Music Mondays: A Parody of Kidz Bop That Actually Hits Pretty Hard, Who Would Have Thought?

Kidz Bop is a long-running franchise that takes popular songs and gets permission/pays money to do unique covers. Kidz Bop versions of songs feature children singing the tunes and on occasions where it is called for, changing lyrics. This can be vaguely hilarious as some songs have to be heavily altered to be more G-rated lest the kiddos listening be exposed to sex, drugs, violence, or other, "Adult," subjects. I don't know about you, but witnessing, "Hot to Go!" on the mega-television at Chuck E. Cheese when I take Clarkson there cracks me up--"Dancing here with me," instead of, "Doing it with me," indeed. That said, what happens if a song were so clearly not meant for children that to make it Kidz Bop-workable, you had to just change the whole song? That results in a Kidz Bop parody that slaps more than it has any right to.

JonFlëtch took, "Not Like Us," by Kendrick Lamar and made his own Kidz Bop-esque ditty, "We Ride the Bus." It alters the entirety of Lamar's song to make a young ears-friendly jam that is both intentionally funny and still quite catchy. Instead of pointing out Drake's questionable romantic interests with, "A-Minor!" the lyrics now discuss getting a good grade in school, "A-Minus!" and otherwise sound like what would happen if Kidz Bop actually tried to do ,"Not Like Us," for the youth--the deadpan near-authenticity of how it could work makes it even funnier. Much respect to JonFlëtch, he probably made the Godfather of parody songs, Weird Al Yankovic, proud!

Music Monday: Sad Songs to Make You Happy

Sometimes a sad song weirdly just makes you feel happy. Something about the soulful and sorrowful tune has a paradoxical result of the listener feeling better. I thought I would highlight some songs that always make me happy (even if the songs themselves are the opposite) and might do the same for you.

Anthony Hamilton is one of those music artists who has been around for decades, putting out lots of great songs. "Coming From Where I'm From," is a longtime favorite of mine, with, "Charlene," being another older tune that still is a treat to hear that you can bop your head to, despite how sad both pieces are.

John Waite's 1984 hit, "Missing You," is clever as the song breaks down all the ways he misses a love, but then insists that he isn't missing them at all. It gives the whole song a bit of a vibe of a clever little twisted and depressed joke.

I made a post back in 2021 about greatly enjoying the piece, "Like I Want You," by Giveon. The man's voice is amazing, and this song shows how wild his vocals are; he sounds like the reverb has been turned all the way up, but it is just him! Despite the longing and sorrow in the song, it always makes me smile just hearing his amazing voice.

Joshua Malilay's song, "Warm Body (Demo)," is incredibly minimalistic with just a guitar and him singing about a relationship that fell apart. It just works and makes me feel chill, however.

I randomly stumbled upon the song "Drugs You Should Try It," by Jordan Bratton, some time ago. It is, wildly enough, a cover of a trippy Travis Scott song, but I adore his version. This lush and orchestral take gives everything a deep and introspective feeling.

Kacey Musgraves makes amazing songs, and one quite sad one is, "Justified." It was my song of the year in 2021, and I still adore it. She's just such great singer and lyricist.

To touch upon another cover, Tony Bennett's version of, "Fly Me to the Moon," takes a song that can actually come across as quite peppy, but by slowing the song down and giving his voice a sense of forlorn longing this happy little ditty suddenly becomes a bit sad, and my favorite version of this piece.

Mary J. Blige has a massive discography, but one of my favorite songs by her is the downtrodden, "Rainy Dayz," featuring Ja Rule. It's about how much those literal and metaphorical rainy days just suck. Sometimes you just have to get through a storm to enjoy better times!

Let's end on a big one. Should you read my blog regularly, you'll know I am a huge fan of Kendrick Lamar. One of my favorite songs by him is also incredibly depressing when you listen to the lyrical content--"Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe." It's all about fighting your inner doubts, negative self-talk, and how hard that can be. The kernel of hope in the song makes it extra special, however.

