Music Critic

[bobbyl1032]

The Bigger Picture

The song that I will be analyzing for its cultural impact is “The Bigger Picture” by rap artist Lil Baby. Lil Baby is only 25 years old, and he is already one of the largest rappers in the game. His most recent album My Turn spent weeks at the number one spot, and over the last few years he has had more than 4 dozen songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100. In recent times with the surge of Black Lives Matter protests, Lil Baby’s “The Bigger Picture” served as almost an anthem to the movement. He has personal ties to this movement as he is an African American male who has been through the corrections systems in the United States. He thought as an artist, and most importantly since he has a platform, he could help educate and bolster the Black Lives Matter movement. When asked about how he felt about his song in relation to the Black Lives Matter movement Lil Baby stated “"I'm definitely proud of it, 'cause it's like it's working in a good way for me and for my people," he says. "And it let me know that my mind state is not all the way wrong — the way I feel and the way I'm thinking."(npr.org).

It is time to dissect the song a little more to show how this really was a huge effect when it came out, and how it still is. After all, Lil Baby loved to analyze music way before he started to actually write music. For example, "I used to dissect music — like, I used to know every song word for word. That was like one of my goals, to just know this song from front to back," he says. "I wouldn't really make a rap, but I just liked music so much that I started putting it into my life — I'd take someone else's song and make it for me."(npr.org).

The song starts off with a kick-ass intro that is a new reporting.

Protests and growing national outcry continues over the death of George Floyd

Last night, people protesting in Minneapolis escalated

As demonstrators were lashed by tear gas and rubber bullets

The main message here, the main message here, the main message here

Is that they want to see those officers involved

They want to see those officers arrested

Officers arrested

(I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe)

This piece in the beginning is an excellent hook to the song, because he shares the main message in the first 30 seconds of the song. And now he can just keep on building on this message block by block, or in this case line by line. By the time that this song debuted on June 27th it was number three on the billboard charts which is actually the highest song Lil Baby has ever had. This just goes to show how important of a cultural impact this song had at the most relatable time. I think the biggest part about this song is that Lil Baby acknowledges that he has previously rapped about violence and drugs in past songs but that it was time to use his platform for the better to inspire change. According to Genius lyrics, “Lil Baby has famously rapped about a criminal lifestyle his whole career, but wants to use the platform that has given him to spread this message now. With the Black Lives Matter movement progressing the way it has, Lil Baby is fully supporting their movement, to the point where he feels it’s time to stop rapping about guns and killing, but rather to speak up on the racial inequity in America today”(Genius). If only many others follow his lead then music in today’s world can be more influential to culture than ever before. There have obviously been many other songs that have been created to mirror Lil Baby’s message, but it is really important when an artist as mainstream as Lil Baby joins the movement. Hopefully many other artists follow in Lil Baby’s footsteps, and use their large and impactful platforms to stimulate change and improve the culture of the United States.

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/21/923944010/lil-baby-my-turn-bigger-picture-criminal-justice

https://genius.com/20089258

[bobbyl1032]

The Kid LAROI

For my artist profile I decided to go a different route than usual. I really wanted to analyze and profile the artist The Kid LAROI. This artist in particular is a very different approach to typical artists. I was introduced to his music by my younger sister, and I played his latest album that was released a couple days ago and immediately fell in love with it. I thought that the album itself was a perfect mix between rap/hip hop and emotional slow music. It feels that achieving successful music while trying to combine slow and emotional and rap/hip hop is extremely difficult, but The Kid LAROI really killed it with this album. His latest album, “F*ck Love(SAVAGE)”, was the first time I really ever fully experienced his music and gave it a thorough listen. I am currently shuffling through this playlist right now while writing this because that is how much I like this album right now.

https://open.spotify.com/album/3YjfdLdpQcVI72uKhooZst?si=CgmkbYHRR1uZcCifn_-nlQ

Born Charlton Howard, with the rapper alias The Kid LAROI, is a 17 year old rapper from Waterloo, New South Wales, Australia. Nowadays, LAROI lives in Los Angeles with his mother and younger brother, Austin. The Kid Laroi considered Juice WRLD his mentor and brother, unfortunately Juice WRLD passed away earlier this year, which is where The Kid LAROI’s music took more of an emotional angle. I really never thought there would be a day where I am listening to an artist that is younger than me, and having the music actually be good and impact me. He has only recently received a surplus of fandom, and gained country-wide popularity with his songs with Juice WRLD and his songs that appeared on the social media app TikTok. Being born in Australia, all of The Kid LAROI’s looked up to artists reside in the United States. According to newsroom on Spotify, “He was always listening to America’s adored exports (hip-hop and R&B) and was especially passionate about icons like Tupac, Erykah Badu, The Fugees, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West”(newsroomSpotify). He took a piece of all of his influencers and combined them into the artist he resides as today. A mixture of hip-hop and R&B with emotional lyrics and feelings.

