Music Features

Remembering SOPHIE: The Futuristic Producer's 5 Career-Defining Songs

SOPHIE, who pioneered the subgenre now known as "hyperpop," died January 30.

SOPHIE

YouTube.com

Sophie Xeon — the avant-pop producer known mononymously as SOPHIE — died January 30 in Athens, Greece, where the artist was living.

"Tragically our beautiful Sophie passed away this morning after a terrible accident," SOPHIE's record label, Transgressive, announced in a statement. "True to her spirituality she had climbed up to watch the full moon and accidentally slipped and fell. She will always be here with us." SOPHIE was 34.

Keep ReadingShow less
MUSIC

"Revenge of the Dreamers III" Is a  Hip-Hop Experiment Done Right

This Dreamville Records mega-compilation showcases both amazing talent and the spirit of hip-hop.

343 elite hip-hop artists were invited to appear at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia for 10 days of nonstop music-making. 142 songs were recorded in that time, 257.65 GB of music.

This is what the Revenge of the Dreamers III sessions looked like: one-part chaos, two-parts competition, and a whole lot of creative fun—at least according to the project's coinciding documentary. During this 10-day marathon, there were 12 separate studio setups for artists and producers to wander in and out. Each recording space functioned as its own unique and constantly shifting world. With so many talented individuals roaming the halls and feeding off whatever energies pulled them in, everybody felt an unspoken pressure to step their game up, vying not only for artistic space in a packed recording session, but also inrying to write something dope enough to make the album's final cut. This pressure appeared to stoke, rather than stifle, creativity.

"It's a frenzy," Dreamville artist Omen said in the documentary, addressing the sessions' vibe of healthy competition. "First of all, you gotta find your room, your spot, where you're gonna set up—whether that's writing, making a beat—because it's so many people coming through, and them spots get snatched up…And it's studios all around here, but, I mean, within probably 30 minutes, they might be all taken."

Once the creative frenzy finally came to an end, 18 songs were chosen out of the 142 recorded to appear on the final cut of Revenge of the Dreamers III. The end result featured 34 artists and 27 producers. Of those 18 songs, not a single one flopped or felt like filler, but this should come as no surprise. When you start with such a massive mountain of music inspired by such a uniquely dynamic and collaborative process, success is almost inevitable.

In addition to Dreamville co-founder and veteran emcee, J. Cole, ROTD III also showcases the breadth of the label's eclectic and talented roster: J.I.D., Bas, Omen, Cozz, Lute, Ari Lennox, EARTHGANG, and in-house producer, Elite. Since the album is a Dreamville Records compilation, these artists are the glue that holds everything together, offering a sort of stylistic motif in a crowded list of features that would otherwise risk sounding chaotic and without direction.

ROTD III also features Reason (of Kendrick Lamar's Top Dawg Entertainment fame), Young Nudy, T.I., Ski Mask the Slump God, Smokepurpp, Smino, Ty Dolla $ign, Saba, and Vince Staples (to name a few). So, this album is star-studded as a summer blockbuster, but what really stands out about this impressive guest list are the creative opportunities born from putting all these artists in one building for days on end—we get collaborations and truly fun moments that, had this album been recorded more traditionally, may have never been possible.

One such standout moment comes in the form of J.I.D. teaming up with T.I. for one of only two duets on the record (the other comes in the form of J. Cole with Young Nudy). Their track, "Ladies, Ladies, Ladies" is a buoyant spin on the Jay-Z classic, "Girls, Girls, Girls," in which J.I.D. runs through a list of the diverse range of women he's been with and the unique issues each one presented him. Then T.I. takes the second verse, prefacing it by playfully nodding to how much longer he's been around: "Young n----, you don't know nothing 'bout no bitches. Listen…" The track is a collaboration that we never knew we needed, and the two emcees bridge this generational divide smoothly.

Another powerful collaboration comes in the form of Reason and Cozz at the end of "LamboTruck," as they plot to rob their respective label-heads. Reason throws the idea out, rhyming, "Cozz, look, I done been broke too long / n----, bills too long, can't hide that, n---- / Cole just pulled up in a Lamborghini truck / On the homies and God, we should rob that n----." After Cozz takes issue with the plan, citing his allegiance to Cole, Reason offers another solution to the problem: "Look, let's make a deal / While I go and rob Cole, you go rob Top / Cool," Cozz agrees. This back and forth is the rare collaborative fire that ROTD III opens itself up to in its unprecedented approach to making a mixtape.

