#Kendrick Lamar releases new album | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

toomuchracket · 1 year ago

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angsty part two hmm. well maybe it can have something to do with whatever the heck was going on at electric umbrella studios. maybe girly is there helping out bea (we can pretend maybe she’s doing stuff with jack and not matty for ease of everyone’s heart lmao) then there is that little listening party or whatever where taylor and matty are seen together but maybe girly’s heart couldnt stand to stick around for very long so she leaves early. maybe in this dream matty pulls his head out of his ass and decides he will do anything and be anything that girly wants him to be because this thing with taylor is not doing it for him either

ok! edited the request slightly. and it doesn't have a happy ending because actually i'm a messy bitch who lives for drama. please note: THIS ISN'T ACTUALLY CANON IN THE D WORD UNIVERSE IT'S JUST A COLLECTIVE NIGHTMARE. ok. lol. happy new year. enjoy <3

gone four weeks, part 2 (d word matty x reader angst)

“oh my god, hi! you came! oh, thank you so much!” taylor pulls you into a hug, which you reciprocate warmly; you've no problem with her, after all. “and you look amazing! your hair! those shoes! it's a new look for you. i like it.”

you smile. “thank you, i just fancied a bit of a change. and thank you for inviting me! i was so touched when i got your message.”

“matty said it was your favourite of my albums - i couldn't not have you here.”

what the fuck?

“oh, he did?” you try to keep your face and voice steady. “that was nice of him.”

taylor nods. “it was the first thing he said when i first wondered if anyone would even come to a 1989 listening party - you would, if you were around. thank god margaret ran into you last week and told me you were!”

you murmur a “yeah”, in response, too busy reeling from the sudden emotional pain in your heart to reply properly. blinking a couple of times, you look back towards the front door of the studio to see more people coming in. “taylor, i'll catch up with you later, yeah? let you speak to… oh my god, i'm at the same party as kendrick lamar? fucking hell.”

she laughs, squeezing your arm. “no worries, babe. i'll see you later! matty’s… somewhere, if you want to catch up with him”.

not bloody likely. “cool. see you!”

you smile politely at kendrick, who returns it (!!), before heading off into the busy room. there are people you recognise absolutely everywhere you turn, but nobody you really know, more just celebrities you'd be worried about embarrassing yourself in front of. no sign of jack, or margaret, or even matty - not that you particularly want to see him, to be honest, but a familiar face (one not from your tv screen, that is) would definitely calm you down.

of course, so would a cigarette.

pulling your cigs and lighter from your bag, you nudge the side door open with your hip and step out into the alleyway and still-warm evening air. and then, almost immediately, you wish you hadn't. because, standing with his back to you - although that makes no difference, you'd know those back muscles and that head of hair anywhere - is matty, talking to jack and margaret, all three of them smoking.

fuck. this was an awful idea. but you can't turn back to go inside now, because jack's clocked you; he’s beaming, waving at you, shouting “sprout! get over here and smoke with us!”

despite yourself, you smile, wandering over and allowing yourself to be enveloped in a hug from the man and his fiancée. “wish you'd stop bloody calling me that, jack.”

“never,” jack replies, kissing your head as he releases you into margaret's arms. “you're sprout, and he's cabbage.”

“whatever - hi, mags,” you kiss your friend's cheek as she breaks apart and settles her arm around your waist, before reluctantly meeting your ex's gaze. you're irritated to see that he looks good. like, really good, something-twinging-between-your-legs good. get a grip! “matthew.”

“alright?” matty smiles at you, but it doesn't reach his eyes. “almost didn't recognise you. hair's shorter.”

you shrug. “wanted something different.”

“sounds like you.”

the snide comment slices through you. unlike last time, though, you don't tear up; you fire right back at him. “well, i'm at an age where i can afford to experiment.”

matty frowns, while jack and margaret burst into giggles. the latter kisses the side of your head. “god, you’re funny. i can't believe you were in the city all this time and you didn't tell us! i miss hanging out with you.”

“i was busy,” you place a cigarette between your lips, shaking hands trying and failing to successfully operate the lighter. matty wordlessly steps forward and does it for you - your cheeks burn as much as the cig does. “thank you.”

“don't,” matty waves it off, taking a long drag of his own cig before looking at you again. “so. you haven't been back home?”

“not since the last time you saw me,” you ash the cig, pointedly looking down at the ground. “there hasn't been any work for me to do, so there's nothing keeping me there, really.”

matty scoffs. “typical, you prioritising your job.”

“well, it's what you pay me for. you should be happy i care so much about my career, really, matty,” you smile, saccharine as summer peaches, before turning to jack and margaret. “anyway, how's wedding planning going?”

jack breaks into an excited soliloquy that you can only half focus on, hoping you're timing the oohing and aahing and awwing at his fiancée’s enthusiastic interjections right; most of your attention, you hate to say, is focused on the man opposite you, clearly - to you, at least - upset. the familiar guilt begins to gnaw at your ribcage, and you're thankful when margaret checks her watch and begins to usher you back inside.

matty, though, has other ideas. he touches your elbow, so lightly you barely feel it, and yet your body reacts as if he's punched you. “can i talk to you alone for a minute?”

panicked, you turn towards jack, who nods. “you still have a few minutes. i just need to go in to set up. see you in there!”

shit.

once you're alone with your ex, you move to brace yourself against the wall, folding your arms. “what?”

“why didn't you tell me you were in new york?”

“why would i?”

“well,” matty's voice falters; when he speaks again, it's almost a whisper. “i don't know. maybe we could've, like, gone for a drink. or you could've come down here to hang out.”

“again, why would i?” you tilt your head. “no offence, mate, but hanging out with my ex and his new girlfriend isn't exactly my idea of a fun time. or just hanging out with my ex full stop.”

