my soul and that

I'm outta control, I can't

I adore you, I adore you, I do

Plenty more, plenty more

But you're my hope for the night, oh

Gimme more control

Slow down for the night, oh

Lemme know, lemme know

That you're down for the vibe

Are you down for the vibe? Oh

We don't say bye-bye

Le-le-le, le-le-le, yeah, yeah

Le-le-le, le-le-le, yeah, yeah

Le-le-le, le-le-le, yeah

Baby, I adore you, I adore you, I do

She gon' keep it minimal, poco

Pull you in and walk in like model

She like Mona Lisa, oh majo

Majo, oh

You can see my eyes

That I'm on the rise, oh

I believe body lies

But your body be smilin' though (ayy, ayy)

These are the nights I love

'Cause you know, baby, I adore you, I adore you

Can't ignore you, can't ignore you, ah

Body-ody, my soul and that

I'm outta control, I can't

I adore you, I adore you (ooh, baby)

Baby, I adore you, I adore you

Can't ignore you, can't ignore you, ah

Body-ody, my soul and that

I'm outta control, I can't

I adore you, I adore you, I do

Body-ody, my soul and that, I'm outta control, I can't (I do, I do, I do, I do)

I adore you (I do, I do)

'Cause you know, baby, I adore you, I adore you

Can't ignore you, can't ignore you, ah

Body-ody, my soul and that

I'm outta control, I can't

I adore you, I adore you, I do

Songwriter:

Plenty more, plenty more

But you're my hope for the night, oh

Gimme more control

Slow down for the night, oh

Lemme know, lemme know

That you're down for the vibe

Are you down for the vibe? Oh

We don't say bye-bye

Le-le-le, le-le-le, yeah, yeah

Le-le-le, le-le-le, yeah, yeah

Le-le-le, le-le-le, yeah

Baby, I adore you, I adore you, I do

Alex Rahim Labaf Zadeh / Alexander Tidebrink Stomberg / Daecolm Holland / Florent Hugel / Loris Cimino / Maximilian Riehl / Tobias Topic

SongFacts:

👉📖

[eseomo]

‘Paco Rabanne’

Out October 31st. Presave it please. 🎃

[tyranttingz]

I’m such an open book

I have no filter, I just say shit

Next time that little voice in my head begins to question…

Listen to it cause you’re never ever gonna save em’…

& you know it wasn’t loove 💔

[metronorthmusic]

Femi - Tropic Thunda (Official Visualizer)

Artist: Femi Title: Tropic Thunda (Single)

Producer: Krispy Release Date: April 30, 2024

MORE INFO BELOW!

Spotify URL: https://open.spotify.com/track/39exF0bCy3S6XAwqHPcvPP Apple Music URL: https://music.apple.com/us/album/tropic-thunda/1745820342

[caramara3]

Just Friends...? : Meet Amani Cove

Chapter 1 | Playlist for fic | Amani's tattoo's | My other work | Meet the Cast

Yea, I deleted the other one. I'm sorry but I had to because as I worked on this story and building just who Amani Cove is, the original background and story I had built for her had shifted. So with that in mind, here is the new and improved Meet Amani Cove.

Hope you enjoy!

Name: Amani Cove

Full Name: Amani Jade Whitley

Ring Name: Amani Cove

Nicknames: Ani, Snips, Mariposa

DOB: August 3, 1989

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Born: Houston, TX

Billed From: Houston, TX

Resides: Orlando, FL

Age: 33 (as of Backlash 2023)

Ethnicity: Afro-Caribbean (mother/mother's family is from Barbados; father/father's family is Southern Creole from TX/NOLA)

Height: 5 foot 6

Alma Mater: Prairie View A&M University

Occupation: Professional Wrestler | Actress

Years Active: 2007 - present

Family Members:

Father & Stepmother: Charles Whitley Jr. aka C.J. Lennox & Renee Harlow-Whitley

Grandparents: Evangeline Whitley & Charles Whitley Sr.

Siblings: Cassius (fraternal twin brother) & Anthony (half-brother)

The Pets:

Isis & Brucey

(biological mother and more characters to be introduced later on...)