After the tragic death of his uncle in 2015, The Kid LAROI, really went into full drive with his music and began filling up pages and pages in his notebook. Once he started uploading his freestyles he began to get an audience. According to newsroom Spotify, “Now LA-based, The Kid LAROI has a staggering 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and his name adorms some of Spotify’s most popular playlists, RapCaviar, Pop Rising, Most Necessary, Internet People, Tear Drop, Hot Rhythmic, and more”(newsroomSpotify). LAROI has also made songs with many prominent and popular artists such as Marshmello, Lil Tjay, and Juice WRLD. LARIO developed a rapid fan base in Australia and translated it to an even bigger audience in the United States. The vulnerability and boldness of his music places him at the heart of young music audiences across the world.

One of the largest aspects of The Kid LAROI that helps him bring his music to the next level is how much he cares about his fans and audience. Which is something that he can attribute to his mentor Juice WRLD. He touches upon this in an interview with someone from Spotify when he says “My biggest memories from Juice is how he always went all out for his fans no matter what while on tour. Regardless of how he was feeling that day or if he wasn’t having the best day, you couldn’t tell once he got onstage, and that’s how I want to be. You have to put the fans first because we wouldn’t be here without them. Working with him definitely expanded my creativity and increased my love for making music”(SpotifyNewsroom). This statement just goes to show that he has a good head on his shoulders. I really think he is going to do exceptionally well in the future, he has more potential than any other artist out right now. He is only 17 years old and is completely in control of his own destiny. He already has a monumental audience on Spotify and he can really take his music to the next level in the forthcoming years, as he will get better and improve over time by figuring out what styles and rhythms are perfect for him and his audience. All I can really say is if you enjoy rap, hip-hop, R&B, or even emotional music, look out because pretty soon The Kid LAROI will be found on your playlist.

[bobbyl1032]

Artist Interview

For this blog post I decided to interview a friend from high school. His name is Derrick and he goes under the rapper name “D.Rose”. He currently focuses on creating rap and hip hop music. He has been doing it on the side for about 3 years, and has just recently decided to take things to the next level and get more serious. I thought that it would be a great idea to interview him, not only because I know him personally, but also because I have seen how he has grown as a smaller artist throughout the years. He is not a large name out there right now, but he definitely has the passion and drive to make it further in the rap game. So, let's get right into this.

https://soundcloud.com/drosethedemon 

Me: What exactly deep down made you want to start creating music, and then want to share those creations?

D.Rose: Honestly for me it was always a thing with passion. Ever since I was a kid I would be walking around the house just rapping and making beats, so when I thought the time was right, I said why not give it a shot and see where it goes. As far as sharing the music goes, I just thought that I should just go for it, you never know how you can affect someone’s day in a positive way.

Me: When you are recording your songs, what is the main message that you are trying to get across to your listeners?

D.Rose: The main message I try to portray is that life is a grind. And that you have to do whatever it takes to get to the next level in everything in your life.

Me: So with your music is there a certain demographic that you are trying to reach? Or are you creating for anyone to listen to?

D.Rose: I would not really say that I am creating my music for a certain group of people only, however, I feel that my music tends to gravitate more towards people that are just like me.

Me: Is there anyone out there that really inspired you to create music?

D.Rose: I would say the person who inspired me the most is Polo G because he is my favorite artist in the game right now, other than him I would say my mom. She really inspired me to chase my dreams and do whatever it takes to reach my goals.

Artist above: Polo G

Me: Does your music represent anything in your life? Or relate to how your upbringing was?

D.Rose: I would say my music definitely touches upon that, however, I did not have it as bad as many others out there. So I would not say it was one of those scenarios where there are not many other opportunities.

Me: What is your endgame? That is, what do you see yourself doing in the future and at what point do you consider yourself to have “made it”?

D.Rose: Currently, I would say my endgame is to really get my name out there and influence other people’s lives. It is not extreme fame that I desire, but it is to make enough money to support myself and my family, as well as being an influence on kids of the future.

Me: Is there anyone out there that you would sacrifice a lot to work with?

D.Rose: There definitely is. I would do whatever it takes to collaborate with Polo G, who has been my inspiration from the start.

Me: Is there anything you would like to say for the people reading this to hear?

D.Rose: I would say never give up on your dreams no matter what happens. And you never know how something you do or say can affect someone else’s day or even their life. Just never give up on your dreams, I know for sure that I’m not.

After having the interview with Derrick it just goes to show that many kids like him are trying to have an impact on people’s lives with their music. Some people are just in it for the money which is obviously fine and a part of the process, but then there are others that try to promote positivity with their music and really want to inspire others. It was a great idea to do this interview. Not only did Derrick inspire me, but he really showed me why he has such a passion for what he does, and this is why I believe that one day he will make it big and achieve his goals and dreams.

[bobbyl1032]

Chicago Music Scene

For this blog post I am going to in a completely different direction as per usual. Music scenes are generated by a singular idea or motive and from there develop into something really special. It is seen all over the country in many specific ways such as Detroit HipHop, DC Hardcore, San Francisco Punk, etc. The history, setting, people, time, sounds and sights are all very integral factors in creating a music scene From these factors a large aspect develops, something special, that is a direct reflection of the community. The specific music scene that I am going to cover today is something I am sure many people are not familiar with, and it is Chicago’s drill music scene.