At the heart of this album is something that is at the heart of hip-hop itself: an element of fun and mutually beneficial competition for the greater good. The recording sessions at Sound Tree functioned as a microcosm of what it's like to try and make it in rap—throwing hundreds of talented people together into a shared space, all of them vying for their chance to shine. In the end, everyone grows creatively by their desire to surpass the bar set by their peers and predecessors. The whole of the culture is pushed forward every time one artist takes a step toward greatness. And in mirroring this, ROTD III translates into one of the most organic, enjoyable, and authentic hip-hop albums of the decade.

Music Features

Vince Staples Honors Mac Miller in "Smile, You're On Camera" Tour

Vince Staples, JPEGMAFIA, and Katori Walker Rock an Historical Theatre in Ithaca, New York.

Vince Staples

Brandon Nagy/Shutterstock

A Night of Powerful Hip Hop Transforms Ithaca's State Theatre.

The State Theatre in Ithaca, New York is far from the sort of venue in which one might expect to see an act like Vince Staples perform. The stage, framed with intricate baroque sculptures, carvings, and medieval shields, gives the impression that this theatre has seen significantly more Shakespeare than bass-heavy, bone-rattling hip-hop. But, then again, Vince Staples is not your run-of-the-mill emcee. Staples is unique, which has always shone through in his music. That shine, as it turns out, is just as bright in his live show.

The March 1st concert marked the beginning of the second half of his 37-city "Smile, You're on Camera" tour, but the raw energy of all three acts could have fooled you into thinking that the tour was just getting started.

Katori Walker — a rapper from Pasadena, California — kicked the show off with heavy tracks about gang violence interweaved with calls for peace and unity. The crowd seemed relatively unfamiliar with Walker but gradually warmed up to his music over the course of his set. It's safe to say that he made more than a few new fans that night.

Once Walker finished, Baltimore rapper JPEGMAFIA took the stage and did nothing to prepare besides setting up his laptop. The rapper, who sometimes goes by Peggy, acted as his own DJ, playing his songs on Spotify and rapping over them. Well, to put it more accurately, what he did was closer to screaming rhymes over glitchy, experimental beats. The energy was crazy, and the whole thing was very punk rock.

But the contrast to Staples' characteristically buttery flow and lyrical precision was jarring, and the set came across as sloppy and abrasive. But the crowd appeared to disagree, rising to meet Peggy's chaotic energy. The audience seemed to know every lyric, and they screamed them along with Peggy as he flailed and moshed about the stage, providing almost as much energy as a young Black Flag.

At around 10:30, with the crowd now sufficiently amped up, Vince Staples finally took to the stage. In stark contrast to JPEGMAFIA's stripped down, hardcore set, Staples took a more theatrical approach, employing an elaborate light show, enough smoke machines to keep him almost perpetually cloaked in a dense and eerie fog, and projections of cracked TV screens alternately broadcasting flashes of porn and live views of the audience and the emcee himself.

Through the cinematic and interactive experience, Staples drove home the theme of the tour: Smile, You're on Camera.

He opened his set with "Feels Like Summer," the first track off his latest album, FM! During this number, Staples opted to keep the screen mostly black, minimizing distractions and allowing him to captivate the audience with his confident stage presence and bars.

Not only was the set design and overall concept of the show creative and engaging, but Staples' performance was masterful. His flow and delivery were spot-on and controlled, never missing a beat. He paced himself well, demonstrated expert breath control, and kept up with even the most complex, rapid-fire, and tongue-twisting schemes in his catalog.

Seldom have I seen an emcee spit his bars live with such precision and care that they sound as if they could have been the original studio recordings. This is just one more piece of evidence added to an already sprawling list as to why Vince Staples is one of the best in the game right now.

After performing the majority of FM! (a remarkably short album, even in full) and plenty of classics off both the critically acclaimed record, Big Fish Theory and a fan favorite, Summertime '06, Staples shifted the attention off himself and dedicated the last fifteen minutes of his set to late rapper, Mac Miller, who passed away last September of an accidental overdose. The two emcees were contemporaries and longtime collaborators and friends, so it was touching to see Staples pay his respects to Miller.

Staples ended his set with "Yeah Right," and then thanked the audience for coming. As he exited the stage, the lights did not come up. Instead, the entirety of Mac Miller's NPR Tiny Desk concert played on the screen from start to finish. Mac Miller was transported beyond the grave to be on tour with Staples so the two could rock the same stage one last time.

