Author Archives: tr165136

Quick Listen: Big Sean and Jhene Aiko – Twenty88

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L.A. singer Jhene Aiko and Detroit Rapper release "Twenty88," their latest collaboration project.|Courtesy: Vibe Magazine

L.A. singer Jhene Aiko and Detroit Rapper release “Twenty88,” their latest collaboration project. |Courtesy: Vibe magazine

No longer are music fans held by a string as artists slowly promote new music. Within the last couple of years, the music industry has transitioned from an extended promotional to an instantaneous body of work that can constantly be grown with just the click of a button.

Just a few days before the release of their first EP together, Jhene Aiko and Big Sean would release clips of a music video for a single of their EP, “Memories Faded.” As the two promoted the April 1 release on Instagram through mysterious videos and album covers, their past collaborations represent a template that would be duplicated in their work as Twenty88.

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Another Take: Kendrick Lamar is Untitled, But Still A Master

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In the wake of Kanye West’s artistic psychodrama comes a left-field Kendrick Lamar surprise album drop this Friday. Thank goodness.

The eight tracks off of untitled unmastered were mostly recorded during the To Pimp a Butterfly sessions in late 2014, and provide a fascinating insight into Lamar’s creative process. Interestingly, the title of each song is dated according to when it was recorded. The title of the album is clever in itself, nodding at Lamar’s concerns of freedom as well as the nature of his new music– not as lavish as TPAB, but yet the details in each song grasps listeners.

Lamar shows his most playful side on untitled unmastered in comparison to all of his previous works — which is probably where the “unmastered” portion of the release comes into play. Adding these songs on TPAB would not have necessarily improved it, as none of the eight tracks are blockbusters. The hooks lack power yet somehow everything flows effortlessly, and Lamar’s talent for lyricism prevails in every track.

The release comes on the heels of a Twitter exchange between James, Lamar and Anthony Tiffith, the CEO of Top Dawg Entertainment — Lebron asked Lamar and Tiffith to release new music by Lamar that never made it on TPAB. And the new content signals a plain and simple truth when it comes to social media and the superstar who frequent it:

What LeBron James wants, LeBron James gets.

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Get Ready For: Drake – Views From the 6

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Drake drops hints on Instragram as to when Views From The 6 will be released.

Drake drops hints on Instragram as to when Views From The 6 will be released.

With winter wrapping up, successful rapper Drake’s new hit single “Summer Sixteen” has fans anxiously awaiting the arrival of warm summer days — and of course, his highly anticipated new album Views From the 6.

It has been two and a half years since the 29-year-old Toronto native released his last album, Nothing Was the Same, yet the break between releases has not stopped Drake from becoming one of hip-hop’s most powerful and influential artists.

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