Drill music is a style variant of trap music that was said to have originated in the South Side of Chicago in the early 2010s. Chicago drill rap is a scene which practically revolutionized hip hop. According to Dario Lorenzo, “The genre’s songs, which are typically hallmarked by furious lyrical outbursts over dark trap beats, have long been controversial due to the violent and nihilist nature of their lyrical content”(Dariolorenzo.com). However, that is not the biggest reason why Chicago drill is unsettling to unfamiliar onlookers, it is the fact that the artists that are creating these songs are very young.

It is said that artist Chief Keef symbolizes Chicago drill and he was one of, if not the main reasons as to why it became so popular. He is known as the symbol because he is the most popular out of all of the other artists that created drill music. To put this into perspective, “Chief Keef was 16 when his fame jettisoned him from the Drill-sphere into the eyes of the mainstream public. Or take the case of L’a Capone and RondoNumbaNine. The two rappers were 17 and 16 respectively when their hit single ‘Play For Keeps’ came out, racking up millions of views on YouTube”(Dariolorenzo.com). So there was this large rush of young stars, who were all out there throwing around extremely violent lyrics which naturally led to more critical scrutiny of the genre.

Only more scrutiny and speculation came after 18-year-old rapper Joseph Coleman, or Lil Jojo, was shot and killed after an internet beef with rapper Lil Reese. So after Coleman’s death, more and more critics used his death as a platform to disparage the genre for its crass presentation of violence and frequent inciteful taunts, saying it encouraged criminal activity.

This diagnosis from music critics only showed to be the start. There was a huge increase in criminal violence in response to the genre. Now whether it was directed related to the upcoming of the music genre, that I do not know, but it sure is not a coincidence. A great number of the songs in the Chicago drill category were tributes which is so crazy and sad to hear. Many of the songs were made as tributes to fallen friends and or family, the lyrics showed violent and nihilist tone, and often spoke of retaliation. Certain songs like GMEBE Pistol’s “Letter to Shayla and Roe, Part 2” were made as tributes after his sister Shayla and his best friend Roemello were killed in street violence. Songs such as this one brought another subgenre to the Chicago scene. According to Dario Lorenzo, “In a way, this departure from the typical conventions of Chicago drill beats is rather emblematic, for what Pistol has encapsulated quite totally in this song is the other side of Chicago drill”(Dario Lorenzo). Lorenzo then touches on this again and I need to share it because this is so well said. He says “The song does not shy away or skirt around emotional vulnerability as other songs in the genre do; it functions as an emotional conduit, a direct corridor into the heart, a humanization of the suffering which is so often depicted by the music industry without a second thought”(Dario Lorenzo).

I am not even that big of a fan of this type of music, but I have listened to Chief Keef in the past and it was a great experience to learn more about the background of Chicago drill and how it has inspired so many different songs nowadays. Without certain music scenes such as Chicago drill, there would not be some songs that we all know and listen to everyday.

[bobbyl1032]

The Sounds of Bohemian Rhapsody

The song that I have selected for it’s aural aspects is “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. This song was selected because of its popularity, because I would be pretty surprised if there is anyone reading this that hasn’t heard of the song. A quick fun fact, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is the third best selling UK single of all time and it was on the top of charts all over the world, especially the United States. The reason I included this here was not to show how the song had financial success, but this is showing a measurement of how so many people felt a connection to the song. The song has managed to stay relevant over the years, and it is most likely due to the uniqueness of all the different sounds included in the song. Another key factor to the success and longevity of the song is how it is such an unpredictable song, and honestly quite bizarre.

The aspect that really makes this song so special is the constant, drastic changes in structure. According to Blogspot, “the song is typically separated into three parts, the Ballad Part, Opera Part, and the Hard Rock Part”(Blogspot). The sounds were so different in this song, so it is no surprise that there were plenty of instruments incorporated into the song. The following is a list of the instruments used in “Bohemian Rhapsody”: Acoustic Piano, Electric Bass, Drums, Electric Guitars, Lead Vocal, Overdubbed vocals, and even a Chinese gong.

So the song starts off with the Ballad Part, where it begins with a four part a cappella sung by Freddie Mercury and the piano. Blogspot also compared the beginning of the song to “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, “gradually the other instruments came into play, the bass, drums, and electric guitar which resembled the creation of the song “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin”(Blogspot). Slow half-note rhythm is maintained by the drums, and Freddie Mercury’s tone and style resemble sorrowful and mellow tones, and he sings quietly. After Mercury’s singing, the Ballad Part comes to a peak, and the song moves on to a guitar solo by guitarist Brian May. This guitar solo connects the Ballad Part to the next part, Opera Part.

Next is the Opera Part. Arguably the most important part of this song and for the future of rock music. This may not be the first rock song to ever incorporate opera, but it sure is the only well-known song for it. The reason why the choir worked so well, and it’s strange to say this, but it is because the three different singers had three totally different characteristic voices. The singers were Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor, and Brian May. Freddie Mercury had a very sharp and clear voice so he was able to sing in falsetto, Roger Taylor had a husky voice and could reach high tones, and Brian May had a normal, soft voice and could reach low tones. So the mixture of these three voices and piano, bass, and percussion made this part complete.

