Criminally Underrated: Benny Sings Proves Himself Again With “City Pop”
Despite a consistent career and continued performance, the world has still not woken up for Benny Sings. Since 2005, Benny Sings has put out six studio albums, one live album, and a beat tape. His work is consistently impressive, especially his Tiny Desk Concert from Jan. 2016. Benny Sings, known as Tim van Berkestijn, is a 42-year-old Dutch alternative artist that has been pumping out incredible music … Continue reading Criminally Underrated: Benny Sings Proves Himself Again With “City Pop”
“Freeze Tag” Brings Together Tenets of Black Protest Music
“Freeze Tag,” Dinner Party’s lead single from their 2020 album Dinner Party, is a song steeped in signature elements of Black protest music. Featuring vocal performances from Phoelix on the original song, and Cordae on the song’s remix, the track is a melodic, melancholy song that speaks on police violence with clarity. Released amidst a year that saw a greater focus on Black protest music … Continue reading “Freeze Tag” Brings Together Tenets of Black Protest Music
Louis Armstrong’s “Go Down, Moses” is a Protest Song
Louis Armstrong’s 1956 recording and release of the song, “Go Down, Moses” builds upon hundreds of years of Black protest. Standing up to the racist and often limiting strategies of white elites, whether in government or music, releasing this song was a seminal moment in the Black protest music canon. Negro spirituals are religious songs sung by Black folks, combining the spiritual and religious themes … Continue reading Louis Armstrong’s “Go Down, Moses” is a Protest Song
Soup’s Up
Originally this was going to be an article (Essay? Piece? Rant? Rant.) about how aggressive religious overtones complicate soup kitchen experiences for non-catholic homeless people in the US. I was going to compare the Sikh temple to the American Catholic soup kitchen (an institution which often shoves as much dogma down patrons’ throats as soup) and talk about how religiously motivated charity doesn’t have to … Continue reading Soup’s Up
Hummingbird YouTube: Top 20 Songs of 2020, Pt. 4
Check in at Hummingbird Headquarters for Part 4 of our Top 20 Tracks series if you want to see which tracks we ranked the highest in 2020! Make sure to follow up and check out our other installments, linked below! Continue reading Hummingbird YouTube: Top 20 Songs of 2020, Pt. 4
Hummingbird YouTube: Top 20 Songs of 2020, Pt. 3
Check in at Hummingbird Headquarters for Part 3 of our Top 20 Tracks series if you want to see which tracks we ranked the highest in 2020! Make sure to follow up and check out our other installments, linked below! Hint: you’ll receive a special shoutout if you comment the time when Michael solves a Rubik’s Cube. Continue reading Hummingbird YouTube: Top 20 Songs of 2020, Pt. 3
Echo Chamber of the Mind
Let’s admit it, falling in love (or wanting to fall in love) is no simple task, especially when you’re not in a place where you are ready to receive it. Serena Isioma’s I Don’t Wanna Go (feat. MAVI) explores this limbo between desire and fear and exemplifies the inner battle one faces when deciding to (or not to) open oneself up to love. I Don’t … Continue reading Echo Chamber of the Mind
Megan Thee Stallion Takes Big, Explicit Step on “Good News” [Review]
With her debut, Megan has given us the album we were all waiting for… and the album we were expecting. On her full-length debut album, Megan Thee Stallion doesn’t shy away from the same sort of highly explicit material that characterized her feature in this summer’s talk of the town: Cardi B’s ”WAP.” Not a single of the seventeen tracks on Good News has escaped … Continue reading Megan Thee Stallion Takes Big, Explicit Step on “Good News” [Review]
“Salt on My Tongue,” an Invigorating Introduction to Hyde [Exclusive Interview]
Hyde and Gonzo are here to expel all bad energy this cold season with an energetic, soaring track, the first off Hyde’s upcoming project. The pair link up smoothly for a romantic yet somber single, “Salt on My Tongue,” a release that’ll have you waiting to hear more from the pair. And while Gonzo’s signature heartbreak lyrics are in full effect on the song, Hyde’s … Continue reading “Salt on My Tongue,” an Invigorating Introduction to Hyde [Exclusive Interview]
How “Alright” Became an Anthem for BLM Protests
Black protest music is one of the oldest genres we can conceive of. Building on African rhythms that have been impacted and empowered by life in Africa as well as the trauma of slavery, colonialism, and all of their consequences, Black protest music has been an avenue for Black folks to represent themselves and push back against the oppressive forces that have tried to eradicate … Continue reading How “Alright” Became an Anthem for BLM Protests
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