MTV News • 6th September 2021

Don't Let The 'Montero' Controversy Distract From Lil Nas X's Superior Musicality

Dropping the first official single from his album Montero, Lil Nas X courts controversy regarding his sexuality. But was the provocative video too much of a distraction from the actual hit potential of the song?

Medium • 24th June 2020

The [Complicated] 50 Year History of Urban Contemporary

An article series exploring the evolution and devolution of a term that's caused much trouble in the mainstream world of music rather than its original Black origins intended.

Okayplayer • 23rd August 2019

From Whitney Houston To Normani: The History of Black Artists Cultivating Pop Music

Through innovation and influence, Black artists have consistently reshaped popular music. From Diana Ross and The Supremes to Whitney Houston to Normani, here is a thorough examination of how Black artists shifted pop throughout the last century.

REVOLT TV • 17th September 2018

Stan culture and its influential effect on today's hip-hop scene

Chances are you witnessed the red heel chuck seen and heard around the world. But after conversing online and drawing an opinion, were you Team #BardiGang or Team #Barbz? Better yet, did the incident push you further into streaming Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy more, or keep that same energy with Nicki Minaj’s Queen?

REVOLT TV • 9th August 2018

Master Class: Tracing the distinct phases of hip-pop

Hip-Pop: The commercial genre that always shakes the table of hip-hop artistry and politics

REVOLT TV • 26th June 2018

How Diddy and Bad Boy infiltrated and conquered pop culture in the 2000s

With a stronghold on hitmaking, sleek branding, reality TV and evolving, Diddy solidified his crossover appeal, catering to a wide audience, and kept his label thriving in a new millennium.

REVOLT TV • 22nd June 2018

7 arguments for why each Beyoncé album could be her best

If you're familiar with her music, nine times out of ten you've engaged in the debate of "what's Beyoncé's best album?"

REVOLT TV • 20th June 2018

A comprehensive breakdown of the musicality in Tinashe's discography

Whenever someone finds out I'm an OG Tinashe fan, I'm always hit with the inquiry of "what went wrong," alongside a simultaneous rush of championing a cult legend-to-be in music. I can't necessairly answer that question, but what I can do is discuss the artistry in her musicality, hoping this guide will finally get the public into an artist I've been stanning since before the aftermath of "2 On."

Okayplayer • 26th March 2019

From DeFord Bailey to Ray Charles to Solange: The Long Lineage of Black Artists Making Country Music Pop

As a genre stemming from an alchemy of blues and folk, country music has a storied history in Black art spaces. Despite this presence often being erased, cast away, or discredited, from the 1920s to 2019, Black artists have been the one’s pioneering and preserving country music, and that impact can be seen through its traverse influence over art from across genres and generations.

uDiscoverMusic • 19th March 2019

How Ariana Grande Redefined Pop Music With ‘Sweetener’ And ‘thank u, next’

From a string of surprise releases to her openly revealing public persona, Ariana Grande has redefined what it means to be a pop star (and "It Woman") today.

uDiscoverMusic • 25th February 2019

How Modern R&B Revitalised Pop Music | uDiscover

Steeped in tradition while pushing music into new frontiers, modern R&B has infiltrated the mainstream and become the go-to sound for pop music. Here are the various umbrellas R&B has placed itself in, and the stars that are pioneering and leading these movements.

uDiscoverMusic • 16th February 2019

XO And Beyond: How The Weeknd Forged His Own R&B Empire

From shaping contemporary R&B to overlooking his own XO label and fashion line, The Weeknd has become one of the biggest artists of the decade. An explanation on his sonic sound from the first mix-tape, House of Balloons up to his most recent work on LPs and EPs.

MTV News • 8th February 2019

A Guide to Pacific-Trap&B, Pop's Latest Genre From Ariana Grande, Kehlani, And More

Here are eight songs to explain the fusion happening between trap&B and various East Asian pop genres.

REVOLT TV • 12th September 2018

Ranking Rihanna's 15 most underappreciated music gems

But what about the singles, features, and deep cuts from Rihanna’s catalogue that haven’t received the roses they deserve? The songs that have either been snubbed from the public conscious, are panned by some Navy members themselves, or don’t enter the conversation as much as others. Here’s a ranking of 15 Rihanna songs from the recording entrepreneur that require a bit more attention from music listeners.