Music Monday: "Nokia," Shows Drake Can Still Make Good Music When He's Not Busy Losing Feuds

Kendrick Lamar and Drake had a big rap feud. Unless you live under a rock that is under another rock you probably heard about it. Kendrick beat Drake, handily, to the point Drake literally sued due to disliking being called pedophilic in some of Kendrick's verses on, "Not Like Us." I have commented on multiple occasions about Drake's problematic behavior toward minor girls so my opinion on that is known. Still, when Drake isn't making questionable choices about who he texts or losing a rap beef so badly he tries suing...he does still make music that bumps suitably well. This is shown by a recent release, "Nokia," done in partnership with PARTYNEXTDOOR.

The song, "Give Me a Hug," has gotten a lot of attention with its wild jumping between beats, melodies, and samples, but for my money, "Nokia," is a much more focused and tighter song. It does switch up its sound and tempo a bit halfway through but is a lot less over-the-top than, "Give Me Hug," and so darn catchy. Give it a listen:

It makes you want to dance around a bit, doesn't it? If Drake focused on making good hits like this he wouldn't even need to acknowledge how badly Kendrick spanked him in their rap battles, he could just live with the fact he lost and go on to make some hot tunes. Instead, everyone keeps dunking on him for being a sore loser even though he's got some heat with this track, among others--just let it go, Drake! If you'd focus on making fun tracks and not a finished feud we'd all be happier that way.

Music Mondays: "BMF," by SZA Has a Fun Callback to an Old Tune

I am a fan of SZA. You hear about her a lot in Saint Louis as she is a native of the city and it makes me happy we've got some great artists to emerge from here...and Sexyy Red is from here too so I guess you can't win them all. Anyway, I quite like a new song SZA has on her album, "Lana," which is a reissue of, "SOS," with some fresh ditties. The song is, "BMF," but was also known as, "Boy from South Detroit," at one point. I quite like how it incorporates, "The Girl from Ipanema," in its lyricism and sound. "The Girl from Ipanema," is a lovely bossa nova song that has had multiple covers and samplings, and it is always a treat to, "See," it involved in another tune. It isn't my favorite new song on, "Lana," as that would be, "30 for 30," with Kendrick Lamar, but it is a close second! Give it a listen here if you would like--I know I've been playing it a lot.

Super Bowl 59 is Today--Kendrick Lamar Will Be Performing at Halftime!

Today is the 59th Super Bowl. It shall feature the Kansas City Chiefs attempting to win three Super Bowl trophies in a row as they go against the Philidelphia Eagles. As I live in Missouri I am a bit partial to the idea of Kansas City winning as it will make many residents of this state quite happy. I am somewhat indifferent to which team actually wins the trophy, but I am going to be sure to tune in because I am--as we all know--a big fan of Kendrick Lamar. Lamar is headlining the halftime show and I am eager to see what happens. 

I wonder if there will be surprise guests besides those we already know about? Will Lamar rap, "Not Like Us," despite the current legal issues the song faces due to Drake suing over it? To those questions and more I can only think about how we shall see! I am eager to enjoy some grub, watch the game, view some (hopefully) funny advertisements, and witness what Kenny has cooked up for us in terms of mid-game entertainment. I wish everyone else an enjoyable and safe Super Bowl 59 too!

Television Tuesday: People Claim They're Gonna Boycott the Super Bowl Due to Kansas City. They Aren't Going to Do That, Though

If you are a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs then you probably had a good Sunday. They're heading to the Super Bowl for the third time in a row having won their last two previous appearances at the big ol' game. They'll be going up against the Philadelphia Eagles and I personally don't care about who is playing as I don't follow football. Still, I am excited Kendrick Lamar is headlining the half-time show. That said, people invested in the sport (who don't like the KC Chiefs) have made it clear over the months that they feel the sport is somehow, "Rigged," in their favor. 