Accomplishments:

CBS Sports:

WWE Match of the Year (2017) vs. Ember Moon at TakeOver: WarGames

WWE Match of the Year (2021) vs. Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 37

Tag Team of the Year (2020) with Bayley

Chaotic Wrestling:

Chaotic Wrestling Women's Championship (1 time)

ESPY Awards:

Best WWE Moment (2021) - Imani Cove & Bianca Belair make history as the first black women to main event WrestleMania 37

Pro Wrestling Illustrated:

Ranked No. 1 of the top 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2016

Ranked No. 6 of the top 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2018

Ranked No. 2 of the top 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2021

Reality of Wrestling:

ROW Diamonds Division Championship (2 times)

Rolling Stone:

Future Diva of the Year (2015)

Ranked no. 3 of the 10 best WWE wrestlers of 2016

NXT Match of the Year (2016) vs. Bayley at TakeOver: Dallas

NXT Match of the Year (2017) vs. Ember Moon at TakeOver: WarGames

Shimmer Women Athletes:

Shimmer Championship (1 time)

Shimmer Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Athena

WWE:

WWE RAW Women's Championship (3 times)

WWE Smackdown Women's Championship (2 times)

NXT Women's Championship (1 time)

WWE Women's World Championship (current; 1 time; won at WM40 against Rhea Ripley)

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship (3 times, inaugural) with Bayley (2) & Rhea Ripley (1)

Women's Royal Rumble Winner (2024)

Fourth WWE Women's Triple Crown Champion

Third WWE Women's Grand Slam Champion

WWE Bumpy Awards (4 times)

Best Match of the Half-Year (2019) - surprise participant in NXT Women's WarGames match

Best Match of the Half-Year (2020) with Asuka at Hell in a Cell

Best Match of the Half-Year (2021) vs Bianca Belair at WM37

Best Match of the Half-Year (2022) vs Charlotte at WM38

Tag Team of the Half-Year (2020) with Bayley

NXT Year-End Awards:

Female Competitor of the Year (2016, 2017)

Overall Competitor of the Year (2017)

Match of the Year (2016) vs Bayley at TakeOver: Dallas

Match of the Year (2017) vs Ember Moon at TakeOver: WarGames

Match of the Year (2019) Team Ripley vs. Team Baszler at TakeOver: WarGames

Facts about Amani Cove:

Amani started wrestling when she was 15 years old and trained under Booker T when she turned 16.

Amani is a HUGE fan favorite in WWE. Think of good crowd responses and big pops compared to Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, and Rhea Ripley. She's also very well respected by WWE Executives backstage.

Amani is a twin!! She and her brother Cassius were born thirty-six minutes apart from each other, but AMANI WAS BORN FIRST!! She's also her dad's only daughter (so by default she's his favorite 🤣)

Amani graduated from Prairie View A&M University with her Bachelor's in Music and a minor in Composition. If she hadn't gone into wrestling, she would've followed in her dad's footsteps and went into music.

When Amani and Cass were 5 years old, their mother walked out on them after having an affair. Amani has only seen her mother twice since she left, both times were after she and her brother made something of themselves.

Amani is 8 years older than her baby brother Anthony.

Before signing with the WWE, Amani had made a rather big name for herself on the indie circuit from 2007-2015, kicking ass and racking up championships left and right, as well shattering the expectations of fans and critics alike.

Amani, though a social butterfly, tends to keep her private life extremely secretive, especially in regards to her childhood.

She's wrestled in promotions such as ROH, Reality of Wrestling, DDT-Pro Wrestling, NJPW, PWG, & Shimmer.

Amani holds a Guinness Book of World Records for most title defenses while holding the NXT Women’s Championship.

At the request of Booker T, Amani auditioned for the fifth season of Tough Enough in 2010, but sadly didn't make it past the preliminary round.

Amani's dad is a Grammy winning singer-songwriter and guitarist who has worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Craig David, Maxwell, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and so many more. He's also the front man for a popular rock group Blackstone that still tours and makes music to this day.

Amani's original entrance theme while in Reality of Wrestling was "Ante Up" by M.O.P., then "You Call Me a Bitch Like it's a Bad Thing" by Halestorm. Her WWE entrance music is an original done by her father's band Blackstone and Lzzy Hale from Halestorm.

In late 2014 she became a free agent and was almost immediately approached by WWE. The initial goal was to sign her and get her into an immediate feud with Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair, but Imani had been under a 90 day no compete clause at the time.

