War & Peace: The Cultural Meaning of Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake
The Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake feud is serious, but it is the claim to and manipulation of culture that may have the greatest consequences for all of us.
pop rap
Nicki Minaj Reigns on ‘Pink Friday 2’
Pink Friday 2 is the sound of Nicki Minaj cracking her knuckles and getting her hands dirty again. It’s the purest distillation of her uniquely feminine bravado.
Does Gay Fandom Help Pop Divas?
Looking at Rina Sawayama, Azealia Banks, Charli XCX, and Kim Petras’ rise and fall in the charts one wonders – does gay fandom help pop divas’ careers?
That Kid’s ‘Crush’ Is a Glittering Crossroads for E-Boy Music
That Kid's Crush stands out for its immediacy as a collection of light-hearted party music, but the project struggles with facelessness.
Brooke Candy’s ‘Sexorcism’ Is a Filthy Afterparty That Doesn’t Really Make Sense Before 3:00 AM
Brooke Candy's Sexorcism suggests a genuine, Freudian fixation on extreme pleasure and how it can be downright terrifying -- the shame and fear, the abjection and filth, the unpredictable transfers of power.
Cardi B Delivers Strong Album Debut on ‘Invasion of Privacy’
On Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B combines the uncompromising confidence of "Bodak Yellow" with just enough pop appeal to create a no-filler collection that will undoubtedly have a lasting impact.
Betty Boo: Grrr! It’s Betty Boo
A charming mix of pop kitsch, lite rap and Julie London mannerisms, Betty Boo's lost gem, 1992's Grrr! It's Betty Boo, gets a re-release from Cherry Red Records.