Last is the Hard Rock Part. Brian May opens it up with a guitar riff which is extremely impressive. Roger Taylor jumps in with some upbeat drumming that really influences the guitar riff. Then, Mercury hops in and sings in a very different manner than he does in the beginning, in the Opera Part. In the Hard Rock Part, his tone and demeanor has transformed to emotional, angry, and with a sense of urgency. This is personally my favorite part in the song, I am not sure why, but this part really connects me to the song more. I know that last line sounded corny, but you get the point. After this more hype part of the song it returns back to a similar theme as the introduction in the Ballad Part. So after a minute or so of hard rock, the bridge to the outro of the song is done by Brian May’s guitar orchestration. Finally, the song concludes with a very quiet segment where only Mercury’s voice and his piano remain, which is just like the introduction.

[bobbyl1032]

The Sounds of Bohemian Rhapsody

The song that I have selected for it’s aural aspects is “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. This song was selected because of its popularity, because I would be pretty surprised if there is anyone reading this that hasn’t heard of the song. A quick fun fact, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is the third best selling UK single of all time and it was on the top of charts all over the world, especially the United States. The reason I included this here was not to show how the song had financial success, but this is showing a measurement of how so many people felt a connection to the song. The song has managed to stay relevant over the years, and it is most likely due to the uniqueness of all the different sounds included in the song. Another key factor to the success and longevity of the song is how it is such an unpredictable song, and honestly quite bizarre.

The aspect that really makes this song so special is the constant, drastic changes in structure. According to Blogspot, “the song is typically separated into three parts, the Ballad Part, Opera Part, and the Hard Rock Part”(Blogspot). The sounds were so different in this song, so it is no surprise that there were plenty of instruments incorporated into the song. The following is a list of the instruments used in “Bohemian Rhapsody”: Acoustic Piano, Electric Bass, Drums, Electric Guitars, Lead Vocal, Overdubbed vocals, and even a Chinese gong.

So the song starts off with the Ballad Part, where it begins with a four part a cappella sung by Freddie Mercury and the piano. Blogspot also compared the beginning of the song to “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, “gradually the other instruments came into play, the bass, drums, and electric guitar which resembled the creation of the song “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin”(Blogspot). Slow half-note rhythm is maintained by the drums, and Freddie Mercury’s tone and style resemble sorrowful and mellow tones, and he sings quietly. After Mercury’s singing, the Ballad Part comes to a peak, and the song moves on to a guitar solo by guitarist Brian May. This guitar solo connects the Ballad Part to the next part, Opera Part.

Next is the Opera Part. Arguably the most important part of this song and for the future of rock music. This may not be the first rock song to ever incorporate opera, but it sure is the only well-known song for it. The reason why the choir worked so well, and it's strange to say this, but it is because the three different singers had three totally different characteristic voices. The singers were Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor, and Brian May. Freddie Mercury had a very sharp and clear voice so he was able to sing in falsetto, Roger Taylor had a husky voice and could reach high tones, and Brian May had a normal, soft voice and could reach low tones. So the mixture of these three voices and piano, bass, and percussion made this part complete.

Last is the Hard Rock Part. Brian May opens it up with a guitar riff which is extremely impressive. Roger Taylor jumps in with some upbeat drumming that really influences the guitar riff. Then, Mercury hops in and sings in a very different manner than he does in the beginning, in the Opera Part. In the Hard Rock Part, his tone and demeanor has transformed to emotional, angry, and with a sense of urgency. This is personally my favorite part in the song, I am not sure why, but this part really connects me to the song more. I know that last line sounded corny, but you get the point. After this more hype part of the song it returns back to a similar theme as the introduction in the Ballad Part. So after a minute or so of hard rock, the bridge to the outro of the song is done by Brian May’s guitar orchestration. Finally, the song concludes with a very quiet segment where only Mercury’s voice and his piano remain, which is just like the introduction.

[tcrumb]

It’s 3 am

It’s 3 am, or it’s getting there, and I can’t sleep. I mean I could If I would power down my laptop and throw my phone across the room, but it’s one of those nights where I don’t want to start the next day yet. Tomorrow is full of responsibilities, 3 am is just for me. It’s too late and too early to do anything yet. I find myself drifting towards music during these hours, but songs with a very specific feeling. I can come up with a playlist to explain what I mean. 

The first song I would put on it is a song called Dreams by NF. I love lyric heavy songs, especially those that are telling a story or describing a feeling and this one does both. The song is about moving on from an old relationship and finally getting to the point where there’s no more anger towards the person. I stumbled upon this song when me and my closest friend weren’t speaking to each other and all the lyrics reminded me of our uncomfortable situation. Lyrics like 

“But I appreciate the memories we had I know you’ve been callin’, sorry I never call back I know I’ve been distant, you know I never meant that You can tell the family how I’m doing if they ask I’m just doing me” 

always pull me back to that lonely time. Maybe that’s why it’s on the playlist, 3am is a lonely feeling.

