Complex best rap albums 2018

The streaming age has – happily – broadened hip-hop’s boundaries, allowing U.S. and English-speaking listeners to easily discover how other cultures have put their own spin on the genre. The New York-centered collective 88rising is representative of hip-hop’s ascendant globalism: It includes acts from Indonesia (rapper Rich Brian and R&B singer NIKI), Japan (R&B singer Joji), China (the rap/pop group Higher Brothers) and South Korea (rapper Keith Ape), as well as L.A. artist August 08. The crew’s debut echoes of-the-moment sounds, particularly on the thumping trap of Higher Brothers, Rich Brian and August 08’s “Disrespectin” and the candied pop waves of NIKI and Joji’s “La Cienaga.” Higher Brothers easily glide between Chinese and English alongside Memphis rapper Blocboy JB on “Let It Go”; crew tracks like “Swimming Pool” and “Lover Boy 88” are further proof of how collectives like 88rising and Brockhampton are remaking pop-rap with ecstatic glee (and a bit of Glee ). Cameos … [Read more...] about Review: 88rising Celebrate Hip-Hop Globalism on ‘Head In the Clouds’

If you know George Miller primarily as the shock-comedy expert who helped make Baauer’s “Harlem Shake” go viral with a series of puerile hip thrusts in 2013, his new album under the name Joji might be evidence of one of the greatest transformations in modern pop culture. Ballads 1 is elegiac and prettily pout-faced; Miller used to make you cringe, Joji makes you cry. Like most transformations, this one wasn’t immediate. Miller started putting out music in 2014, initially under the name Pink Guy; he trafficked in rap that stuck close to the outrageously click-tastic videos he made as Filthy Frank. But soon he began to release more meditative, melodic songs, settling on the name Joji. In 2017, Joji put out In Tongues , a bruised, sensitive, one-note EP; he also issued an official statement ending Filthy Frank. In Tongues felt like the same song over and over — some days, hearing yet another dour ballad gloomed up with unvarying drum programming is cause enough … [Read more...] about Review: Joji Masters Self-Deprecating Pop on ‘Ballads 1’

The xx ’s Oliver Sim has released the affecting video for his new song “Hideous,” where he discloses for the first time that he has been living with HIV since he was a teenager. The song appears on his first solo album, Hideous Bastard . It arrives on Sep. 9 via Young. The xx songwriter, bassist, and vocalist enlisted bandmate Jamie xx to produce the album inspired by Sim’s adoration of horror movies and deeply personal experiences. It features guest vocalist Jimmy Somerville, who has been a “powerful voice around HIV and AIDS for decades,” Sim said in a statement. Sim added: “He encouraged me to do the song for myself. He taught me ‘glamour’ is a Scottish word. And, most importantly, he reminded me to not take myself too seriously, no good comes from that!” The Yann Gonzalez-directed video for the song confronts the monsters and fears that haunt us — literally and figuratively. Sim explores loneliness and questions being “hideous” contrasted against buoying string … [Read more...] about The xx’s Oliver Sim Reveals He’s Been Living With HIV Since Age 17 in Moving ‘Hideous’ Video

“Representation” was the word of the weekend as more than a dozen Asian artists took the stage Saturday for the second annual Head in the Clouds festival in Los Angeles . Dubbed by fans as the “Asian Coachella,” the single-day festival brought out more than 20,000 people, according to organizers 88rising , the Los Angeles-based music label and creative agency known for their roster of Asian acts like Rich Brian , Joji , and Higher Brothers, all of whom performed at the event. The show, which took over Los Angeles State Historic Park in downtown L.A., also marked the West Coast festival debut for K-Pop act, iKON , who first set foot on U.S. soil earlier this year, with a rousing showcase at SXSW. The boyband was also making one of their first appearances since founding member, Kim Han Bin, better known by his onstage moniker B.I, left the group in June, reportedly forced out by management over allegations that he attempted to buy marijuana (cannabis use is still … [Read more...] about Head in the Clouds: Rich Brian, K-Pop Group iKON at ‘Asian Coachella’

Brett Morgen vividly remembers the first time he met David Bowie . When the Thin White Duke insults your work, it tends to burn deep into your memory. It was 2007, at which point Morgen had been a filmmaker for over a decade and had made documentaries on boxers ( On the Ropes ), Black music in America (the Say It Loud series), legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans ( The Kid Stays in the Picture ) and the Chicago 10 ( Chicago 10 ). He had this idea for a collaboration with Bowie on what he called “a sort-of hybrid experimental film.” A lifelong fan, he was beyond excited when the rock star agreed to a meeting. And then, Morgen recalls over a Zoom call from his home in Los Angeles, the sit-down with Bowie and his associates started getting “a little contentious. He went from dismissive to just ripping into one of my movies. I felt like I was being tested. Right after he laid into me, someone asked, ‘What’s your favorite Bowie album, Brett?’ I said, ‘Well, to be quite … [Read more...] about ‘When You Eliminate the Wikipedia, You Arrive at the Personal’: Inside the Making of ‘Moonage Daydream’

Farruko is embracing a new chapter in his career. The reggaeton artist has shared bits and pieces of his spiritual journey with fans, letting them know through social media that he’s dedicated to giving them sounds they love without compromising his religious beliefs. On his new track “Nazareno,” he shows exactly how he’s striking that balance. The song follows the soaring electronic inspiration of Farruko’s 2021 mega-hit “Pepas,” which combined guaracha and EDM into a supercharged blast of energy. However, on “Nazareno,” Farruko takes a much more contemplative approach to his lyrics, sharing the downsides of mega-fame and popularity. “You’re surrounded by envy and also hypocrisy, all eyes are right on you,” he sings. A video for the song shows Farruko in the middle of a party that oozes with greed and negativity until a light suddenly shines down for him. It reflects his religious path and his commitment to staying true to his spirituality in his music. Farruko previously … [Read more...] about Farruko Starts a New Musical Chapter With Uplifting Track ‘Nazareno’

Broadway’s legendary Angela Lansbury will receive the 2022 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, the Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today. “Angela Lansbury’s contributions to the stage are insurmountable,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “From her groundbreaking role in Mame to her iconic performances in Deuce and Sweeney Todd , and most recently, in the revival of A Little Night Music , Ms. Lansbury has given us a lifetime of unforgettable performances, and it is a great honor to present her with the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award.” Lansbury made her Broadway debut in 1957 in Hotel Paradiso , followed by A Taste of Honey (1960), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), and, winning her first Tony, Mame (1966).  She also won Tonys for Dear World (1969), Gypsy (1974) and Sweeney Todd (1979). After a 24-year hiatus, she … [Read more...] about Angela Lansbury To Receive Special Tony Award For Lifetime Achievement