“thanks for that,” matty grimaces.

you sigh. “look, i know you well enough to be able to read your cryptic fucking subtext. i've been alright, matty, i really have. i've been with friends.”

“you don't have any friends in new york.”

“and how the fuck would you know that? honest to fucking god,” you snap. “i didn't tell you everything about me…”

“i know that well enough.”

“...but, if you must know, one of my friends from home opened an exhibition in tribeca. orla.”

matty nods. “we went to her london opening together before… us, didn't we?”

the memory feels distant, as if from another life, but it hurts all the same. “yeah.”

“i would've liked to have gone to her show here, too. she's good.”

you smile genuinely for the first time, pride for your friend stronger than the fucked up pot of feelings you have towards matty. “it was really something. i helped set it up, actually. was fun.”

“really?” matty laughs; something cracks inside you when he does. “yeah, i can see you being good at that, actually.”

you look at the ground, still smiling, but less now. “been thinking about switching to it full-time. curation and stuff.”

“oh,” matty sounds crestfallen. you peek up at him to find that he looks it, too. “well… if that's what you want to do, i s'pose you should look into it,” he checks the time on his phone, while your heart sinks impossibly deeper. “it's starting soon. i'll head in now, and then if you-”

“wait thirty seconds before i follow you? yeah, i know the drill,” you smile lifelessly. “least you won't have to worry about that if i get a new job, yeah? you'll likely never have to see me again, let alone risk being seen with me.”

“i- anyway,” matty clears his throat, turning quickly away from you. “i should go.”

“okay,” the door closes behind him before you can even get the second syllable out, and there you are, alone again, in the suddenly-cold night air. you shakily exhale your cigarette for the last time, stubbing it out on the wall and stamping the butt with your high heel for good measure; once no trace of the flame remains, you go back inside.

for the rest of the night, part of you wishes you hadn't bothered. while hearing your favourite album is truly, genuinely brilliant, the experience is marred somewhat by your ex sitting in the seat opposite yours with taylor's head on his shoulder: you can't quite lipsync along to this love or clean or you are in love without your lips beginning to tremble, the new song now that we don't talk genuinely makes you nauseous when you figure out the lyrics, and actually hearing matty's voice on a vault track is painful beyond words.

but still, you clap, you fake smiles, you cheer for taylor and jack and the work they've put into the production. it's not easy, though, and you're thankful for the distraction when your phone buzzes with an invitation while you're alone at the drinks table grabbing another champagne.

“now i know you're not about to entertain a man who sent you an i miss you, come over text,” taylor’s voice sounds scandalised from behind you.

you turn, grinning, smile dropping slightly when you see she isn’t alone. “don't worry, i'm taking the piss out of him for it as we speak…”

“good.”

“...but i am gonna go and see him, in a minute,” you finish, looking down at your phone and giggling when you see a reply. “if that's alright, that is.”

matty raises his eyebrows the way he does before he opens his mouth, but taylor beats him to it. “look at you giggling at him! of course! go! but first,” she gently drags you to a nearby sofa and settles onto it, patting the seat beside her; you take it, while matty awkwardly settles himself on a footstool in front of you both. “tell me about him.”

“you really want to know?” you aren't quite sure which of them the question is directed at. taylor nods, and judging by matty's expression he's also curious, so you sigh and keep talking. “well, his name is michael. he's a playwright. we met through friends. he's lived in new york his whole life. he seems slightly obsessed with me, but in a good way - so far, at least. he's very sweet.”

“a playwright? that's cool,” taylor grins. “what does he look like?”

“a bit like andrew garfield, actually,” you laugh, looking down at your phone again. “and he's offering to meet me at a bar, so it's probably time for me to be on my way.”

“sure. have fun, stay safe,” she pulls you into a hug; you see matty wince, out of the corner of your eye. “thank you so much for coming. when do you go back home?”

“not until the end of the month. i don't know if i'm actually going on the festival run, yet,” you shrug. “but i'll go home before it, just in case.”

“it's a lot, isn't it?”

taylor, babe, you don't even know the half of it. “yeah. it won't be easy.”

she hums. “we should hang out before you go. nothing crazy, just dinner or drinks or something. like, something fun, before you have to go back to keeping a record label running,” she nudges matty, who smiles quickly but continues looking at the floor. “i'll call you, okay?”

“that sounds good,” you stretch. “right, i really should go - the bar is a twenty-minute walk from here and i said i'd meet michael in fifteen.”

matty tuts. “he's knowingly letting you walk alone to meet him at half ten at night? no. absolutely not.”

you roll your eyes. “for god's sake, i'll be fine. i'm an adult!”

“yeah, babe, but still,” taylor’s eyes are wide. “take a car! for our peace of mind, at least.”

our. you do your best not to shudder, and smile instead. “if you're sure…”

“she's sure,” matty nods. “get it to take you back to your… whatever it is you're staying in after your drink, too.”

“i mean, i'm going back to his,” you look matty dead in the eye when you say it, and the sadness that fills his is impossible to miss. christ, what is his deal? “but thanks. anyway,” you hug taylor before you stand. “thanks again for tonight. i'll see you soon,” you nod at matty. “and i'll… see you at finsbury, definitely. maybe sooner. i don't know. there'll be an email soon confirming what's happening. bye.”

much to your chagrin, matty stands too. “i'll walk you out. make sure you actually get in the car - i know what you're like.”

for fuck's sake. “alright. bye, taylor!” you wave as you move towards the door.

“bye, babe!”

you walk quickly through the corridors, trying to keep some distance between you and matty. annoyingly, though, he matches your pace, and speaks. “so… michael.”

the vitriol practically drips from his tongue. you scoff. “what about him?”

“tell me more about him. what’s he like?”