The next song I would add is Hostage by Billie Eilish. Hostage is on Billie’s EP titled Don’t Smile At Me, and is one of the first songs I’ve heard from her. It’s about an unhealthy, one-sided, and obsessive relationship. Thankfully I don’t relate to the intended message of the song, but the feeling of being a hostage is something I’m familiar with. I guess everyone in 2020 knows the feeling, but something about being awake at 3am forces you to think about all the things you’d rather be doing. Her voice is so haunting in this song, and it every song she’s ever done. God I love her.

Next would have to be Swan Song by Lana Del Rey. A common theme that comes up in many of Lana’s songs is the idea of running away, being free, and hopeless romances. This song is no exception. I gravitate towards Lana’s music when I’m feeling trapped. She has such an aura of freedom around her, something I wish I could replicate in my own life. 

Bittersweet Tragedy by Melanie Martinez is another song that takes me back to a very specific point in my life. I was dealing with mixed signals, messy feelings and poor communication. This song captures the frustration I was feeling perfectly and the line 

“And I’m done with your bittersweet, bittersweet tragedy It’s no fun when I’m sitting all alone You’re right in front of me (you’re right in front of me)” 

particularly stung. This person and I have moved past the complicated situation we were in before to a place that I wouldn’t change for the world. Now the song takes on this kind of irony when I listen to it, instead of it fueling my frustration it just reminds me of the person I’m missing at 3am. 

I might just be adding this song because I’ve been on a Nirvana binge recently, but it fits the theme. I can’t get over the song Dumb by Nirvana. I wouldn’t know how to describe it, there are very few lyrics compared to the other songs on this list, and the instrumentals aren’t particularly complicated but something about the feeling it invokes reminds me of 3 am. It’s tired, it’s draining, and it’s painful. The song is in the vocals for me.

All of these songs share this same kind of sound, but not in the most obvious sense. They are all sort of self reflective, melancholic, and lonely. It’s 3:21 am right now and that pretty much sums up the feeling.

[bobbyl1032]

Songs that are a must listen before Sports

All the way up until college I played basketball, football, and baseball. Towards the end of high school, I was more into football, since it was my favorite sport and I was also the best at it compared to the others. This collection of songs is the exact feeling and emotion I have before a game, it both pumps me up and brings out all the qualities I have in order to perform to the best of my ability. These songs are all typical pump up tracks that many players around the nation listen to. This collection of songs works so well for me because it is a great blend of rap/hip-hop, old school rock, and even modern day EDM. The songs that make up this playlist are:

“Young Jeezy” -Put on ft. Kanye West

“Monster”-Kanye West ft. Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Bon Iver

“All of the lights”- Kanye west ft. Rihanna and Kid Cudi

“Welcome to the Party”- Diplo, French Montana & Lil Pump ft. Zhavia Ward

“Till I Collapse”- Eminem ft. Nate Dogg

“Hells Bells”- AC/DC

The first song I start off my playlist is “Put On” by Young Jeezy ft. Kanye West.

I like to start this song off in my playlist because it is a song, I grew up listening to. The song was put out in 2008, the song received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. This song was one of the most popular to be included in everyone’s playlists because of the single line “I put on, I put on, I put on” (genius), this is the most influential line in the song to listeners because everyone has that desire to make it big, put their city on the map, and support them.

Next is “Monster” by Kanye West ft. Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Bon Iver

This is one of those songs that make you feel good about yourself. This song reminds you that you are the boss, and you can do whatever you want. Rick Ross was one of my favorite rappers growing up because of the mood his songs would put you in.

In the three hole is “All of The Lights” by Kanye West ft. Rihanna and Kid Cudi

This is debatably my favorite song on this playlist, this song has been played hundreds, maybe even thousands of times by my friends and I. This song ponders through some of the struggles that Kanye has faced, and how he goes about overcoming those challenges. It is a great listen for anyone interested in hip-hop/rap and I would highly recommend anyone to listen to it.

Fourth, I have “Welcome to The Party” by Diplo, French Montana & Lil Pump ft. Zhavia Ward

Now this song here is a song that you throw on if you really need to be pumped up. “Diplo links up with French Montana and Lil Pump for this up-tempo burner which was released as part of the soundtrack for the film Deadpool 2”(songfacts.com). This song makes you believe that you can run through a brick wall and come out unscathed. With the incredible bass and hype background music this song is destined to pump up anyone, literally anyone. Especially for a violent sport like football, one could imagine why this song does the trick.

Fifth, I have “Till I Collapse” by Eminem ft. Nate Dogg

This song being on this playlist is no surprise to any rap fan. This is an all-time classic for Eminem, arguably the best song he ever put out. Eminem and this song in particular is so common for pump ups because it is a relatable song that touches on the struggles and difficulties that he goes through and that he will not give up until “he collapses”. The song almost has 100 million listens on YouTube, which just goes to show how popular and important this song is to music fans.

