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Tobias Jesso Jr.: GRAMMY-Winning Canadian Sells His Song Rights

February 23, 2023

Tobias Jesso Jr. You may know his name from his 2015 solo album Goon. Or maybe from his work on various popular songs, such as “When We Were Young” by Adele and “Alive” by Sia. Or even from his rece

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How Popular TV Shows and Movies Resurrect Classic Songs

February 23, 2023

HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”.

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Ginalina: Bringing Her Taiwan Roots Into Her Latest Album

February 21, 2023

Folk singer. Songwriter. Canadian. Polyglot. All of these titles belong to Gina Lam, also known by her stage name Ginalina. In November 2022, she released her latest album titled Going Back: Remembe

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance

February 21, 2023

Rihanna is an illustrious artist. She is among the best selling female artists of all time, and was one of the greatest hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s. She has since grown to become the richest...

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How do Streaming Platforms Pay Artists - Is It Fair?

February 20, 2023

Streaming is now the driving force of the music industry, making up 84% of the industry revenue in the U.S. While streaming is much more convenient for listeners, many artists argue that it is near im

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Why Jay-Z Was Named The #1 Rapper Of All Time

February 23, 2023

Who is the greatest rapper of all time? Is it even possible to crown just one person? Well, Billboard and Vibe did exactly that. And, according to them, that person is Jay-Z. In honor of Hip-Hop’s

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Behind Kaytranada’s Unique Sound

February 18, 2023

Kaytranada (Louis Celestin) is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. He is a highly acclaimed electronic artist, having earned two Grammys and countless other awards for his work. Kaytranada has

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The Creative Act: Rick Rubin’s Knowledge Turned Into A Book

February 17, 2023

What happens when a famous music producer takes an interest in self-help books? The Creative Act is your answer. But who is Rick Rubin? Without a doubt, Rubin has an impressive track record in the

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Behind the Music: The Audio Engineer

February 14, 2023

The music industry is a place full of musicians, producers, and creators who have the magical ability to make those perfect sounds we hear everyday through our digital devices. We want to listen close

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Koji Kondo: Nintendo’s Melody Maestro

February 14, 2023

What do popular video games franchises Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Star Fox all have in common? They were all produced and published by Nintendo, and the iconic music themes that you hear in...

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Taylor Swift on Industry Sexism and Music Rights

February 8, 2023

Being a successful woman in the music industry is no easy feat. Not only do they deal with the typical trials and tribulations of being a musician, but there are also gender-specific challenges.

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What’s the Ideal Length for a Single— Are Songs Getting Shorter?

February 8, 2023

“Is it just me, or are songs getting shorter these days?” This is a question I have often pondered, especially in the last few years. It appears that in the era of social media, attention spans are

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Kendrick Lamar - A Modern Musical Genius

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Pitchfork

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern music, Kendrick Lamar stands out as a true musical genius. With a unique blend of deep and meaningful lyrics, masterful storytelling, and innovative production, Kendrick has become one of his generation's most influential and critically acclaimed artists. His impact on hip-hop and beyond is undeniable, making him a cultural icon for a new era.

Born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth grew up in a neighborhood infused with gang violence and social struggles. Nonetheless, he found peace in creating music early, and his talent quickly began to shine. Kendrick was influenced by many artists such as Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, and other legendary hip-hop artists.

He released his debut album titled “Section.80” on July 2nd, 2011. This project received a lot of positive recognition from listeners and other big hip-hop artists. Kendrick’s lyrical ability and his thought-provoking content became evident as he dove into subjects such as racial inequality, self-discovery, and the struggles of the modern African-American community.  It would be his next album “good kid, m.A.A.d City” that would encapsulate Kendrick as a mainstream artist. This project contained songs such as “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and “B*tch Don’t Kill My Vibe”, which are the most popular songs on the album, with both of them being worldwide hits.

He continued to release albums such as “To Pimp a Butterfly” in 2015, and “DAMN.” in 2017. “DAMN.” included songs such as “DNA” and “HUMBLE” that solidified Kendricks's place in the music industry. These albums put Kendrick in a place where people started to include his name in the debate of which rapper is the greatest of all time. In 2018 he released an album for the Black Panther movie, which had contributions from many artists such as SZA, Future, and Travis Scott. He proceeded to go on a hiatus from releasing music for 4 years, which left everyone wondering what happened to Kendrick, and if and when he would release new music.

Kendrick returned from his break by releasing “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” after years of speculation and anticipation. As with many of Lamar's projects, it is clear that there is a deeper meaning behind the title, and fans are eager to delve into the themes and narratives explored throughout the album.

This most recent album solidified Kendrick Lamar as a legend in the rap game as he has proven that he can go years without releasing music, and as soon as he does, listeners are ready to see what he has up his sleeve.