The fact the Chiefs have won many games and there have at times been questionable calls by referees has resulted in social media being all loud and angry. The idea that other teams would go along with some kind of, "Rigging," is silly as is the idea there is some massive secret conspiracy within the NFL to ensure the Chiefs win three Super Bowls in a row. I mean, if it were a 100% sure thing then all the people taking advantage of legalized gambling better put all their money they have on KC to win this February--disclaimer--don't do that, you need to have enough money for bills. Still, the internet loves a good conspiracy theory and complaining so the idea everything is rigged for the Chiefs is appealing to most folks outside of Missouri. I guess come February 9th of this year we'll see what happens (unless you, in fact, boycott the game). Regardless of who wins, the halftime show will at least be a presumably great time.

Musical Surprise of the Year: Kendrick Lamar Releasing, "GNX," With Little Warning--2024 in Review

Kendrick Lamar had already had an insanely successful 2024. He'd beaten Drake in a rap feud to such an insane degree eventually Drake started suing people for how bad an L he took. Then, it was announced Lamar would be the halftime act for the 2025 Super Bowl, a massive accomplishment. Kenny could have rested on his laurels for the rest of the year, but instead on Friday the 22nd of November, he released a surprise LP titled, "GNX," named after the car. It wasn't his best LP ever, but it was a damn good one and a solid Kendrick Lamar album is better than 99% of other music anyways. This was quite a nice surprise and gave everyone some jams to listen to during Thanksgiving!

Music Mondays: Kendrick Lamar Dropped a Surprise Album Last Week--It's Fantastic

We waited years after, "Damn," for, "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers." There was a whole build-up and everything for, "Morale," and it was a great album but not an especially commercial/radio-friendly work. Then, on Friday, Kendrick dropped with little warning an entire album. 12 songs, 44-ish minutes. The LP is titled, "GNX." It is good and I do mean really good. It isn't as soul-searching or dedicated to digging into generational trauma as, "Morale," was, but it goes hard and has some definite fire tracks.

Kendrick basically obliterated Drake with some hit singles during their feud, so he avoids beating a dead horse on, "GNX," but still has plenty of statements to make about other rappers, society, and the way the World is. On the banger of an opening track, "Wacced Out Murals," he discusses how Lil' Wayne having an angry reaction to Kendrick headlining the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show upset him (and he makes his displeasure with multiple other folks for various reasons apparent too). The Luther Vandross sampling, "Luther," is superb with SZA's contributions to the track being a treat. I also dug, "TV Off," and, "Heart Pt. 6," has some vulnerability and emotion in case you thought Mr. Lamar only spat harsh bars now since his notable squabbles--"Squabble Up," being another fun track, speaking of the term.

I wasn't expecting to spend my weekend engrossed in a whole new album by Kendrick Lamar, but when a lovely surprise such as this happens you've got to take advantage of the opportunity to listen to a genius at work. "GNX," is superb even if it is not quite as amazing as, "DAMN," which I consider Lamar's best work. This ties for second place with, "To Pimp a Butterfly," perhaps. That said, something being considered the second-best thing Kendrick Lamar has put out in his lifetime of work means it is better than 99% of anything else that will be released this year, so yeah, "GNX," is a treat!

5 out of 5 stars.

Kendrick Lamar to Headline the Super Bowl 59 Halftime Show

It is well-known I've been a fan of Kendrick Lamar for some time. When he had beef with Drake recently I knew it would end badly for Drake, and it sure did ruin Drake's 2024. Now, Kendrick Lamar is set to return to the Super Bowl stage (he was a part of the 56th game's show), this time as the headliner. I am both surprised and pleased. Lamar has never been afraid to broach difficult topics in his music and while he has had immense commercial success at times with his work, he isn't exactly a bubblegum pop artist who just makes tunes for dancing. I'm quite excited to see what Lamar has planned on February 9th, 2025 and look forward to what will doubtlessly be a wild event.

Music Mondays: Too Sweet, Feuds, and Ranking SNL Acts

 Back Again!

Hey, three times! This truly is a recurring segment and I should revisit some of my other segments that haven't popped up for a bit as this one is doing pretty well!