“he's my age,” you pointedly don’t look at matty when you say that, but you hear the way his breath catches in his throat. the guilt begins gnawing again; you keep talking to distract yourself from it. “he's ridiculously american, which means he doesn't get my sense of humour sometimes, but as soon as he found out i lived in london he took the piss and started calling me ‘princess’.”

the word leaves your mouth before you can stop it; as soon as it does, you bite the insides of your lips together, guilt spreading to every bone in your body. tentatively, you look round at matty, who's stopped walking in favour of looking at the ground and clasping his hands behind his neck. everything about him radiates hurt, and it only worsens when he quietly speaks. “he calls you what?”

you can't bring yourself to say it again. “you heard me, matty.”

“wish i fucking hadn't,” your ex looks up at you again, and you know he's about to verbally lash out; he looks exactly the same as he did before you split. “you really let him call you that? my name for you?”

“think you lost all rights to that the day you dumped me, to be honest, mate.”

“fucking hate it when you call me that. stop it.”

“well, i'm sure as shit not going to resort to what i used to call you, am i?”

matty laughs mirthlessly. it's the worst sound you've ever heard. “no, you've got michael for that now.”

“no, i haven't,” you're loathe to admit what you're about to say, but you really want him to feel bad. “haven't slept with him yet - or anyone, for that matter, since you broke up with me,” you glance at matty, who looks rightfully sheepish, and decide to just fuck with him even further. “but maybe i will tonight. s'about time i felt good about myself.”

“you know, you've been really fucking snide today. i don't know what i've done to deserve it.”

you stop dead in your tracks, turning to face him in total bewilderment. “well, aside from the whole, y'know, dumping me at the first sign of disagreement, you fucking started it with the arsey comments today, matty. sounds like you? fuck off.”

he shrugs. “but it does. you don't want what i want, so… why bother keeping this going?”

you huff, pushing the door to the staircase open. “i never said i didn't want to get married and have kids, by the way.”

“what? yes you-”

“no, i didn't,” you smile sadly. “all i said was that i was unsure, and because it wasn't me immediately saying yes to something for the first time in our relationship, you took it as a no.”

matty's shaking his head. “no, that-that's not-”

“yes it is, sweetheart,” the tears are beginning to prick at your eyes; matty's too, you can see. “that's what happened.”

“but you freaked out so much…”

“because you sprung it on me, out of the blue! come on, matty,” you can feel your jaw trembling. “you would've done the same, if a partner had asked you that question when you were my age.”

matty sniffles. “please stop bringing up the age gap, darling.”

the pet name enrages you; it's agonising how natural it sounds coming from his lips, and even more painful how automatically your body reacts to it. “well, i can't not, given that it's what fucked us up, in the end,” you take a deep breath, and walk out the side door onto the street. it's fairly quiet, you're relieved to see. “besides - i thought you liked it? that was my appeal, wasn't it? being young, and pretty, and naive, so fucking naive. a meek little toy, something you could play with however you wanted without fear of it rebelling against what you wanted. because that's really all that matters, isn't it, what you want? course it is, because when that was threatened, you stopped wanting me.”

hot tears are hitting your cheeks with increasing speed, but your voice somehow stays strong, unwavering, controlled; the same can't be said for matty, who's crying just as much as you. “no, no, that's not true, not at all, please don't say that.”

“but that's what it feels like,” your voice cracks into a sob. “you didn't even want to talk to me about it. you were just... fine with letting me go. i didn't think you could ever be so cruel to someone you claim to have loved, once, matty. especially not someone who loves you as much as i do,” sniffling, you wipe your eyes and open a car door, quickly telling the driver the address of the bar before turning back to matty. “i appreciate you getting taylor to invite me tonight, but i think it was a mistake; we can't be friends, you and i, we really can't. i'm sorry, it just… hurts,” you check the time. “i need to go. take care.”

it's too warm in the car. you roll the window down slightly. you can hear matty crying from halfway down the street.

#i'm very sorry #mads muses #mads does writing #d word matty #matty asks #angst asks #matty healy fanfiction #matty healy fanfic #matty healy fic #matty healy angst #matty healy x reader #matty x reader

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cyber-corp · 9 days ago

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2024: It was a....year?

A lot happened to me this year. I bought a car, I studied real hard and graduated high school, I realized some personal aspects about myself and generally the world around me felt a little more hectic. Maybe it's because I graduated, who knows.

Nevertheless, some truly fantastic stuff was made this year, and I tried to engage with most of it and enjoyed it! Here are some of my favourite bits and bobs that were released this year:

The Substance: I genuinely had no idea what this movie was about other than a few cryptic messages a friend sent me about it. It turns out it was a gorey, grotesque and all-around enthralling tragedy about one woman's self-destruction in order to win the hearts of disgusting media executives. My personal favourite film of this year, nothing else like it.

Doctor Who (season 14): No one is calling season 1, be real. A fantastic collection of episodes while Ncuti breaths so much new life into the character, and also demonstrates his ability as a great crier. Favourite episodes from this season were Boom and Dot and Bubble, Moff and Davies' ability to tackle political themes in a family-oriented context has proven to be unmatched.

Kinds of Kindness: This was the only film where its trailer actually pulled me in. I stuck around Yorgos Lanthimos after Poor Things, and this film is not Poor Things. By making a triptych story, Lanthimos covers all types of ground through the different parts, such as ideas of cruelty, power and of course kindness. I did feel a bit sick by the end though. Maybe that's par for the course.

FEX - Subways Of Your Mind: No fucking way they actually found it. A nearly decade-long search for "The Mysterious Song" finally came to an end this year, and managed to reunite the band that made it. Hearing it in such a high quality almost feels wrong after being used to the fuzzier, older recording from 2011. A really great new wave song that feels triumphant after years of searching.