Sixth, I have “Hells Bells” by AC/DC

AC/DC is one of the most important bands to music in all of history. So, it is no surprise here that one of their songs fall on my playlist. This song in particular has been on football playlists for as long as it has been out, whether it is being played on the loudspeaker pre-game or into individual player’s headphones on the bus. Here is another song this is necessary in any pump-up playlist and if you listen to the song you will know why.

I would have way more songs in this playlist, it was just way too difficult to narrow them down to be able to write 500-700 words. As it already is, I have past that mark, and that is simply because I really do not believe I could condense this down any further without not taking away from any of the songs. All of these songs could have 500-700 words on themselves, so it was no surprise to myself that I struggled to cover all of them without writing a lot of words. It’s crazy to me looking back and really seeing how much these songs mean to me, and all the things that I have gone through and overcome because of these songs. I highly recommend that anyone that has not listened to all of these songs does it immediately, you will feel the results instantly.

[bobbyl1032]

Billy Joel Tokyo Dome Live Concert

For the Live Review I was unfortunately not able to watch something live in the past week. So I have decided to cover Billy Joel’s live concert performance in the Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Japan. This concert appeared live in 2006, it is honestly crazy to believe for how current it appears. The Tokyo Dome is typically known for displaying baseball, and this worked out perfectly for this concert because it was so spacious, which just added another element to enhancing the sound of the music and singing. The venue being held in the Tokyo Dome was a perfect fit, the visuals and audio were both done exceptionally well. A fun fact about Billy Joel and his concerts is that Billy Joel has said that he will have one show a month at the Madison Square Garden as long as it is sold out. As a matter of fact, Joel was supposed to have his 74th consecutive monthly show in March, but it was postponed due to COVID-19 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joel_in_Concert).  

Currently at age 71, Joel has not shown any signs of slowing down, at least for now, we will see after COVID-19 eventually makes it’s exit. Also, as of right now, Billy Joel in concert has made a whopping $454.9 million in the box office since 2014. That amount has been generated from an insane amount of shows (181) and an average of $2.513 million a show. When presented with the question if Joel could ever see himself doing a farewell tour he responded with this “No. I think the way it’ll happen is there’ll be a night where I feel like I can’t do it well anymore - I can’t hit the notes, I don’t have the physical stamina, I’m not into it. And that night, I’ll know it’s time to stop. I might even decide right then and there this is my last show”(https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billy-joel-turning-70-donald-trump-new-music-831081/). 

The concert had a mix of Joel’s hits and album tracks, as that was typically the type of show he would put on. There was one expectation at MSG though, where he strictly played his 33 “hits”. The concert held in the Tokyo Dome had a set list as the following, 

0:00:00 Opening

0:00:23 Prelude /Angry Young Man

0:05:55 My Life

0:11:54 Honesty

0:15:57 New York State Of Mind

0:23:31 Allentown

0:28:03 The Stranger

0:32:40 Just The Way You Are

0:37:45 Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)

0:41:49 An Innocent Man

0:48:26 She’s Always A Woman

0:52:09 I Got To Extremes

0:56:59 The River Of Dreams

1:02:52 We Didn’t Start The Fire

1:07:47 Big Shot

1:12:15 It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me

1:15:55 You May Be Right

Encore

1:21:55 Scenes From Italian Restaurant

1:30:27 Piano Man

My personal favorites in that specific track list are “My Life”, “Movin’ Out(Anthony’s Song)”, “The River of Dreams”, “We Didn’t Start The Fire”, and “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me”. It’s honestly quite amazing how well Joel is still able to perform at his age, and at the same time he still makes all his music sound exactly the way that it should. Just watching the Youtube video of the live concert alone gives me regret that I was not able to be there, even though I was only 5 at the time, and lived in the United States. After listening to all the tracks in the concert, there was no better feeling than the encore which occurred at about the 1:20:00 mark, where the audience cheered and applauded at an alarming rate. Joel then came back on stage and performed an additional two songs. It just so happens that two of these songs are in my top 3 of favorite songs from him. These two songs were “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” and “Piano Man”. This is when the concert officially cleared my expectations. The whole show itself was sensational, but this segment is really what solidified it as extraordinary for me. I 1000% recommend that anyone watches this live concert, it is just simply a brilliant display of music and an immense amount of effort put in by Joel (He is practically dripping in sweat by the end).

[bobbyl1032]

Billy Joel Tokyo Dome Live Concert

For the Live Review I was unfortunately not able to watch something live in the past week. So I have decided to cover Billy Joel’s live concert performance in the Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Japan. This concert appeared live in 2006, it is honestly crazy to believe for how current it appears. The Tokyo Dome is typically known for displaying baseball, and this worked out perfectly for this concert because it was so spacious, which just added another element to enhancing the sound of the music and singing. The venue being held in the Tokyo Dome was a perfect fit, the visuals and audio were both done exceptionally well. A fun fact about Billy Joel and his concerts is that Billy Joel has said that he will have one show a month at the Madison Square Garden as long as it is sold out. As a matter of fact, Joel was supposed to have his 74th consecutive monthly show in March, but it was postponed due to COVID-19 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joel_in_Concert).  