REVOLT TV • 24th May 2018

Master Class: The history, literary archetypes & motifs laced throughout the genre of trap&B

trap&B: The genre about love and hustling.

REVOLT TV • 2nd November 2018

Charting Black Excellence | Revisiting Toni Braxton's "countless bops" because Beyoncé said so

Usually when Beyoncé does a digital drop on any social platform, it’s like no other and you feel obligated to listen. On Halloween 2017, Bey took the internet by storm by recreating a few iconic and cult-favorite looks from Lil’ Kim. This past Halloween Eve, Instagram timelines were blessed by the singer dressing as one of her other idols: Toni Braxton. According to the artist who most hail as “Queen Bey,” Braxton is “one of our talented legends (who serves) countless bops.”

REVOLT TV • 30th October 2018

On Post Malone being a "rapper," and why genres still matter to music

Music industry source HITS Daily Double interviewed Post Malone, to which he revealed he doesn't feel like a rapper and said genres no longer exist. In this ongoing debate, the importance of genres should not be erased, or borrowed when deemed necessary. This analyzes why Post Malone's words are harmful, and the broader history behind this artists disavowing hip hop and rap.

REVOLT TV • 19th October 2018

Charting Black Excellence | Rihanna & the Super Bowl's declining power

For a while, Rihanna as the headliner of one of the world’s most annually viewed television performances seemed like a no brainer, especially considering the magnitude of her career in the past 13-14 years. Rihanna would have had one of the most unpredictable set lists based on the infinite number of global-spanning hits in her discography. However, her rumored decision to refuse performing at the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show is one of her greatest power moves to date.

REVOLT TV • 12th October 2018

Charting Black Excellence | Why Migos’ AMAs win in a pop category makes sense

As awards season continues, the music industry is simultaneously recalculating what is considered “pop music.” It's a debate that’s persisted in recent years, extending beyond decades, since the conception of charts and radio programming. Migos’ victory on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at the American Music Awards highlighted just how far these conversations are going in award shows' nomination committees.

REVOLT TV • 11th October 2018

Beyoncé and JAY-Z's 'On The Run II Tour' stop in Vancouver was full of lessons

What was originally intended to be a trip to Vancouver to see The Carters on tour, turned out to be an eleven day West Coast trip to see Garbage in Seattle, Nick Cannon's Wild N Out Tour in Portland, and the landmarks of Los Angeles. These are the lessons learned about the foundations of music, and a black man's proximity to foreign spaces.

Okayplayer • 26th April 2020

15th Anniversary of ‘Touch:’ How Amerie Made a Modern Day Go-Go Classic with "1 Thing"

Released 15 years ago, Touch marked the pinnacle of Amerie Roger’s creative partnership with producer Rich Harrison. I spoke with the singer about how the two crafted their go-go-influenced classic.

uDiscover Music • 27th January 2020

Anti: When Rihanna Rejected The Pop Paradigm | uDiscover

After ruling the charts for over a decade, Rihanna was ready to leave the pop assembly line and get personal on her eighth album, ‘Anti’.

uDiscover Music • 23rd November 2019

Rated R: Rihanna’s Fearless Journey To The Darkside | uDiscover

Rather than turning away from her trauma, Rihanna remerged with her most revelatory and defiant work to date with her ‘Rated R’ album.

uDiscover Music • 21st November 2019

‘Talk That Talk’: When Rihanna Got Her Freak On | uDiscover

With her ‘Talk That Talk’ album, Rihanna continued her reign over pop music, throwing genre and romantic conventions to the wind.

uDiscover Music • 19th November 2019

‘Unapologetic’: How Rihanna Bore Her Soul And Addressed Her Contradictions

Addressing her public controversies and her party girl reputation on ‘Unapologetic’, Rihanna created a thrilling conclusion to a stunning four-album run.