Chappell Roan - Good Luck Babe! - 2024 was especially great for pop music. BRAT was a fantastic album, so was Short and Sweet, but I don't think there's even been a pop star quite like Chappell Roan before. She's ridiculously honest and writes the music she wants to write, and Good Luck Babe is a great example. When I think back to 2024 in terms of music and art, Chappell will be my first thought. You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling.

Porter Robinson - SMILE! :D - Porter comes out swinging with my personal album of the year. Bright and poppy when it needs to be, somber and mellow when it wants to make you cry so hard you throw up. Favourite tracks on here are Russian Roulette and Everything To Me.

Kendrick Lamar - GNX: This guy's had an amazing year and he didn't even drop an album until last month. And even so, Lamar continues to prove with the early 90s LA production and flow that it is, in fact, only Big Him. Favourite tracks on this album are reincarnated and dodger blue.

And the hyperfixation of the year goes to...

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, for lifting me up during a very difficult exam period!

I read somewhere that Araki said JoJo's overall message was about "what it means to live" and that it acts as "an ode to humanity". Going into JoJo with that message in mind makes it a lot empowering (and a little more tolerable) to watch. All members of this family have this ambitious spark within them, and it gives them the energy to continue moving forward, which I found gave me my own energy. It's stupid, but simple messages like "Determination and passion are built-in to our humanity" really help out.

I don't want to jinx it too hard but considering how I have a lot of things planned for 2025, it's bound to be a more interesting year.

Happy new year and stay safe out there. I'll always share my heat lamp!

#:)#gecko boy #2024 #feeling a strong 7 to a light 8 #there are. too many things to tag so i won't

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deviiancetv · 4 months ago

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The Alligator Bite That Healed

Alligator Bites Never Heal, by the self-proclaimed “Swamp Princess” Doechii, is a MASTERPIECE of a mixtape. It’s true to form for Doechii, as it became a therapeutic release for her to vent and open up about her personal life dealings, drug issues, relationship issues, and critics discussing her rap skills, as well as her label.

This album resonates with the music Doechii made during her Coven Sessions days on YouTube. It has that old-school storytelling element hip-hop used to have before its braggadocios era overswept the genre. Her mixtape adds some neo-soul and jazz hip-hop elements. It’s what hip hop used to sound like before the trap influences and other mainstream topics that diluted its essence.

The reason why I consider Doechii as my new rap supreme, she has the raw essence of what a new rap supreme should have in terms of creative direction, versatility, melodic style, and appeal. She’s not as big as she should be (which is a very layered conversation), but if Doechii keeps it up, she’ll be in that Top 5 conversation VERY soon!!

If you like music by J Cole, Little Simz, Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples, old school Tyler The Creator, JID, Schoolboy Q, or even the later tracks of Doja Cat’s Scarlet album, I think you’ll like this project!!

Some of my favorite tracks:

Denial Is A River

Catfish

Bloom

Death Roll

Nissan Altima

Slide

#poptopics #doechii #swamp princess #tde #top dawg entertainment #female artist #female rappers #alligator bites never heal #hip hop

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mariacallous · 13 days ago

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It was a good year to be bad. And not just bad, positively villainous.

In November, when Kendrick Lamar surprise-released GNX—his sixth album and, it must be said, a perfectly ferocious climax in his year-long feud with Drake—it dawned on me that maybe being a hater was just plain fun (and also a smart business strategy).

I wasn’t alone in my assessment. By the first week of December, Lamar secured eight of the top 10 Billboard Hot 100 songs. “Kendrick really an Arkham Asylum patient that can rap his ass OFF,” @nellychillinn posted on X. However inspired Lamar’s malice was—and, boy oh boy, was it—he was only one of several villains, both real and fictional, who dictated the terms of the year. It was a year of blockbuster, comic book mythos—only, in our version, the bad guys won.

A new cultural mood took hold in 2024, the steady climate of a disordered age. In a year that rocketed Moo Deng, the influencer baby hippo, and Brat summer into the zeitgeist, many of its tentpole moments shared a common thread: they gave villainy the main stage, made it cool to be bad.

In The Penguin, the Max supervillain drama, Colin Farrell plays Oz, a low-level criminal with kingpin dreams. It’s among the year’s best shows, much of it owed to twin performances by Farrell and Cristin Milioti, chilling in their symmetry. What captivated me about the series was its unwillingness to sugarcoat the immorality of man. By season’s end and without spoiling it, Oz makes a fatal choice. Real friendship has no place in his world of blood and vice, he reasons. Yet viewers admire Oz’s aptitude to survive, his unmerciful resolve. We tell ourselves that he is one of us. On Industry, the anxiety-riddled Gen Z banking drama, stock trader Harper Stern lies to advance her career and you secretly hate that you love it. (Myha’la is as ruthless as she is cunning in the role.)

Of course, not all villainy was created equal this year. Arms dealer Macrinus—played with cool guile by Denzel Washington in Gladiator II, regrettably nowhere near as poetically compelling as the original—is drunk on self-greed as he plots to overthrow Rome, and still we wonder, Maybe he’s got a point. The popularity of films like Joker: Folie à Deux, Challengers, Megalopolis, and The Substance also reaffirmed a shared desire to live outside the rules of play.

What was it that drew us to those characters? They were blinded by purpose. Consumed by ego. Some were more morally bankrupt than others. Still, they were human in the most human way there is, driven by conviction and beset by contradiction. They were gloriously flawed. And maybe you—like me—wanted a little bit of what they possessed, what they wielded with such originality: total and complete belief in yourself, no matter the outcome.

Irrational self-belief is one of the reasons villains deeply resonate across culture, says Kevin Wynter, a professor of media studies at Pomona College. “In a repressive society such as ours that champions conformity to better cultivate consumers, characters who actively reject the trappings of capitalist fantasia or who operate by the codes of a self-fashioned morality in opposition to the dominant society will inevitably be appealing in ways we may not all wish to openly admit,” he says.