Seeing Miller perform stripped down versions of his songs was a powerful moment for many in the crowd. More than a few audience members were brought to tears.

It's rare that we are blessed with an emcee like Vince Staples — someone who is just as raw, real, and complex as his music. If you have the chance to go see him for the second leg of this tour, you definitely should. And if you aren't already familiar with Vince Staples' music, there's a good chance you will be in the years to come. At just 25 years old, he's only going up from here.


Dustin DiPaulo is a writer and musician from Rochester, New York. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Florida Atlantic University and can most likely be found at a local concert, dive bar, or comedy club if he's not getting lost somewhere in the woods.


POP⚡DUST | Read More...

Fetishizing Autism: Representation in Hollywood

Post Malone Crocs Sell Out: Succumb to the Darkness

Avril Lavigne Doesn't Know Who She Is Anymore

Culture News

10/10 Celebs Agree: Cancel R. Kelly

Nobody wants to defend a child predator.

R. Kelly Interview - CBS News

via youtube.com

Amidst the ongoing #MeToo movement, the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries is rocking the music industry.

Once again, the spotlight shines on a hugely influential celebrity whose sexual predation has been protected and facilitated for years. Now #cancelrkelly and #muterkelly are picking up steam, and celebrities are speaking out. Here's a handy roundup of everyone who agrees: fuck R. Kelly.

Vince Staples

Vince Staples on R. Kellywww.youtube.com

Vince Staples blasted people on Twitter who are just now taking notice of "this K. Relly shit." Staples has a point, considering he has been speaking out against R. Kelly since April 2018, when he used his Coachella interview to put "piece of fucking shit R. Kelly" on blast for being a "child molester."

John Legend + Sparkle

John Legend and Sparkle were the only artists who agreed to participate in the actual documentary, Surviving. The executive producer revealed that many others, including Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Questlove, and Dave Chappelle refused. But as John Legend made clear on Twitter, he doesn't "give a fuck about protecting a serial child rapist."

Chance the Rapper

After taking flack for audio where he said he "didn't value the accusers' stories because they were Black women," Chance tweeted an apology to R. Kelly's survivors, and expressed regret for ever having worked with him.

Lady Gaga

Receiving newfound backlash for her 2013 R. Kelly collaboration, "Do What U Want (With My Body)," Lady Gaga set the record straight on Twitter. She said she stands behind the accusers "1000%" and plans to remove the song from iTunes and all streaming platforms.

Common

Common Admits Black Community Failed R. Kelly Survivors, Says That Ends Now

In an interview with TMZ, Common lamented the fact that he turned a blind eye to the long-cited allegations against R. Kelly. He believes the entire black community has been failing R. Kelly's survivors for a long time and should have put a stop to things long ago.

Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith took to Instagram to express confusion at the fact that R. Kelly's music sales have spiked greatly since the docuseries aired.

Ne-Yo

Ne-Yo took to Instagram, too, posting a #muterkelly image alongside the sentiment that music is not more important than protecting our daughters.

Kerry Washington

On Twitter, Kerry Washington praised the fact that #SurvivingRKelly was the #1 trending topic.

Omarion

Omarion announced on Twitter that people need to acknowledge the ugly truth behind their industry, and he will no longer be performing any songs written by R. Kelly. That being said, he still plans to perform R. Kelly written songs on his current tour so as not to disappoint fans.

Tank

Tank made a long, heartfelt Instagram post expressing that in spite of how R. Kelly inspired his career, he cannot separate the music from the monster. He writes about his love for his own black daughters, and he suggests that there are more predators like R. Kelly currently working in the industry.

Bun B

Bun B straight up said, "Man, fuck R Kelly." He also reserved some fucks for Hugh Hefner, Sparkle, and R. Kelly's ex-wife, but later clarified that he did not intend to discount their experiences.

Meek Mill

On Twitter, Meek Mill said he's "not feeling R" after watching the docuseries, and, similar to Tank, suggested that there are a lot of other people in the music industry with similar accusations floating around.


Dan Kahan is a writer & screenwriter from Brooklyn, usually rocking a man bun. Find more at dankahanwriter.com


POP⚡DUST | Read More...


Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club Is the Greatest Greek Tragedy of the Modern Era

The Most—and Least—Anticipated TV Shows Coming in 2019

America Needs Better Stories About Disabilities