Watch Kendrick Lamar take his rightful throne in his new King Kunta music video. The 27-year old rapper takes it back to his ‘hood in the X-directed clip which was filmed throughout his hometown last month. He performs on top of the Compton swap and you see the whole city come out to show Kendrick love.
King Kunta is the latest single to be taken from Lamar’s chart-topping album To Pimp a Butterfly which debuted at Nº1 in both the UK and the US. It was streamed a record-breaking 9.6m times on Spotify in the first full day of its release. The album remains at Nº1 for the second week running on the Billboard album charts.
Lamar premiered the video last night (April 1st) on huge Jumbotron screens in New York City’s Times Square and Los Angeles’s LA Live entertainment complex.
#ThrowbackThursday – Today we go back to 1969 with the world’s sexiest song. The song reaches a literal climax and mostly for this reason was banned from radio stations in Spain, Sweden, Brazil, the UK, Italy, Poland, Portugal, banned before 11 pm in France and banned from most stations in the US.
Je T’aime, Moi Non Plus was denounced by the Vatican and the L’Osservatore Romano – one report even claimed the Vatican excommunicated the record executive who released it in Italy. Jane Birkin says Gainsbourg called the Pope “our greatest PR man”. The track went to Nº1 all over Europe, staying on the UK charts for 31 weeks.
The title was inspired by a Salvador Dalí comment: “Picasso is Spanish, me too. Picasso is a genius, me too. Picasso is a communist, me neither”. Gainsbourg claimed it was an “anti-fuck” song about the desperation and impossibility of physical love.
The lyrics are written as a dialogue between two lovers during sex and are sung, spoken and whispered over a baroque organ and guitar track in C major. Media speculation at the time suggested that they had recorded live sex to which Gainsbourg told Birkin, “Thank goodness it wasn’t, otherwise I hope it would have been a long-playing record.”
Creation 5 users: you will find this song in Playlists >> Throwback Sessions
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So, we’re pretty sure all the intense explosive action scenes were given away in this new trailer for Mad Max: Fury Road, but we don’t really mind, because wow! Director George Miller places the sequel under a new kind of genre “Western On Wheels,” which couldn’t be a more accurate description. It sees Tom Hardy replace Mel Gibson as anti-hero “Mad” Max Rockatansky.
The movie is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14 as part of the Official Selection, Out of Competition. The film opens in cinemas worldwide on May 14 and May 15 in the US.
We certainly aren’t going to miss Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron fighting for survival, conquering the impossible and basically kicking ass as they go about restoring order in this dangerous, apocalyptic, nightmare world.
Azealia Banks follows up her recent Wallace online interactive music video with this even crazier creation for her new single Ice Princess. Directed by We Were Monkeys, the video takes us to an icy underworld where Azealia reigns as a Medusa Ice Queen (or Princess) and leads her CGI army of robot ice warriors into an explosive kaleidoscopic volcano. All whilst riding a giant silver snake. Now if that’s not crazy, I don’t know what is.
As per usual, Banks and her production team have upped the game out there. Artists are going to have to start getting seriously creative if they want to stand out against her wacky visuals.
Her fans are embracing the madness and have taken to her YouTube channel to express their views in the comments section of the new video. One popular opinion states: “I thought it was absolutely dope. Retro vibes. Missy Elliot vibes but I also got some rock / animation too. People are way too focused on what’s “current”.. maybe she didn’t want that, stop being negative toward any artist that shows individual expression. Thats the point. Yal are so lost in the sauce. Good work!”
The rap / hip hop track is taken from her debut album Broke With Expensive Taste which was released late last year.
Megan Nicole’s latest production Escape and accompanying video was presented via the 2015 YouTube Music Awards. Directed by Young Astronauts, it follows her in princess-like dresses as she escapes to the enchanted forests and waterfalls in some beautiful countryside. It get’s very Snow White and Cinderella-ish when the woodland creatures start befriending her – wolves, grizzly bears, birds and bunny rabbits alike.
Megan comments “I got to work with a great team of people and a bunch of amazing and cute critters! Hope you like it :)”
The video has gained almost 3 million views since it’s launch last week and her online fan base are in love with the Disney, magical feel to her new sound and visuals. So are we! The song is the title track from her debut album Escape, which was released last October and is available on iTunes.
Megan posted her very first video to YouTube in 2009 and she now has over 3 million subscribers – check out her channel here.
Fifth Harmony have premiered their latest music video for Worth It in honour of Saturday Night’s Kids’ Choice Awards in which they took home the award for Favourite New Artist. The girls sure know how to rock the stage. Watch them flaunt their sexuality in killer outfits whilst being a BOSS in the workplace.
The song, featuring Kid Ink is from their debut album Reflection, which was released late January 2015 and peaked at N°5 on the US Billboard 200 Chart. The 5 X Factor USA finalists keep bringing the heat, and with more collaborations like this one they’ll be getting N°1 hits in no time.
The 2nd iHeartRadio Music Awards were held yesterday (March 29) at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and were hosted by Jamie Foxx, who not only brought plenty of laughs but also gave a great performance of You Changed Me with Chris Brown. (Scroll to the end of the post to watch the performances). Taylor Swift was the big winner of the night, taking home 3 awards and Justin Timberlake received the Innovator Award.
Rather than boring you with a huge story about the event, we present the ‘Unforgettable Moments’:
Rihanna’s first performance ever of her brand new single Bitch Better Have My Money and she steps out of a helicopter! And she was dressed head to toe in green Versace – stunning!