Today, traditional notions of villainy have been replaced by complex, sometimes paradoxical, standards of what different groups find acceptable or threatening. Wynter believes this has led to a “post-villain world.” Tech moguls (Elon Musk), politicians (New York City Mayor Eric Adams), podcasters (Joe Rogan)—for many people, they are the primary transgressors of our time (and heroes, to others). They are anti-establishment. They want to subvert “the system.”

“There are few, if any, villains who so deftly combine clownery, wealth, and power like Donald Trump,” Wynter adds. “Even his newest parasitic attachment, Elon Musk—who, again, for some is a figure of perfect villainy is for others a swashbuckling futurist cowboy.”

That’s the thing about the future, you never know exactly how it’s going to unravel, or who it’s going to favor. For some, artificial intelligence was the cardinal antagonist of 2024. Across Hollywood and the gaming industry, AI revealed itself as more than an existential threat, as many workers fretted over the loss of jobs.

Others, feeling lost as social media undergoes a sharp transition, have rightly pointed the finger at digital gentrifiers. “I’m mad that everything about the internet that was fun & useful 10 years ago is broken now. this site, obviously,” Tracy Chou, an app developer, posted on X. “Reviews are astroturf lies. search is ai hallucination. no place to share with friends & family without influencer / meme / polarized content overrunning the feed.”

In times as unprecedented as ours, all angst and agitation, a reorientation toward the truly transgressive reads less shocking when you consider it part of a larger societal reframing. Villainy has long permeated the cultural imagination—American lore, after all, was built on the sensibilities of mavericks, vigilantes, and underdogs—but in 2024 it went full-on main character.

Why? It could be that villainy, more than heroism, offers a different texture of purpose, one closer to reality, one that sees our world for what it is right now—profoundly fucked—and responds accordingly.

What I can say for certain is that villainy has no particular allegiance. Eventually it consumes everyone. In December, it was announced that Warner Bros. Discovery had canned Sesame Street, the long-running children’s program. Understandably, the decision did not go over well. On Bluesky, the social media app of the moment, @valhallabackgirl shot back with a fury many people had also experienced this year. “I guess this is my villain origin story,” she wrote.

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loonarii · 6 months ago

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Ari's K-Pop Roundup: June 2024 (LISA, Red Velvet, NAYEON, NewJeans, KATSEYE, CHUU + MORE)

Hope everyone had a nice pride month - I unfortunately was chained to my textbooks for the brunt of it and didn't do anything pride related, but I did see Taylor Swift, so I guess it wasn't all bad. This is the 5th installment of this series - genuinely didn't think I would make it this far - you can check out last month's roundup here, or see my full masterlist here. Enjoy :)

ROCKSTAR - LISA (BLACKPINK)

It's very rare that we see a kpop idol's pure, unadulterated vision for the music they release due to the manufactured, consumerist nature of the industry, but here we have Lisa, arguably the most popular female kpop idol of all time (at least internationally) free from the company that is widely known for formulaic, repetitive music. Will she stick with the brand YG has created for her and reinforce the box Teddy has placed her in sonically, or will she forge her own way?

Right from the teasers, I knew we were in for something a little different. Although conceptually the chrome, futuristic vibe is nothing new in kpop, seeing Lisa without those god forsaken white washing filters was very exciting. And the fact that k-netizens are taking to it very well?? Lisa is here to rock the boat. 'Rockstar' is only a single with no mini album, but hey, it's Lisa, meaning she doesn't need to boost the length of her releases to snatch those extra sales, she do well commercially regardless. Usually a single album would annoy me, but BLACKPINK are back to releasing music, so today I will let it slide.

With a Kendrick Lamar 'Humble' visual reference in the music video, a Tame Impala sample, and a sneaky little writing credit, Lisa clearly wants to reshape her framing in the industry - with 'Rockstar' she's rejecting the somewhat diminishing 'idol rapper' status, and seeking that 'rapper rapper' reputation. She wants to sit at the table with Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion, and 'Rockstar', in my opinion, does a decent job at securing her seat.

You can't reference Kendrick and not put in a double entendre in your lyrics, and Lisa (and her fellow writers) delivered in that category with quite a lot of success actually. In the line 'been MIA, BKK so pretty, Every city I go to is my city' 'MIA' is used to mean either 'missing in action', referencing how absent Blackpink has been from the music industry thanks to YG's interesting management choices, or as a reference to the Miami IATA airport code just as BKK means Bangkok, Thailand - in this context its an allusion to Lisa's multilingualism and her international influence as a member of Blackpink. It's a really good line, is what I'm trying to say.

Most of the issues I have with 'Rockstar' stem from the songs length. With the base track clocking in at 2 minutes 18 seconds (oh my god what have we come to), the song feels like it's just begun when it's all over. Excluding the choruses, hooks, and pre-choruses, and pasting what remains together, we are left with one singular, honestly quite short verse. Yeah it's a pretty good verse, both in flow and lyrical content, but one verse in what is clearly trying to be a rap song is unacceptable.

'Rockstar' is frustrating to me because while it has its genuinely great moments, like when 'lala' is used in reference to singing and to Lisa's real name when bounced onto the next line, a lot of that greatness gets eclipsed by the track's shortcomings (pun somewhat intended). However, although she's done solo work before in YG this is undoubtedly something of a debut, and through that lens, while it is flawed, the track shows potential. 'Rockstar' knows exactly what kind of song it wants to be, and even though it doesn't quite measure up, it's still a step in the right direction. I'm very excited to see what Lisa does next with her career. At the very least, 'Rockstar' was fun, for sure.