uDiscover Music • 16th November 2019

Loud: How Rihanna Became Pop’s Favourite Party Girl | uDiscover

After unburdening herself of trauma on ‘Rated R’, ‘Loud’ saw Rihanna return to the pop fold, delivering the party album the world was waiting for.

uDiscover Music • 25th August 2019

‘My Everything’: How Ariana Grande Proved She Was Ready To Take It All

On the genre-merging ‘My Everything’ album, Ariana Grande moved away from the fizzy pop of her debut and started coming into her own.

uDiscover Music • 31st May 2019

Good Girl Gone Bad: Charting Rihanna’s Daring Transformation

With ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’, Rihanna liberated herself from a predictable pop career and transformed into the fierce icon we know today.

uDiscover Music • 20th May 2019

How Ariana Grande Shed Her Pop Persona To Become A Dangerous Woman

‘Dangerous Woman’ found Ariana Grande moving into edgier territory and forging a new musical identity though genre exploration.

uDiscover Music • 10th April 2019

A Girl Like Me: How Rihanna Set Her Sound In Motion | uDiscover

Rihanna’s sophomore record, ‘A Girl Like Me’, saw her evolve beyond the dancehall and introduced the world to an emerging pop force to be reckoned with.

REVOLT TV • 30th November 2018

Charting Black Excellence | Mariah Carey's 'Caution' is an authentic reminder of her artistry

As a response to some irresponsible and revisionist statements from Perez Hilton, this is a reminder that 'Caution' has an energy that will redirect music once again, and showcase why Mariah Carey is an important figure in Pop and R&B.

REVOLT TV • 20th November 2018

How 53 Rihanna songs shaped four definitive 'RIHvember' eras

A look back at how each song on Rihanna's four November album releases of 'Rated R', 'LOUD', 'Talk That Talk', and 'Unapologetic' shifted her public image from a culture figure to a living icon.

REVOLT TV • 29th August 2018

Revisiting how Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' era set the pop industry standard

On the King of Pop's 60th birthday, we recall how the LP balanced pop choruses, lyrical structuring, and R&B-fueled instrumentation, while embodying past sonics and setting a tone for the future of pop music.

REVOLT TV • 25th July 2018

A reminder that Demi Lovato's 'Tell Me You Love Me' is a gem amongst R&B albums that heal

In light of her overdose in Summer 2018, a look back at how her 2017 album Tell Me You Love Me incorporates R&B to display the healing mechanisms of Demi Lovato during heartbreak.

billboard • 13th June 2017

Katy Perry's 'Witness' Fails as 'Purposeful Pop,' But Succeeds as Future Pop

Katy Perry released 'Witness" which most regarded a flop, but if we paid attention to her era's promo and mishaps, she was on to something different.

billboard • 17th April 2017

Nelly Furtado's 'The Ride' May Be the Most Slept-On Release of 2017: Critic's Take

Over the weekend at a karaoke bar in the southside of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a couple got up to sing Nelly Furtado and Timbaland's "Promiscuous." After they finished their sentimental moment, I turned to a friend and asked, "Did you know she just released an album at the end of last month?" "Wait... What? No way! What has Nelly Furtado been doing?" It wasn't the first time I received that type of reaction. In fact, it's been universal for the past few weeks since the pop star released her sixth studio album, The Ride.

uDiscover Music • 28th July 2019

Bang Bang: Jessie J, Ariana Grande And Nicki Minaj – All Over You

When Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj joined forces on the powerhouse anthem ‘Bang Bang’, they proved three divas are better than one.

uDiscover Music • 1st July 2019

Best Ariana Grande Songs: 20 Essential Tracks | uDiscover

Armed with one of the most powerful voices in pop, Ariana Grande went from child star to cultural icon in no time. The best Ariana Grande songs reveal why.

REVOLT TV • 18th May 2018

Revisiting Beyoncé's "Crazy In Love" 15 years later

On May 18, 2003, it didn’t take long for music listeners to hear the brassy gogo-funk horns at the start of “Crazy In Love” to know that Beyoncé had her first solo hit on her hands. What was even more impressive about the Rich Harrison-produced track—at a runtime of 3 minutes and 56 seconds—is how it established Queen Bey as the dominating entity we know her as today, making for a larger impression as a debut statement.