Music Info and Opinions

Hozier's song, "Take Me to Church," was alright but kind of grated on my nerves after awhile because of how dramatic and over-the-top it could get. That said, his new hit single, "Too Sweet," is really catchy and I like hearing it anytime the ditty pops on the radio.

Billie Eilish dropped her newest LP, "Hit Me Hard and Soft," to a lot of positive reviews. I used to not like her music then came around on it a good deal. I'll give the newest album a listen.

Vince Staples just announced a new album titled, "Dark Times," is on the way. Staples is a talented guy so I'm excited!

Kendrick Lamar and Drake had quite the feud, but I think we can all agree after songs like, "Euphoria," "Meet the Garhams," and, "Not Like Us," that Kendrick won. It seems apparent Drake is ready to move on from this (understandably after the licks he ended up taking) and Lamar has some top streaming hits from the whole fiasco.

I previously mentioned enjoying some K-Pop tunes, and another that's been in heavy rotation on my playlist is, "Magnetic," by the group, "Illit." It's extremely fast-paced, poppy, and catchy.

Lastly, "Saturday Night Live," just finished its 49th season. NPR has rated all the music acts from worst to best. I mostly agree with the list but would have ranked Bad Bunny a bit higher and not had Boygenuis as the best (they were solid, but not amazing).

Note to Self: Don't Ever Make Kendrick Lamar Angry/"Euphoria" Song Review

I previously wrote about how it seemed a lot of rappers were feuding, with the biggest, "Attraction," being Kendrick Lamar and Drake's beef. One big metaphorical volley of ammunition happened on April 19th. That date marked Drake releasing the diss track aimed at Lamrar, "Push-Ups." Then we all waited and waited...and waited for Lamar to respond. Usually, these lyrical fights move at a quick pace. Lamar did nothing, however. The clock was ticking for him to respond--would he let Drake have the last word? Well, as of today, April 30th, it is clear he would not.

Clocking in at just over six minutes, the track, "Euphoria," is Kendrick Lamar focusing all his rage onto Drake in a manner that with Lamar's skill results in something I don't think Drake can ever effectively counter. Lamar's response was worth the wait and feels less like faux-feud posturing than Lamar earnestly being pissed and outright declaring a hatred for Drake that is all-encompassing. With his rapid-fire delivery (over multiple beat-change ups, no less) Lamar gives us a scathing critique of Drake that paints him as a manipulative scam artist who needs to go back to acting and spend some time raising his son whom he denied for a period of time even existed. Give it a listen:

When Jay-Z and Nas had their big feud it ended with them coming together to collaborate. After, "Euphoria," I don't think Lamar and Drake will ever want to be in the same room together, let alone give us another team-up like, "Poetic Justice." Aside from seeming to accidentally confuse Haley Joel Osmet and Joel Osteen on his track, it is pure fire. I have made a note to myself to never make Kendrick Lamar angry, lest he unleash his vitriol on me in a musical manner I can never recover from.

5 out of 5 stars.

Music Mondays: K-Pop, Carpenter, and Batz--Plus More!

The Segment Returns!

I said in March that this would be my newest randomly occurring segment and now that we're here with the second edition I've made good on my claim! Let's get into it.

Music & Musings

I've been listening to a chunk of what is known as K-Pop lately. It is a bit of a blanket term for pop music from South Korea. I quite like the song, "Cat & Dog," by Tomorrow X Together, "Easy," by Le Sserafim, and a variety of other tunes by popular artists (Stray Kids has some good hits). As I got into K-Pop I learned about how one aspect can be extremely controversial. Debates persist over K-Pop artists re-recording their songs exclusively in English. A lot of K-Pop incorporates English and Japanese, but fans have strong thoughts on when the artists only sing in English (there are versions of songs exclusively in Japanese to appeal to that market too, but the debate focuses more on the English-exclusive takes). I personally am fine with a musical artist doing whatever they want with their own music, as it is a bit like a remix. This isn't a case where some other random American artist is ripping off a K-Pop song, after all. As I continue to check out more K-Pop I'll share what I like.