Currently at age 71, Joel has not shown any signs of slowing down, at least for now, we will see after COVID-19 eventually makes it’s exit. Also, as of right now, Billy Joel in concert has made a whopping $454.9 million in the box office since 2014. That amount has been generated from an insane amount of shows (181) and an average of $2.513 million a show. When presented with the question if Joel could ever see himself doing a farewell tour he responded with this “No. I think the way it’ll happen is there’ll be a night where I feel like I can’t do it well anymore - I can’t hit the notes, I don’t have the physical stamina, I’m not into it. And that night, I’ll know it’s time to stop. I might even decide right then and there this is my last show”(https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billy-joel-turning-70-donald-trump-new-music-831081/). 

The concert had a mix of Joel’s hits and album tracks, as that was typically the type of show he would put on. There was one expectation at MSG though, where he strictly played his 33 “hits”. The concert held in the Tokyo Dome had a set list as the following, 

0:00:00 Opening

0:00:23 Prelude /Angry Young Man

0:05:55 My Life

0:11:54 Honesty

0:15:57 New York State Of Mind

0:23:31 Allentown

0:28:03 The Stranger

0:32:40 Just The Way You Are

0:37:45 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)

0:41:49 An Innocent Man

0:48:26 She's Always A Woman

0:52:09 I Got To Extremes

0:56:59 The River Of Dreams

1:02:52 We Didn't Start The Fire

1:07:47 Big Shot

1:12:15 It's Still Rock And Roll To Me

1:15:55 You May Be Right

Encore

1:21:55 Scenes From Italian Restaurant

1:30:27 Piano Man

My personal favorites in that specific track list are “My Life”, “Movin’ Out(Anthony’s Song)”, “The River of Dreams”, “We Didn’t Start The Fire”, and “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me”. It’s honestly quite amazing how well Joel is still able to perform at his age, and at the same time he still makes all his music sound exactly the way that it should. Just watching the Youtube video of the live concert alone gives me regret that I was not able to be there, even though I was only 5 at the time, and lived in the United States. After listening to all the tracks in the concert, there was no better feeling than the encore which occurred at about the 1:20:00 mark, where the audience cheered and applauded at an alarming rate. Joel then came back on stage and performed an additional two songs. It just so happens that two of these songs are in my top 3 of favorite songs from him. These two songs were “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” and “Piano Man”. This is when the concert officially cleared my expectations. The whole show itself was sensational, but this segment is really what solidified it as extraordinary for me. I 1000% recommend that anyone watches this live concert, it is just simply a brilliant display of music and an immense amount of effort put in by Joel (He is practically dripping in sweat by the end).

[bobbyl1032]

A Strong Foundation

http://www.keno.org/classic_rock/album_reviews/the_stranger.htm

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/billy-joel-the-stranger-album/

[bobbyl1032]

A Strong Foundation

http://www.keno.org/classic_rock/album_reviews/the_stranger.htm

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/billy-joel-the-stranger-album/

[soundandcolorsblg]

2020 as a song

In the words of the beautiful Jhene Aiko, “I can’t wrap my head around what’s happening.” I’m sure we all could relate to these words, especially during these trying times. “Summer 2020” is the perfect rendition of the year 2020 as a song. While we all had great expectations going into the new year, it didn’t take months before we found the world as we know it turn upside down. 

5,4,3,2,1… Happy New Year!

As I celebrated the new year with my family, I couldn’t help but get excited for the new beginnings that were brewing in the atmosphere. I was officially done with 2019 and all of the grief it caused me. Obviously, I was oblivious to all the other grief I would have to face. One thing that I look forward to every year is the music that will be released. No matter how dismayed or jubilant we feel, we always need a soundtrack to amplify the moments created between time. The feeling of this song is like watching the sunrise on a summer morning. With its slow tempo and hypnotic harmony, “Summer 2020” captures listeners enticingly with relatable lyrics. You can find this smooth track on the deluxe version of Chilombo, Jhene’s third studio recording album. 

“Times are changing, strangers getting stranger. Generations faced with genocide.”

 In the heat of this summer we faced two adversaries, a pandemic and the virus of racial injustice. Left and right, people were dying due to COVID-19. It almost seemed like a movie as people were going crazy over paper towels and judging others strongly over a simple cough. As people were trying to find entertainment during quarantine, artists including Ms. Aiko, ventured off to social media to keep fans hopeful. While she didn’t perform “Summer 2020” she did perform another song off the Chilombo album called “B.S” ft H.E.R. Despite it being a pandemic, many took to the streets to protest against police brutality. The murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor sparked the awakening of the masses. Men and women of color found themselves despair over the deaths of people who look like them. “And I feel like sometimes I cry.” Hearing these lyrics in Jhene Aiko’s soothing voice made me reminisce on the moment I watched a black man murdered while jogging on camera or the shocking video of George Floyd murdered by policemen. My eyes could not hold back any tears. It’s clear that the song was intended for us to feel, as the artist was influenced by the tragedies of this year.

