How many articles have you read this year that began with a reminder of what we already know about the state of the world? Sure, it may be done cleverly or getting at a larger purpose, but even me, someone who has included the COVID-19 pandemic in his writing, is tired. So I’ll say it another way without being so direct: I fucking miss live music so much. The overpriced drinks. The eardrum-pulsating audio. Making random friends who offer sandwiches (How I Met Your Mother gang knows what I mean). …

Powerhouse vocals. Fly aesthetic. Personable. Hard-working and determined. And she’ll let a voice note fly at any time covering songs that not everyone can tackle. See below for her take on Beyoncé’s ”Rocket.”

Shantel May has all the makings of a soon-to-be R&B superstar. I almost feel obligated to tell the world about her because she’s that great. Good music is to be shared and being a fan of her work has felt precious ever since I was first introduced to her.

Seeing your favorite artists live is an incredible experience. You hold every memory near and dear. In…

“Since Take Care, I’ve been caretaking.” Just nine years ago, Drake released his sophomore album Take Care into the world and took his polarizing status a step further. It was an effort that felt much closer to home, especially after a lukewarm reception to debut studio album Thank Me Later. TML was star-studded much like all of Drake’s projects, but the range of producers lead to it feeling more all over the place than sonically diverse in a positive way. Alongside Noah “40” Shebib, T-Minus, and Boi-1da, The Boy crystallized his identity as the light-skinned lothario both men and women…

COVID-19 shut a lot down, but the music continued on. Obviously, we weren’t able to enjoy live shows, festivals, meet and greets, or other activities where humans can be within six feet of one another. However, we were at home tuned into Verzuz battles and still waiting up for midnight to tap into the new albums. Many artists delivered, despite the uncertain times and consumers adjusting how they receive the music. Environment matters.

That is why a major conversation every year centers around deciding on the song of the summer. You know, the song that stops time in the middle…

It is a funny coincidence that the words “patience” and “pace” have a relationship both in rhyme (sort of) and on a conceptual basis. One’s ability to pace themselves is a direct result of his or her grasp on patience. If someone wants what they want when they want it, they may go for it all without sitting back, assessing the situation, and approaching things better. There are also outside factors that play into how people operate and may inhibit them from taking full inventory of their energy and ability to produce.

For artists, the added complication is the fact…

Some voices immediately win us over. I was introduced to HENNESSY back in March, thanks to my guy Kojo Dadzie. His ear is one I respect, so when he spoke highly of her single “1–800-SLIDE,” I couldn’t help but tune in. The Providence, Rhode Island artist has a voice as rich as the cognac of the same name. Hennessy, the drink, never sneaks up on you; the impact is straightforward, much like the content she delivers. New single “Double Back,” featuring Dee Gomes, follows that line of transparency and tackles matters of the heart.

I can’t help but think…

“Do you know what makes this world go ‘round?/Around/Think it through/What it means to you/And everything you do/Don’t affect just you.” Evergreen. Brent Faiyaz immediately grabbed our ears by the lobes with this fluid falsetto opening to “Skyline” — the captivating start to his second studio album, Fuck The World.

It is the chilling icebreaker to an open roundtable discussion that many may not be ready for — and not the discussion they are thinking of. Think about it. What makes the world go round? Money and love are the easy answer, but they do not exist without us…

These days there is an unfortunate trend of critiquing music more than trying to find the good in it. To clarify, there is nothing wrong with being a particular consumer — you like what you like, you don’t like what you don’t like. You connect with something, or it falls short. That is the way the cookie crumbles. In the case of Drake, though, a large portion of people only care to express their qualms with him. The compliments are lightly sprinkled like sugar on bitter, lemony jabs. …