She finally signed with WWE in spring of 2015 and would make her first TV appearance on NXT TV in August. She would later confront Bayley during TakeOver London which would kick off their 5 month feud. Amani would go on to win the NXT Women's Championship at TakeOver: Dallas.

She still holds the record for longest title reign with the NXT Women's Championship at 522 days. She would lose her title to her friend and former tag team partner Ember Moon at TakeOver: WarGames in 2017. This would also be her last match in NXT before debuting on the main roster the RAW after WrestleMania 34 to begin a three-way feud between Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss.

She would win her first RAW Women's Title at that year's Money in the Bank before getting cashed in on by Alexa to begin their feud. She would win the title back at Summerslam that year and would hold the title for 161 days before dropping it to Ronda Rousey at 2019 Royal Rumble.

During COVID, she held the Smackdown Women's Championship for the first time in her career for a total of 371 days, winning it against her tag team partner Bayley at WrestleMania 36. She held the record for the longest reigning Smackdown Women's Champion until Rhea Ripley.

She has an amazing relationship with her brothers and is very close to her stepmom Renee.

Amani is a huge fan of horror movies and musicals. Very weird combo I know, but she likes what she likes. Her favorites are Bram Stoker's Dracula and Little Shop of Horrors.

She's also a BIG ASS NERD. She loves Lord of the Rings, Marvel, Star Wars, and is currently obsessed with a show called The Legend of Vox Machina. She's played several campaigns of D&D with Xavier Woods.

Amani has a love for Egyptian mythology and astrology.

As a teen Amani participated in dance, music, & theater arts. She also played volleyball, and competed in track & field.

She appeared in the first ever Women's Royal Rumble at entry number 4, lasting 35:46 before being eliminated by Asuka.

Her most favorite feuds have been with Ember Moon, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and Bayley.

In 2019, Amani made a surprise appearance as the mystery 4th member of Team Ripley at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

At WrestleMania 37, Amani had the lead singer of Halestorm Lzzy Hale along with her dad and his band Blackstone be part of her entrance and perform her theme.

The first thing she did with her first big WWE paycheck, aside from paying off her remaining student loans, she bought her first big girl house in Orlando. She also flipped her condo and now rents it out to NXT Superstars just starting out in the company.

Amani grew up in a heavily affluent musical family. Her grandmother was a jazz singer in New Orleans before becoming a background vocalist for artists like Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, etc. Her grandfather played trumpet for the band Earth, Wind, & Fire (that's how they met).

Just two months after winning her fifth Women's title (second Smackdown Women's Championship) at WrestleMania 38, Amani was in a terrifying car accident while back home in Orlando. She was hit by a drunk driver in which her car flipped twice and landed on its roof. She was trapped inside, had to be pried from the car with the jaws of life, and then life lighted to the ER. Luckily, she had only sustained a broken leg and two fractured ribs, but still had to relinquish her championship.

Amani would make an emotional return nine months after the accident on the RAW after WrestleMania 39 and begin a feud with Bayley/Damage Ctrl before being drafted to RAW.

Right now Amani has 17 tattoos. She plans to get more in the future.

Thanks to her grandparents and father, Amani is a classically trained pianist and can also play the guitar.

Amani has one dog and a cat: a black cat female named Isis and a pitbull male named Brucey. She and Damian adopted Brucey while they lived together.

Amani's signature fragrance is a perfume she had created at a local apothecary shop in New Orleans. It's a blend of vanilla, black orchid, and amber.

Her dream WrestleMania entrance would have Megan Thee Stallion performing her theme.

A few of Amani's major wrestling influences are Rey Mysterio, Chyna, Lita, Batista, Trish Stratus, Jacqueline, Eddie Guerrero, & Shawn Michaels.

She is very close friends with Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Naomi, Becky Lynch, Zelina Vega, Ember Moon, Finn Balor, Samantha Irvin, Mia Yim, Cathy Kelly, & Jade Cargill.

She and Damian Priest have known each other the longest, since 2012 after first meeting at an ROH house show. They've been friends ever since and even lived together at one point.

Amani is fluent in Spanish and Arabic.

She has an insane sweet tooth. Her favorite candies are peach and watermelon rings and will go ham on a fudge brownie.