Jennifer Hudson sexually frisks Iggy Azalea during their performance of hit new song Trouble.
Taylor Swift and the legendary Madonna join each other on stage for an acoustic rendition of the Queen of Pop’s new single Ghosttown.
Taylor get’s down to Snoop Dogg’s solo stage time and sexual-inuendo-filled new rap track Peaches N Cream.
Nick Jonas is brought out in massive chains by two intimidating female officer body-builders… to perform his song Chains.
Oh! And the whole stage is basically on fire while Jason Aldean slays his country song Burnin’ It Down.
Last but not least, the Left Shark from Katy Perry’s Superbowl performance makes an appearance and has a dance challenge. It doesn’t get better than that…
Now for the awards:
The soon-to-be Dad Justin Timberlake, breaks down in tears during his acceptance of his Innovator Award. Aww!
He then emotionally pretends to accept Taylor Swift’s award for Best Lyrics, and nobody can stop laughing!
Of course, Taylor won Artist of the Year AND song of the year for Shake It Off. The Best Lyrics Award was for Blank Space.
The Best Collaboration award unsurprisingly went to Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj for their highly energetic party track Bang Bang.
Sam Smith won Best New Artist. Woo!
Jason Aldean snagged the Country Song of the Year for Burnin’ It Down which he performed that evening.
The Hip Hop/R&B genre Song of the Year went to Jeremih featuring YG for Don’t Tell ‘Em.
Calvin Harris received the Dance Song of the Year award for his summer anthem track Summer.
The sombre and powerful Take Me To Church by Hozier took the prize for the Aternative Rock Song of the Year.
Best Fan Army went to 5SOSFAM – 5 Seconds of Summer
and the Renegade Award was won by Brantley Gilbert.
Will Young’s got a new single out, and soon to have a new album out too. Love Revolution was premiered on Chris Evans’ BBC 2 radio show at the weekend, and though the sound is happy clappy, the lyrics are deep and introspective. The soul searching track samples Tomcraft’s 2003 dance anthem Loneliness. It’s great to be hearing it again!
Young’s anticipated forthcoming album 85% Proof is due out May 25 and will make it his 6th studio collection. All of his previous albums have been certified platinum or higher, and he is considered one of the most successful male artists from a reality competition in the UK.
Chart Facts: Will Young has scored 13 UK Top 40 singles with Anything Is Possible/Evergreen, Light My Fire, The Long And Winding Road/Suspicious Minds (with Gareth Gates), and Leave Right Now hitting Nº1.
Good Old War is an indie band from Philadelphia, PA and is made up of Keith Goodwin and Dan Schwartz. The band’s name comes from the last names of the three founding members; Goodwin for “Good,” Arnold (former member Tim) for “Old,” and Schwartz for “War.”
The duo have earned the loyalty of an ever-expanding fan base thanks to their captivating live shows touring along side a diverse group of artists including Alison Krauss, Guster, Brandi Carlisle and Dr. Dog. They will release their 4th studio album and first on Nettwerk Records, Broken Into Better Shape. Produced by Jason Lehning (Mat Kearney, Dolly Parton), and featuring lead single Tell Me What You Want From Me, it follows critically acclaimed Come Back As Rain, which debuted at Nº1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers, and led to national TV performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! & Conan.
Good Old War have chosen some silky smooth sounds for this Sunday:
Keith’s choices:
1-Patricia – Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban
“This sweet Cuban groove and amazing verbed out guitar makes you feel like you are on vacation.”
2-The Velvet Underground & Nico – Sunday Morning
“Doesn’t get much more chill than this.”
3-Beastie Boys – I Don’t Know
“People think of the Beastie Boys and think Brass Monkey, but they also produce these mellow psychedelic jams to fall in love with.”
Dan’s choices:
1- Graham Nash – Simple Man (1971)
“I’ve always been a big Crosby Stills and Nash fan. It wasn’t until later that I discovered their solo work. They even put out a bunch of albums in various combinations of the members. My favourite is Graham Nash’s first solo album, Songs For Beginners. The combination of his heartfelt lyrics, beautifully understated piano, and that unmistakable voice just slays me.”
2-Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass – LadyFingers
“The first time I heard this song, we were driving in Palm Springs and it just made the whole world seem to slow down. I love to put it on whenever I’m in a crowded place. It has this quality that makes me think of warm weather and sets my mind at ease.”
3-Punch Brothers – Julep
“Punch Brothers are my favorite band. Everything they do they do masterfully. Phosphorescent Blues, their newest album is so good that I get chills every time I listen to it. This song is an example of how well they marry lyrics to melody and use their virtuosity to set the vibe without letting it be a distraction.”
Creation 5 users: you will find this playlist in the app under Playlists >> Sunday Sessions
Jennifer Lopez gave a mesmerising performance of Feel The Light on American Idol last week. Wearing the biggest ball gown we’ve ever seen, over 6 meters in diameter, we were transfixed as the dress changed colours, showed us scenes from the movie and moved in time with the song.
Jennifer’s costume designer, Mariel Haenn, told Hollywood Life: “A lot of things made this dress special, particularly it’s an idea that we’ve had for a very long time that we were just waiting for the right time to execute it. The white dress on it’s own was an idea that Jennifer had for a performance, but then when we were working on the creatives for the Home music video, we talked about using the dress as a canvas to project stuff onto it, and incorporate the movie into her dress, which is something I’ve never seen before. It felt really special.”
“[Projection] is something that Jennifer has always wanted to do, and when she was working on this song and we were working on the creatives for the video, she thought that this was the perfect place for it all to happen,” she added.