Having loved Vince Staples' show, "The Vince Staples' Show," I've been listening to more of his music. Two songs I find on repeat in my playlist are, "THE BEACH," and, "Yo Love." which also features 6lack.

Beyonce's county album, "Cowboy Carter," continues to dominate the music charts. I enjoy a number of Beyonce's songs, but readers of the blog are aware that I don't listen to much country. That said, I love seeing artists who don't hesitate to dabble in a range of genres and I applaud Beyonce for trying something new and succeeding at it!

Sabrina Carpenter is another of those new young pop stars (she's only 24 and started making hits a smidgen ago). I often whine about today's new music but I like some songs I've heard by her. "Nonsense," and, "Feather," are both good fun. So you see, I don't hate all the new youth with their pop jams!

A number of OutKast's albums (and lots of other hits) were produced by Organized Noize. One member of that production outfit, Rico Wade, passed away recently at the age of 52 (the cause of death was not disclosed). A ton of amazing music artists expressed their sympathies to his family and I do the same.

J. Cole was part of a spat with Kendrick Lamar, but after releasing a song critical of Lamar, "7 Minute Drill," he apologized publically a couple days later to mixed reactions. The song has now been taken down from official music streaming sources at the request of Cole. Don't you think that Cole is done engaging in beef, however, with a new track apparently taking a swipe at Drake.

4batz is an artist I don't know much about, but their weird little song, "Act ii: date @ 8," was on the radio randomly and I really dug it. It's incredibly short, trippy, and catchy.

Coachella happened last weekend and was quite the event by all accounts. I feel a little bad for how Grimes's equipment had a technical meltdown, but at least we got to see a reunion of No Doubt (Gwen Stefani's Ska band from back in the day), and Olvia Rodrigo joined them on stage too!

Finally, Taylor Swift is one of the biggest names in music so her fans (who are known as Swifties) are pumped for the debut of her 11th studio album (15th overall), "The Tortured Poets Department." It drops this Friday, April 19th.

Music Mondays: Debut Edition!

My Latest On-Again-Off-Again Segment!

I have a bunch of random segments that I either do often or do extremely sporadically so why not create another one? That’s right, I am happy to present the first-ever edition of my Musical Musings… on a Monday. If you’re in the mood for some scattered opinions and observations about music then buckle up because you’re in for some fun.

Music News and Thoughts

Justin Timberlake dropped his new album, “Everything I Thought it Was.” Reviews have been mixed but I mostly like what I’ve listened to so far on the LP. It is no, “Futuresex/Lovesounds,” but that was Timberlake’s best album ever. At least this ain’t, “Man of the Woods,” which was definitely an album Timberlake put out—no other comment is needed.

Drake can be hit-or-miss but I must say his new popular single, “You broke my heart,” is pretty darn catchy. Between a solid beat, some good bars, and Drake singing a little it’s a good tune. Drake could use some positive news after that unfortunate sex tape leaked of him—although considering the rumors about his affinity for very young women I was glad that at least anyone who was with him in any video was of legal age. That sounds like a joke, but it’s not.

 On the subject of Drake, I do not like seeing that he is having some beef with Kendrick Lamar. It seems Lamar has not been getting along the best with J. Cole or Drake in regards to the debate about who some of the best current rappers are. It is a debate about the, "Top 3," so to speak. I would prefer everyone get along but there obviously is no competition when it comes to who is at the metaphorical peak—Kendrick Lamar is the best (currently active, unless André 3000 decides to start spinning again) rapper alive. That’s sad, I don’t want to see everyone arguing. Then again, Drake seems to often have little feuds that at least don't turn into violent beef.

Kacey Musgraves is someone I’m a huge fan of and she just released her latest work, “Deeper Well.” I haven’t had a chance to listen to it but it’s on my list of stuff to get to tuning into ASAP.