Two of her favorite matches in WWE so far have been the match between herself and Ember Moon for the NXT Women's Title at TakeOver: WarGames and main eventing WrestleMania 37 with Bianca Belair.

~~~~~~

*Notes:

this is an AU in which Asuka doesn't go to NXT but rather straight to the main roster.

Amani Cove mainly takes a good chunk of Sasha Banks' achievements and title runs but with slight changes.

Ronda Rousey does not win the RAW Women's title at Money in the Bank 2018 but instead Amani does. The only reason she loses to Ronda at the 2019 Royal Royal is due to Vince McMahon not believing Amani would be a big enough draw alongside Becky & Charlotte at WrestleMania 35.

Amani takes Sasha Banks' spot in the Fatal Five-Way Elimination match for the Smackdown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36 and defeated Bayley.

Amani takes the place of Mia Yim as a surprise partner in the 2019 NXT Women's WarGames match, not Candice LeRae.

Amani Cove teams with Bayley to become the inaugural Women's Tag Titles, not Sasha Banks.

Amani Cove main events WrestleMania 37 with Bianca Belair, not Sasha Banks.

Tag List:

@beibigirl124 @madhatterbri @eringobragh420 @damiansgoodgirll @terrortwinunicorn @kultklassickiller @bossbitch-22 @rootedinrevisions @thedeboniardevistation @neversatisfiedgirl @blueblazezz @mzv11 @retro-rezz-the-est @writinglionqueen @miss-kuki-nz @southerngirl41 @abadbitchblogs @jstarr86 @babiidee28 @shamaness11 @chaneajoyyy @gold--gucciempress @sassymox @msbigredmachine @adriennegabriella @yana3sworld @trippinsorrows @glitterquadricorn @joy-of-life88 @royallyprincesslilly @jazzy-tzw @wrestlingbabe @wrestlingprincess80 @krystalporter22 @misslackey @hotwheels1108 @the-iridescent-phoenix @cookiebelle @disc0fairy @flawlessglamazon @simplymyself29 @ramp-it-up @lorena26

[kalisburnerphone]

The Colors of You // C.SC

Mini Series || will contain adult themes and language, minors do not interact!!

Overall Warnings: idol!seungcheol x gradstudent!reader,Afro-IndoLatina!woc, implied curve/plus-sized woc!, emotionally constipated reader, seungcheol is lowkey a simp but so is reader and neither are that good at hiding it, reader considers herself demisexual, reader and seungcheol have a discussion on curly hair maintenance at some point, arguments occur, this is for my tall girlies,reader is just an inch or two shorter than cheol, seungcheol on his glucose guardian agenda, kkuma makes an appearance, pouty cheol, a bit cutesy, a bit domestic, a bit angsty, smut in various ways, reader has tattoos, seungcheol has some not so innocent realizations about himself, I think that's all for now.

A/N: I do not own Seventeen or any of the members. This is a work of fiction and not meant to accurately depict any of the members personality in real life as I only know what I've been shown. Seventeen and any other mentioned idol are just used as face claims and character names.

Unofficial Playlist:

Kidult - SVT

Amazing - Kiana Lede

Naughty - Devita

Natural - Kiana Lede

난 (Me) - 에스쿱스 (S.COUPS)

It's a work in progress, I'll update it later.

1.Color Rush - release date: 23rd or 24th November 2024. To be rescheduled

Summary: You’d never given much thought to the idea of meeting your probe. Having spent your entire life as a mono, your color spectrum limited to the multiple shades of gray, you’d gotten used to it. You had never met anyone who made you see color so you had figured there wasn’t anyone out there that would bring color to your world. You were okay with that, you’ve seen what finding a probe can do to a mono and you refused to become like that. You liked your simple life but you had no idea that all that was about to change. All it took was one VIP ticket, your eyes locking with the leader of one of the biggest groups in the world and suddenly there’s an explosion of color popping around your irises before you pass out.

2. Color Drive - release date: tba!

Summary: Somehow you've been convinced to give this 'thing' -because calling it a relationship makes it seem too real- a chance. You both agree to take things slow while he's away but even though you agreed you're still hesitant and skeptical. Trying to keep him at a distance proves difficult even when he's thousands of miles away because there's one thing that Choi Seungcheol is, it's determined, a bit clingy and very stubborn. Despite continuously trying to break down those walls you've built so damn high, he starts feeling like he's the only one trying. One phone call turns into an argument which in turn leads to you going radio silent. The last place he expects to run into you is at his favorite restaurant while he's visiting home during their short break for the holidays.

3.Color Me In - release date: tba!