“I’ll take some rain with my sunshine.”

Since Aiko’s audience is mostly young women who are in high school or college, I’m sure that many wouldn’t have realized that she sampled Kool & The Gang’s successful hit “Summer Madness.” But then again this instrumental is so popular and ahead of its time that it will be hard to believe that someone didn’t know it. This isn’t the first time it’s been sampled either, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince made the 70s instrumental fresh and admirable in the 90s with their song “Summer time.” For those who were around in the 90s, this song was well associated with a good time. And while this sample is a masterpiece that should make you reminisce about a fantastic summer, I don’t think that people will have that same effect when they listen to “Summer 2020” years later. This isn’t a blow to Ms. Aiko because the song brings a melancholic vibe that anyone can listen to when they feel chill or moody, which is what the singer is known for creating. However, I will be listening to this masterpiece rain or sunshine.

Kool & The Gang- Summer Madness

https://open.spotify.com/track/2uMqG8w8oi09fB2YA2QLOm?si=Jd-31JOmT8WgRFie7QypuQ

Dj Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince- Summer time

https://open.spotify.com/track/4vUiUHGwRsBo6M5pB641Wk?si=QbA2vaQbQWCgNUbU2tqI7g

Jhene Aiko- Summer 2020

https://open.spotify.com/track/0t2q2c43AATY4z1GI883Be?si=5i5rk2I0Q0-mfqBURNwVeg

[maxsmusicmacrology]

Life Will Change: Persona’s Call to Protest

Right before your eyes Watch us multiply Come to claim our rights It’s time

Whenever there’s a push towards societal progression, there’s inevitably a push against it from The Privileged. When we take to the streets to ask “hey, can we have cops kill less black people?”, there’s another faction that does everything in their power to pretend it isn’t an issue. When we ask for universal healthcare like every other industrialized country, conservatives decide it’s better to let poor people die than pay for their treatment. If LGBTQ+ people simply exist, the right finds any opportunity to kick us down. When you have all the privilege in the world, equality feels like oppression. No rights have ever been gained through civility.

For lack of any good segue, let’s talk about Persona 5: I’ve never played it. I’m a college student, does it look like I have a hundred hours to do something fun? What I have done is listen to the soundtrack. It slaps. And by far my favorite song is Life Will Change, composed by Shoji Meguro and sung by Lyn Inaizumi. I don’t know enough to talk about the song in the context of the game, but it stands well enough on its own to be worth talking about.

And our voices ring out, yeah

A protest is about being heard. You go into the streets and combine your voices into one and you don’t stop until people can’t ignore you. You find solidarity with your compatriots and your voices, and the power comes from volume. Life Will Change delivers this image uniquely well, by having lyrics from the perspective of a single speaker and a group of speakers:

I’m not a Phantom I’m in your face and I’m here to see it through

As our power grows Tryin’ to stop us shows Might as well go try and Stop time

By switching viewpoints, Life Will Change delivers the perspective of both an individual hungering for change and the group that allows them to achieve it. This also gives an interesting look into crowd psychology, whether intentional or not. People think differently within a group, more likely to follow the crowd and make decisions they normally wouldn’t, good or bad. By starting with an “I” viewpoint and moving to a “we” viewpoint, Life Will Change encompasses the shift that joining a protest creates in people.

I’m just as real as I’m just as dangerous

Protests are fundamentally against something. Against the police, the military, the upper class. We protest because someone is doing something immoral and we want 1) someone to know about it and 2) to make it stop. It’s pointed, directed, and the song gives this impression well. Every single verse is directed towards an unfriendly target, promising that the protestors will get their way and their foe will be defeated.

And you’ll know that we’re out there Swatting lies in the making Your empire for the taking Can’t hold on or life won’t change

Most importantly, Life Will Change promises hope. Protests happen because something in the world is broken, but they also happen because everyone who shows up believes it can be changed. The song isn’t just about taking action, it’s about taking action and fixing things. Life will change if you keep fighting and keep making noise. It’s full of volume, unity, and hope, and that’s everything I want in a song that tells me to keep fighting.

Sources:

“How to Pretend Systemic Racism Doesn’t Exist”, Some More News, youtube.com

“Debunking Trump on LGBT Rights”, Renegade Cut, youtube.com

“Stephen Reicher on Crowd Psychology”, socialsciencespace

Music, in order:

Life Will Change from the Persona 5 soundtrack

Life Will Change cover by RichaadEB and Caleb Hyles

Life Will Change cover by Little V Mills

Life Will Change instrumental cover by FamilyJules

Life Will Change cover by Johnny Atma ft Sapphire & Sax Dragon

Life Will Change jazz cover by Insaneintherain

[bobbyl1032]

The Bigger Picture

https://genius.com/Billy-joel-we-didnt-start-the-fire-lyrics

https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/civil-rights-act-1957#:~:text=The%20result%20was%20the%20Civil,with%20the%20right%20to%20vote.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2019-09-26/billy-joel-we-didnt-start-the-fire-30th-anniversary