Olivia Rodrigo keeps putting out hit after hit lately. I know sometimes I am crotchety about the new pop music that kids these days love, but she is actually a quite talented young woman. Even if I’m not into all of her songs, many of them have a good message or are enough of an earworm you can’t help but hum along.

Willie Nelson has been making quality music for more decades than I've been alive. He has collaborated with countless artists and it is wild to think there is someone he hasn't worked with yet. Well, for the first time ever, Willie Nelson did a duet with Kermit the Frog as they sang, "Rainbow Connection," That's just heartwarming stuff right there.

T-Pain and Young Ca$h have their own group known as the Bluez Brothaz and the latest jam, “Biggest Booty,” is a hoot. It’s more funny than some hip-hop songs that are pure objectification as they rap about a lady a with rear end that is so absurdly gigantic she may be unable to fit in a Lamborghini and so forth. I wrote recently how we need to put some respect on T-Pain’s name and this is another quality track he’s a part of.

Director Ryan Coogler is involved in making a movie that will heavily feature the music of, "Prince," while not being a biopic. I can't think of a single bad movie Coogler has been a part of so this news is exciting!

Lastly, this article about one of the strangest bands ever, The Butthole Surfers, is worth a read for how it revisits the sheer weirdness of the group and the psychedelic legacy they leave behind.

Jay-Z's 54th Birthday is Today and it Got Me Thinking About Rap Growing Older

Shawn Carter, or as he is also known, Jay-Z, turns 54 years old today. Hip-Hop was considered by many to turn 50 this year. A lot of rappers who once were young and edgy to the degree that parents protested them now are grandfathers who hang out with Martha Stewart (Snoop Dogg), popular mainstream movie or television stars (Ludacris, Ice Cube, Queen Latifah, Ice-T and more), or releasing instrumental albums dedicated to playing the flute and other woodwinds (Andre 3000, who outright has said he doesn't know what a 40-something man might rap about). 

There are plenty of young(er) rappers out there who are immensely talented, without a doubt. We've got Kendrick Lamar amazing listeners still. Drake is hugely popular too. That said, you see a stark generational divide in Hip-Hop between the new young folks rapping about the go-to subjects of partying and sex versus older rappers who either have quit for other passions or seem past their prime (Eminem belongs on a metaphorical rap Mount Rushmore but his newer stuff has been lacking). Dr. Dre is about a billionaire thanks to headphones. Uncle Luke of the 2 Live Crew maybe once was as nasty as he wanted to be, but now he's a high school football coach--and actually quite a good one! Rap isn't just young folks anymore, it has older talent too and arguably is a genre in a bit of a aged-up/midlife crisis.

Rap can be about drinking, smoking weed, having sex, and being a troublemaker. Rap can be about politics, life's struggles, religion, and being true to oneself. For a long time outside of some gimmick rappers, however, I don't think rap ever really thought about dealing with the subject of getting old. The idea was to live fast and die young, and that tragically did happen with a number of Hip-Hop stars. That said, Lil Kim arguably paved the road for today's raunchy lady rappers who proudly will discuss sexual subjects, but she's now almost 50 and while older folks surely have sex, she's dealing with other aspects of life like (unfortunately) trouble with the IRS. 

Rappers are getting older and so are their fans. Can someone in their 30s relate to Sexyy Red as much as the younger folks or do we need the older rappers to touch on subjects relating to us being older? I'm not saying Andre 3000 should finally release a rap album with a track about getting a prostate exam, but just as rap has covered a wide range of subjects, why not touch upon what it is like being middle-aged? Jay-Z once rapped about selling drugs to get by, now he can rap about being a parent. He's grown and parts of rap have grown too. There will always be space for the younger rappers and the subjects the teens/20-somethings want covered. Let's give some space to the older folks too.

It is Odd How They Air Big Super Bowl Ads BEFORE the Super Bowl

Imagine you have a big television show or movie coming out. Then, a few days before it is set to release in theaters/on a streaming platform/etc. you just plop it on YouTube for everyone to see the highlights. I know an advertisement is different than a movie or show, but that's how I feel about Super Bowl ads being put online a number of days before the actual Super Bowl.