Summary: Tour is finally over and while he has some time to rest you're about to start another semester. It doesn't stop him from trying to be in your space every chance he gets or spending money on KTX tickets to have you in his no matter how much you protest. Seungcheol doesn't remember the last time he's felt like this or if he's ever felt like this before but he's 100% sure that you were made for him and him for you. You on the other hand, as much as you keep denying it you know you're falling hard and deeply despite it barely being five months since you both met. He makes it so easy too that you only realize how down bad you are when he's not in your orbit. When his scent has faded from your space and you find yourself missing him. If Seungcheol had noticed the number of t-shirts and hoodies that disappeared during that winter then he makes no mention of it because lowkey or maybe high-key he already knows how you feel. Him finding out that he’s your bias may have clued him in on that but a win is a win.

Release date schedule may change, I'm up to my neck in assignments for grad school so please bare with me. I'm trying to complete and edit the first part which will probably be posted before or after my conference in Seoul next weekend. I'm aiming to have part 2 out by the end of December or early January. The timeline is loosely following real life with the tour dates and such so the final part (subject to change depending on its performance) is set for February 2025. It's a loose schedule that I would like to finish during winter break as long as research and work don't drown me.

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Jimin - Muse (2024)

3/5 ☆

I thought it'd get me several days to come back here with some thoughts on Muse, but it proved it's not necessary.

Who as title track makes complete sense. We're still into 90s nostalgia, but it's a recipe that works. Not just in kpop, but pop in general. Looking at the charts, it paints a pretty clear picture for the last couple of years. Add the zoomer idea of a what a Y2K aesthetic is like and we get the recipe for today's music and concept. Repeat, reuse, recycle. How fitting for postmodernism.

Who is a really catchy tune, with lyrics easy to remember and sing out loud. A tad more commercial-sounding than Like Crazy, but that's Muse overall anyway. The truth is, I have the song on loop (streamers can't come for me, lol). I think Jimin's style of singing and the melody itself are a good fit. Lyric wise, it's sort of basic, but this is pop music made for mass consumption. I don't mind it. It's also radio friendly and definitely has the potential for summer hit, but I'm 99% sure it won't turn into one. BH won't move a finger to send it to radio and it's another song that will fall victim to fandom mass streaming to chart high for one week. I've seen this all before.

It's also a shame to have this released when an artist is away, without being able to properly promote it. In my non-expert opinion, it could have been released as a single a few months later after Face and scratch the rest of Muse or keep it in the drafts.

As to the other songs, perhaps Rebirth (Intro) is the only other song on the album that has something to it, it stands out a bit more and it also bridges the two albums, despite the connection being sort of flimsy.

Having Sofia Carson on Slow Dance had brought nothing to the song. It could have been a full Jimin track all the way. Her style of singing does not stand out and I find it a failed pair because there's no contrast or voices complementing each other. Jimin can sing just like her. If a collab is really wanted/needed/necessary, then I'd wish for a pairing that also makes sense vocal-wise.

Be Mine is ok, but it sounds too much like that one TXT song and I simply can't get over past it. It's afro beat and latino influence which has been all the rage in the past few years, which Hybe has been pushing a lot. It explains the song.

SGMB and Closer Than This were previously released and I'm not covering them again.

I think it's difficult for me to not make comparisons to Face, considering both albums were produced around the same period, without much time left in between them. One is simply more cohesive and has a depth that showcases a first solo attempt, while the other one is clearly going a more commercial route with less of a personal signature.

Despite Muse being promoted as another conceptual album, I find that umbrella to be a bit forced given that the theme of finding love is really a generic one. Perhaps way too generic with not much individuality. Does it show Jimin's vocal range? Yes. Does it show him trying various genres? Yes. In this case, perhaps Muse is a bit similar to Golden in some aspects, with the difference that Jimin gets producing and writing credits in 5/6 songs. So his involvement is greater, but the scope of the album is in the same category as Golden, which is another production that had this LOVE as an overarching theme. But without much more to it that would make it stand out lyrically. The focus on both is genre diversity and vocal capability.

