A Brief History of Artists Who Have Benefited From Bundled Album Sales
A brief breakdown of the controversial yet common practice of bundling — and the artists whose sales either soared or remained stagnant as a result.
This 2002 The Proud Family Episode Got Refreshingly Honest About Classism in Black Families | TV Guide
One of the staple episodes of Disney's animated series about the misadventures of Penny Proud highlights how a younger generation unites fractured family ties despite economical differences.
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.
The modern intersectionality of Afrofuturistic music and queer artistry is something to celebrate
June is not only Black Music Month, it’s also Pride Month. And although the music industry still has a ways to go with acknowledging LGBTQ issues in a non-sensational manner, one sector that has been doing the proactive work for a while is the music of Afrofuturism. Set as proper examples by the likes of Frank Ocean and Janelle Monae, Afrofuturistic-themed projects have established a safe space for queer artists to express their journeys in the mainstream while simultaneously pushing progressive ideologies.
MTV Movie & TV Awards Are 'Like a Millennial Golden Globes,' Exec Producer Says
A few days before the 26th annual MTV Movie & TV Awards, I spoke with the telcast's executive producer Casey Patterson -- who will be acting in the role for a second straight year. Things were changing. She wanted to execute a diverse and fresher alternative to The Golden Globes.
Serena Williams is not just the greatest tennis player ever, but athlete. Period.
The moment I realized Serena Williams was not only in contention to being the greatest tennis player of all time, but most likely the best athlete—man or woman—in sports history, was January 27, 2007.
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.
LGBTQ Nightlife: How DJs Straddle the Line Between Taste-Making and Crowd-Pleasing
As the summer was beginning, I interviewed various DJs with global tastes about what music was going up at the clubs during Pride Month, and how that music reflected on the charts.
The School of TLC: Matching 10 of the Group's Classics With '10s Songs Modeled After Them
The music of TLC taught three valuable lessons: How to navigate the changing waves of R&B with melodic pop hooks and swagged-out, hip-hop funk; the importance of sel- love, especially for women unafraid of expressing their rights, political concerns, or true desires; and most importantly, the definition of a “scrub."
One of the most successful girl groups in the '90s into the early '00s, the trio consisting of Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas laid out....
One of the most successful girl groups in the '90s into the early '00s, the trio consisting of Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas laid out....
Rihanna's Game-Changing Bob: Hairstylist Ursula Stephen Remembers the Haircut Ten Years Later
When the music video for Rihanna’s hit number one single “Umbrella” first aired in March 2007 (followed by an appearance from the leading lady on the red carpet of the 20th annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards), it unveiled a side of the singer fans weren’t familiar with. Rocking a jet-black bob haircut, Ri -- who at the time was known for her catchy yet relatively benign track "Pon De Replay" -- solidified her entrance into edgier territory with Umbrella's parent album Good Girl Gone Bad. Her hairstylist Ursala Stephens remembers it like it was yesterday.
10 Years After 'Good Girl Gone Bad,' Rihanna Has Surpassed Her Goal of Becoming the 'Black Madonna'
"I want to be the black Madonna."
Ten years ago, Robyn Rihanna Fenty made that bold declaration to PAPER. In doing so, the Bad Gal had already set the wheels in motion for accomplishing that aspiration -- in spirit of the Material Girl, she got the critics talking.
There’s been a running list of pop acts prior to (and after) Rihanna’s revelation who’ve expressed a desire to match Madge. But Rihanna’s claim in particular held more conviction, as it was already on its way to becoming a reality.
Ten years ago, Robyn Rihanna Fenty made that bold declaration to PAPER. In doing so, the Bad Gal had already set the wheels in motion for accomplishing that aspiration -- in spirit of the Material Girl, she got the critics talking.
There’s been a running list of pop acts prior to (and after) Rihanna’s revelation who’ve expressed a desire to match Madge. But Rihanna’s claim in particular held more conviction, as it was already on its way to becoming a reality.
A Ranking Of Beyonce's 'B' Day Video Anthology Album'
Celebrating the tenth anniversary of the superstar's first music video anthology -- before her self-titled surprise one-- a ranking of all the music videos determining which is the ultimate best from B'Day.
Journey Through Sierra Leone & South London in Sampha's Emotional Short Film 'Process'
Sampha pairs a short film with his poignant debut Process. Premiering on Friday (March 31) exclusively on Apple Music, Process serves as a striking, avant-garde portrait of the British musician and his roots in Morden, South London, and Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The 37-minute film -- presented by Apple and Young Turks -- combines documentary-style footage with stunning cinematic visuals of the African people in Freetown as well as the busy streets of the U.K. The British musician also makes cameo...
The 37-minute film -- presented by Apple and Young Turks -- combines documentary-style footage with stunning cinematic visuals of the African people in Freetown as well as the busy streets of the U.K. The British musician also makes cameo...
'America's Next Top Model' Winner India Gants Talks Judge Rita Ora & Dream to Produce Music
VH1 decided to reboot of the long-standing reality competition America's Next Top Model. In an unusual social media and music driven cycle that wasn't hosted by Tyra Banks (a first in the series' history), India Gants emerged the victor. She stopped by the Billboard office and spoke about her love for music as a Seattle native.
The Birth of the Meme Candidate
During the 2016 Presidential elections, memes started becoming more popular-- particularly on the Facebook page Bernie Sanders' Dank Meme Stash-- revealing how tentative voters felt about the Democratic candidates Sanders and Hillary Clinton. On the sidelines, as he waited for his opponent, future President-Elect Donald Trump also received his own fair share of memes.
Bitmojis: The avatars of conversation
Bitmoji not only serves as a new form of nonverbal communication, but also as a game of images, identities, and human emotions. There are also times when the avatar can be used as a scapegoat or a passive aggressive tool. This is the importance of the Bitmoji phenomenom and my personal processing behind its obsession.
We tried to interview President Hamilton but he said no to our 'low culture' questions
President Hamilton’s Public Affairs correspondent told me he was an intelligent man and would regard my questions as “low culture”. When I heard it, I laughed. Not only is it discrediting Pop Culture, it also devalued my profession and place of study...
Binge Watching 3GTV
For his new project 3GTV, awarded a 2015 Rhizome micro-commission, Alex Taylor culls 3GP videos from YouTube, re-presenting them in a CGI interface that simulates the experience of a 3D smartphone.
