SONGS FROM THE HOLE: A STORY THAT STAYS WITH YOU
Songs from the Hole tells the story of JJ’88, who began writing music while serving a life sentence at 15. But what stays with you isn’t simply where the songs were written. It’s what creativity can become when freedom, time and possibility take on entirely different meanings.
BLOOD, BLUES & BETRAYAL: RYAN COOGLER’S SINNERS IS A SOUTHERN TAIL WITH TEETH
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners gives us vampires, blues, blood and the supernatural, but its real bite comes from what sits underneath. It’s a story about culture, community and what happens when something sacred attracts those who want a piece of it.
ANDYE’S “6:25” IS A SMOOTH LISTEN THAT LEAVES US WANTING MORE
There’s a lot to like about Andye’s “6:25,” especially a visual that captures Toronto without trying too hard to prove it. The song itself is smooth and introspective, an easy listen.
PARTYOF2’s “POSER” IS THE SOFT DRAG WE DIDN’T KNOW WE NEEDED
There’s something especially satisfying about a diss that doesn’t need to raise its voice. PARTYOF2’s “Poser” is smooth, playful and just shady enough to make you wonder who, exactly, they had in mind.
DREAMVILLE WAS A GOODBYE AND A LOVE LETTER ALL AT ONCE
The final Dreamville Festival felt less like an ending and more like a reminder of what J. Cole and his team had built. Great music brought everyone there, but the people, the energy and the sense of community are what made it hard to say goodbye.
KENDRICK & SZA’S “LUTHER” VIDEO FEELS LIKE A VISUAL LOVE LETTER
Karena Evans gives Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “luther” room to breathe. No big spectacle, just beautiful spaces, contrasting energy and enough tension between the two to make all that restraint feel surprisingly intimate.
CIARA’S “ECSTASY” VIDEO IS EXACTLY THE CICI WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR
“Ecstasy” feels like Ciara giving us exactly what we came for. Great choreography, grown woman R&B and enough confidence to make a chair routine one of the most talked-about moments in the video.
JAHKOY’S KARMIC DEBT PROVES R&B IS IN GOOD HANDS
R&B doesn’t need to choose between being a vibe and actually having something to say. Jahkoy’s Karmic Debt gives us both, with the kind of honesty and vulnerability we’d like to hear a lot more of.
MY HAIR IS ART – PLEASE DON’T JUDGE: A CELEBRATION OF BLACK HAIR & IDENTITY
Black hair has always carried history, identity and meaning. MY HAIR IS ART – PLEASE DON’T JUDGE puts that on full display, celebrating Black men’s hair through the artists, hands and voices that know the story best.
NIKE + SKIMS: A SMART PIVOT OR JUST ANOTHER HYPE DROP?
Nike knows performance. SKIMS knows how women want to look and feel in their clothes. NikeSKIMS brings those strengths together in a partnership that makes plenty of sense on paper, but the real test will be whether it can become more than a very hyped drop.
ANDYE’S HYPOTHETICAL: A DREAMY, LATE-NIGHT CONFESSION
There’s something about a good late-night R&B song that makes you a little more honest with yourself. Andye’s “Hypothetical” lives in that space, somewhere between what happened, what didn’t and what still could.
