Music
On ‘Masters of the Game’ Lenny Kravitz Explains What He Really Wants from Black Media: ‘I Want to Be at the Table’

Last yr Lenny Kravitz criticized the Black Awards and I actually cared about it. I totally agreed. At the end of 2023 he told Esquire.“To this day, I have not been invited to a BET or Source Awards party. Here was a black artist who reintroduced many black art forms, who broke barriers – just like the ones that came before me. This is positive. And they have nothing to say about it?”
His criticism was accurate. And it isn’t about selecting a particular sales channel – most black entertainment media have allowed some kind of segregation. Everyone says blackness is fluid and takes many forms, but then we rejoice certain forms of blackness and ignore others. In music, it is particularly clear that certain types of black are placed on a pedestal above others. We love our black MCs and our black soul singers, but can we love our black rock and roll stars? Don’t they deserve love too? Kravitz thinks so.
“I would like to be at the table,” Kravitz told me. The table he’s talking about is culture. He just wants to be part of the culture. He wants to be amongst other black music superstars and doesn’t want to be unnoticed because he is not into hip-hop or R&B. He wants to be at the table because he has been part of this culture his whole life. “I grew up with an abundance of Blackness, proud Blackness. I just want to be at the table with my brothers and sisters.”
Music
Kravitz’s rock and roll is a reminder that rock and roll was originally a black art form. Sometimes he meets black children on the street who ask why he creates white music, because they do not understand that rock was originally a black art form. It’s hard to play rock without referencing its black creators like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and, of course, Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Music
Kendrick Lamara and “Not Like Us” lessons – a year later

At the top of March 2025-I used to be just greater than a month ago-I used to be asked for a party for a newly broken 7-year-old. When I asked the boy’s mother if there have been any special requests for songs, the just one she could take into consideration was Kendrick Lamara’s “Not Lame”, a song that for my part just isn’t possible to surprise in history, since the song defining 2024. It was time in my life when Kendrick Lamar’s song dressed. “Squabble Up” from the most recent album of Lamar, “GNX”, the album The Rapper, currently gives live shows within the United States and Canada from SZA to sold -out stadiums. Kendrick Lamar is currently one among the best artists on the planet.
In May 2024, my children knew Lamara only by name; Now they know his catalog and argue about who can call essentially the most songs in it. A year after Lamar dropped “Not Like Us”, one of the crucial virulent and dance records DISS of all time, the whole lot is feasible for Lamar. For Drake, the recipient of this eating and dance record Diss … eh, not a lot. Who would think that?
“Not Like Us” was released on May 4, 2024 and It wasn’t even the one song released by Lamar that day. What began kind of, with the hospitable verse of Lamar on the longer term and “Like that this” (March 22), led to the discharge of Drake “Pushs” (April 13), and then “Taylor created freestyle” (April 19), after which for my part is the actual best record in the entire form, “Euphoria” (April 30). Then got here the fluurry: Kendrick dropped “6:16 in La” on May 3, and then Drake released “Matters Family” later on the identical day.
Very shortly after Drake dropped this record, Kendrick returned to “Meet The Grahams” (within the early May) of the group’s absolute darkest record, then dropped his record, “Not Like Us” later that day. What a difference a day. Drake will drop “The Heart entitled 6”, but to be honest, no person cared. Damage was caused; Kendrick, Drake, with “Not Like Us”, catchy bop with quote lines, wildly repetitive accusations and a section of connection and answers, which I mean, if you happen to need a plan, tips on how to recognize one among the best acts on the planet, Kendrick jumped and showed (Folks).
This song led to the entire concert, called Amazon, called “Pop out: ken & friends” in Juneteenth (June 19, 2024), where Drake had all night dedicated to his face, assisted by Dr. Dre and most LA celebrities, which also doubled as some Unity Unity program in Los Angeles.
July 4 Video for “Not like us” I fell, transferring the “jumping” motif to latest, heavy levels of Compton. This film has over 330 million views, which seems … low. The success of the identical song meant that the machine appears in Super Bowl … In February 2025 you saw. I saw it. This is essentially the most regularly viewed show of the Super Bowl in history. And even if you happen to have not watched it in real time, definitely obviously I watched the video replay; The performance on the YouTube NFL website currently has over 120 million views.
I believe it might be safely said that “not like us” modified the whole lot. Sure, before this beef with Drake (we’ll soon reach him), Kendrick was already one of the crucial respected artists in hip-hop, let alone musical. He is the one rapper who received the Pulitzer Award (thus far), won 22 Grammy Awards – five, of which he won in 2025 for “Not Like Us” – not less than two separate books written about him from an analytical perspective by two very respected journalists, and his song “Alight” is the song Black Lives Matter Ruch. He will succeed beyond the wildest imagination of most rappers, but “not like us” turned Kendrick into a different way.
“Not Like Us” turned him into a pop star, whose songs live at the highest of the charts; Currently, his song “Luther” from Shans is the primary song within the country and He has been for 10 weeks. Kendrick does things that Drake once did, aside from doing it without creating songs, which after all are to hit the highest of the hits. Quoting Jay-Z from his song “Come and Get Me” from 1999, Kendrick didn’t crossover, “brought suburbs to the hood.” A year later, Kendrick Lamar appears in Gatorade advertisements, which might not seem shocking a year ago, but now seems obvious. His vulgar with Drake and ultimately the discharge of the song, which took over the complete conversation resulting in the album, which became a right away classic, modified Kendrick, a year later, into a certified pop sensation. Kendrick has at all times been a transcendent artist, but now he’s in a rare atmosphere of each transcendent and business.