Cosmic - Red Velvet (Cosmic)

When I write these reviews, I try to describe the feelings and emotions and energies the song in question evokes, and I have found that when I struggle, the song is good - and I mean exceptionally good. 'Cosmic' is one such track - I fucking love every part of it - it's so addictive to the ninth degree, from that gorgeous music video to the low and slow verses to that utterly euphoric chorus. From Joy's slightly psychotic edge to her lines that she perfected in the 'Peekaboo' era, to Seulgi's vocals in the hook, and Wendy's high note pulling us into that final chorus; everything about 'Cosmic' WORKS. Lines like 'I'm riding on your rhythm through the solar system' and 'love is cosmic' work both in their catchiness and emotiveness. This era is obviously inspired heavily by the 2019's 'Midsommar', a visual feast of a horror film about a disturbing Scandinavian cult, and let me tell you, if 'Cosmic' is a cult, consider me initiated. Not to spoil my end of 2024 ranking or anything, but as for right now, 'Cosmic' is taking the cake for the best kpop song of the year, no questions asked.

Red Velvet b-sides always hit, and the 'Cosmic' mini album delivers as expected. 'Sunflower' furthers that 'i just took an edible and i found my way onto Spotify' energy, and that hook of 'OOH WOW FEELING SO FUN FUN FEELING SO FUNNY' is hilariously good, this is a standout for sure. The other b-side I want to highlight is 'Night Drive', the album closer. With elements of citypop and 80s synthpop, 'Night Drive' feels like exactly that - a 3am drive around a city you hardly know with people you know better than yourself. It's a celebration of music, and that's putting it lightly.

SM might be working up to shunting Red Velvet into their peripheral vision, what with the new 12 member girl group debuting soon, but 'Cosmic' proves their legend status once and for all. We freaking love you RV, never change. (And I would in fact join a cult if Seulgi was my fearless leader xx)

ABCD - NAYEON (NA)

Look, JYP may be my op until the day I die, but I'm not going to sit here and lie - he knows how to write hits when he wants to, and 'ABCD' is a HIT.

2022's 'POP!' was just that - pure, unadulterated pop music, exactly what was trending in Korea at the time - the image of modern kpop. And don't get me wrong, I loved it, but when it came for Nayeon's first comeback, I was worried she was again going to pull from the current trend cycle, and right now that means airy, Pinkpantheress type beats with a UK garage adjacent vibe - and that's not Nayeon. Her voice is full and powerful and rich in colour and flavour, a song like that just wouldn't work for her. I was nervous, for sure, but when the teaser dropped, I knew it was going to be good. In 'ABCD' Nayeon is rejecting the trend cycle almost entirely - it still flaunts that 00s vibe unabashedly, but here we are pulling from a trumpet fueled 'Crazy In Love' Beyoncé energy, and oh boy does it work. The lyricism in this song goes crazy, that chorus is masterfully written and unbelievably catchy, and that post chorus build up is INSANE. Nayeon's range is on full display here, and she sounds incredible.

The rest of the mini album is pretty amazing too. 'Butterflies' has some super interesting vocal layering, and many great moments like 'a little mental picture, every time I'm with ya' - and although it's pretty clear this was supposed to be a TWICE track once upon a time, with Nayeon even appearing to imitate the members' styles of delivery (it's like I can hear Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung on this track clear as day) it's still an easy hit that I can't help but love. 'Heaven' doesn't quite work for me, it's not unlistenable, but the feeling that it has simultaneously too much and not enough energy perserveres, unfortunately. 'Magic', the song that my girl Julie features on is pop perfection, and these girls work so well together - Julie's interjections are so catchy and her parts steal the show entirely. 'Magic' is a bonafide hit. 'HalliGalli' is very AKMU (as to be expected), but I can't help but feel like it's a little immature, both for Nayeon and this album. It has some fun elements, but the complete track just isn't it for me. 'Something' is a fun pop song, if a little dull at moments, but that post chorus is a stunner. 'Count It' brings down the tempo of the album a little, in a groovy track with some beautiful vocal production - it's exactly the punch up the tracklist needed after the weaker couple of tracks that precede it.

Nayeon is my blog namesake, and she has done me proud on this album. Yes, some tracks were on the weaker side, but the overall product is strong, with Nayeon's oustanding performance on every track, and a killer title song in 'ABCD'. In terms of other TWICE members getting solos, I would love to see how Sana approached a song on her own, or even Tzuyu, who despite being the maknae and visual, tends to get lost in the sauce of a lot of TWICE releases. We will have to see, I suppose.

Right Now + Supernatural - NewJeans

God, I sound like a stuck record every time NewJeans drops some new music, but holy hell is it always good. Following their 2nd single album 'How Sweet' earlier this year, the girls are dipping their toes into the Japanese market for the first time with two tracks - 'Supernatural' and 'Right Now'. NewJeans have captured the attention of all of South Korea pretty much, it's now time to look further afield.

'Right Now', drenched in sassy lilting vocal runs, is bedroom pop at it's finest. The up-and-down choral melodies evoke the energy of a 2am gossip debrief at a sleepover with your best friends. The dichotomy of Minji's languid repetition of 'I don't care' with a chorus that speedy and spirited is humorous and perfectly captures what it is to be a teenage girl with a crush. NewJeans know who their audience is, and are making music directly for that.

'Supernatural' came next, embracing that New Jack Swing sound wholeheartedly - its very 'early 00s street dance movie'. It's quite a bit more mature than 'Right Now', the girls decorating those gorgeous synths and groovy instrumentation with a genuine collected confidence. As always, it pushes the boundaries of the y2k trend and thematically pulls from the era itself, not other people's recent interpretations of the era. It's experimental for NewJeans I think, which works for a debut, and while it takes a lot of the right risks, and makes a lot of the right choices, the chorus leaves a little something to be desired. The melody and hooks are perfect, I have no issues with them, but the vocal direction needs tweaking. A song like this demands a chant style chorus with all the members in my opinion, and while the vocal layering of the individual members singing attempts that anthemic feel, it comes off as slightly limp-fisted. I'm kind of dramatizing this issue because to be frank, it is rare I find something in a NewJeans track that I can pinpoint as a problem. The song is still of a supremely high caliber, and to be honest, any thinness in the chorus vocals just inspires the listener to fill in the gaps themselves with an impromptu karaoke session.