A part of me understands. Companies spend a ton of money to get these ads on the air and want to get their full monies' worth. If you spent 7 million just to broadcast your ad and even more on producing it and promoting it ya gotta squeeze that orange for all the juice you can. That said, the ads have always been a big selling point of the Super Bowl--especially for those who could care less about Football (you can't see this, but I'm raising my hand to identify myself). A person can avoid being spoiled, but I have never been especially upset about having something spoiled in a movie or television show, let alone an ad. Still, if there aren't cool new 30-second spots to get excited about because the Today show is already showcasing them or they're everywhere online, what's the point of shelling out all that money or watching the Super Bowl itself? 

There is the halftime show, I guess, but even though last year it was amazing it is a bummer this year we have Rhianna. I'm sorry but when you've got 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg (along with Anderson .Paak on the drums) and then give me Rhianna, that's a downgrade. I've never been a fan of her yodeling in most of her songs and hearing Rhianna was making new music again served to remind me how much I don't like her music.

We've got a bunch of spoiled advertisements, a mediocre halftime performer, and a sport I don't follow much at all. I'm still going to watch it because it's the Super Bowl and there is fun to be had in viewing it. I just find some decisions about showcasing the ads in advance or having Rhianna do the halftime show to be baffling choices.

The Grammy's 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop Tribute Makes Me Tempted to Tune In

I have been critical of the Grammy's to a relentless degree on my blog. After all, the chances are surprisingly good they are corrupt, rigged, and generally repellent. Besides that time OutKast essentially took over the awards it has rarely been that fun to watch, an occasional fantastic performance by Kendrick Lamar or Kacey Musgraves winning a significant award aside. All of that said, I believe I want to watch it this Sunday due to a big tribute to Hip-Hop being planned.

Many agree this year is the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop. There may be some disagreement, but exact date you want to say rap music started aside, a big special segment is going to happen dedicated to Hip-Hop during the Grammys--the line-up is totally stacked too. From older artists to newer ones you've got everyone from Big Boi (of OutKast), to Nelly, Lil Wayne, Missy Elliot, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rakim, Queen Latifah, Eminem, De La Soul, and so many more. LL Cool J is going to introduce the segment and Questlove is the musical director/producer for it. I am legitimately interested in seeing this segment so I may need to watch the show as it is broadcast from the Crypto.com arena (yes, that is the actual arena's name for now until cryptocurrency finishes cratering and it changes names again). 

Even if I don't want to watch the rest of the show, I can always DVR it and view the tribute segment, I suppose. The Grammys will be on tomorrow, February 5th (at various times depending on your time zone, so check your local listings). I can't speak to the quality of the whole show, but this special part will at least be full of great artists!

Album of the Year: Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers--2022 in Review

Mr. Morlae & The Big Steppers

There were a variety of great songs in 2022, but when it comes to a full album that stuck with me I'd have to say that, "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers," was an astounding creation by Kendrick Lamar. A double LP loaded with amazing songs (I only disliked one in my review of the album), it is an incredibly raw, earnest, and fantastic piece of work. Lamar only seems to get better with every piece of music he creates, and 2022 gave us something quite special by him.

Reminder: Some Musicians Are Delightfully Nice and Others Are Bullies, Just Like Everyone Else

I like reading about people being nice whether they are famous or just a, "Regular person." Sometimes fame and wealth seem to be a corrupting influence that amplifies a person's worth personality features, and other times it doesn't impact their being pleasant one bit. More and more stories have emerged lately of Post Malone being just a really nice dude, and that's good to hear. Post Malone has some songs I enjoy and others I hate, but overall his stuff is at least listenable. Plus, any news story I read about him discusses how he's really friendly and fun. One recent story is about him chatting with a fan who was celebrating their 21st birthday and who happened to have autism. Malone seems to always come across as delightful and humble.

Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj is picking fights with plenty of other rappers and proving herself to be a bully. I have written here before about how I've never been a fan of Minaj and if I had the option of listening to her music or Cardi B, Doja Cat, Latto, Saweetie, or any other popular female rap artist I would pick them anytime over her. I just don't like Nicki's songs or how she seems to treat others. Reading that she harassed the woman who accused her husband of sexual assault just is disgusting. At least by all accounts some of my favorite music artists (Big Boi and Andre 3000 of OutKast, Kendrick Lamar) are cool and not jerks.

I Had a Dream About a New Outkast and Kendrick Lamar Collaboration/You Ever Have a Dream so Cool You're Mad When You Wake Up?

I've written before about having a dream concerning something cool that I wish existed but doesn't. In the past, it was a sequel to, "Wednesday Comics," with impossible creative teams. Well, I had another dream that was really cool and I was mad when I woke up because I'd say it's about a 99.9% chance it'll never happen. I dreamt I was watching television and OutKast were on stage with Kendrick Lamar doing a press conference. Andre 3000 was there saying how Kendrick made him believe in rap again and he as well as Big Boi would be doing a collaborative album with Kendrick in addition to their own new OutKast album after all these years. 

Big Boi then got on the mic and said he was always willing to do more music as OutKast but wanted to let Andre have as much time as needed, followed by Kendrick talking and saying how honored he was to be working with OutKast. A reporter in the audience then asked if any songs had been recorded yet. All three broke into a sly grin and said, "Yes," and that they would be premiering it right now. Then they pulled out a CD player (it's a dream, don't question it) and hooked it up to a big stereo speaker. Kendrick pushed play on it...and I woke up. Yeah, I was mad waking up from that. 

The odds of a new OutKast album are slim-to-none but maybe Big Boi or Andre 3000 will appear on a track with Kendrick Lamar sometime. That said, I'd really like a brand new OutKast album at some point, whether it be in a team-up with Kendrick Lamar or their own rad LP. Maybe I can at least hope some of that tenth of a percent can happen?

"Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers," is an Astonishing Album

Kendrick Lamar took a chunk of time to bring us his album, "Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers," something he acknowledges on the double LP itself. "DAMN." was a tight and concise LP that seemed to barely let us breathe with how intense it was. "MMATBS," as I'll call it for short, is a bit more spread out and has us absorb its multiple messages throughout the variety of tracks. There is a strong feeling of learning and healing to this album. Lamar touches on generational trauma, being molested as a child by a cousin, having a distant father, and seeing how homophobia & transphobia hurt relatives who transitioned (that song has split opinions among LGBTQ+ critics). The album has a therapeutic and cathartic feeling and in some ways feels designed to help us heal with Lamar. 

On, "MMATBS," Kendrick Lamar talks about being a parent, the racial politics of America, and the complexities of life in general during a pandemic. Every song is great except for one that temporarily brings things to a screeching halt. "We Cry Together," features Lamar and actress Taylour Paige as a couple having a loud and angry argument. It is supposed to be shocking and a sort of story about a messed-up relationship, but instead it makes me more uncomfortable than anything else. The song feels like I'm in a restaurant or some other public place listening to a couple have a very loud and toxic yelling-matching that just is agonizing to listen to. It has some good lines (at one point Kendrick points out how society acts outraged about men like R. Kelly yet still listens to his music), but the song just has a really nasty and unpleasant vibe. Everything else is gold, however.

Kendrick Lamar warns us he isn't a savior, he's just a human being. He's arguably here to save Hip-Hop, however, as this is the best damn rap album I've heard in years. The genre seems to be infested with bland mediocrity (some fantastic exceptions aside) and then Kendrick just blows everything up over 18 tracks (17 if you don't count the one I dislike) and makes it clear that he's one of the greatest rappers of all time, up there on the metaphorical rap Mount Rushmore with Tupac, Andre 3000, Missy Elliot, Eminem, and the other superb talents. "Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers," is an album we waited about exactly half a decade for after, "DAMN." and--pun intended--but I'll be damned if the wait wasn't worth it.

5 out of 5 stars.