In short: I like Who (I also like Ace of Base songs and all those silly 90s pop songs, so my music taste is most likely considered bad, but I don't care). I think Muse overall is an amalgam of whatever is trendy at the moment, without being able to truly stand out and say more about Jimin, apart from his capabilities as idol/performer. Perhaps that was the point too.

P.S. My inbox has been closed for anonymous asks since I reblogged a few days ago my post about using lyrics as clues for personal life. It seems that it invited homophobia and I won't have that here.

I'm keeping it that way for now because I'm sure my personal "review" on Muse will either be seen as an invitation for people to either bash me for not thinking it's the album of the year or to be seen as an opportunity for others to talk shit about Jimin, Who and the album overall. I found that usually there is no middle ground with kpop stans/army/Jimin stans, etc.

[transformativeworksandcultures]

Fans of Color Prize Winner!

Transformative Works and Cultures is pleased to announce Osarugue Otebele as our inaugural Fans of Color Prize award winner for her article “The (anti)fan is black: Consumption, resistance, and black K-pop fan vigil labor”! Otebele’s article will be published in TWC’s upcoming special issue “Centering Blackness in Fan Studies” on December 15th. 

The Fans of Color Prize had 15 submissions, covering the breadth of TWC’s publications from 2021-2024, while providing an incredible glimpse into the impactful work happening in (and outside of) fan studies. Otebele’s submission stood out because, as one reviewer noted, it was “conceptually ambitious.” 

Otebele, a 4th year PhD candidate in the Department of Film & Media at UC Berkeley who goes by Osa among friends and colleagues, is a K-pop fan! She’s been an Epik-High fan since middle school and is also a fan of UKISS, SISTAR, EXO, BOYFRIEND, and others. As a fan, Otebele’s hope is that the K-pop industry will continue to thrive. 

We sat down with Otebele to discuss what brought her to her research, what she’s working on next, and where she sees the field heading. As a little sneak peek to the upcoming issue on “Centering Blackness in Fan Studies,” we’ve shared some of her remarks below. 

TWC: What brought you to this specific research topic? Otebele: I’ve been a K-pop fan since I was in middle school. When I was a younger fan, I wasn’t as aware of the racial tensions in fandom spaces. It wasn’t until I got to high school that I realized that my lack of involvement was also due to not knowing where to locate other Black K-pop fans. This was partly because it was also in high school when words such as “woke” or “conscious” became part of my vocabulary, so I was always looking for ways to bring attention to my Blackness and, as a  K-pop fan, it was difficult to do that. Both the industry and many non-Black fans wanted to escape from having conversations about race.  TWC: Could you briefly explain the key problem or question your article, “The (anti)fan is black: Consumption, resistance, and black K-pop fan vigil labor,” addresses?  Otebele: My article is interested in the ways Black K-pop fans engage instances of appropriation within the industry (from artists and fans), while also attempting to maintain their status as fans. Some of the key questions of my article were, “what makes an anti-fan?” and “how do Black K-pop fans employ digital media platforms to perform their fannish affect?”  TWC: Were there any unexpected challenges you encountered during your research? Otebele: I would say the biggest challenge was working against my own knowledge and love for the industry to write an article that was quite critical of it. In a way, this challenge is also what my article describes, because I’m really invested in how, for Black fans, the identities fan and anti-fan often require their simultaneous performance.  TWC: Are you planning any follow-up research or new projects based on this article?  Otebele: Yes! I’m currently working on another article focused on narrative coherence in the aesthetic performances in K-pop eras. In that paper, I examine how K-pop engenders a critical addition to the instability of cultural identity while on the other hand, it necessitates and reproduces the fungibility of Blackness, where groups can enter in and out of a performance of Blackness that best fits a particular era. My concerns are with how the narrative coherence of each era (hip-hop era, afro-beat era, Y2K, or house music era) requires a commitment to the performance demanded from these various musical genres.  TWC: Where do you see the field heading in the next few years, and how do you hope your work contributes to that?  Otebele: I think much of K-pop studies is focused on transnational fandoms and cross-cultural exchange, but we should also be having the difficult conversations about cultural extraction, about race, about gender and their relationship to fan labor. The industry is growing even more global with many K-pop idols emerging from the United States, Canada, Japan, and more. We really have to turn our attention to the kind of social ideologies that these idols are bringing from their various cultures and locations and how that changes not only the sound and look of the industry but also its fandom. 