There can be Drake, which for my part is now and will at all times be one of the crucial sold artists on the planet. He has … a year; Much longer than I believe he (or anyone) expected, but he went. But so long that Drake had his back against the wall and such a non-hop way was illuminating. Shortly after dropping the “GNX” Lamar Drake, he began proceedings in motion, which might find yourself suing his own label – Universal Music Group (UMG) – contributing to the undeniable fact that they effectively overstated “they don’t like us” for profit on the expense of Drake. Remember, Drake and Kendrick are on the identical label.
In the movement, which a year ago, which never seemed prone to me from Canadian Teflon, now feels the best as possible karen hip-hop, and very intruder, which Kendrick accused him, a costume that can’t shake (yet). I even have never had a problem with Drake’s music, because Drake at all times made hits and like Kendrick, I like Drake, who makes me dance within the club. But now I don’t love Drake as a man; It seems small and small and like a sore loser. I’m not alone in it. Drake’s Cool has long gone. There is a guy who can release music – the album from Partynextdoor on Valentine’s Day, that even he would need to admit that he didn’t hit the identical – but he doesn’t move the needle anymore. He is Drake with all distinctions, no cultural trace. In fact, it isn’t any longer like us.
I do not know what is going to occur next to Kendrick Lamar. At the moment he’s on the longest lap of the victory of all time, reaching heights, I bet that even his own team didn’t realize that he was available to him. At the moment there may be Barry Bonds with the Home Run record; He was already entering Galeria Sław, but now he’s talking to one of the best to do that, jumping a few of those that believed that their gaps were cemented. Everything is subjective and that is what hip-hop is for, what to argue, analyze, enjoy and dance. Regardless of how you chop it, I bet that nobody could predict how one song could make Kung Fu Kenny’s profession look a year later.
Now, if you happen to forgive me, I even have to do the trick while my son asks “television” within the automobile, not only because he likes to shout “mustaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”,, “loved” the whole lot I wanted was a black big nation, being rational, give them what they ask for “uh …”.
What a difference annually.

(Tagstranslate) @Ap
Music
Kendrick Lamar leads with 10 nominations for the American Music Awards 2025 nomination

The nominations for this yr’s American Music Awards have been released, and Kendrick Lamar leads with the most nominations in various categories. Nominated for “Artist of the Year”, “Album of the Year”, “Song of the Year”, and more, Lamar won 10 nominations in eight different categories, especially for his explosive song “Not Like Us” and his album “GNX”.
With three victories AMA behind the belt, Billboard He reports that Rapper Compton could also be associated with music legends Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston for the most winning awards for a yr, if he wins in all eight categories.
However, Lamar shouldn’t be the only black artist that hosted this yr’s nominations. Shabozey follows the seven nomination and Sha (currently on the route with Lamar to their “Grand National Tour”) with six. Others noteworthy black artists, resembling Doechia, Glorilla, Tyler the Creator, Usher and more received nominations.
Meanwhile, Shabozey’s “Where I Winder ID, it is not where I’m going”, and “Cowboys Carter” Beyoncé is nominated for the category “Favorite Country album”, emphasizing a small step in the diversification of the genre. Last yr, having each breaking records in the national category, the singers of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “A Bar Song (tips)” are appropriately applying for favorite men and women’s artists.
2025 AMA is to happen live with Las Vegas on May 26. Live emission at 20:00 ET/17 PM PT on CBS, the prize show will even be available to observe through Streamer, Paramount+.
(Tagstranslate) American Music Awards (T) Beyoncé
(*10*)This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Music
Mary J. Blige reportedly hit a lawsuit worth $ 5 million from her ex -friend, Misa Hylton

It seems that matters are outside the 2 most iconic long -time friends and colleagues of R&B, a stylist (and mother of Didda’s eldest son, Justin Combs), Misa Hylton and R&B Legend, Mary J. Blige.
The 52-year-old stylist and designer supposedly sued her former friend, Blige, for $ 5 million, claiming that Blige has disturbed business relationships and violated the contract with the participation of rapper Young Vado.
Talking to Loren Loros with “Breakfast club“In the film made available on Wednesday, April 30, Hylton’s lawyer (whose name was never delivered) said that the stylist tried” every possible path “to resolve the business matter between them amicably. However, attempts to contact Blige and her camp are usually not unsuccessful.
“Unfortunately, and it is not known why Mary J. Blige and why her camp completely cut off, you know, Mrs. Hylton,” he continued. “It’s very unfortunate that it had to fall like that.”
For reporting from allhiphop.com, Hylton allegedly brings a lawsuit in New York against Blige and her company, Beautiful Life Productions, and each called the accused. Hylton and her agency, Misa Management, claim that Blige deliberately derailed a signed management agreement between Misa and Vado entitling the agency as much as 20 percent of the rapper’s potential earnings.
According to the reported lawsuit, Hylton claims that the R&B icon used its influence to exert Vado with her and that Blige stopped the ready Vado album and blocked the probabilities of the concert tour, unless he left Hylton management.
He added that this lawsuit, which ends up from an unsolved business case, has nothing to do with a fall between them after almost 40 years of friendship.
“The bowl is confused and we tried, the bowl tried to reach Mary. We didn’t want it in the media,” he emphasized.
The Blige band has not yet commented on in public on this matter and, in response to Loros from The Breakfast Club, they weren’t aware of the claim and allegations before.
Hylton and Blige’s relationship dates back to the early 90s, when the celebs in fashion and music rise each respectively. Hylton is basically attributed to the event of Blige’s signature “(*5*)Fantastic ghetto“Aesthetics of the 90s and initially of 2000. In addition to Blige, specifically she designed rapper Lil Kim.

(Tagstotransate) Entertainment
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