The animated parody of Anaconda by Nicki Minaj. Continue reading
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Category: Music
10/19/17 O&A THROWBACK THURSDAY: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell- Ain’t no Mountain High Enough
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough was written in 1966 by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson prior to joining Motown. Simpson recalls “We felt like that could be our entry to Motown. Nick called it the ‘golden egg’.”The care-free, danceable, and romantic love song that became the signature duet between Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The song set the tone for a string of Ashford and Simpson hits, which many consider the crown jewels of the Motown discography. Continue reading
8/18/15 O&A Song Of The Day: Anastacia- One Day In Your Life
One Day in Your Life is a song by recording artist Anastacia from her second studio album, Freak of Nature. It earned her first chart-topper on the Billboard ’s Hot Dance Club Play chart. The video shot on January 16–17, 2002 and directed by Dave Meyers, who has also directed videos for Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Pink, and Bow Wow. Continue reading
8/17/15 O&A With WaleStylez- Song Of The Day: FKA twigs – M3LL155X
FKA twigs has always been an artist that defies convention. This self-directed project M3LL155X feels like a powerful assertion of FKA twigs’ independence and artistic direction. From the opening track “Figure 8” and accompanying visual, we are hit with pure, raw, defiance. Continue reading
8/16/15 O&A Gospel Sunday: Richard Smallwood- Same God
Same God, the rousing feel-good retrospective is the lead single from Richard Smallwood’s aptly named Anthology. This epic project includes his 20-member renowned ensemble, Vision. The classically trained Smallwood presents a collection of music like only he can– rich, heartfelt, and layered with dynamic musical arrangements. Anthology is steeped in the tradition of gospel music. Continue reading
2/I/18 O&A NYC BLACK HISTORY MONTH THROWBACK THURSDAY: Al Green- How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart released on the 1972 album Let’s Stay Together is a cover song, originally performed by the Bee Gees and written by Barry and Robin Gibb. His rendition took the soul ballad to new levels of artistry and refinement. Continue reading
8/9/15 O&A Gospel Sunday: Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Didn’t It Rain
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, is a pioneer of twentieth-century music. Tharpe attained great popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings that were a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and rhythmic/early rock accompaniment. She became gospel music’s first crossover artist and its first great recording star. Continue reading
8/7/15 O&A Song Of The Day: The Weeknd- Can’t Feel My Face
Can’t Feel My Face by Canadian R&B recording artist The Weeknd. Released on June 8, 2015, as a single from his upcoming second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness. The single has also received positive reviews from critics, who noted similarities between the song and works by Michael Jackson. Continue reading
8/7/15 O&A Shall We Dance Friday: Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal
Smooth Criminal is the seventh single from Michael Jackson’s 1987 Bad album. Jackson originally wanted to make the music video in the western genre, but he later decided after watching “The Third Man” with Director Colin Chilvers to change it to a 1930s gangster style. Jeffrey Daniel of the soul music group Shalamar co-choreographed the Smooth Criminal video with Jackson and Vincent Paterson, who was a back-up dancer in Beat It and Thriller.
The dance sequence of the video in the 1930s style lounge (and Jackson’s white suit and fedora) pays tribute to the Fred Astaire musical comedy film The Band Wagon. Jackson and some of the dancers around him perform a seemingly impossible forward lean. For the video, this was done using harness cables. To accomplish this maneuver for stage performances, though, Jackson co-patented a hitching mechanism which was built into the floor of the stage and the performer’s shoes.
Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal
8/6/15 O&A Song Of The Day: Skrillex and Diplo – “Where Are Ü Now” with Justin Bieber
Where Are Ü Now, produced and performed by EDM producers Skrillex and Diplo under their collaborative effort Jack Ü, features vocals from Justin Bieber. It is the second single from the duo’s debut studio album, Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü. Continue reading