Lyrically, both 'Right Now' and 'Supernatural' break the kpop-takes-on-the-Japanese-market formula by including not only a blend of Japanese and English lyrics, but some Korean lines too. I find it quite clever, like saying 'this is NewJeans' debut in Japan, but they will always be a korean pop group first and foremost'. While some groups like Girls' Generation and Twice find their discographies split into 2 - kpop and jpop, NewJeans are clearly making an effort to unite both markets under 1 discography.

As a debut, this works. Two tracks united by classic NewJeans production and differentiated by themes and tone. It's really been a rough year for these girls, what with the whole Min Heejin vs HYBE drama and with Hyein's injury leaving her out of promotions for both single albums altogether, but there's a light at the end of this tunnel, and as long as the music stays consistently high quality as it has been, I will have no complaints.

(sidenote: the fact that I wasn't at Bunnies Camp in the Tokyo Dome is a little sick and twisted.)

Debut - KATSEYE

I mean, maybe expectations were unrealistically high since KATSEYE is HYBE's first real stab at the western market, but come on, we all deserved better than this. A half-hearted pop song that fails to innovate in every sense of the word, and they have the audacity to not even make it three minutes. IT'S BARELY EVEN TWO MINUTES. Kpop companies pulling from PinkPantheress constantly is truly a double edged sword, on one hand we get fucking incredible songs like 'LOOP' and 'Super Shy', and then on the other we get every kpop company waking up and deciding that actually it's totally okay to release 2 minute songs and act like it's a completed product. As a British girl, seeing the effects of the recession and the cost of living crisis on the people around me in real time is one thing, but seeing fucking SHRINKFLATION weed its way into pop music as well is like the burning cherry on top of my cesspit sundae.

I genuinely don't know what happened in the production of this song, like they got Ryan Tedder, who has contributed so much great music to this world, and then somehow the end product was so dull and uninspired.

The worst part is these girls are absurdly talented and they are getting served dirt. HYBE - that mini album coming later this year better be good istg. Ok, I'm done ranting.

BUT OH MY GOD TWO MINUTES AND THREE FUCKING SE-

Strawberry Rush - CHUU (Strawberry Rush)

(obligatory note: if you want to stream Chuu's old solo tracks, or any other old loona songs, please stream via the loona podcast or the twelveM account on spotify in accordance with the boycott)

Having the LOONA girls free from that cesspit of a company is one thing, but getting new LOONA music this often is certainly an unprecedented win for me.

Following her re-debut under ATRP in late 2023 with 'Howl', Chuu is back for her first comeback with 'Strawberry Rush'; a mini album drenched in electric pink and cherry red and sunny yellow. Chuu has an innately magnetic quality and Strawberry Rush as a title track takes full advantage of that. It's an utterly adorable song that I genuinely can't imagine anyone not loving. That disco synth thrumming the song's heartbeat is reinforced with a killer baseline, and Chuu's gorgeous vocal colour gives the track even more energy than it already has. The intro and opening are perfect at punching up the mood and setting the scene for the chorus, but it's when Chuu comes in with 'packing that heat, packing that heat, packing that PEW PEW PEW' that the song truly swings into motion and you know that this is going to be a fun one.

The mini album doesn't quite match the energy of it's title track, with it maintaining a more relaxed vibe, but it's enjoyable nonetheless. 'Honeybee' is an acoustic track decorated in summer daisy chains and buttercup bouquets, and it works wonderfully with Chuu's more airy vocals. 'Daydreamer' follows a similar sonic theme to 'Honeybee' but with a more late night nap with the cicadas vibe - Chuu's ability to switch between powerful, call-to-action vocals in 'Strawberry Rush' and featherweight tones in the b-sides is truly commendable. 'Lucid Dream' comes next, a perfect midpoint between 'Strawberry Rush' and 'Daydreamer', heartfelt and addictive. It's a real stand out on the album for sure. 'Chocolate' was released as a single a while back, and I enjoyed it then absolutely, but it makes so much more sense on this album - somehow it just got even more catchy.

Effortlessly adorable, effortlessly catchy, effortlessly perfect - Chuu, you have done it again.

MINI REVIEWS:

Boom Boom Bass - RIIZE: absolutely no notes, im obsessed. I've literally never loved a boy groups music like this before. wow.

Inner Dance - tripleS Glow: tripleS' ability to establish their own sound and musical motifs so early on in their career has served them very well, and 'Inner Dance' shows that clearly. Light and casual and airy, it's the perfect backtrack to your summer break.

Summer Festa - IVE: I usually don't dignify these type of advertisement songs with a review, but this one is actually kind of a bop. A little bit 'Espresso' coded; it's something fun for the summer that inadvertently encourages getting blackout drunk at the hotel bar in Bali. I'm still not drinking Pepsi though. Or Coca Cola for that matter, NewJeans pipe down.

BADVILLAIN - BADVILLAIN: (requested by @a-moth-to-the-light) Although apparently capturing the eyes and ears of seemingly the entire kpop community, this one wasn't hugely to my liking. This might be controversial but my first impression was in fact 'wow this sounds like something babymonster would release' - I can see the appeal but unfortunately these songs just aren't meant for me. I do enjoy the classical influenced production and for the most part the vocal performances were fun too, but with the hook I wish they had bumped up the high note at the end of 'villain' another octave - that's such a nitpick I know but the thought struck me immediately when I heard it. '+82' on the other hand impressed me immensely, such a powerful, call-to-action type song. That background production is a killer, and perhaps I just have Kendrick on the brain from my Lisa review, but the beat feels somewhat along those lines. And holy fuck can these girls dance - wow.

