As expanding artist-driven creative control renders much of modern music genre-less and musicians find the need to distinguish themselves artistically, you may have noticed a trend in the culture of insanely talented solo acts. These dynamos are seldom tethering themselves to a boxed-in sound but rather placing their personality in the absolute center of their work, broadcasting their inner workings through the media of lyrics, … Continue reading The New-Age Singer-Songwriter: A Creative Jack-of-All-Trades

In August of 2020 Levi’s Vintage Clothing imprint announced their Fall/Winter 2020 capsule would be based on the aesthetics of indie bands from 1980s Louisville. The advertising rhetoric declares Louisville was an important site for proto-grunge, a musical movement which helped pave the way for the grunge revolution which would occur in Washington during the 90s. The advertising hinges on Levi’s products being the chosen … Continue reading Levi’s 501s and 80s’ Post-Rock: Pedophilia in Mass Media

The Beatles were subjected to a level of fame that had seldom, if ever, been seen in the world of mass culture before them. Not only did they sell out stadiums and arenas and perform for thousands upon thousands of screaming fans (some conscious, some blacked out with excitement and fervor), but their private life in public spaces was essentially non-existent. This hyper-popularity, as well … Continue reading Pressure, Dirt, and The Decaying Diamond: How What The Beatles Became Ended What The Beatles Began As

This is part four of a four-part series on Erykah Badu’s massive role in communicating and normalizing Black feminism in contemporary discourses. Check out parts one, two and three. Badu’s most recent project, But You Caint Use My Phone, is a fascinating case study and provides plenty to discuss from black feminist and afrofuturist perspectives. The cover art is comparable to The New Amerykah, Pt. … Continue reading Erykah Badu’s Legendary Impact Part 4: But You Caint Use My Phone Keeps Badu Boundary-less

This is part three of a four-part series on Erykah Badu’s massive role in communicating and normalizing Black feminism and Afro-futurism in contemporary discourses. Check out parts one, two, and four. At this point in her career, Erykah Badu had cemented herself as one of the all-time greats in music. Not only had she released three timeless albums, her work collaborating with members of the … Continue reading Erykah Badu’s Legendary Impact, Part 3: The “New Amerykah” Series Promotes Afro-Futurist Thought

This is part two of a four-part series on Erykah Badu’s massive role in communicating and normalizing Black feminism and Afro-futurism in contemporary discourses. Check out parts one, three, and four. Erykah Badu set a strong foundation in 1997 with Baduizm and “Tyrone.” Each track introduced listeners to her afro-centric ideology and penchant for empathetic and intellectual lyricism, a rare mix in pop culture. She … Continue reading Erykah Badu’s Legendary Impact, Part 2: “Mama’s Gun” & “Worldwide Underground” Cement Legacy

Pre-2020 criticisms of Griselda were founded in monotonous flows, stale production, and overly-hypebeast attitude. But with seven stellar albums this year from Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, Armani Caesar, and Benny the Butcher, not to mention a wonderful project from fellow Buffalo resident Billie Essco, Griselda has proven that Buffalo is here to stay. Stamping Griselda on the map for many casual listeners in 2020 … Continue reading Griselda’s Dominant 2020: A Meta-Analysis