Otebele also emphasized to us that receiving this award as a grad student really gave her work a sense of validity and importance, while also encouraging her to continue working on Black fan experience of K-pop. When asked if she had any advice for early career researchers aiming for impactful publications, Otebele shared: “Revise, revise, revise!” 

We can’t wait for you all to get to read Osa Otebele’s award-winning article, “The (anti)fan is black: Consumption, resistance, and black K-pop fan vigil labor,” which will be published in our upcoming special issue “Centering Blackness in Fan Studies” on December 15. Congratulations again, Osa, from everyone at Transformative Works and Cultures! 

[angola-musicas23]

Emmerson - Strawberry on Ice (feat. Davido)

Já disponível a nova musica da autoria de “Emmerson feat. Davido” tem como titulo ”Strawberry on Ice”  Confira agora o download em mp3 Baixar mp3 gratis no nosso site abaixo. Baixar musica nova : Emmerson – Strawberry on Ice (feat. Davido) Download Mp3baixar 2024,baixar musica Strawberry on Ice angolamusicas.com   Artista: Emmerson feat. Davido Titulo: Strawberry on Ice Género: Afro…

[cityof2morrow]

The Bella Store (Day Views 001)

Published: 5-27-2024 | Updated: N/A SUMMARY “Inspired by the wealth of Bella Goth lore from the Sims/SimCity franchises (aka the “simsverse”), the Bella Brand Series includes more than a dozen sets and 230+ new business-themed items. Lore suggests that the wealth/influence of the Gilman, Crumplebottom, Bachelor, and Goth families increases considerably under Mortimer and Bella Goth, especially the latter. So, this series imagines what a prestigious Bella-based brand might look like…” My game takes place in a (retro/afro) futurist age, in which the #co2bellabrand is part of a family megacorporation. A brief break from making CC gave me time to get in-game and do some building – here is the flagship Bella Brand Store. This 6-floor landmark is in the heart of the shopping district along Belladonna Cove. #co2lots #ts2builds #ts2lots DETAILS STREETSCAPING/EXTERIOR The lot sits on a 2-step foundation and uses my Streetscaping 001 (Simmons, 2024) set. There are two main entrances and a gallery entrance directly off the street. The exterior of the gallery is decorated with large ads and product displays.

FIRST FLOOR The first-floor features signature/seasonal displays from Body By Bella, Bella’s Beauties-Secret Garden, and more. Salon customers can shop or have a seat while waiting for an appointment.

SECOND FLOOR Bella Park (casual and sporty) and some nice vertical views. Sims can take the stairs or elevator between floors.

THIRD FLOOR Bella’s Secret (intimates), Bella Goth Jewelry & Collectibles, and a Boby By Bella (summer line)/Bella’s Beauties pop-up shop.

CREDITS No copyright infringement intended. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. CCA = Creative Commons Attribution. Thanks: @catherinetcjd @chocolatecitysim @deedee-sims @gayars @gummilutt @haziewhims @kashmiresims (Rach’), @somedaythesun @picknmixsims, Neon Base/Easy Shine Removal Kit (@pforestsims, 2023), Reducing GUIDs/OBJs Tutorial (@hugelunatic, 2022), Sketchfab and Blender Communities. Sources: SEE CREDITS (ALT).

[musictyme]

Maleek Berry- Secrets

[tomorrowxtogether]

The 10 best Tomorrow X Together songs

Ahead of the boyband’s 2024 ‘Act: Promise’ world tour, NME picks the best cuts from their enchanting back catalogue 

There’s always been something magical about Tomorrow X Together, even before they started adding elements of enchantment to their music in late-2019. Over their first five years together, the Big Hit Music boyband have been consistently spellbinding in their approach to sharing their experiences of youth, whether weaving colourful creations in their early days or dialling up the angst as they screeched into young adulthood.

Along with their penchant for genre-hopping, it all makes for a vibrant back catalogue that doesn’t always follow the expected path. TXT will always keep you guessing and never stay in one spot for too long. Ahead of their upcoming 2024 ‘Act: Promise’ world tour, which kicks off next month in Seoul, NME looks back on their enchanting catalogue.

Honourable mentions