Sabotage - Kwon Eunbi: Can Eunbi release a flop title track? Turns out, once again, no she can't. I love 'Sabotage', it's so hilarious and catchy, and singing along feels like accusing an imaginary boyfriend of gaslighting lol. Woollim giving this song to Eunbi feels a little ironic, considering since she left IZ*ONE, it seems all they've done to her career is sabotage her with poor promotions. The song is fun, and Eunbi sounds excellent as always, with 'Sabotage' boasting many a vocal riff, especially following the bridge. Give this one a listen, and whilst you're there, go check out the rest of my girl's discography, she's truly a hidden gem.

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cinelestial · 2 months ago

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Kendrick Lamar has just surprise released his new album titled GNX

#kendrick lamar #hip hop #rap #music #tumblr #tumblr music #gnx #gnx Kendrick Lamar #Kendrick Lamar gnx #not like us #not like us Kendrick Lamar

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thedarksideofcassiopeia · 2 months ago

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Tyler, the Creator and Kendrick Lamar releasing new albums! Thank you!

#tyler the creator #kendrick lamar #music #listening to them for the next several months

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deadthehype · 8 months ago

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Now that this part of the Drake & Kendrick Lamar beef is over, I wonder what the next move will be from both sides?

Drake mentioned that Kendrick had plans on dropping a new album and suggested this was a rollout leading to that. And I've seen other people suggested Drake is in the studio working on an album too after taking the L.

So the play might be clear as day. The moment Kendrick announce his new album, Drake is going to announce his too and try to step on it like Dot did releasing Meet The Grahams less than an hour after Drake dropped Family Matters. They'll have another battle on who outsells who and which album impacted more. Hip Hop benefits and wins again with another historical moment.

#I hate that I just did the fan fiction shit that I despised when people did it with this battle #but I'm just simply connecting the dots #and I think it will happen

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thekulturesquakes · 8 months ago

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Hip-hop culture in 2024 has been marked by a surge in diss tracks and emerging artist rivalries. These unexpected conflicts, often ignited by scathing lyrical attacks, have captivated audiences and dominated music news cycles.

Megan Thee Stallion vs. Nicki Minaj: A Rap Feud between rappers Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj reportedly had more than a disagreement after Megan Thee Stallion released a song that not only dissed Nicki Minaj but also her husband Kenneth Petty. Megan was afraid to take swings at including her exes and rapper Drake. Nicki Minaj responded on a live stream, and later released a diss track called "Big Foot." Fans were divided on who came out on top in the feud, with many crowning Megan the winner.

Eminem vs. Benzino: A Rekindled Feud This March, Eminem allowed his longstanding feud with Benzino to reignite before blowing out the flame and ending the beef. Benzino, who has publicly dissed Eminem for years, took things a step further by expressing his dislike for the rapper on social media and dissing him. Eminem responded with a diss track, "Doomsday pt2," which garnered significant attention despite having the fewest views compared to his other diss tracks. Notably, Eminem reached number 10 on YouTube's trending list for a few days. Even before the diss track's release, many fans considered Eminem the winner of this round.

Chris Brown Vs Quavo: The beef between Chris Brown and Quavo stems from a love triangle. In 2017, rumors swirled that Quavo was dating Chris Brown's ex, Karrueche Tran after their on-again, off-again relationship ended in 2015. This sparked a feud that continued until 2024 when both artists exchanged diss tracks.

Drake Vs multiple artists: Drake found himself embroiled in a multi-faceted feud with several artists, many of whom were once friends or collaborators in the past. The tension stemmed from allegations of Drake's "sneak dissing" on other rappers. This sparked a wave of criticism, with artists like Metro Boomin, Future, Megan Thee Stallion, ASAP Rocky, Rick Ross, The Weeknd, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar all taking aim at Drake on various platforms. Drake responded with diss tracks of his own, including a leaked track titled "Pushups" and another one targeting Kendrick Lamar that featured AI-generated vocals of Snoop Dogg and Tupac.

The long-running feud between Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and J. Cole has been a hot topic in hip-hop this year!

It all started when J. Cole and Drake released "First Person Shooter" claiming they were the best of the big three, seemingly aggravated, prompting him to take shots at both Drake and J. Cole on Future and Metro Boomin's "We Don't Trust you" album and song "Like that" despite having less than a minute on the song Kendrick stole the spotlight by having the most bars on the song.

J. Cole responded with a diss track called "7 Minute Drill" on his album "Might Delete Later," criticizing Kendrick for supposedly falling off. However, J. Cole later apologized and removed the song from streaming platforms.

Drake, on the other hand, doubled down with two diss tracks, "Pushups and Taylor Made," aimed at both Kendrick and other artists who criticized him.

Kendrick responded with his own diss track, "Euphoria," which racked up millions of views within 24 hours. He showcased his lyrical skills by turning every line into a bar, even using the song title as a hidden message.

He then released "6:16 in LA," mocking Drake's performance style and song titles. Fans speculated about hidden meanings behind the title itself once again, suspecting it to be at least 9 different easter eggs within only the song title itself.

The feud escalated further with Drake's "Family Matters," where he addressed allegations Kendrick made about him and made counter-accusations.

Kendrick countered with "Meet the Grahams" pushing even more controversial allegations about Drake's personal life and sending a message to each of his family members. Kendrick didn't stop there, however, he further pushed his agendas(allegations) by following up with "Not like us" which dominated YouTube for three weeks trending at number 1 and ranking up 59 million views.

Kendrick has once again come back to create earthquakes in the hip-hop world just like he has done in the past with his verse on "Control".

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