Stream of Reading (Prepare to be Forwarded) – An Archive of What I'm Reading
Decoding the historical context behind the emcee’s economic nationalism on his new album 4:44 Until 4:44, Jay-Z’s albums could be understood as an indictment of the immorality of capitalism by a man luxuriating in its fruits. Jay-Z argued that there was something revolutionary in this, in a black man born in the projects proving himself a better…
Earlier this month, China’s social network giant Tencent held a series of music events called “Husband Exhibition” at Chinese universities. The idea was to showcase new pop stars who appear on the company’s online streaming site; the term “husband” is how China’s female fans refer to male pop stars who are so charming they fantasize…
Sometimes when Michelle Branch goes out for coffee, the barista recognizes the name on her credit card. Assuming that said server was alive and watching MTV or VH1 in the early aughts, they’ll almost certainly ask Branch what she’s been up to since the release of her platinum-selling 2003 sophomore record, Hotel Paper, which is…
James Blunt was aptly named because he’s a straight-talking man who writes soulfully about weird drug experiences. I learned this from listening to James Blunt’s songs every time Verizon puts me on hold, but apparently not everyone has been so lucky! “Everyone goes, ‘Ah he’s so romantic. I want ‘You’re Beautiful’ as my wedding song,’”…
Behold, proof straight from Disney that Luke Evans’ Gaston and Josh Gad’s LeFou will be everything you’d hoped they’d be in the live action Beauty and the Beast movie out next month. The studio released the first look at the song “Gaston”, and it’s the best: Advertisement – Continue Reading Below But what’s most incredible…
On Saturday night, Frank Ocean went on Tumblr to address comments made by The Grammys’ creative team— producer Ken Ehrlich and writer David Wild—in an interview on Rolling Stone Music Now, the magazine’s podcast. Ehrlich and Wild responded to Ocean declining to submit his 2016 music (Blonde and Endless) for Grammy nomination, and specifically, his…
A Tribe Called Quest and Busta Rhymes perform during the 59th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 12. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS) Much of the Grammys skirted around the current politically fraught climate, despite the entertainment world having no shortage of liberal performers. Host James Corden made a tepid joke at the…
So, President Donald Trump is supposedly upset that a woman played his White House press secretary on “Saturday Night Live” last weekend. Politico is reporting that seeing Sean Spicer depicted by a thunderous Melissa McCarthy bothered the president so much, particularly because he “doesn’t like his people to look weak.” Spicer himself said that he thought…
Last January Kanye West called Taylor Swift to ask whether she’d mind if he wrote a song in which he referenced having sex with her. After hearing the lyrics, she told him that they “didn’t matter” to her. But she had an idea. “If people ask me about it,” she said, her voice picking up…
Country superstar Toby Keith, the biggest name in this week’s line-up for pre-inaugural festivities, describes himself as an unapologetic performer, playing concerts for both Republicans and Democrats and performing for the military. Keith came under fire when he agreed to headline the “Make American Great Again! Welcome Celebration” at the Lincoln Memorial Thursday, joined by…