‘Blue Spring’ (2023) ‘MOA Diary (Dubaddu Wari Wari)’ (2021) ‘Puma’ (2020) ‘Wishlist’ (2020) ‘LO$ER=LO♡ER’ (2021)

10. ‘Ghosting’ (2020)

The opening track of 2020’s ‘minisode 1: Blue Hour’ glistens in its gloominess. Through clouds of shoegaze-y guitars, the five-piece tell stories of friends who’ve become like spectres and the isolation that comes with growing apart from those you love. It’s a beautiful piece of songwriting that highlights TXT’s knack for taking trending lingo and using it to share their tales of youth.

9. ‘New Rules’ (2019)

Since their beginning, Tomorrow X Together have served as guides and companions through life and that’s no different on ‘New Rules’. The funky hip-hop track details rebellious phases sparked by the frustrations of life, piled on by social media, teachers and class. If you’re looking for a way to break free from it all, this addictive cut will help you.

8. ‘Can’t You See Me?’ (2020)

Even without watching the flame-filled music video for ‘Can’t You See Me?’, you can feel the scorching emotions that course through the song. Rather than showcasing them in the big rock anthemics that would come later in TXT’s journey, it’s the more seemingly subdued moments that sizzle here. “With resentment, my heart is heavy / ‘Cause you don’t understand me,” Beomgyu and Hueningkai murmur in the second verse, every ounce of that weight pouring through their words.

7. ‘Good Boy Gone Bad’ (2022)

On the lead track from 2022’s ‘minisode 2: Thursday’s Child’, TXT fully embrace the moment when it feels like you’ve hit an emotional rock bottom. Instead of wallowing in the misery, they make it their new super power – there’ll be no more “pathetic days” left on the calendar when you rise up with hearts “gone dead”. Set to searing rock, it’s become one of the most electrifying moments in the group’s concerts, not least Yeonjun’s bridge that ends in the laughter of someone truly cold-hearted and the declaration: “I like being bad.”

6. ‘Crown’ (2019)

The song that started it all. Tomorrow X Together’s debut single ushered in a boyband who sounded refreshingly bright but, beneath the bubbling synths, were dealing with the complicated growing pains of adolescence. Years on from its release, it still feels like a perfect snapshot of the dichotomy of youth – at once energetic, curious, self-doubting and concerned.

5. ‘Tinnitus (Wanna Be a Rock)’ (2023)

The boyband dabble in Afro-pop on this standout from ‘The Name Chapter: Temptation’. Despite its slinky rhythms that are practically a call to groove onto the dancefloor, lyrically it finds the group wanting to sink into a stillness caused by a crisis of confidence. “Rockstar minus the star / Just a rock, OK?” Taehyun sighs, preparing to descend.

4. ‘0X1=LOVESONG (You Know I Love You)’ (2021)

The moment TXT leaned all the way into the raw, serrated sensitivities of emo. With the help of featured singer Seori, ‘0X1=LOVESONG’ wears its feelings on its sleeve so viscerally it’s hard not to get swept up in its storm of emotion. Although the five-piece’s storyline would later disavow the need for connection, here it was still an essential, the group crying out for a loved one to “take my hand” and save them from being swallowed up by life.

3. ‘I’ll See You There Tomorrow’ (2024)

The concept of fate emerges on this sunkissed house jam, the beats forming a linking pattern between TXT and the person they believe is “meant to be”. ‘I’ll See You There Tomorrow’ is fresh and breezy, while its post-chorus refrain of “there’ll be no more sorrow, I’ll see you there tomorrow” could serve as a slogan for the comfort that spills out of the group’s catalogue.

2. ‘9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)’ (2019)

The title track of ‘The Dream Chapter: Magic’ more than lives up to the sorcery in the album’s title. Sprinkled with sparkling melodies that form the aural equivalent of the magic dust that accompanies wands casting spells in movies, the song captured the heart of much of TXT’s early storyline. It’s an ode to friendship and the feeling of finding people to run alongside you as you buckle up for the rollercoaster of life.

1. ‘Eternally’ (2020)

Tomorrow X Together have never been ones to shy away from trying something new, and that spirit quietly fuels ‘Eternally’, the stand-out track from ‘The Dream Chapter: Eternity’. What starts out as a gentle lullaby pleading soon morphs into something darker and prowling. The beat switch is tellingly signalled by a rapid-fire gunshot and the verse that follows feels like a villain origin story. That the group are able to pull off the revolving door of switch-ups on this track with such elegance is nothing short of impressively exhilarating.

[rastronomicals]

7:03 PM EDT August 3, 2024:

Osibisa - "Akwaaba" From the album Osibisa (1971)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

File under: Ghanaian Afro-Pop